The Case of the Suspicious Sleepover

“Rise and shine, kids!” Mr. Craft called.

Caleb woke with a big yawn. He was in a sleeping bag on his bedroom floor, next to his friends Jo, Hiro, and Luis. Everyone had come over last night for a sleepover.

“Looks like you guys had a bit of a rowdy night,” Mr. Craft chuckled.

Caleb frowned. “What do you mean? We watched a movie.”

“Come see for yourself.”

Everyone got up to follow Mr. Craft downstairs to the living room. Their eyes widened.

“What happened?” Hiro gasped.

There had been a framed family photo on a table. Now it was on the ground—the glass was shattered!

“It’s all right,” Mr. Craft said. “We can replace the frame. But something must have knocked it over.”

“I don’t remember that picture falling,” said Jo. No one else remembered either.

“So none of us know how it happened?” Caleb asked. “Hmm. This sounds like a case to solve! And I know just where to start. Everyone, come back upstairs with me!”

The group sat in a circle in Caleb’s bedroom.

“We’re going to re-create our schedules from last night,” Caleb announced. “I was the first one in bed—I was asleep by 8:00 p.m. Luis, how about you?”

“I was up late,” Luis said. “I went to sleep at 8:40 p.m.”

“Great!” Caleb said. “What did you do between 8:00 p.m. and 8:40 p.m, and who did you see?”

“Wake up, kids!” Mr. Craft called.

Caleb woke up. He yawned. He was in a sleeping bag on his bedroom floor. His friends Jo, Hiro, and Luis were next to him. Everyone had come over last night for a sleepover.

“Looks like you guys had a rowdy night,” Mr. Craft said.

Caleb frowned. “What do you mean? We watched a movie.”

“Come see for yourself.”

Everyone got up. They followed Mr. Craft downstairs to the living room. Their eyes widened.

“What happened?” Hiro gasped.

There had been a family photo on a table. It was in a nice frame. Now the photo was on the ground. The glass was shattered!

“It’s all right,” Mr. Craft said. “We can replace the frame. But something must have knocked it over.”

“I don’t remember that picture falling,” said Jo. No one else remembered either.

“So none of us know how it happened?” Caleb asked. “Hmm. This sounds like a case to solve! And I know where to start. Everyone, come back upstairs with me!”

The group went back to Caleb’s bedroom. They sat in a circle.

“We’re going to re-create our schedules from last night,” Caleb announced. “I was the first one in bed. I was asleep by 8:00 p.m. When did you go to sleep, Luis?”

“I was up late,” Luis said. “I went to sleep at 8:40 p.m.”

“Great!” Caleb said. “What did you do between 8:00 p.m. and 8:40 p.m.? Who did you see?”

“Oh!” Luis gasped. “I do remember one thing. Right after I went to bed, I thought I heard a crash. It woke me up! I thought I was dreaming, but could it have been the picture?”

Caleb leaned forward. “Do you know what time that was?”

“I looked at the clock,” Luis said. “I remember I had been sleeping for only about 15 minutes.”

Caleb sat back again, defeated. “That’s even stranger.”

Suddenly, a meow came from the door. Everyone jumped.

“Don’t worry,” Caleb said. “That’s just Whiskers. She's usually outside at this time . . .  That’s it!”

Caleb lifted Whiskers into his arms and darted down the stairs. Confused, everyone
else followed.

“Dad, you let Whiskers out last night, didn’t you?” Caleb asked.

Mr. Craft turned to him with a bewildered expression. “Yes, I did. Right before your friends arrived. But how is she inside?”

“What else did you do last night?” Caleb asked.

“I read for a while, then I took out the trash and went to bed,” Mr. Craft mused.

“What time was that?” Hiro chimed in.

“Oh!” Luis gasped. “I do remember one thing. I thought I heard a crash right after I went to bed. It woke me up! I thought I was dreaming. Could it have been the picture?”

Caleb leaned forward. “Do you know what time that was?”

“I looked at the clock,” Luis said. “I remember I had been sleeping for about 15 minutes.”

Caleb sat back again. He looked defeated. “That’s even stranger.”

A meow came from the door. Everyone jumped.

“Don’t worry,” Caleb said. “That’s just Whiskers. She's usually outside at this time of the morning. That’s it!”

Caleb lifted Whiskers into his arms. He darted down the stairs. Everyone was confused. They followed Caleb downstairs.

“Dad, did you let Whiskers out last night?” Caleb asked.

Mr. Craft turned to Caleb. He looked startled. “Yes, I did. I let her outside before your friends arrived. But how is she inside now?”

“What else did you do last night?” Caleb asked.

“I read for a while. Then I took out the trash and went to bed,” Mr. Craft said.

“What time was that?” Hiro asked.