The Golden Samosa was gone.

Again.

Marvin Wobble stared at the empty glass box.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Even the mayor’s enormous mustache seemed shocked.

Finally, Mrs. Noodle whispered,

“Not again.”

Marvin slowly removed his detective hat.

He looked exhausted.

“We had it.”

The mayor nodded.

“We did.”

“We locked it.”

“Yes.”

“We had cameras.”

“Yes.”

“We had alarms.”

“Yes.”

“We had Gary.”

Everyone looked toward the empty space where the pigeon had been sitting.

Marvin sighed.

“And somehow…”

He pointed at the empty box.

“…we lost a samosa.”

Professor Biscuit raised one finger.

“Technically, we lost it twice.”

Marvin stared at him.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“You’re welcome.”

---

Marvin immediately examined the room.

“No one leaves.”

Everyone froze.

Chef Alfredo looked toward the door.

“Even me?”

“Especially you.”

Mrs. Pudding raised her hand.

“What about the bathroom?”

“You can go.”

She nodded.

“Thank you.”

Marvin looked at the floor.

There were tiny footprints.

Pigeon footprints.

He followed them.

They went toward the window.

Then stopped.

Marvin looked outside.

Nothing.

He turned around.

“Impossible.”

Mrs. Noodle walked over.

“What?”

“The pigeon couldn’t have flown through the window.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s closed.”

She opened it.

Marvin stared at her.

“You could have checked that before.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“You looked busy.”

---

Suddenly, a red feather fell from the ceiling.

Marvin picked it up.

“Red.”

Mrs. Noodle looked at it.

“The person from the photograph.”

Marvin’s eyes widened.

“The red-hat thief.”

Everyone looked upward.

Professor Biscuit pointed.

“There!”

A tiny hatch was hidden in the ceiling.

Marvin smiled.

“We found the secret passage.”

He pulled down a ladder.

Everyone climbed.

Marvin went first.

He immediately disappeared through the hatch.

“AH!”

Mrs. Noodle looked up.

“What happened?”

“I’m okay!”

“Then why did you scream?”

“There was a spider.”

“Are you afraid of spiders?”

“No.”

“Then why scream?”

“It surprised me.”

“Right.”

---

The passage led to the roof.

The moon was shining above Butterfield.

And standing near the edge was a tall figure wearing a red hat.

In his hands was the Golden Samosa.

Marvin pointed.

“STOP!”

The figure turned.

Everyone gasped.

It was…

Mrs. Noodle.

Marvin’s mouth dropped open.

“What?”

Mrs. Noodle smiled.

“Surprised?”

“VERY!”

The mayor shouted,

“YOU STOLE THE SAMOSA?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

Marvin looked heartbroken.

“Mrs. Noodle!”

She laughed.

“I’m joking.”

Marvin almost fell over.

“That isn’t funny!”

She pointed behind him.

“Look.”

Marvin turned.

The real thief was standing there.

A young man wearing a red hat.

He was holding the Golden Samosa.

Marvin pointed.

“YOU!”

The man looked nervous.

“Don’t come closer.”

Marvin slowly stepped forward.

“Who are you?”

The man removed his hat.

“My name is Daniel Crumb.”

Chef Alfredo gasped.

“Daniel?”

Marvin looked at him.

“You know him too?”

Chef Alfredo nodded.

“He was my grandfather’s apprentice.”

Daniel lowered his head.

“I only wanted the recipe.”

Marvin frowned.

“Why?”

“Because my family bakery is failing.”

Everyone became quiet.

Daniel looked at the samosa.

“I thought if I had the Golden Samosa recipe, I could save my family’s bakery.”

Marvin’s expression softened.

“You should have asked.”

Daniel looked surprised.

“Would you have helped?”

Chef Alfredo stepped forward.

“Yes.”

Daniel looked at him.

“You would?”

“Of course.”

Marvin nodded.

“Stealing is a terrible way to ask for help.”

Daniel smiled sadly.

“I know.”

---

Chef Alfredo took the Golden Samosa.

“Come with me.”

“Where?”

“To the kitchen.”

Daniel looked confused.

“Why?”

“Because you’re going to learn how to make the real recipe.”

Everyone stared.

Marvin smiled.

“That’s it?”

Chef Alfredo nodded.

“That’s it.”

Marvin looked disappointed.

“I was expecting an explosion.”

Professor Biscuit raised his hand.

“I can arrange one.”

“No!”

Everyone shouted.

---

They returned to the festival hall.

Chef Alfredo brought out an old recipe book.

The pages were yellow with age.

“This recipe has been protected for generations.”

Daniel looked at it carefully.

“I don’t deserve it.”

Chef Alfredo smiled.

“Then earn it.”

Daniel nodded.

“I will.”

Mayor Pickles stepped forward.

“And the Golden Samosa?”

Chef Alfredo placed it back inside the glass box.

Marvin locked it.

Then he added another lock.

Mrs. Noodle looked at him.

“How many locks now?”

“Seven.”

“Why seven?”

“Because eight would be excessive.”

The mayor stared.

“Seven is already excessive.”

Marvin smiled.

“Exactly.”

---

The festival continued.

Music played.

People danced.

Food was served.

And for the first time all day, everyone relaxed.

Marvin sat at a table with Mrs. Noodle.

He looked exhausted.

“You know what?”

“What?”

“I think we solved it.”

Mrs. Noodle smiled.

“Yes.”

“We found the samosa.”

“Yes.”

“We found the thief.”

“Yes.”

“We saved the bakery.”

“Yes.”

Marvin leaned back.

“I deserve a vacation.”

Mrs. Noodle nodded.

“You do.”

“Where should I go?”

“Somewhere without samosas.”

Marvin looked horrified.

“That’s impossible.”

---

Suddenly, Gary landed on the table.

Marvin stared at him.

“You.”

Gary tilted his head.

“COO.”

Marvin pointed at him.

“You caused ninety percent of this.”

Gary made another sound.

“COO.”

Marvin sighed.

“Fine.”

He gave Gary a tiny piece of bread.

Gary happily ate it.

Mrs. Noodle smiled.

“Maybe he isn’t a criminal.”

Marvin nodded.

“Maybe he’s just hungry.”

Gary looked at him.

Then stole Marvin’s hat.

“HEY!”

Gary flew away.

Marvin jumped up.

“COME BACK!”

The entire festival laughed.

---

Later that night, the festival ended.

The streets became quiet.

Marvin walked home with Mrs. Noodle.

The moon was high above the town.

“You know,” she said, “you’re not a terrible detective.”

Marvin smiled.

“Thank you.”

“You still have a lot to learn.”

“I know.”

“You accused a pigeon.”

“It was suspicious.”

“You accused a tomato.”

“It had a hole.”

“You accused yourself.”

“I was confused.”

Mrs. Noodle laughed.

Marvin laughed too.

Then they stopped.

A tiny golden object lay on the road.

Marvin picked it up.

His eyes widened.

It was another coin.

The pigeon symbol was engraved on it.

Underneath were three words:

CASE NUMBER TWO.

Marvin stared.

Mrs. Noodle looked at him.

“No.”

He smiled.

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Definitely.”

She sighed.

“What is it this time?”

Marvin turned the coin over.

On the back was a picture.

A giant cake.

And beneath it:

THE MYSTERY OF THE DISAPPEARING CAKE.

Marvin’s eyes lit up.

“A cake mystery!”

Mrs. Noodle shook her head.

“I knew this job was a mistake.”

Marvin put his detective hat back on.

“Come on.”

“Where?”

“To investigate.”

“It’s midnight.”

“Criminals don’t sleep.”

“Neither do you.”

“Exactly.”

They walked into the moonlit streets.

Behind them, Gary flew overhead.

He landed on a street sign.

“COO.”

Marvin looked up.

“You coming?”

Gary flew after them.

And somewhere in Butterfield, another mystery was waiting.

But for tonight, the Golden Samosa was safe.

The thief had been forgiven.

The bakery had been saved.

The detective had learned an important lesson.

And the pigeons…

Well, nobody trusted the pigeons.

Not completely.

THE END