Story Quote Contest Winner!!

What a crazy start to the day! Several Her Interactive employees were locked out of the office because the secure door was being overly secure. It insisted on remaining closed. No worries, we have a back door. Super detectives always have a backup plan for escapes and such. *Sly grin*.

In all the Christmas week buzz, we have an important announcement to make! Congratulations to Rachel for winning the Story Quote Contest!! Curious to see her story? Here it is:


The Case of the Triple Layer Chocolate Cake

“Okay! Nobody is leaving this room until this thing is solved; and I mean nobody!”

George Fayne eyed the occupants of the room as if daring them to retaliate.

“George, don’t you think you’re overreacting…Just a little bit?” Bess Marvin spoke nervously, sure George would not agree. Which she didn’t.

“Are you out of your mind? This is important!” George exploded. “My birthday party, and the cake goes missing? That this was three layers of pure chocolate HEAVEN, and I want it back. No one goes until it comes.” She glared at Joe Hardy, her prime suspect.

“George…” Nancy Drew sighed, curling a lock of her Titian hair around her finger.

“Don’t ‘George’ me! This is serious, and no one is leaving until I find out who did it! I’m going to look for anything suspicious in the kitchen. While I’m gone, reconsider your ‘stories.’ I know one of you took it.” The last line was spoken most pointedly at Joe, who had sworn he only smelled like chocolate due to the candy bar he’d eaten, not from eating her cake, a story which George found suspect at the very least.

After George exited the room, the group formed into a huddle. Ned Nickerson leaned forward to whisper.

“Is she always like this about cakes?”

“Not usually,” Bess Marvin answered worriedly.

“It was probably because she was up so late last night watching movies,” Nancy whispered. “On her last birthday, she made a list of things to do before her next birthday. Yesterday she decided to go for it and try to finish the things she still had on her list. Yesterday she’d already fit in three picnics, a swimming trip, and a hike around the town. She decided to cram some movies in too, to meet her goal. You all know how George is about accomplishing her goals.”

Frank Hardy shook his head. “She’s a determined one. Anyone know how late she stayed up?”

“Not exactly,” Bess answered. “But by three in the morning she was losing it. I asked her what on earth she was doing up so late on the night of her birthday, and she said something crazy-sounding like ‘Isn't it marvelous to be up and about when others are sound asleep? I find my brainwaves are at their most powerful during this time.’”

“Well that’d explain why she was so exhausted and grouchy this morning,” Joe whispered.

“Yeah. She sure isn’t now, though,” Nancy chimed in. “Nothing like a good sneaking suspicion to keep you on your toes I say.”

George re-entered the room.

“Okay! What are your alibis? Speak up! Joe!”

Joe, who hadn’t expected to be called on, had the same reaction he had when this had happened to him in school. He just about shot out of his seat and hit the ceiling.

“Yes ma’am!” he shouted, jerking to attention.

“Did YOU eat my cake?” George demanded.

“No, ma’am. ‘N it’d suit me just fine if I never saw it again,” Joe answered quickly.

George wasn’t buying it.

“Well then who did?”

“Ahem.”

Everyone turned and saw Hannah Gruen in the doorway, blushing just a little. In her hands was the cake.

“Hannah?” Nancy asked.

“I’m afraid I’ve caused a bit of a misunderstanding. George, no one stole your cake. I just got downstairs a few minutes ago and realised that I’d left the candles off your cake. I looked around, but realized we were all out of birthday candles. So, I rang up a neighbor and went over there to get some candles. I took the cake over there with me so I could compare the candles she had to the color of the frosting I used. Sorry for the confusion; I should have left a note” Hannah explained.

Everyone stared in silence for a moment, while George’s cheeks grew red with embarrassment. Then Joe spoke up.

“So, I’m not going to jail forever?”

Everyone broke into laughter and got on with the party; a highlight of which, everyone agreed, was a certain triple layer chocolate birthday cake."

-- Rachel


And congrats to you sleuths for figuring out puzzle #84! Here's how it's done: Start in the center (S) and then move to it's right, following in a spiral movement similar to the dart board in Warnings at Waverly Academy. Here's the answer: "See it on the cover of Glam Glam".

Keep the wheels spinning!
~Little Jackalope~