The Sheltons followed Danny down toward the gym floor. When Cam and Eric got to the bottom, Eric said, “Look! One of the governor’s assistants is looking around. I think something is missing.”
Cam closed her eyes. She said, “Click!” Cam looked at the picture she had in her head of the coach and governor. She looked at the pictures she had of the people in the gym, all the seats, and the benches.
Cam opened her eyes. “Look at that bench,” she told Eric. “There’s just one basketball on it. Was Coach Jenkins carrying one of the basketballs when he left the gym?”
“I don’t know,” Eric said.
Cam closed her eyes and said, “Click!” again. “He wasn’t,” Cam said and opened her eyes. “He wasn’t carrying a basketball.”
“Then one of the signed basketballs is missing,” Eric said. “I bet it’s the one the governor brought, the one Matt Taylor signed.
That’s why the governor’s assistant is looking around.”
“The basketball signed by the governor, Matt Taylor, and that artist is real valuable,” Eric said. “I bet it was stolen.”
“Maybe not,” Cam told him. “It may have fallen off the bench. With all the balloons on the floor, it’s hard to tell. Or maybe one of the guards has it.”
One of the governor’s guards was standing by the side door. The governor’s assistant was looking around. Everyone else had left the gym.
Cam and Eric walked down to the floor of the gym. On their way, they kicked aside lots of balloons. They stopped by the bench at the edge of the court. Eric picked up the basketball. He looked at all the signatures.
“Matt Taylor’s name isn’t on here. There are no lines and circles,” Eric said. “This is the one signed by the team.”
“Put that down.”
Eric turned. The governor’s assistant was walking toward him. She was a tall woman with long red hair.
Eric put the ball on the bench.
Cam told the assistant, “The ball signed by Governor Zellner is missing.”
Comprehension Questions
1. What color was the governor's assistants hair?
A. Short brown hair
B. Long red hair
C. Bald
2. What are Cam and Eric looking for?
A. Missing water bottle
B. Missing tickets
C. Missing basketball
A. Missing water bottle
B. Missing tickets
C. Missing basketball
Your Thoughts
3. Did you like this excerpt? Why or why not?
Vocabulary
4. List any vocabulary words below.