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A Tootsie Chase Mystery)}
by Paula Robinson
It was Saturday morning. Grandma Sparkle decided to bake a big batch of chocolate chip cookies while her big white dog, Fluffy, slept in the sunshine on a rug in the corner of the kitchen. She put in lots of chocolate chips and baked the cookies on her special cookie sheet. After she was finished and the cookies had cooled, she divided them into four equal piles.
The first plate of cookies was for her friend Mrs. Green, the librarian. They had been friends a long time and Mrs. Green always picked out good books for Grandma Sparkle when she went to the library. Mrs. Green was going to stop by and pick up her cookies after the library closed a t four o’clock.
The second plate was for Mr. Brown. He helped Grandma Sparkle by doing chores around the house. He mowed the lawn and trimmed the shrubs and pulled the weeds in her flowerbeds. Today he was coming to pick up the twigs and branches and leaves that had fallen into her backyard. When he finished, he would come in and get his plate of cookies.
The third plate was for her grandchildren, Susan and Sam. They loved chocolate chip cookies and their mother was going to bring them by when they got back from a shopping trip to the mall. The Children had saved their birthday money and were going to buy some new Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards to add to their collection.
The fourth pile, Grandma Sparkle put in her cookie jar. The jar was in the shape of a white dog and it reminded her of her loveable dog Fluffy, who was still sleeping in the sun.
When that was done, Grandma put all the baking dishes in the dishwasher and decided to go sit in the living room and read a book until Mr. Brown came. “I think I’ll take one of these chocolate chip cookies with me to munch on while I read,” she said. She went to the white dog cookie jar and pulled out a big cookie.
Just then, her phone rang. She put the cookie on the kitchen table and went to answer the telephone. The call was from Myrtle Twit. Grandma Sparkle like Myrtle, but Mrs. Twit could talk and talk and talk and talk. So, Grandma took her phone to the living room, sat down in a comfortable chair and listened to Myrtle talk.
When the conversation finally ended, Grandma Sparkle went back to the kitchen. “I thought I put a cookie here on the table,” she said. “I don’t remember eating that cookie before I received the phone call from Mrs. Twit. Maybe I put it back in the cookie jar. Oh well, I’ll just get another.” Grandma Sparkle pulled another cookie out of the jar just as she looked out the window and saw Mr. Brown’s truck pull into her driveway. She put the cookie on the kitchen table and waved to Mr. Brown.
“It’s such a sunny day,” she said to Fluffy, who was still curled up on the rug in the corner. “Come on, you lazy dog. Let’s go out and help Mr. Brown pick up sticks. It will be fun.”
Grandma Sparkle and Fluffy went outside to help Mr. Brown. They worked in the yard for over an hour. When they were finished, the back of Mr. Brown’s truck was filled with sticks and leaves and branches. “Would you mind if I went inside and washed my hands before I start home?” Mr. Brown asked Grandma.
“Go right ahead,” she said. “And there’s a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the shelf for you. Take them home and enjoy them. I’m going to fill the bird feeders out back before I come inside.”
Mr. Brown went into the house with Fluffy following close behind. He washed his hands and took the plate of cookies from the shelf. Then he waved good-by to Grandma Sparkle as he drove out of the driveway.
A few minutes later, Grandma went inside and washed her hands. “Did I eat that cookie before I went outside to help Mr. Brown?” She looked on the table. The cookie wasn’t there. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “My, my, my! I must be getting forgetful,” she said to Fluffy who was once again curled up on the rug in the corner. “It looks like chasing sticks tired you out. You take a nice nap and I’m going to have a cookie.”
Just as she was pulling a cookie out of the white dog cookie jar, she heard, “Grandma, grandma, we’re here, we’re here.” She put the cookie on the kitchen table and went to the living room to greet her grandchildren with open arms. After the hugs and kisses, they all sat on the sofa while Sam and Susan showed Grandma Sparkle their new Yu-Gi-Oh cards. They played with the cards for a while but Grandma thought the game was way too hard.
“Would you like a chocolate chip cookie?” she said. When both children yelled, “Yes!” she told them to go to the kitchen and bring a plate of cookies into the living room. They could each have one cookie but had to take the rest home with them. When they returned with the cookies and asked for milk, their mother said they didn’t have time. She had to take the children home so she could start dinner.
After more hugs and kisses, the happy grandchildren left for home with their plate of cookies.
“Why didn’t I take one of those cookies?” said Grandma. But then she remembered she had left a cookie on the kitchen table. When she went to the kitchen and looked for the cookie, it had disappeared. “Well, my goodness. It seems like my cookie always turns up missing.” She shook her head and went to the cookie jar to get another.
“Ah, this looks good,” she said and was just about to take a big bite when the doorbell rang. “I’ll bet that’s Mrs. Green from the library.” She put her cookie on the kitchen table and hurried to the front door.
Mrs. Green stepped inside and handed Grandma a new library book. “I’m very thirsty,” said Mrs. Green. “Would you mind if I went out in your kitchen and got a glass of water while you look at the new book and see if you’d like to borrow it from the library?”
“Go right ahead,” said Grandma. “And there’s a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the shelf. I made some for you and Mr. Green. Please take them home with you.”
Mrs. Green got her drink, picked up the cookies and after thanking Grandma Sparkle, she dashed out of the house. “She’s like a whirlwind,” said Grandma, “and she left the new book.” So, Grandma decided to sit down and read a while before she started her dinner. Just as she was about to sit, she remembered the cookie she’d left on the kitchen table. When she got to the kitchen, the cookie was gone.
She looked all around the kitchen. The missing cookie was nowhere to be seen. “This is a mystery,” she said. “I need a good detective. I’ll call my friend, Tootsie Chase. She’ll be able to solve the case of the missing cookie.”
When Tootsie arrived she was wearing her red Tootsie Chase hat and the red Tootsie Chase shirt she always wears when she solves a mystery.
“Hello, Grandma Sparkle,” she said. “So you have a mystery for me. I’m going to ask you some questions, look for clues and make a list of suspects. In no time we’ll solve the missing cookie mystery.”
Grandma and Tootsie went to the kitchen and stood by the kitchen table. “Grandma, did you say the cookie was here on the table each time it disappeared?”
Grandma nodded her head.
“You need to tell me who was in the kitchen today. They will be our suspects.”
Grandma thought for a minute. “I was here. And Mr. Brown came in to wash is hands. And Mrs. Green came in to get a glass of water.” She stopped to think. “Oh yes,” she said, “my grandchildren, Susan and Sam, came out here to pick up a plate of cookies for their family. I think that’s everyone.”
As Grandma stood and looked around the kitchen she saw Fluffy sitting on the rug in the corner. “Of course, Fluffy was here in the kitchen today.”
Tootsie Chase smiled. “So, was Fluffy here in the kitchen most of the day?”
Grandma nodded. “Yes, I guess he was.”
“Well, now that we have our suspects, let’s look for clues.” Tootsie looked down at the chair sitting by the kitchen table. “Have these scratch marks always been here?” She pointed to several marks in the white paint on the seat of the chair.
Grandma shook her head. “No, I haven’t seen scratch marks on that chair until just this minute.”
Tootsie looked at the table. Then she looked at the floor as she walked to the rug in the corner. “I see cookie crumbs on the table and all the way across the floor. Do you know how long they have been here?”
“Oh my,” said Grandma Sparkle. “I sweep the kitchen every night after I finish with the dishes. I like a clean kitchen, you know. Those crumbs were not there last night. They must have gotten there sometime today.”
Tootsie bent down to pet Fluffy on the head. “You’re a very nice dog,” she said. “And so white. I wonder why the hair around you mouth is brown?” Tootsie put her nose down near Fluffy’s mouth. “And is that chocolate I smell?”
Tootsie stood up and looked at Grandma. “I have solved the mystery of the missing cookie.”
Have you been a good detective? Have you solved the mystery? What happened to Grandma Sparkle’s chocolate chip cookies?
That’s right. You are a very good detective. You agree with Tootsie Chase. Fluffy ate the cookies.
“So, Grandma Sparkle, the next time you make a batch of chocolate chip cookies, do not put any of them on the kitchen table. Dogs have good noses for smelling and Fluffy just couldn’t resist the smell of your cookies.”
“Thank you, Tootsie.” Grandma smiled. “I think you’re right.”
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