READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 16: Chapter 4
Shirley took the box the coat came in, took it to her hotel room, and investigated it. Shirley put on rubber gloves, removed her fingerprint kit from her backpack, and dusted the box for fingerprints. Shirley said, "No return address, no name telling who it came from, no prints, nothing. Whoever sent this didn't want anyone to identify them. Hold up." Shirley took her tweezers from her backpack and took out what she saw in the box. Shirley said, "Hmm—a piece of a black cape. When I met Warren, I saw a small tear on his magician's cape. It was just big enough to be noticeable." Sherry listened to what Shirley was saying. Sherry said, "Thanks for the info." Shirley said, "What info.?" Sherry said, "You think Warren Diego is behind this? I'm going after him." Shirley let Sherry look for Warren and got upset. Shirley said, "I don't get it. Warren claims he's innocent, but then again, all the evidence points to him. Wait, Sherry has evidence, too. Maybe if we combine our evidence, the mystery will make sense. And then both of us can go after the culprit."
Shirley went over to Sherry's house and knocked on the door, and Sherry's mom answered it. Shirley said, "Hi, Mrs. Mystery. Is Sherry home?" Mrs. Mystery said, "She's in her room." Shirley walked in, went to Sherry's room, and knocked on Sherry's door. Shirley said, "Sherry, are you in there, Sherry? I'm coming in." Shirley entered Sherry's room and saw nobody inside it. Shirley opened the bedroom's bathroom door and saw that nobody was in there either. Shirley said, "There's nobody here." Shirley looked at Sherry's desk and saw an envelope on it. Shirley opened the envelope, brought out the note inside it, and read it. Shirley said, "I've Taken Sherry To An Unknown Location Where You'll Never Find Her. I Will Keep Her Until I Choose To Set Her Free. Do Not Try To Save Her, or You're Next." Shirley looked at the bottom of the note and saw a picture of a skull and crossbones.
Shirley was puzzled by the mystery, so she went to her hotel room to think it through. Shirley said, "First, somebody sets up an attack related to Mouse Trap. Then, the same person attacks me with giant chess pieces. Then, the same person knocks down a tower of blocks, hoping to kill me. And then Sherry gets kidnapped, and the kidnapper leaves a threat warning me to stop investigating the mystery. Maybe I should go back to the theater." Shirley went to the theater and started researching all the people who performed there to find out if any were good at working rockets. Shirley said, "Here's somebody, Joyce Crystal. An expert dancer, but also a science genius."
Shirley went outside and saw Joyce putting her roller skates on so she could skate home. Shirley said, "Joyce, I must ask you to accompany me." Joyce said, "OK, but first...." Joyce skated downtown, so Shirley brought out her scooter and chased after her. Joyce skated down a handrail and landed on her feet. Then Shirley rode down the stairs and chased after Joyce. Joyce skated into a skatepark, but so did Shirley. Joyce slid up and down a ramp, and Shirley grabbed her when she came back up. Shirley said, "Got you." Shirley took Joyce in for questioning. Shirley said, "Are you good with rockets?" Joyce said, "Yes, I'm very good at making and working rockets." Shirley said, "Are you good at playing chess?" Joyce said, "No. I'm better at checkers." Shirley said, "That's all for now; you can go."
Shirley set Joyce free and started to look for Sherry. Shirley looked for Sherry everywhere she saw her. Shirley first looked in the theater where the magic show was held. She first glimpsed on the stage but didn't see her. Then she looked backstage but only saw what Warren used for his performance. Shirley yelled, "Sherry! Where are you?" While she was looking, Lilly, Mike, and Joyce all put on roller skates and animal masks. Then Lilly threw a knife at Shirley, landing next to her foot. Shirley looked ahead and saw three people headed her way wearing cat, hamster, and dog masks. Shirley said, "Who are you?" Lilly said, "You're demise."
Lilly brought out ten knives from her pockets, and when Shirley saw them, she ran off. Then Lilly, Joyce, and Mike skated after her. Shirley jumped off the stage, and Mike tried to jump off, too, but he fell off the stage, landed on his face, and got knocked out. Shirley said, "Doggy down." Lilly jumped off the stage and landed on her feet. Lilly said, "We'll teach you to interfere with people's plans." Shirley said, "Hmmm." Shirley ran up to Lilly. Lilly brought out a knife, and Shirley jumped. After Shirley jumped, Lilly threw the blade up at her, but she missed, and the knife cut a rope, releasing a sandbag. Then, it hit Lilly on her head, knocking her out. Shirley said, "Bad kitty." Shirley looked ahead and saw Joyce wearing the hamster mask with two pairs of nunchucks in her hands. Shirley ran up to Joyce, and Joyce tried to hit her with one joint of her nunchucks.
Shirley said, "Where'd you get those?" Joyce said, "Backstage." Joyce skated up to Shirley, but Shirley tripped Joyce, and Joyce dropped a note near her. Shirley said, "What's this?" Shirley picked up the note Joyce dropped and put it in her backpack. Then, all three of them got back on their feet and tried to come at Shirley again. Shirley ran backstage and hid. When Lilly, Matt, and Joyce went backstage, they didn't see Shirley. Matt said, "Where is she?" Lilly said, "She's hiding." Joyce said, "Split up." Lilly skated towards the exit door, Matt skated towards the curtain, and Joyce skated towards the costumes. Shirley climbed to the balcony and brought out her knife from her backpack. Shirley used her knife to cut three sandbag ropes, and they all fell on Matt's, Lilly's, and Joyce's heads, knocking them out. Shirley ran out of the theater before Mike, Joyce, and Lilly came to their senses.