The Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds

Chapter 1 it was the first morning of spring vacation Cam Jansen and her friend Eric Shelton were sitting on a bench in the middle of a busy shopping mall while Eric's mother was shopping they were watching Eric's baby brother Howie and they were playing a memory game Eric's eyes were closed what color jacket am I wearing Cam asked blue wrong I'm not wearing a jacket

Eric opened his eyes it's no use he said I'll never have a memory like yours you have to keep practicing Cam told him now try me Cam looked straight ahead she said click and then closed her eyes Cam always said click when she wanted to remember something she said it was the sound her mental camera made when it took a picture Eric looked for something he could be sure Cam hadn't noticed then he asked what does the sign in the card store window say that's easy Mother's Day Sunday May remember your mother and she'll remember you you win Eric said Cam still had her eyes closed come on ask me something else Cam had what people called a photographic memory her mind took a picture of whatever she saw once she forgot her notebook in school she did her homework 10 math problems all from the picture of the assignment she had stored in her brain when Cam was younger people called her Jennifer that's her real name. but

when they found out about her amazing memory they started calling her the camera soon the camera was shortened to Cam all right Eric said what color socks am I wearing Cam thought a moment that's not really fair she said never saw your socks but Cam didn't open her eyes you're wearing green pants a green belt and green sneakers she said I'll bet your socks are green too you're too much Cam no you're too neat it's my turn now Eric said Eric looked carefully at all the stores and people in the shopping mall he closed his eyes but he quickly opened them again Howie was crying what do we do now Cam asked should I look for your mother Eric shook his head let's wait maybe Howie will go back to sleep but what if he doesn't Cam asked then I have to find out whether he wants to be held fed or changed I have everything I need right here Eric padded the insulated bag strapped to the front of the carriage Eric and Cam watched to see what Howie would do he squirmed turned his head from side to side and then went back to sleep let's play another memory game Cam said let's not I'm tired of losing Eric rocked the carriage rocking relaxes a baby he told Cam Cam was an only child so she didn't know much about babies Eric was the oldest of four children besides Howie who wasn't even a year old Eric had twin sisters who were seven

Eric rocked the carriage gently while he and Cam talked about the 5th grade science fair it was being held right after spring vacation Eric was making a sundial and Cam was making a box camera suddenly a loud bell rang it woke Howie and he started to cry Cam jumped up on the bench it's Parker's Jewelry store she yelled their alarm just went off Eric pulled a Cam's sneakers get down from there no wait maybe something is happening something was happening a tall heavy man with a mustache and wearing a dark suit ran out of the jewelry store toward the center of the mall he was in a real hurry he pushed people aside including Eric Cam looked straight at the man and said click

Chapter 2 the man kept running and caused a great commotion he was bumping into dozens of people he left a path of angry shoppers from Parker's Jewelry store halfway through the shopping mall come back here young man one woman shouted and pick up all my packages another woman dropped a bag filled with groceries eggs broke tomatoes and cucumbers were rolling in all directions if he's trying to get away Cam asked why didn't he run out one of the exits what Eric wasn't really listening Howie was still crying and Eric was trying to calm him just then a young couple came out of the jewelry store look Cam said they were inside when the the alarm went off a small crowd had gathered Cam was still standing on the bench from there she had a good view of the entrance to Parker's the couple walked toward the nearest exit the man was wearing a dark suit he was tall and so was the woman with him she was holding what looked like a baby wrapped in a pink blanket there there baby the woman was saying don't cry it's all over now don't cry the man was holding a very large pink and blue baby rattle. he was urging the

woman to walk faster Cam looked straight at them as they walked past and said click then Eric saw two old women coming out of the store look he said pointing they were in there too when the alarm went off the women were upset one was clutching her heart the other was leaning forward and holding a cane with both hands she walked as if the cane were the only thing keeping her up the women sat down on the bench nearest Cam and Eric oh my the woman holding her heart said I never thought I'd live through that the other woman just sighed