It was just before lunch time at Campbell's Elementary School, and Peter could not find his lunch. He searched his locker where he thought he put it when he arrived at school, but he could not find it anywhere. "Are you sure you brought it?" asked Jessa. "Did you leave it on the bus?"
I can't find my lunch.
I know I brought it!
"I know I brought my lunch. My mom packed my favorite peanut butter and banana sandwich," Peter said. "Well, maybe Josh took it. He's always hungry." whispered Jessa.
Maybe Josh took it.
Peter and Jessa walked into the lunchroom. They saw Harry sitting at a table without a lunch. "Hey, where's your lunch?" they asked. "I'm buying lunch today. I brought my money," said Harry.
Hey, maybe Harry has my lunch.
Peter and Jessa went to talk to Mrs. Phillips. Peter was very upset. Mrs. Phillips gave Peter 5 dollars to buy a lunch in the cafeteria. She suggested that perhaps he left his lunch on the bus. Mrs. Phillips did not think his classmates would take his lunch.
Here is 5 dollars. Go buy a lunch in the cafeteria.
Back in the cafeteria Peter started making a list of his classmates. He crossed off all the kids who were allergic to peanuts, those who were too short to reach the shelf in his locker, and others who always had hot lunch. The list got shorter, but there were still 5 kids who could have taken his lunch.
During quiet reading time, Peter asked if he could go back to his locker to look for clues. He noticed pieces of ripped, brown paper in the corner next to a garbage. On the paper scraps was a smiley face that his mom had drawn on his lunch. "This is a big piece of evidence," Peter thought. Just then he felt something on his foot. He looked down and there was a mouse with peanut butter stuck to his fur. On his foot was a brown piece of paper. "My lunch!" yelled Peter. A mouse ate my lunch.