Birthday treasure – Chapter 3: The name of the author

This is not the start of the story, you may want to read at the beginning through these links:

• Link for chapter 1: Mystery under the bed
• Link for chapter 2: First clue

“Equality for everyone?” Dean wonders aloud.

“I know a book called Equality is for Everyone by Elara Vynwood,” Sam says.

“Let’s just find out at the library,” Max suggests.

“We need to think first. We’ve failed a lot on the first clue,” Dean says.

“Well, we won’t find out anything if we just sit around and think. So why don’t we go out and look for it? In this case, let’s go to the library,” Sam shrugs.

“Ok, then,” Dean sighs.

The three ride to the only library on their street. They go inside and search for the book Equality is for Everyone.

“There it is!” Dean says, holding up a thin book.

“Let me see it, bro,” Sam and Max say as they come over.

Dean flips to the table of contents. Someone has highlighted the title “Male and Female” in blue. The boys look at each other. The highlighted chapter is on page 25. Dean flips to page 25.

“Look, another sentence!” Max whispers. In the corner of the page, there is a tiny handwritten sentence: “Meet the author.”

“Meet the author?” Sam repeats, frowning.

“Let’s find out about the author of this book,” Max suggests.

The three move over to the library’s computers and type in the author’s name: Elara Vynwood.

“She passed away five years ago,” Sam says.

“How can we meet her?” Max asks.

“Well… Elara sounds familiar… Oh, maybe that’s the name of the librarian. Elara Muskory,” Dean says seriously.

“We should try talking to her,” Sam says, standing up.

“But what would we say to her?” Dean asks.

“We’ll decide later.”

The boys walk toward Mrs. Muskory’s desk, where she is working on her laptop.

“Umm… Mrs. Muskory?” Sam says shyly.

“Oh, yes?” Mrs. Muskory replies, looking up.

“Umm… we…”

“Oh, I understand,” the librarian says. She takes out a small blue box with the words “For Max and his friends” written on it.

“Your reward for solving the first clue is in this box, and the paper inside contains your second clue. It sounds so mysterious. She wouldn’t tell me what’s in the box,” Mrs. Muskory continues.

“She? Who is she?” Sam wonders.

“I don’t know!” Mrs. Muskory says with a smile. “Good luck!”

• To know what will be continued, please read Chapter 4