Chapter Two
They rushed towards their alley where their house was the last one. However as they crossed granny Blair's house, surprisingly they saw cops everywhere on her property. Nora Hawkes was also there along with several other neighbours.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Asked Daryll with concern.
"Where were you children? There's been a burglary in the neighbourhood at Mrs Blair's house. The burglar's lurking around here somewhere. I was worried about you, " said his mom in a worried tone.
"We were in the park, aunt Nora," said Jasper. His aunt handed him the keys to the house.
"Go home. I'll come after the police leaves, " she said. The children left reluctantly. They too wanted to investigate the burglary and hunt for clues but no one could argue with elders. It was an emergency situation and aunt Nora was very worried.
Opening the door of the housr, they went inside. They locked it well and sat down in the living room waiting for Nora Hawkes and their dad who were with Mrs Blair.
"I saw him, " said Jasper and all the children looked at him.
"Who?" Asked Skylar curiously.
"The burglar, I think," said Jasper.
"What makes you think that he was a burglar?" Asked Nicholas who was the wizard amongst them.
"He looked suspicious with a cap pulled low over his face and small earrings glinting on his ears. He wore a pair of ripped jeans and a black jacket which looked exceptionally fat around the waist. He kept looking over his shoulder to check if anyone was following him," informed Jasper and they all listened intently.
"Still it doesn't make him a burglar, " said Nicholas, shaking his head.
"I know but I accidentally bumped into him when I went to fetch our ball. He had something something hard hidden under his shirt in the chest area. I felt it.vHe avoided my eyes and ran away at top speed, looking behind him all the time to see if he was being followed," said Jasper.
"Hmm, I think that's our man. Firstly we need to know what has been stolen from granny Blair's house," said Daryll.
"But we can't go now that the police are here. Dad will get furious, " said Diana.
"We can sneak out after dinner, " suggested Skylar.
"Only Jasper and I will sneak out," said Daryll. "We can't afford to get caught."
After half an hour their parents returned home. The children were so curious that they couldn't help but ask for details about the burglary. "What has been stolen, aunt Nora?" Asked Skylar. Their mom sat down at the dining table tiredly and picked up a bottle of water to drink from the table.
"Strangely no money has been stolen. Apart from Mrs Blair's silver chest everything else seems untouched," said their aunt.
"That means the thief knew about the silver chest and came to steal only that," said Jasper, thinking out loud. "Why else would he leave all cash and other valuables and steal only the chest?" He added.
"It seems so. The police couldn't find evidence. It's a foolproof theft," she informed, getting up to go into the kitchen to make dinner. The children followed her into the kitchen too.
"Is the silver chest very precious?" Asked Diana.
"Yes, it's a family heirloom," said her mom. "Mrs Blair had inherited it from her mom. It's always been in there in her family," informed her mom.
"Is Mrs Blair very upset?" Asked Skylar.
"Yes extremely so. The police have left and she's very heartbroken. Can you children go and cheer her up? Take this strawberry shortcake for her," said their mom, handing them a delicious looking cake to be taken to Mrs Blair. Daryll took it from her hands and they left for granny Blair's house, happy that they didn't need to sneak out to meet her.
They rang granny Blair's doorbell and her middle aged housekeeper, Jenna Brown, opened the door. "Come on in, children. You must be Nora Hawkes' children," she said, ushering them inside. She led them to the living room where granny Blair sat with her head in her hands. She looked up when they entered the room and her face brightened up.
"Come on in children. What have you got for me?" She asked excitedly.
"Mom sent for you a strawberry shortcake, " said Daryll handing it out to her. She took it from his hands.
"Thank you so much but I would love it more if all of you share it with me," she said. She summoned Jenna.
"Jenna please cut this cake and add some cream and strawberry slices and serve it here for everyone, " she instructed. Jenna left with the cake.
"We heard what happened granny Blair. Why would a thief leave money and valuables and take only your silver chest?" Asked Jasper.
"That's because this isn't an ordinary theft dear boy," informed granny Blair.
"I didn't get you. What makes you think that this isn't an ordinary theft?" Asked Daryll curiously.
"I keep the silver chest in a special hiding place. An ordinary thief would never know about it," said granny Blair. All the children looked at each other.
"Oh, then apart from you, how many people know where it's stored?" Asked Skylar.
"Only Jenna and my grandson, Richard," she informed them.
"Are you suspicious of them?" Asked Jasper in a whisper. Granny Blair nodded her head.
"Not possible. They've known it for very long. I trust them completely, " she said.
"Then who else could have done it?" Asked Nicholas thinking out aloud.
"Beats me children," said granny Blair. They stopped talking since Jenna came inside the room with their cake. "Help yoursleves children," said Mrs Blair and they all took a piece. It was delicious and melted inside their mouths.
"This is very good. Please do thank your mom on my behalf," she said.
"Yes granny," they chorused. Jenna was there in the room and they couldn't talk any more. Jasper wanted to tell granny about the man he saw but thought against it in front of Jenna. They returned back home.
"We have to go again tomorrow and tell her about the man I saw. She might know him," said Jasper and they all agreed.
They would visit granny Blair and start investigating the mystery of the silver chest tomorrow.
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Featured picture: Helen Mirren as Granny Blair
