- Link for Chapter 1: Mystery under the bed
- Link for Chapter 2: First clue
- Link for Chapter 3: The author’s name
The boys open the box. Inside, there’s a blue dog collar with a tiny yellow bell attached to it.
“I don’t even have a pet, huh?” Max frowns.
“What’s on the paper?” Dean points.
Max picks up the paper and reads, “Black woman with pink hair.”
“Black woman? Pink hair?” Dean echoes, puzzled.
“I need to draw something,” Dean says.
They ride back to Max’s house. Once there, Dean grabs a sheet of paper and a pencil. He sketches a black woman with pink hair.
“I have an idea,” Dean says. The other two boys lean forward eagerly. “Look—a brown body with pink on the top looks like what?”
“A stick with a pom-pom at the top? A peach tree?”
“That’s it! A peach tree!” Dean exclaims.
“There’s a peach tree full of pink flowers at the park,” Max says.
The friends ride to the park, and there, under the peach tree at the center of the park, sits a small blue box. Max opens the box excitedly. Inside is a pack of dog food.
“Someone must want me to be a dog,” Max frowns.
“There’s a poem on that new blue paper, Max,” Dean says.
Max reads aloud:
“Return home, where Dad is greeting
Return home, where Mom is waiting
Return home, where a gift is playing
Return home, where fun is prepared.”
“Let’s just return home!” Max says.
The boys ride to Max’s house. When they arrive, Max’s dad is waving to him, his mom is sitting on a bench, and the house is decorated with blue flags, balloons, and a big blue “Happy Birthday” sign. But the most wonderful surprise is…
“A puppy!” Max shouts.
“That’s your gift, son. You and your friends are so great—you solved all the clues and puzzles we set for you,” his mom says with a warm smile.
“You’ve always wanted a pet, so… Happy Birthday, son!” Max’s mom says warmly.
Max pats the puppy as it rolls a blue rubber ball across the grass.
“I’ll name him Benno,” Max laughs.
Just then, the boys notice a birthday cake on a table nearby, decorated with blue frosting and candles.
“Let’s party!” Sam and Dean shout with joy.
The friends cheer, and laughter fills the air as they celebrate Max’s special day together with his new furry friend.
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