Read Online The Case of the Ruby Slippers by Martha Freeman - Free Book Online

with Dr. Zapato is already set for nine thirty. She should have plenty of time to get back before eleven . . . if she wants to, that is.”
    â€œHmmph.” Tessa looked at me. “Everything’s working out just great for
you
, isn’t it? But
I
have to go to dumb old ballet.”
    I said, “Sorry, Tessa.” But secretly I was excited about doing detecting on my own.
    Tessa sighed and flounced into her chair at the kitchen table. I got my bowl of cereal. Nate came in. He looked sleepy. My cousin is not a morning kind of person.
    Granny brought her cup of coffee and came to sit at the table with us. “What did you figure out about the case last night?” she asked.
    Tessa and I took turns explaining. In conclusion, Tessa said, “Mr. Will is crazy,” which made Nate smile.
    But Granny said, “It might just be there’s more to Mr. Will than you know about.”
    â€œOh, goodie—another secret!” said Tessa.
    Granny sighed. “I’m afraid I’m not—”
    â€œâ€”if you say
at liberty
, I will scream!” said Tessa, and Hooligan must have understood because he covered his head with his paws again, just in case.
    â€œAll right then, I plain won’t tell you. Is that better?” Granny said.
    â€œSo who will?” Tessa wanted to know.
    â€œPerhaps Dr. Zapato,” Granny said.
    Tessa dropped her spoon, which clattered and splashed into her cereal bowl. “This is so totally no fair,” she said.
    I thought probably Granny or Dad would come with me to the museum, but it turned out they were busy.
    â€œAre you going to be all right on your own?” Granny asked.
    â€œI sure am!” I said.
    â€œThought so,” said Granny.
    Of course, “on my own” did not mean by myself. Besides being ten years old, I am the president’s kid, which is a little like being the ruby slippers: You get an escort whenever you go anywhere. Today, Malik picked up me and Charlotte at the South Portico and drove us in one of the vans.
    The National Museum of American History is part of the Smithsonian Institution, and it’s located on the National Mall, only a few blocks from my house. It had rained overnight, but now the sky was blue. A normal person could have walked, but I’m pretty much neverallowed to walk anywhere that there’re a lot of people. The way Granny says it, having the president’s kids on the street causes too much uproar.
    At the side door of the museum, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Webb were waiting for us, and we all said good morning politely.
    â€œWhat happened with the pair of ruby slippers from Mrs. Silver’s safe?” I asked as we walked down a corridor. “Were they real ones from the movie?”
    Mr. Webb shook his head, and Mr. Morgan answered. “The company that made the original shoes, Western Costume, made souvenir reproductions in the late 1980s. They’re good quality, and we think this pair is one of those.”
    Dr. Zapato’s office was on the fifth floor and kind of messy, which made me like him. When we walked in, he stood up and leaned over his big desk to shake hands with Charlotte and me. Then I sat down with my notebook and got ready to ask questions the way Tessa does.
    Only Dr. Zapato started talking before I had a chance. “You and your sister are experienced detectives. That’s why we’re asking for your help.”
    Mr. Morgan and Mr. Webb nodded, but I was confused. I thought I was there so Dr. Zapato could help us?
    â€œFor some time now,” Dr. Zapato continued, “we at the museum have been aware that someone is unusually interested in the ruby slippers, and we were worried that this someone might also want to steal them. Here, I can show you.”
    Dr. Zapato pressed a button, and a video began playing on a screen on the wall.
    â€œThis is from one of the security cameras,” he explained. It showed the glass display