Eleanor McAdams Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Mystery of The Secret Chemical

“Crud, where is my chemical?” asked Lola Brown, angrily. “I put it in my section of the laboratory yesterday but I cannot find it.”

“Somebody must have stolen it,” she yelled worriedly. 

Lola Brown was the mightiest and most outrageous student at Bradley Midtown University. She loved science. She hit anybody who bothered or troubled her.

“Calm down, girl! It must be somewhere,” assured Pujita Collins. 

 But she didn’t listen to her.

“I am going right away to meet my friend, Eleanor. She'll help me. Y'know, it is so important for the exhibition today evening. Mrs. Kohlie told me to keep it carefully. But if she finds out that it is lost, she’ll curse me,” Lola retorted and rushed out of the University. 

She hired a taxi to 139 Comic Street, Eleanor’s home. Eleanor was watering the small roses in her garden.

Eleanor McAdams was the smartest person in the whole town. She was a blond girl with a rainbow dye in her hair. Her eyeballs were blue and her eyelashes were long. Her eyebrows were wide with her forehead broad. She was a slender girl with a passion for driving and solving mysteries.

“Holey cats! Lola, what are you doing here? Don’t you need to prepare for the science exhibition this evening?” asked Eleanor, putting the watering can aside.

There was a science exhibition that evening conducted by America Science Center. It was the biggest exhibition in the whole USA. Science scholars from each university represented their creative projects.

“Hi, Eleanor! There is a big problem,” Lola said worriedly.

“What happened? Come in Lola,” Eleanor said.

Lola came in. She sat on one of the chairs on the lawn. Eleanor offered her some iced tea for calming her down.

“Now tell me in detail, what happened?” Eleanor asked, finding a blank page in her notebook. 

“Yeah. Yesterday night, I placed my chemical in a beaker in the science laboratory. Then, I hid it in my section. Now, it is nowhere to be found,” Lola explained. 

“Did you search for it?” Eleanor asked.

“Yeah, I did. But I failed,” Lola responded.

“Who else was there?” Eleanor asked, jotting some notes.

“Nobody except Mrs. Kohlie,” Lola scratched her head

“Who saw you place the chemical in the beaker?” Eleanor questioned.

   “Mrs. Kohlie,” Lola retorted, gulping some sips of iced tea.

“Oh, boy. Anyways, let's go to the university. I am sure you might have misplaced it.”

Eleanor said and went to the garage and drove her car out to the road. Lola went inside the car and slammed the gate in anger

“Cool it. Why are you angry? I told you I will try to help you,” Eleanor said, steering the wheel left. 

“No, not about the chemical. You know, Mr. Joseph Washington, the counselor of the university just messaged me that Mrs. Jorgens, the principal, is coming to visit the scholars in our university, viewing their stuff and getting them ready for the exhibition. It is just in two hours!” Lola said, angrily.

Eleanor did not respond because she knew if she would extend the talk, Lola will turn the discussion into an argument. They arrived at the university sometime later. Lola and Eleanor rushed to the laboratory. Mrs. Kohlie, Pujita Collins, Brad McKinley, Anthony Agarwal, and Mrs. Jorgens were there. 

“Here you come, Lola! You are so stupid that you lost your chemical on the day of the exhibition. We all were waiting for you to present your chemical to us but we were shocked when Pujita told us that you lost it! …..Wait, why did you ask McAdams to come along with you? To solve a theft? Let me tell you, it is not theft! Your carelessness and forgetfulness have done this. McAdams go back to your home! You are not participating. Only participants participating in the exhibition are allowed here. You guys have a day off today!” Mrs. Kohlie yelled angrily.

“I am so sorry. It isn’t my fault. I kept it safely but…..” Lola tried to explain.

“If you think someone stole it, tell me who did? Prove it! McAdams, you stay here and help Lola,” Mrs. Jorgens said. “I don’t know who’s right and who’s wrong but I am sure our detective can prove it.”

Mrs. Kohlie shrugged. She sat on one of the chairs and said, 

“Anthony, Pujita, and Brad go and prepare for the exhibition till the time we are dealing with Lola.”

“Can you guys please wait here for five minutes? I want to ask some questions,” Eleanor requested.

“Are you trying to blame our scholars?” asked Mrs. Kohlie, suspiciously.

“There is none such thing like that. I just want to ask questions to them to help me investigate,” Eleanor protested.

“Okay, then. Go ahead, but do it fast,” Mrs. Kohlie replied. 

“Where were you guys last night?” Eleanor asked seriously. 

“I was at my house,” Anthony answered. “At my house, sleeping.”

“I was in the movie hall watching the new movie with my sister,” Brad retorted.

Eleanor stared at Pujita.

“Wait. Why are you staring at me? I don’t even know where Lola’s beaker was! So how could I steal it?” Pujita responded, touching her hair.

“Case solved!” Eleanor said thoughtfully. “I know who’s the culprit.”

Who was the culprit? How did Eleanor know?

At home, Lola told Eleanor that Mrs. Kohlie was the only one who knew that Lola placed her chemical into a beaker, then how did Pujita know that Lola did that. That proved she was lying and she was somewhere in the laboratory, hiding and watching what Lola was doing. When Mrs. Kohlie and Lola went out, she must have hidden it.

Pujita confessed that she hid the beaker and returned it. She told that she did so because she knew Lola’s chemical was so creative and she didn’t want her to win. So she hid it.

We learned that no one in their life succeeds with stealing and lying. Tit for Tat. Pujita was not allowed to take part in the exhibition. Only your hard work pays off. Lola managed to get a district medal because of her honesty, creativity, and talent.