Kate’s Philadelphia Frenzy Read online

  “I think so,” her mother said. “I’ll talk to Andrew’s mother and make sure she’s comfortable taking two preteen girls. If she’s fine with it, I’m fine with it.”

  “Cool! Andrew’s whole family is going to love Sydney. She knows everything about baseball. I know nothing.” Kate couldn’t help but sigh. “But maybe I’ll learn something while I’m there.”

  “I suppose I should have taught you more about sports,” her father said, shaking his head. “Maybe I should’ve taken you to a few Phillies games or watched football with you on television. I’ve just always been more interested in technology. Sorry, kiddo.”

  “Who needs sports anyway?” Kate giggled. “Seriously, I love the gadgets and gizmos you bring home from work, Dad. You know how crazy I am about electronics. And I don’t miss being involved in sports at all…honest.”

  She grinned and took another bite of food.

  “Me either, Dad,” Dexter agreed, wrinkling his nose. “I’d rather help you build things. Who needs baseballs and footballs and stuff?”

  “Well, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?” Their father winked.

  Kate looked at him curiously. Apple? Tree?

  “He means you kids are just like he is,” her mother said. “Like father, like daughter.” Dexter frowned and their mother added, “And like father, like son!”

  Kate laughed and asked her mother for another pancake. With so much work to do, she needed food to keep up her strength! Besides, the pancakes were terrific!

  After breakfast, Kate pleaded, “Can you call Sydney’s mom and ask if she can come? Now? Now, Mom?”

  “All right, all right.” Her mother rose from the table and grabbed her cell phone. “What’s the number, again?”

  Sydney jotted down her friend’s telephone number on a napkin.

  “Here you go, Mom. And please, please, please do your best convincing job! I really hope her mom says yes!”

  Dexter headed off to play with a tiny electronic car, and minutes later, Kate’s mother was talking with Sydney’s mom on the phone. Kate could tell that Mrs. Lincoln liked the idea by the smile on her mom’s face.

  Kate hated to interrupt, but she had to know! “Can she come?” she whispered.

  Her mother nodded and winked at her.

  Kate squealed. “Tell her ‘Thank you! Thank you!’ “ She jumped up and down; then she waited until her mother and Mrs. Lincoln worked out the details. After they ended the call, she asked, “When is Sydney coming?”

  “Tomorrow afternoon. We’ll pick her up at four o’clock at the train station. Now, before she gets here, you need to get upstairs and pick up that messy room, young lady. You can’t have a guest with all of that clutter everywhere.”

  “Okay.”

  Kate went running up the stairs with Biscuit following behind. She looked at her messy room and sighed. “Where should I start?” She didn’t mean to be a slob, but with so many things to keep up with, how could she be tidy?

  Kate spent a few minutes tidying up. Then she got distracted, looking at the hope chest at the foot of her bed. It had belonged to her grandmother, and Kate stored her gadgets and gizmos in it. Her dad had carved the words KATE’S GADGETS into the lid. She ran her finger along the words and smiled. How fun, to have a special place to keep all of her goodies!

  She opened the lid and glanced inside, smiling when she saw the familiar items. Kate picked up the tiny black digital recorder, checking to make sure the batteries were good. She snapped it on and recorded a few words, then said, “Perfect!”

  Next she found her teensy-tiny digital camera. She checked the memory card to make sure she had plenty of room for more pictures. Looked like she was in good shape there, too! “Great!”

  Kate picked up something that looked like an ink pen. It was really a text reader. You could run it along words in a book and it would record them. She tested it by running it along the words in her Bible. Right away it recorded one of her favorite verses, Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. “Cool.”

  Thanks, Lord! I really needed that reminder. You’re the One in charge of this case anyway, and I know You already have all the answers!

  Next Kate reached for her MP3 player. It would certainly come in handy over the next couple of weeks.

  So would the next gadget she pulled out. Kate stared at the computerized wristwatch her father had given her just a few days earlier. One of his students had invented it, and soon it would be sold in stores. She could hardly believe it was possible to check her e-mail or browse the Web on a wristwatch, but she had already tried it out and knew it worked! How exciting! Surely no one else her age had a watch like that!

  Finally, Kate pulled out a pair of mirrored sunglasses, smiling as she put them on. “Yep. You really can see what’s going on behind you when you’re wearing these. Cool.”

  She spent the next half hour organizing the chest. Once she had everything in place, she closed the lid tightly, thinking about all of the treasures her dad had given her over the past few years. They would all come in handy after Sydney arrived and they got to work. In the meantime, she needed to get to work cleaning! One of her favorite Camp Club Girls would be here soon. What exciting adventures were ahead!

  Inspector Gadet

  “Hurry, hurry, hurry!” Kate bounced up and down, waiting for Sydney’s train to arrive from DC. She glanced at the clock: 4:05. “They’re late, Mom!”

  “Only by a couple of minutes,” her mother said. “Be patient, Kate!”

  “But we have work to do!”

  Minutes later, Kate heard a familiar voice. She looked up as Sydney rushed her way. Dozens of dark braids bounced around Sydney’s head as she ran. Man! Was she ever fast!

  Kate let out a squeal. “Oh, you’re taller than last time!”

  “Yes. I’ve grown two inches this year,” Sydney announced, brushing a braid out of her face. She flashed a broad smile and her white teeth looked even whiter against her beautiful dark skin. “What about you?”

  Kate sighed and slumped her shoulders. “No. Sometimes I wonder if I’m ever going to grow.”

  “It’ll happen.” Sydney laughed. “And if it makes you feel any better, your freckles have grown since the last time I saw you.”

  Kate groaned. “They’re always like this in the summertime. Wish they would just disappear!” She frowned just thinking about it. Why couldn’t she be normal…like the other Camp Club Girls? Why did she have to be so…different?

  “Aw, I think you look great!” Sydney said, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Thanks.” Maybe different wasn’t so bad after all.

  Just then a beautiful woman who looked a lot like Sydney rounded the corner, gasping for breath. “Sydney, you’re too fast for me! I can’t keep up!”

  “Sorry, Mom!” Sydney giggled. “I’ve been running track for so long, I sometimes forget others aren’t as fast.”

  “You must be Mrs. Lincoln!” Kate rushed to the woman and surprised her with a big hug. “Thank you, thank you for letting Sydney come! I’m so excited.”

  “Well, you’re welcome. And…I can tell you’re excited!”

  “When do you have to catch the train back to DC?” Kate’s mother asked Mrs. Lincoln. “Do you have time to come to our house for dinner?”

  “No, I’m afraid I have to get right back. The train returns in twenty minutes, in fact. But that’s really for the best. I have to be at work in the morning.”

  “We’re so grateful you’ve brought Sydney to stay with us,” Kate’s mother said. “We’ll be in touch. And you have my number if you need anything.”

  “Thank you so much for inviting her. I’m sure she’s going to have the time of her life!”

  “I always have fun with Kate!” Sydney said.

  Sydney and her mother said their good-byes, and then Mrs. Lincoln headed off on her way to catch the train back to DC.

  The girls talked all the way back to the house. In fact, t
hey arrived home in no time at all. Kate’s mother fixed big, thick, juicy cheeseburgers and crispy fries for dinner—Kate’s favorite. She ate not just one cheeseburger, but two. And she loaded up on fries, even asking for seconds.

  “You sure can pack away a lot of food for such a tiny thing,” Sydney said with a smile.

  Kate shrugged. “I love burgers and fries.”

  “I’m trying to eat healthier,” Sydney explained. “Especially since I’m involved in so many sports. Got to stay in tip-top shape.”

  “Hmm.” Kate didn’t comment. Maybe some people were meant to be in tip-top shape and others were not.

  Biscuit began to whimper at her feet. She tore off a teensy-tiny piece of her hamburger and slipped it under the table.

  “I saw that,” her mother said. “Biscuit doesn’t need table scraps. He has his own food.”

  “I know. Sorry,” Kate said.

  “Remember that first day we found Biscuit…at camp?” Sydney asked.

  “How could I forget? He was so hungry—and so scraggly looking.” Kate sighed. “I guess that’s why I spoil him now. He had such a hard life before coming to live here.”

  “There’s no harm in a little spoiling,” her mother said with a wink. “Just not too much. Oh, and by the way, would you like to know what we’re having for dessert?” When the girls nodded, she said, “Ice cream sundaes.”

  “Woo-hoo!” Kate added an extra scoop of ice cream to hers and poured on extra syrup. Then she put a huge dollop of whipped cream on top. It tasted like heaven! When she finished, she thought about asking for another sundae but decided not to. The girls would have plenty of time to eat later. Right now, they had a case to solve!

  After dessert, Andrew stopped by. He took one look at Sydney and grinned with that crooked grin of his and said, “Wow, you’re taller than I am.”

  “Yeah, maybe a little.” Sydney shrugged. “But how old are you?” She gave him a curious look. “I’ll bet I’m older.”

  “I’m eleven.” He looked a little embarrassed.

  “Well, I’m thirteen,” Sydney explained. “So that explains it. But I am tall, even for my age.” She sighed. “To be honest, I don’t like being the tallest in my class. When I was younger I always had to stand in the back row in class pictures. I just wanted to be the little shrimp in the class like Kate here.”

  “Hey!” Kate pretended to be upset. “I’m no shrimp. Why do you keep talking about how short I am?”

  “You’re not short,” her mother called out from the kitchen. “You’re petite. Like me. That’s a good thing.”

  “Yeah, I’m petite. That’s a good thing,” Kate repeated.

  They all laughed, but inside she wondered if she would ever grow.

  Andrew turned to Sydney with his arms crossed at his chest. “So Kate tells me you’re a baseball fan. Have you ever played?”

  “Yep. Played softball last year. And I’m a golf fan, and a football fan, and a track and field fan.” Sydney grinned. “I love sports. Can you tell?”

  “I can. And I love sports, too. Usually.” A worried look came into Andrew’s eyes. “Did Kate tell you about what’s going on with my dad? All the terrible things people are saying?”

  “Yes, and that really stinks! I think your dad is a great player, and he obviously loves his team. So we need to get busy trying to figure out who’s trying to frame him.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t know how we’re going to do that. I don’t even know where to start. I’ve never solved a crime before. Or cracked a case. Or whatever you call it.”

  “Just leave it to the Camp Club Girls!” Sydney said. “We’re supersleuths.”

  “Supersleuths?” Andrew looked confused.

  “Sure.” Kate giggled. “Like Nancy Drew.” “Nancy who?” he asked, his brow wrinkling in confusion.

  “Nancy Drew…oh, never mind.” Kate slapped herself on the forehead. “You just have to trust us. We’ve solved a mystery or two before this one. That’s why I called Sydney for her help.”

  “You’re in good hands, in other words,” Sydney said with a smile. She turned to Kate with a sparkle in her eye. “Kate, did you ever show Andrew all of your crime-solving gadgets?”

  “Ooh! Good idea,” Kate said.

  “I’ve heard her talk about them, but I’ve never seen them,” Andrew said.

  “My dad teaches robotics at Penn State, and he’s always bringing home the coolest stuff,” Kate explained. “You wouldn’t believe it. And here’s the best part—there’s always something new coming out, so I get his old stuff. Only, it’s not old to me. It’s really neat. And I’ve learned so much. I’m going to start inventing things like my dad…soon. We’re already working on a top secret project.”

  She clamped her hand over her mouth, realizing she’d said too much. It wouldn’t be top secret if she told people.

  “Trust me when I say she’s got so many amazing electronics,” Sydney said. “When we were at camp, she showed us things we’d never seen before.”

  “Oh, I have a lot more stuff since Discovery Lake Camp,” Kate explained. “So hang on. I’ll be right back.” She ran upstairs and grabbed several items out of her gadget chest. Ooh, Andrew’s going to love all of this!

  She came back downstairs a few minutes later, nearly dropping the armload of stuff. She could hardly wait to show them her gadgets.

  “Wow.” Andrew looked at her arms with wide eyes. “That’s a lot!”

  “My dad is always bringing home more. You think this is a lot—one day I’ll take you down to his workroom in the basement and show you all the good stuff. It’s like an electronics store down there, only better.” She described several of the neatest things her dad had worked on. By the time she finished, Andrew and Sydney were staring at her with their mouths open.

  “Your dad is amazing!” Sydney said.

  “You are, too.” Andrew still looked surprised by all of the things in her arms.

  She put the items on the dining room table and they gathered around. One by one, she told Andrew about her goodies.

  “This is a great digital recorder. It’s different from most of the ones you can buy in stores because it’s so tiny. And here’s a pen that actually records text.”

  “Records text?” Andrew looked shocked.

  “Yes. Watch.” She ran it along the headline in the newspaper and it recorded the words TROUBLE IN THE PHILLIES CAMP.

  “Hmm. Maybe we’d better save that one for later.” She paused, examining the pile of electronics.

  She reached for the bright red slimline cell phone. “I ended up with dad’s cell phone when he got his new one. It has a GPS navigational system on it. And it’s got a great camera and can even do video clips. Best of all, the cell phone is linked to our family’s laptop, so I can send and receive files. My MP3 player is synced, too. Everything is connected. It’s way better than an iPhone or any of the commercial phones. My dad showed me how to do all of that. And wait till you see this wristwatch.” She pulled it out and Sydney and Andrew looked at it with curious expressions.

  “I can’t believe you’re only eleven.” Sydney shook her head. “You’re just so…smart! You could be a professor or something. Or a scientist, even. Have you ever thought about that?”

  “Sure, I think about it all the time,” she said. “But you really don’t need to build my ego! My little brother, Dexter, is almost nine and he already knows how to do most of this, too.” Kate shrugged as she thought about it. “I guess our parents just taught us lots of different stuff from other kids. We’re kind of like that family in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Only, of course, our dad never shrunk us or anything like that. But he does have some cool inventions, just like the man in the movie.”

  “Well, I think your whole family is cool.” Sydney picked up the cell phone and tossed it from one hand to another, like a baseball. After a couple of nervous looks from Kate, she put it back down. “I know!” Sydney squealed. “I’m going to start calling you Inspector Gadget because
of all these gadgets and gizmos you own. I can’t wait to tell the other girls.”

  “Inspector Gadget?” Kate laughed. “That’s a good one.”

  “It fits you,” Andrew said, looking at the digital recorder.

  “Look at this,” Kate said, holding up a tiny penlike device. “It’s a translator, shaped like an ink pen.”

  “A translator?” Sydney asked. “What would you need that for?”

  “Well, say you’re in a situation where you find a clue, but it’s written in a different language,” Kate explained. “All you do is run the pen along the words, and then it translates the words into English so you can understand them.”

  “Wow, I guess that might come in handy,” Sydney said.

  “I came up with this one myself,” she said, holding up a dog collar.

  “Just looks like a regular collar,” Sydney said. “Is it Biscuit’s?”

  “Yes,” Kate explained, “but it’s not an ordinary collar. It has a tiny built-in microphone that transmits to this receiver.” She held up the tiny black receiver and smiled. “So let’s say I send Biscuit over to a suspect and I want to hear something he or she is saying. I can hear every word through the microphone.”

  “That’s pretty impressive,” Andrew said. “So you girls use Biscuit to help you solve your cases, too?”

  “Sometimes,” Kate said. “Like that first mystery we solved at Discovery Lake Camp. He was a big help to us back then!”

  “What else do you have?” Sydney asked, leaning down to look at the items.

  “Hmm.” Kate glanced at each one, finally pulling out a tiny metal clip. “This is a money clip one of my dad’s students came up with.”

  “A money clip?” Andrew asked. “I think my dad has one of those. It just holds the dollar bills together so they don’t get lost, right?”

  “That’s not all this one does,” Kate said. “This one actually keeps track of how much money it’s holding. It scans the bills. So let’s say you reach for your wad of cash, wondering if you have enough to pay for a $25 item at the mall. This money clip will flash $27. Or $32. Or $40. Or whatever. You don’t have to pull out the money and count it.”