Table of Contents
A CD thief?
How would anyone get out of here with stolen CDs? Eric asked. Theyve got a security gate that beeps.
Thats a mystery, Cam said. How did someone steal the CDs and get them past the exit gate?
Eric clapped his hands and said, I knew it! I just knew it! Wherever we go, you find a mystery.
Cam picked up a CD. It was in a closed plastic case. Stuck to the inside of the case was a white rectangle.
Cam showed Eric the white rectangle and said, Heres the magnetic strip. It sets off the alarm when you leave the store.
Cam thought for a moment. Then she whispered, Maybe a thief broke open the cases, took off the white rectangles, and stuffed the CDs in his shirt.
Maybe, Eric said.
Ill look for the broken cases, Cam told him.
Eric said, Ill check the registers.
Near the back of the store Cam felt a draft of cold air. She turned and saw that the back door was open. And there was no security gate there.
Cam was just starting toward it when she heard a loud Beep... Beep... Beep coming from the front of the store.
For my son Eitan,
who is just learning
to read
Chapter One
Honk! Honk!
A clown sitting on a huge tricycle honked his horn. Then he handed Eric Shelton a flyer.
Thank you, Eric said.
Someone dressed in a large frog costume handed him another flyer.
Thank you, Eric said to the frog.
Ribbit. Ribbit, the frog answered.
Put your hands in your pockets, Cam told Eric. If you dont people will keep giving you papers.
Cam Jansen and her friend Eric Shelton were walking through the Hamilton shopping mall. It was a sale day, and the mall was crowded.
Listen to this, Eric said. He read from one of the flyers. Today only! Big sale at Jasons Sneaker Palace. Youll run faster in Jasons sneakers.
Then Eric read from the second flyer. Today only! Free sprinkles, nuts, and syrup on any two-scoop ice cream cone at Mama Minnies Sweet Shop.
I get interesting things in the mail, not at the mall, Cam said. She gave Eric a card. Listen to what Aunt Molly sent to me.
Cam closed her eyes and said, Click. Cam always says Click when she wants to remember something.
Cam recited the poem that was printed on the card:
I love giraffes and elephants,
chickens, ducks, and geese,
but not as much as I love
my eight-year-old niece.
Happy Birthday.
Thats silly, Eric said. Youre not eight years old. Youre ten.
Cam opened her eyes and said, And its not my birthday. That was four months ago.
Cam smiled, and said, Aunt Molly is nice but very forgetful.
Cam closed her eyes again and told Eric, Now look on the back of the card. Theres a smiling hen sitting on an egg. In the egg is the number 125-98976. Thats the number of the card.
Youre right, Eric said. You have an amazing memory.
Cam has a photographic memory. She remembers just about everything she sees. Its as if she has photographs stored in her head.
Cams real name is Jennifer. When she was a baby, people called her Red because she has red hair. But when they found out about her amazing memory they began calling her The Camera. Soon The Camera was shortened to Cam.
There was money inside the card, Cam said. Aunt Molly wrote that I should buy myself something for my birthday. Thats why Im looking for the music store.
Someone in a rabbit costume gave Eric a flyer.
Thank you, Eric said to the rabbit.
Eric read from the flyer. Hoppy news! Theres a pajama and sock sale at Benders.
Cam started walking quickly through the shopping mall. Eric had to hurry to keep up.
Lets get pajamas, or a pair of Jasons sneakers, Eric said, or some of Mama Minnies ice cream. I love ice cream with sprinkles.
Cam said, No, I want to get the new Triceratops Pops CD. I heard one of the songs. It was great.
Id rather have ice cream, Eric said. Close your eyes, he told Cam, and imagine strawberry ice cream covered with chocolate syrup. Now imagine red, blue, yellow, and green sprinkles sinking into the syrup. On top of all that are walnuts, sliced almonds, and pecans.
Cam closed her eyes. She imagined Erics ice cream sundae. And she walked right into a man carrying two large shopping bags. Apples and oranges fell from one of the bags.
Cam opened her eyes and said, Im sorry. Then she and Eric chased after the rolling fruit and returned it to the man.
Cam told Eric, Im not imagining ice cream anymore. It only gets me into trouble. Im looking for the music store. We have to hurry. My dad said hell meet us by the bank in an hour.
Now Erics eyes were closed.
Im imagining the ice cream, Eric said. And its delicious.
Eric walked into a sign.
Excuse me, Eric said to the sign.
Keep your eyes open and watch where youre going, Cam told him.
Cam and Eric walked past a jewelry store, a candy shop, and a pet store. Then Cam said, Theres the music store. And theyre having a sale, too.
Chapter Two
Cam ran to Ernies Everything in Music and Video store. She was about to go in when Eric yelled, Stop! Youre going in the wrong way.
Cam stopped. She looked at the gate. It was clearly marked EXIT. Near the bottom of the gate were two tiny red lights.
Cam turned around and walked back to Eric. That gate has an alarm, Cam told Eric. Each CD and tape in the store must have a magnetic strip on it. If you go through the gate without taking off the strip the gate beeps. When you pay, they take off the strip so you can get out without setting off the alarm.
Cam and Eric walked in through the entrance. It was a big store with lots of departments. The store was crowded with shoppers.
Cam stood by the entrance and looked around. Near the front of the store videotapes of movies and old television shows were displayed. Above them were a few television screens showing scenes from some of the tapes on sale.
Eric said, Lets buy a movie tape.
Cam shook her head and said, No.
Then lets buy some blank tapes, Eric said. We can tape television shows that are on while were in school.
Look, Cam said. Theres a map of the store.
Cam went to the map.
We have to go past the movie tapes to the end of aisle seven, Cam said.
Cam started to walk away. Then she came back. She looked at the map, blinked her eyes, and said, Click.
Thats in case we get lost, she told Eric. Ill have a picture of the map stored in my head.
