Phineas T. Pudgepot and the Mysterious Flying Fish

Cornelia paced the floor, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her cousin, world-famous sleuth, Phineas T. Pudgepot. When the doorbell rang, she opened it in a jiff.

     In flew Phineas, out of breath from running, his eyes large with excitement. He laid out his Mystery Solver’s Backpack and pulled from it the tools of his trade; magnifying glass, fingerprinting kit (a small container of baby powder and his mother’s old makeup brush), a flashlight, notebook and pen.

     “I think I have everything,” he told Cornelia then asked “Now where was Mortimer last seen?”

     Cornelia led Phineas into the kitchen and pointed to the counter where an empty fishbowl sat. Phineas pulled out his magnifying glass and looked at the counter. Not even a drop of water was on it. He took out his fingerprinting kit and, tapping the old makeup brush into the baby powder, began dusting the counter and the fishbowl for prints.

     “Well, well?” Cornelia pushed, worried that each passing moment would find Mortimer in greater danger.

     “Nothing, Corny. No prints, no water on the counter. You were right, this IS a mystery,” he said with a furrowed brow. “We must use the power of deduction. Tell me everything you can remember.”