THE TEAPOT THAT VANISHED
THE CASE OF THE MISSING SILVER TEAPOT · July 23, 2026
There were three things the people of Brambleford considered absolutely essential.
The first was breakfast.
The second was complaining about the weather.
And the third was the silver teapot.
Nobody knew exactly why the third thing mattered so much.
But it did.
The silver teapot stood in the Brambleford Civic Museum, inside a glass case, in a locked room, behind a locked door, beneath a sign that read:
PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SILVER TEAPOT.
Someone had added another sign underneath.
SERIOUSLY. DO NOT TOUCH IT.
Then someone else had written beneath that:
IT IS A TEAPOT. WHY WOULD ANYONE TOUCH IT?
And underneath that, in blue ink:
BECAUSE IT IS SILVER, YOU ABSOLUTE TURNIP.
The signs had been there for years.
The teapot had been there even longer.
Nobody was allowed to use it.
Nobody was allowed to pour from it.
Nobody was allowed to polish it without permission from the mayor.
And according to Mayor Percival Puddle, nobody was even allowed to look at it for more than ten seconds.
“Why ten seconds?” people often asked.
“Because eleven is suspicious,” the mayor always replied.
Nobody understood what that meant.
Not even the mayor.
But Mayor Percival Puddle had a remarkable talent for saying things with such confidence that people became too embarrassed to admit they had no idea what he meant.
He was a short, round man with a shiny bald head, a magnificent waistcoat, and a terrible habit of losing his spectacles.
He wore them every day.
They were usually sitting on his nose.
Yet every morning he would shout,
“Has anyone seen my spectacles?”
And every morning someone would answer,
“They’re on your face, Mayor.”
And every morning the mayor would touch his nose, discover the spectacles, and say,
“Excellent. I knew that.”
It was a peaceful life.
A ridiculous life.
But a peaceful one.
Until Tuesday morning.
At exactly eight seventeen…
Brambleford woke up screaming.
Not because of a fire.
Not because of an earthquake.
Not because a herd of elephants had wandered into the town square.
It was because the silver teapot was gone.
Toby Finch was asleep when the screaming began.
He was sleeping on his desk.
Technically, he was supposed to be working.
Toby was the youngest reporter at the Brambleford Bugle, a newspaper so small that its office consisted of one room, two chairs, a broken lamp, and a printer that had not worked properly since the previous decade.
Toby had been hired because the editor, Mr. Snibble, had mistaken him for a delivery boy.
The mistake had never been corrected.
Toby was a professional journalist.
At least that was what his aunt told everyone.
In reality, Toby spent most of his working hours eating biscuits and pretending to take notes.
He had three biscuits beside his elbow.
One was plain.
One was jam-filled.
And one had mysteriously vanished.
Toby slowly opened one eye.
“Is that screaming?”
A voice from the street shouted,
“THE SILVER TEAPOT IS GONE!”
Toby opened both eyes.
He sat up.
His head hit the desk.
THUNK.
“Ow!”
He rubbed his forehead.
The office door burst open.
A young woman marched inside wearing a bright green coat, yellow boots, and a detective hat that was at least two sizes too large for her head.
She stopped dramatically in front of Toby.
“Don’t move!”
Toby stared at her.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
“Who are you?”
The woman raised one finger.
“That is exactly the sort of question a criminal would ask.”
Toby blinked.
“Why?”
“To distract me.”
“From what?”
She looked around the room.
“From the crime.”
Toby glanced at the empty office.
“What crime?”
The woman gasped.
“You haven’t heard?”
“No.”
“The silver teapot has been stolen!”
Toby stared at her.
Then he looked at his biscuit.
Then back at her.
“Someone stole a teapot?”
“THE silver teapot.”
“Yes.”
“The silver teapot.”
“Yes.”
Toby thought about this.
“Was it heavy?”
The woman frowned.
“I don’t know.”
“Did they carry it?”
“Probably.”
“Did they roll it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did they pour it away?”
The woman looked offended.
“Why would they pour away a stolen teapot?”
“I don’t know. Criminals are strange.”
The woman leaned closer.
“You don’t understand.”
Toby sighed.
“I understand perfectly.”
“You do?”
“Someone stole a teapot.”
“The silver teapot.”
“Yes.”
“From the museum.”
“Yes.”
“Last night.”
“Yes.”
“Without breaking the door.”
“Yes.”
“Without breaking the windows.”
“Yes.”
“Without anyone seeing them.”
“Yes.”
Toby stared at her.
The woman smiled.
“Now do you understand?”
Toby picked up his biscuit.
“No.”
The woman slapped both hands on the desk.
“Exactly!”
Toby nearly dropped the biscuit.
“That makes absolutely no sense.”
“Welcome to the greatest mystery in Brambleford.”
She dramatically removed her detective hat.
Then accidentally hit herself in the face with it.
WHACK.
Toby stared.
The woman rubbed her nose.
“That was intentional.”
“Of course.”
“I was testing you.”
“Naturally.”
She pointed at him.
“I like you.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“My name is Ivy Crumb.”
Toby nearly choked on his biscuit.
“Crumb?”
“Yes.”
“That’s your actual name?”
“Yes.”
“Your parents named you Crumb?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“They named me Ivy.”
“Then why—”
“My last name is Crumb.”
Toby nodded slowly.
“Right.”
Ivy put her hat back on.
“I am the greatest detective in Brambleford.”
Toby looked around.
“Are there other detectives?”
“No.”
“Then that’s not very impressive.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes.
“You mock me.”
“Not intentionally.”
“You’re lucky.”
“Why?”
“Because I have important detective work to do.”
Toby stood.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Ivy stared.
“Where?”
“To see the teapot.”
She blinked.
“You’re coming?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Toby picked up his notebook.
“Because I’m a reporter.”
Ivy smiled.
“Excellent.”
She turned toward the door.
Toby followed.
Then stopped.
He looked back at his desk.
“My biscuit.”
Ivy sighed.
“You can buy another one.”
Toby stared at her.
“That was the jam-filled one.”
“It was half eaten.”
“Exactly.”
The streets of Brambleford were packed with people.
Everyone was talking about the missing teapot.
A baker was shouting.
A woman was crying.
Three children were arguing about whether the teapot had been stolen by pirates.
An old man was standing on a bench, insisting that the teapot had been cursed by a very angry aunt.
Toby and Ivy hurried toward the museum.
Ivy walked very quickly.
Toby walked behind her.
Mostly because he was eating the plain biscuit.
“You walk too fast,” he complained.
“You walk too slowly.”
“I’m investigating.”
“You’re chewing.”
“I can do both.”
Ivy stopped.
Toby walked straight into her.
BUMP.
His biscuit flew into the air.
Ivy caught it.
Toby stared.
“Give me that.”
Ivy held it away.
“Evidence.”
“That’s my biscuit.”
“Was it at the crime scene?”
“No.”
“Then why is it in your hand?”
“Because you caught it.”
Ivy stared at the biscuit.
Then at Toby.
Then back at the biscuit.
“Suspicious.”
Toby snatched it back.
“You are the strangest person I’ve ever met.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“I know.”
They continued walking.
When they reached the museum, they found a crowd of nearly sixty people standing outside.
At the center of the crowd was Mayor Percival Puddle.
He was wearing his slippers.
Toby stopped.
“Is that the mayor?”
Ivy nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why is he wearing slippers?”
“He was probably asleep.”
“At eight seventeen?”
“Maybe he sleeps late.”
The mayor shouted,
“Everyone remain calm!”
Nobody remained calm.
Someone screamed.
Someone else shouted,
“Where is the teapot?”
The mayor looked around nervously.
“That is exactly what we’re trying to find out.”
A man in a flat cap shouted,
“Was it insured?”
The mayor froze.
“That is classified information.”
“How much was it worth?”
“Also classified.”
“Was it really silver?”
The mayor’s face became strangely uncomfortable.
Toby noticed.
Ivy noticed too.
She leaned toward Toby.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“The mayor’s face.”
“What about it?”
“He’s hiding something.”
Toby looked at the mayor.
The mayor was sweating.
His mustache was trembling.
And one of his spectacles was missing.
Toby nodded.
“You’re right.”
Ivy smiled.
“See? I knew it.”
“No.”
“What?”
“He always looks like that.”
Ivy frowned.
“You know him?”
“I interviewed him once.”
“When?”
“Last year.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked me where his spectacles were.”
Ivy stared.
“Where were they?”
“On his face.”
Ivy slowly looked at the mayor.
“Maybe he’s not very intelligent.”
Toby whispered,
“That is the nicest way anyone has ever said it.”
The mayor finally noticed them.
“Toby!”
Toby raised his hand.
“Hello.”
“Why are you here?”
“To investigate.”
The mayor looked at Ivy.
“And who is she?”
Ivy stepped forward.
“Ivy Crumb.”
The mayor frowned.
“Crumb?”
“Yes.”
“Like a biscuit?”
Ivy’s expression changed.
“Yes.”
The mayor nodded.
“I like biscuits.”
Ivy smiled.
“I don’t.”
Toby stared at her.
“Then why are you called Crumb?”
“Can we focus?”
The mayor cleared his throat.
“Yes. The investigation.”
Ivy pointed dramatically at the museum.
“Take us to the crime scene.”
The mayor hesitated.
“Why?”
“Because we are detectives.”
Toby looked at her.
“We are?”
Ivy stepped on his foot.
CRUNCH.
Toby winced.
“Ow.”
Ivy smiled.
“Yes.”
The mayor looked at them suspiciously.
“Are you two police officers?”
“No,” Toby said.
“Detectives?”
Ivy said,
“Yes.”
Toby said,
“No.”
They looked at each other.
Ivy smiled.
Toby sighed.
The mayor rubbed his forehead.
“Fine.”
He led them inside.
The silver teapot had been kept in a special room on the second floor.
The door was locked.
The mayor took a large key from his pocket.
Toby stared.
“Is that the only key?”
“Yes.”
“Who else has one?”
“Nobody.”
Ivy immediately asked,
“Where were you last night?”
The mayor looked offended.
“Are you accusing me?”
“No.”
“Then why are you asking?”
“Because that’s what detectives do.”
“You’re not a detective.”
Ivy pointed at herself.
“Look at the hat.”
The mayor looked at the hat.
Toby whispered,
“That proves nothing.”
Ivy stepped on his foot again.
Toby stopped talking.
The mayor unlocked the door.
Everyone gathered behind them.
Ivy entered first.
Toby followed.
The room was small.
There was a glass case in the center.
The glass case was empty.
The silver teapot was gone.
Toby stared.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then someone in the crowd whispered,
“Maybe someone drank it.”
Toby turned.
“Who said that?”
Nobody answered.
Ivy crouched beside the glass case.
“Interesting.”
Toby looked.
“What?”
She pointed.
“Look.”
Toby crouched beside her.
“What am I looking at?”
“Footprints.”
Toby looked at the floor.
There were footprints.
Small.
Round.
And wet.
Toby frowned.
“Those look like tiny boot prints.”
Ivy’s eyes widened.
“Exactly.”
“Why exactly?”
“Because there were no boots in the room.”
Toby stared at her.
“That is your conclusion?”
“Yes.”
“What about the fact that there was no teapot?”
“That’s also important.”
The mayor walked closer.
“What does it mean?”
Ivy stood dramatically.
“It means…”
Everyone leaned forward.
“…someone with very small boots was involved.”
Silence.
Toby covered his face.
The mayor looked at her.
“Small boots?”
“Yes.”
“Stole the silver teapot?”
“Possibly.”
“How would someone with small boots carry a teapot?”
Ivy paused.
“That is what we need to find out.”
Toby whispered,
“Maybe they had help.”
Ivy looked at him.
Toby shrugged.
“What?”
She pointed at him.
“That’s actually a good theory.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t get excited.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
“I wasn’t.”
The mayor shouted,
“Enough!”
Everyone became quiet.
The mayor pointed at the glass case.
“The teapot was here at nine o’clock last night.”
Toby immediately asked,
“How do you know?”
The mayor hesitated.
“I checked.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the mayor.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“I like checking things.”
Ivy stepped forward.
“Who else knew you were checking it?”
The mayor looked nervous.
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
“I don’t know!”
“Mayor.”
Ivy moved closer.
“Someone entered this room.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“The door was locked.”
“Then how did the teapot disappear?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you lock the door?”
“Yes.”
“Who has the key?”
“I told you.”
“Only me.”
Toby looked at the door.
“Then someone stole the teapot without entering.”
Everyone became silent.
Ivy slowly turned toward Toby.
“That’s impossible.”
Toby nodded.
“Yes.”
The mayor looked relieved.
“Exactly.”
Toby continued.
“Unless…”
Everyone waited.
Toby pointed toward the wall.
“…there’s another entrance.”
Ivy’s eyes widened.
The mayor’s face turned white.
Toby noticed.
“Mayor?”
The mayor stepped backward.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Ivy immediately moved toward the wall.
“Why?”
“Because it’s a wall.”
“Yes.”
“A wall cannot be an entrance.”
“That’s not true.”
“Of course it is.”
Ivy knocked on the wall.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
The sound was hollow.
Everyone froze.
Toby looked at the mayor.
The mayor looked at the wall.
Ivy smiled.
“Interesting.”
Toby whispered,
“Very interesting.”
The mayor shouted,
“Everyone out!”
Nobody moved.
“OUT!”
Ivy folded her arms.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“That’s not a good enough reason.”
“I am the mayor!”
Toby looked at Ivy.
“She has a point.”
The mayor’s face turned red.
“There is no secret passage!”
Ivy knocked again.
Knock.
Knock.
The wall answered.
Knock.
Everyone screamed.
The mayor jumped.
Toby dropped his biscuit.
Ivy slowly stepped backward.
Toby whispered,
“Did the wall just knock?”
Ivy nodded.
“Yes.”
“That’s not normal.”
“No.”
The mayor shouted,
“It’s the pipes!”
Toby looked at the wall.
“Do pipes knock?”
“These do!”
“Why?”
“Because they’re very old.”
Ivy whispered,
“He’s lying.”
Toby nodded.
“I know.”
The mayor pointed at them.
“Nobody is lying!”
A voice suddenly came from inside the wall.
“Help!”
Everyone screamed again.
Toby grabbed Ivy.
Ivy grabbed Toby.
Toby grabbed the mayor.
The mayor grabbed a random stranger.
The random stranger grabbed a chair.
The chair grabbed nobody.
Everyone stared at the wall.
The voice came again.
“HELP ME!”
Toby whispered,
“There’s someone inside.”
Ivy nodded.
“Yes.”
The mayor shook his head.
“No.”
Toby stared.
“Mayor, someone is literally shouting from your wall.”
“There is no one inside.”
“Then who is shouting?”
“I don’t know.”
Ivy pointed at the mayor.
“Exactly!”
The mayor shouted,
“Open the wall!”
Two guards rushed forward.
They began hitting the wall with a hammer.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Finally…
A hidden door opened.
Behind it was a narrow staircase.
Everyone stared.
Toby looked at the mayor.
The mayor looked at Toby.
Toby raised an eyebrow.
The mayor adjusted his spectacles.
“That’s new.”
Ivy stared.
“New?”
“Yes.”
“How can a secret staircase be new?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you build it?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
The mayor became silent.
Toby looked down the stairs.
Darkness waited below.
A strange smell drifted up from the tunnel.
Toby sniffed.
“Do you smell that?”
Ivy nodded.
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
Ivy sniffed again.
“Peppermint.”
Toby stared.
“Peppermint?”
“Yes.”
“Why does the secret tunnel beneath the museum smell like peppermint?”
Nobody answered.
Then a loud crash came from below.
Everyone jumped.
Toby whispered,
“Maybe the thief is down there.”
Ivy nodded seriously.
“Possibly.”
The mayor shouted,
“No one is going down there!”
Toby and Ivy looked at each other.
Then at the tunnel.
Then back at the mayor.
Ivy smiled.
“That’s exactly what someone hiding something would say.”
Toby nodded.
“Definitely.”
The mayor’s face turned red.
“I’m not hiding anything!”
From the darkness below…
A voice shouted,
“THEN COME DOWN HERE AND HELP ME!”
Everyone froze.
Toby looked at the mayor.
“Who is that?”
The mayor didn’t answer.
Ivy pointed at him.
“Mayor?”
The mayor took one step backward.
Then another.
Toby’s eyes narrowed.
“Do you know that voice?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
The voice came again.
“MAYOR PUDDLE! GET ME OUT OF HERE!”
The mayor screamed,
“I DON’T KNOW HIM!”
Toby stared.
Ivy stared.
The entire crowd stared.
The mayor slowly realized his mistake.
He covered his mouth.
Toby whispered,
“That was suspicious.”
Ivy smiled.
“Very suspicious.”
The mayor suddenly ran.
“STOP HIM!”
Nobody moved.
The mayor ran toward the stairs.
But before he could reach them…
He slipped.
WHOOSH!
He flew through the hidden doorway.
THUMP!
Everyone heard him fall.
Then…
Silence.
Toby looked at Ivy.
“Should we help him?”
Ivy nodded.
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re detectives.”
Toby sighed.
They entered the tunnel.
The crowd followed.
The tunnel was narrow.
Very narrow.
Toby had to turn sideways.
Ivy’s hat got stuck on the ceiling.
The mayor was somewhere ahead.
“Mayor?” Toby called.
“Don’t come down here!”
“Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous!”
Ivy shouted,
“Are you injured?”
“No!”
Toby shouted,
“Then why are you screaming?”
“I’m not screaming!”
“Yes, you are!”
“I’m frightened!”
“That’s understandable.”
“Stop talking and help me!”
They continued deeper.
The tunnel twisted left.
Then right.
Then left again.
Toby looked behind them.
The entrance had disappeared into darkness.
“This is a terrible idea.”
Ivy smiled.
“That’s what makes it exciting.”
“I prefer boring.”
“That’s because you’re not brave.”
“I’m brave.”
“Prove it.”
Toby immediately turned around.
“How?”
“Keep walking.”
Toby sighed.
They continued.
After a few minutes…
They heard a strange sound.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Toby stopped.
“Water.”
Ivy stopped.
“No.”
“What?”
“Peppermint.”
“Peppermint doesn’t drip.”
“This does.”
Toby stared.
“That sentence makes no sense.”
Then they saw it.
A huge pile of peppermint sweets.
Hundreds of them.
Toby’s eyes widened.
“Why is there candy down here?”
Ivy looked around.
“Maybe the museum has a secret sweet business.”
“That’s illegal.”
“Is it?”
“I think so.”
“Why?”
“Because it sounds illegal.”
Suddenly…
Something moved behind the sweets.
Toby froze.
Ivy raised a small magnifying glass.
“Who’s there?”
A shadow moved.
Then…
A man jumped out.
“AHHH!”
Everyone screamed.
The man screamed.
Toby screamed.
Ivy screamed.
The mayor screamed.
Someone behind them screamed.
Then everyone stopped.
The man was wearing a black coat.
He had a long beard.
And a very annoyed expression.
Toby recognized him.
“Professor Barnaby Quill?”
The man pointed at them.
“Don’t move!”
Ivy stepped forward.
“You’re under arrest.”
Barnaby blinked.
“For what?”
“Stealing the silver teapot.”
Barnaby stared.
Then laughed.
Then laughed harder.
Then fell onto a pile of peppermint sweets.
“Me?”
Ivy nodded.
“Yes.”
Barnaby pointed toward himself.
“I stole the teapot?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out.”
Barnaby looked at Toby.
“Is she always like this?”
Toby nodded.
“Unfortunately.”
Barnaby stood.
“I didn’t steal anything.”
Toby looked around.
“Then why are you hiding in a secret tunnel?”
“I wasn’t hiding.”
“Then what were you doing?”
“Trying to get out.”
“Why?”
“Because I got trapped.”
“How?”
Barnaby sighed.
“I was following the teapot.”
Toby and Ivy stared.
“The teapot?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“It moved.”
Silence.
Toby looked at Ivy.
Ivy looked at Toby.
Toby finally said,
“Teapots don’t move.”
Barnaby pointed at the darkness behind them.
“That one did.”
Everyone turned.
Nothing.
The tunnel was empty.
Ivy slowly whispered,
“Where is it?”
Barnaby looked confused.
“What?”
“The teapot.”
Barnaby pointed.
“It was right there.”
Toby looked at the floor.
There was a long silver mark.
Something heavy had been dragged across the dusty ground.
The mark disappeared into the darkness.
Toby crouched.
“Someone dragged it.”
Ivy crouched beside him.
“Yes.”
Barnaby shook his head.
“No.”
Toby looked up.
“What?”
“It wasn’t dragged.”
“Then what?”
“It rolled.”
Toby stared.
“You’re telling me the silver teapot rolled away?”
Barnaby nodded.
“Yes.”
Ivy looked serious.
“That explains everything.”
Toby turned toward her.
“How?”
“It means…”
She pointed toward the tunnel.
“…the teapot has wheels.”
Toby closed his eyes.
“Of course.”
Then…
A loud sound echoed through the tunnel.
CLANG!
Everyone froze.
Another sound.
CLANG!
Then…
Something moved in the darkness.
Toby slowly stood.
Ivy lifted her magnifying glass.
Barnaby backed away.
The mayor shouted,
“TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!”
Toby stared.
“The lights are already off.”
“Oh.”
A shadow appeared.
It grew larger.
Larger.
Larger.
Then…
Two enormous silver shapes emerged from the darkness.
Everyone screamed.
Toby grabbed Ivy.
Ivy grabbed Barnaby.
Barnaby grabbed the mayor.
The mayor grabbed the peppermint sweets.
And then…
A giant silver object rolled toward them.
RUMBLE.
RUMBLE.
RUMBLE.
Toby screamed.
“RUN!”
Everyone ran.
The silver object rolled faster.
They turned a corner.
The object followed.
They ran down the tunnel.
The object followed.
They jumped over a pile of sweets.
The object followed.
Finally…
Toby tripped.
Ivy tripped over Toby.
Barnaby tripped over Ivy.
The mayor tripped over everyone.
They all fell into a giant heap.
The silver object stopped.
Silence.
Toby slowly opened one eye.
He looked up.
There it was.
The silver teapot.
Standing upright.
Completely intact.
Toby stared.
Ivy stared.
Barnaby stared.
The mayor stared.
Then Toby whispered,
“How did it get here?”
Nobody answered.
Ivy slowly stood.
She walked toward it.
The teapot was covered in dust.
But there was something strange.
A small piece of paper was attached to the handle.
Ivy pulled it off.
She unfolded it.
Her face changed.
Toby stood.
“What does it say?”
Ivy looked at him.
Then at the mayor.
Then at Barnaby.
She read the message aloud.
“THE FIRST LIE HAS BEEN POURED.”
Silence.
Toby looked at the mayor.
The mayor looked at Barnaby.
Barnaby looked at Ivy.
Ivy looked at Toby.
Toby looked at the teapot.
Then…
The teapot moved.
Everyone screamed.
It rolled backward.
Straight toward the darkness.
Ivy shouted,
“STOP!”
Toby grabbed her.
“How?”
“I don’t know!”
“Then why did you say stop?”
“Because it seemed appropriate!”
The teapot disappeared around the corner.
Toby ran after it.
Ivy followed.
Barnaby followed.
The mayor followed.
They reached the end of the tunnel.
But the teapot was gone.
There was only a brick wall.
Toby touched it.
Nothing.
Ivy searched the floor.
Nothing.
Barnaby examined the ceiling.
Nothing.
The mayor stood silently.
Toby looked at him.
“Mayor.”
“What?”
“Where did it go?”
“I don’t know.”
Ivy stared at him.
“You’re lying.”
The mayor’s eyes widened.
“I am not!”
Ivy pointed toward the wall.
“The teapot couldn’t disappear.”
Toby nodded.
“Unless…”
They both looked at the wall.
Toby slowly touched one brick.
It moved.
CLICK.
A hidden door opened.
Everyone gasped.
Behind it…
Was a staircase leading upward.
Toby looked at Ivy.
Ivy smiled.
“Another secret passage.”
Toby sighed.
“Of course.”
They climbed the stairs.
At the top was a small wooden door.
Toby opened it.
Everyone stepped through.
They found themselves…
Inside the mayor’s office.
Toby’s eyes widened.
Ivy’s mouth dropped open.
Barnaby stared.
The mayor became completely silent.
Toby slowly turned toward him.
“Mayor.”
The mayor swallowed.
“Yes?”
“Why does your secret tunnel lead directly into your office?”
The mayor smiled nervously.
“Coincidence.”
Ivy pointed at him.
“You’re the biggest liar!”
The mayor gasped.
“How dare you!”
Toby looked around.
On the mayor’s desk was a silver envelope.
Ivy picked it up.
The mayor immediately shouted,
“Don’t touch that!”
Everyone froze.
Toby stared.
Ivy looked at the envelope.
Then at the mayor.
“Why?”
“Because…”
The mayor’s face became pale.
“…it’s private.”
Ivy opened it.
Inside was a single letter.
Toby read it aloud.
“Dear Mayor Puddle,
As agreed, I will pay £40,000 for the silver teapot.
The collector will arrive tonight.
Do not disappoint me.
—Mr. Wren.”
Silence.
Toby slowly looked at the mayor.
Ivy smiled.
Barnaby raised an eyebrow.
The mayor’s face turned red.
“That’s not what it looks like.”
Toby pointed toward the letter.
“It looks like you were selling the silver teapot.”
“I wasn’t!”
Ivy crossed her arms.
“Then explain.”
The mayor opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Toby smiled.
“So…”
Ivy finished.
“…the biggest liar has been exposed.”
Suddenly…
A loud bell rang outside.
DONG!
Everyone jumped.
Then another.
DONG!
The mayor looked toward the window.
“What time is it?”
Toby checked his watch.
“Half past nine.”
The mayor’s face went pale.
“What?”
Ivy frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
The mayor whispered,
“The collector.”
Toby stared.
“What collector?”
“The man buying the teapot.”
“But the teapot is gone.”
The mayor looked terrified.
“Exactly.”
Before anyone could speak…
Someone knocked on the office door.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Everyone froze.
A deep voice came from the other side.
“Mayor Puddle?”
The mayor stepped backward.
“He’s here.”
Toby whispered,
“Who?”
The mayor stared at the door.
“Mr. Wren.”
The door handle slowly turned.
Ivy reached for her detective hat.
Barnaby grabbed a peppermint sweet.
Toby grabbed his notebook.
The door opened.
A tall man in a black suit stood there.
He smiled.
“Good morning.”
Everyone stared.
Mr. Wren looked around the office.
“Where is the silver teapot?”
Nobody answered.
He smiled again.
“Mayor?”
The mayor swallowed.
“I…”
Then suddenly…
A loud crash came from outside.
Everyone rushed to the window.
Toby looked down.
His mouth fell open.
The silver teapot was sitting in the middle of the town square.
Surrounded by hundreds of people.
And beside it…
Was a large sign.
FOR SALE.
Toby slowly turned toward the mayor.
The mayor looked horrified.
Ivy looked confused.
Barnaby looked amused.
Mr. Wren looked furious.
And then…
The teapot disappeared.
Again.
Everyone screamed.
Toby shouted,
“WHO TOOK THE TEAPOT?”
Ivy shouted,
“I’M ON THE CASE!”
Barnaby shouted,
“IT’S THE GOOSE!”
The mayor shouted,
“EVERYONE STOP!”
Mr. Wren shouted,
“MY MONEY!”
And from somewhere in the town square…
A goose honked.
HONK!
Everyone became silent.
Toby looked at Ivy.
Ivy looked at Toby.
Toby slowly whispered,
“Maybe you were right.”
Ivy smiled proudly.
“I told you.”
Toby pointed toward the window.
“There’s a goose.”
“Exactly.”
“With a teapot.”
“Exactly.”
“Running away.”
“Exactly.”
Toby stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Ivy put on her detective hat.
“Then let’s investigate.”
And so…
The greatest mystery in Brambleford had officially begun.
A silver teapot had disappeared.
A secret tunnel had been discovered.
A mysterious buyer had arrived.
The mayor was caught lying.
Professor Barnaby Quill was somehow involved.
A strange message had appeared.
And now…
There was a goose.
Toby grabbed his notebook.
Ivy grabbed her magnifying glass.
Barnaby grabbed another peppermint sweet.
The mayor grabbed his spectacles.
Mr. Wren grabbed his briefcase.
And together…
They ran toward the town square.
None of them noticed the tiny silver footprint left behind on the mayor’s office floor.
None of them saw the small note hidden beneath the desk.
And none of them heard the whisper coming from the secret tunnel.
“The first lie has been exposed.”
Then…
A second whisper answered.
“Now find the second.”
The tunnel door slowly closed.
CLICK.
And somewhere beneath Brambleford…
Something laughed.