Read Online The Case of the Bug on the Run by Martha Freeman - Free Book Online Page A

has blue-and-gold wallpaper and a tiny white marble fireplace.
    Mr. Bryant was in an armchair with his e-reader. Hooligan circled twice and dropped to the rug. Mr. Bryant scratched Hooligan behind the ears.
    â€œGranny, I need your help with the investigation,” I said.
    Granny looked me up and down. “Where’s the bug?”
    â€œNate has him,” I said.
    â€œProceed,” she said.
    â€œTessa wants to question Courtney and then maybe her dad,” I said. “I know Mr. Lozana writes mean things about Mom sometimes, but Courtney has been my best friend since second grade. If Tessa asks her questions, she’s going to get all insulted and then she won’t be my friend anymore.”
    Granny took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes and looked at me. “Cameron, you know you can’t get to the truth if you let your feelings influence your detecting.”
    I looked at the carpet. “I know.”
    â€œSo,” said Granny, “do you think it’s possible Mr. Lozana might have bugged your bug?”
    â€œNo!” I said.
    â€œReally?” said Granny.
    â€œMaybe,” I said. “It turns out he was in the White House last night, and I can’t figure out why.”
    â€œIn that case, you have to treat him and Courtney just like all your other suspects.”
    I sighed. “I don’t think I’m cut out to be a detective.”
    â€œYou’ve done well on your other cases,” Granny said. “I’d hate to see you give up now. Besides, a spy in the White House is a very dangerous thing. We have to get to the bottom of this, and soon.”
    Mr. Bryant cleared his throat. “If I may?” he said. “It’s coincidental you should be talking about Mr. Lozana because just at this moment, I happen to be reading his blog.”
    Granny made a face. “I don’t know why you give that blog the time of day, Willis. I have zero interest in anything Mr. Lozana writes.”
    Mr. Bryant said, “All right, then. I won’t say one word more.”
    For a moment, the room was quiet.
    Then Granny said, “Oh, fine. What did he write?”
    Mr. Bryant started to smile, straightened it out, then read out loud: “ ‘According to sources in the Parks White House, the president plans to add ground-up insects to school lunches at her earliest possible convenience. Yes, you read that right. Instead of being exterminated in school cafeterias, cockroaches may soon be on the menu.’ ”
    â€œOh, my stars in heaven!” Granny said. “Courtney must have reported what Mr. Amaro said at lunch yesterday to her father! But I thought we made it clear that the president is absolutely against it.”
    â€œHooligan,” I reminded her—and Hooligan thumped his tail.
    â€œAh, yes.” Granny sighed. “Now I remember theinterruption. Does Mr. Lozana say anything else, Willis?”
    â€œOnly this,” Mr. Bryant replied. “ ‘Attempts to confirm details with Chef Amaro Amaro, a leading proponent of the bugs-for-food program, have thus far been unsuccessful.’ ”
    â€œWait a sec,” I said. “Maybe that’s what Mr. Lozana was doing at the White House last night, trying to interview Mr. Amaro.”
    Mr. Bryant nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps.”
    â€œAnd something else, too,” I said. “Mr. Lozana didn’t know Mom was against the bug idea. But Tessa and I did. She told us so last night.”
    Mr. Bryant looked up. “Where was that?”
    â€œWhere did she tell us that, you mean? In our room. She came in to say good night after Granny did.”
    â€œWas your new pet listening?” Mr. Bryant asked.
    I shrugged. “Sure, I guess. Like we already figured out, the spy must have put the tiny transmitter on him yesterday evening, so anything that happened in our room after that . . . Oh!”
    Mr. Bryant smiled. “The spy heard what