Ball Surprise Jinx 

By:  Amir, 4th grade           

  Mr. Dickens the detective of the district New Mexico was solving his latest case. The problem was he had near no evidence except a sweaty jersey left by the basketball court. 

Early Sunday morning a murder had been committed and thinking about it is perplexing.

Thud! Thud! “Mr. Dickens, the morning paper and a green herb teabag has arrived just for you!” Francis, his page called from behind the metal door.

Mr. Dickens, wearily, answered it.

“There’s news about the latest case, on D3, Mr. Dickens.” Francis remarked, with one polished, dainty, nail pointing to the front cover of the newspaper.

Dickens flipped to D3 only to put it down again.

“It just says they don’t know anything!” Angrily he threw the newspaper at his feet. Francis ran to pick it up as Mr. Dickens swallowed his first gulp of tea.

Just as Francis was about to leave, Mr. Dickens turned a rancid gray, full of sickness.

“Are you okay Mr. Dickens?” she asked, clearly worried.

He spit out something.  It looked vaguely like a piece of paper.

Francis vowed as she closed the door, “I didn’t put that in there.”

Mr. Dickens gaped at what he saw. I was a paper, a thin paper, like one and in a fortune cookie. Except it wasn’t a fortune. And it wasn’t meant for him. It read:

SET UP A JINX. SURPRISE FOR U7GD2T. SET UP AT ZFY4J9V.

Who was U7GD2T and where was ZFY4J9V?

Mr. Dickens picked up his phone and pushed PAGE.

“Yes.” Came the voice of Francis through the receiver. 

 “Get my limousine.”

                                               Clue 1

                                                            Translator

 Mr. Dewey Lionysburg was a number-coordinated letter-coordinated translator which means he could translate numbers into words and vice versa. He wasn’t surprised when Mr. Dickens burst into his door.

“Sorry, can’t translate that sweaty basketball jersey found on the basketball court.” He said without looking up from the document he was typing on his typewriter.

“No, it’s not that. It’s this.”

He handed him the slip of paper.

“U equals Mr., 7GD equals Dicke, and 2T equals…”  Dewey muttered.

After about ten minutes, (but to Mr. Dickens it seemed weeks,) of a considerable amount of muttering and the occasional sound of pen jotting down notes on loose leaf paper Dewey remarked:

“Strange note you’ve got here Mr. Dickens, for three reasons.  One; ZFY4J9V is the basketball court and that’s where the jersey was found and supposedly it is the scene of the crime. Two; U7GD2T is Mr. Dickens. And three;” (as he said this he flipped the slip of paper over) “it’s addressed to you.”

The back of the paper read:

Mr. Dickens

759 Lemon Branch Court

Santa Fe, NM, 46368

Mr. Dickens gasped.

“And since you are my favorite detective and ahead of all the others, I’ll tell you one other thing that may help you. UB SKNAB translated into numbers is 1647539. I know that particular code is the password you have to enter in the bank to get into Michelle Kink’s vault, the richest person in the city.” Dewey added, getting up from his chair. “I used to be a teller so I know all this.”

Mr. Dickens’s gasp turned into awe.

“Thank you,” he said quickly, getting up from his chair, “I must be off.”

With one more ‘thank you’ and ‘your welcome’ Mr. Dickens fled the room.

Clue 2

Tell me on a Sunday

Santa Fe International Bank is famous for two things: its gold and its clock which sings a thirty second Aztec prayer for each hour. For example, it was five of the clock when Mr. Dickens walked into the Santa Fe International Bank, so he heard the Aztec prayer for two and a half minutes. As he guarded his eardrums from the fatal noise, he walked up to the nearest teller and asked to see the manager.

“She’s not here today,” Was the reply, “But I’m sure everyone here can solve your problem! What is it?”

“From your memory, would you tell me what happened early Sunday morning?

“Well, a gentleman with a thin neck and one earring, a curly, bushy beard and a fat mustache came in saying he was one of Lady Michelle Ruby Kink’s servants. He said he was here to withdrawal 17 emeralds. Once he made withdrawal, I asked him what he planned to do next he said he planned to play a basketball game. When he turned to leave I saw it read UB SKNAB.”  The teller added, “I received a letter from Michelle, and it was stained with blood. According to Dewey Lionsyburg once all translated into letters it reads: SET UP A JINX. SURPRISE FOR THE TELLER. SET UP AT THE BASKETBALL COURT.

Thank you, Mrs.—

“Teller.”

“Mrs. Teller. I must be off!”

And just before he had to cover his ears for 3 desperate minutes he swung the revolving door to hear the crispy, violent wind howl.

                                                                  Clue 3

Two double baskets and a touchdown

After solemnly eating a dinner at Fisheye grill, Mr. Dickens went to bed, hoping to hit the basketball court in the morning, if it wasn’t raining. To his delight, the weather was perfect to play basketball with a jinxed ball and a criminal. Mr. Dickens’s limo arrived at the court at 11: 34 and the faint sound of pattering against gravel could be heard. Francis accompanied him, so he was sure not to get into immense peril or possibly be killed. Yet as Mr. Dickens jogged along beside her, he wondered what chance a college student had protecting him and persuading a murder who had possibly killed Michelle Kink and a few other innocent victims?

 But before he could ponder this complexity they reached the field where most games were held. A man with a jersey that read Mr. I was dribbling, and he fit Mrs. Teller’s description perfectly.

“Uh, Mr. I…”

“You’re one of those detectives from the DA.”

“Yes,” Said Mr. Dickens with great confidence, “I’d like to play a game of basketball.”

“Ok,” replied Mr. I, “watch out though, ball is jinxed.”

Meanwhile, Francis was looking through Mr. I’s socks which were conveniently located on the “out bench.”  In the sock was a remote that controlled the ball, or otherwise known as the jinx. At 1:11 the game was tied. Francis had to know how to work the remote and quickly. After discovering (or so she thought) the first button made Mr. I scored a goal, the second button dragged it to the middle field, the third button made Mr. Dickens score a goal and the fourth button made it stop in midair. At 1:47 things were not looking good. The score was 8 to 5. Mr. I’s baskets were not affected by the jinx. All Francis could do was to stop the ball in midair. With that she pushed the fourth button. Mr. I was surprised as Francis dragged the ball to mid field and shot Mr. Dickens to double baskets and a touchdown. The score was 13 to 14 as the scoreboard flashed game over. With one, “You killed Michelle Kink and I get her fortune” Mr. I was safely behind bars.

                                                 Epilogue

That was 50 years ago, Francis said as she pulled her car in the driveway of DA of New Mexico. She hoped his could find Mr. Dickens but maybe he was retired now. With hope in her heart she rapped on the door.

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