8 Street Dogs “I’m not offended in the least,” Wylie said as he walked out of the office with Mr. Horum. “Do you know anybody who might be interested, though? It’s a real dandy of a trick.” “What trick? Can I see?” Bronson asked, closing the register as they approached. Wylie chuckled. “It’s very boring,” he said. “I’m sure a kid wouldn’t be—” “You kidding him?” Mr. Horum said. “It

7 Transfer Complete   “You still have it, right?” Jennifer asked as they walked away from the security checkpoint, up past the little deli-come-newsstand. “Let’s get out of sight and I’ll show you,” Bugs said. They turned a corner near the Water Department where there was a set of double doors that led into the stairwell. The handle had a place to insert a key card along the top. “Watch

6 Security Theater   LOCAL BUSINESSMAN MURDERED — POLICE MIA! screamed the headline on the copy of the Colta City Herald in the hands of one Cindy McNeil, who waited on the corner across the street from City Hall. They’d agreed to meet there at eight a.m. sharp, and it was already pushing eight fifteen. The article was interesting enough… seemed some old rich guy named Dexter Stonehouse was shot

5 Unfinished Business   The morning light bled through the bleary windows of The Old Curiosity Shop, Mr. Horum’s magic emporium in the heart of Colta City. Bronson slipped some joy buzzers onto a hook. Posters, paintings, and fliers lined the walls. They showed great magicians performing their signature feats: Alexander Herrmann with his goatee and tailcoat. Across from the register Harry Kellar levitated Princess Karnak. A painting of Okito

4 Cindy’s Big Plan   “We are not going to kill Dogboy,” Cindy screamed across the desk in the A-V room at Woodrow Wilcox Junior High. It was summer, which meant there weren’t many people around. Mr. Lee (her media teacher) and Principal Kane (her principal, of course) trusted her enough that she came in any time she wanted. She was yelling at a guy named Axle and his friends

3 The Killer’s Mark   Dogboy huffed as he ran after the hooded man. They’d come a few blocks away from the pier now, and Dogboy was gaining ground. He couldn’t figure out why the man hadn’t set off his strange precognitive flashes, or “flash forwards,” which let him see a small distance into the future. There was more to it than that (as he’d found out in Dixon Park

2 Murder on Liberty Pier   Bronson shoved the last bite of gyro into his mouth. He took out his handkerchief and dabbed at the dark spots of lamb juice on his t-shirt. “Not half-bad, Mr. Horum,” Bronson said. “What did you say the sauce was again?” “Cucumber sauce. Very best stuff. You betcha,” Mr. Horum said. He steered his sailboat, Mariska, out across the Stratemeyer’s brown water. Bronson opened

1 Hunted   His hand on his throwing knife, Dogboy hid in the shadows as a police car cruised down the street. It was twenty minutes past five on a warm Saturday evening. Dogboy was on his way to Liberty Pier to meet Mr. Horum, his boss at The Old Curiosity Shop as well as his current guardian. A spotlight hit the wall behind him. He ducked down behind a

18 A Truth Told with Bad Intent   Upton-Haywood, John. “Stonehouse Hits the Big House.” Colta City Herald 09 Jul. Local business magnate Dexter Stonehouse intends to fight the charges related to his supposed “death” two days ago on Liberty Pier. Stonehouse’s charges include fraud, wasting city resources, and endangering the life of a child. In a statement released late last night he accused his business manager Gerald Applebottom of

Sometimes the murder isn’t the mystery. Dogboy, Colta City’s youthful guardian, faces a twisted mystery when local businessman Dexter Stonehouse is murdered. The plot thickens as Bronson’s investigation leads him to a shocking revelation: an old family friend may be entangled in this web of deceit and illusion. As secrets unravel, Bronson must confront the painful truths of his past and decide how much he’s willing to risk to uncover