Читать книгу A Super Weird! Mystery: Danger at Donut Diner - Jim Smith - Страница 7

Deirdre Pebble chuckled at how ridiculous her new next-door neighbour’s name was, even though her own name was Deirdre Pebble.

‘Very nice to meet you too, Rhubarb Plonsky,’ she said, putting her hands on her hips. ‘I’m Deirdre and that’s my husband Norman.’

‘And those two are Violet and Melvin,’ she said, pointing at them. Violet was still slouched in the back of the car. ‘Say hello, kids.’

‘Hello kids,’ said Violet, and Melvin sniggled.

‘Hello, Rhubarb Plonsky,’ he said.

Rhubarb sniffed the air. ‘Is that a Hokum City accent?’ she asked.

Violet raised an eyebrow. ‘That’s a pretty good shnoz you’ve got there,’ she said.

Rhubarb marched straight up to Melvin and did another sniff.

‘Stinks, doesn’t he,’ said Violet.

Rhubarb shook her head. ‘It’s not that,’ she said. ‘It’s something else. Do you like mysteries, Melvin?’

‘Erm, I dunno,’ said Melvin.

‘Hmmm, we’ll see,’ said Rhubarb, pincering one of the little plastic toy packets from Melvin’s cardboard box. ‘What are these things, anyway?’

Melvin pulled the box away and pushed the cardboard flaps shut.

Violet slid out of the car and wandered over. ‘That’s my little brother’s collection of toy bags.’

‘You collect toy bags?’ asked Rhubarb.

Melvin nodded. ‘And the toys inside them,’ he said.

Rhubarb stroked her chin. ‘But none of the bags were open,’ she said.

‘Melvin doesn’t open the bags,’ said Violet. ‘He’s way too cool for that.’

‘I like guessing what’s inside them,’ said Melvin, pulling one out of the box and giving it a fiddle. ‘Anyway, the packets are more interesting than the toys half the time.’

Rhubarb thought for a second. ‘Plus I suppose all the excitement’s gone once you’ve opened it,’ she said.

smiled Melvin.

Violet stared down at the two of them. ‘She’s almost as cool as you, Melv,’ she chuckled. ‘Say, be a good little brother and grab my bags from the car, wouldya?’

Rhubarb opened her mouth. ‘What’s it like?’ she said. ‘Hokum City, I mean.’

Violet looked around. ‘Better than this place,’ she grumbled.

Rhubarb’s face went all serious and she leaned forwards. ‘Donut’s not an ordinary town,’ she whispered, so only Melvin could hear.

‘What does that mean?’ asked Melvin. ‘Not that I care or anything,’ he added, trying to sound a bit cooler.

‘I’ll tell you tomorrow,’ said Rhubarb, marching off, but not very far, seeing as she only lived next door.