The Newcomer

By Anna Christian

Someone is vandalizing the apartment building where Bobby and Sonny live. These two amateur sleuths set out to find the culprit or culprits before they can do more damage. This is another mystery in the Bobby and Sonny Mystery series in which the eleven year olds solve crimes in their Harlem community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anna Christian
• Release date: Dec 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301671069

Anna Christian

I am the author of four books, Daniel's Wife, adult contemporary fiction, 2010; The Big Table, an illustrated children's book, 2008; Mrs. Griffin is Missing and Other Stories, a preteen mystery novel, 2005; and Meet it, Greet it, and Defeat it! The Biography of Frances E. Williams, Actress/Activist, 1999. I also write two blogs "Celebrating Life" on blogspot.com and a readers' blog on Goodreads.com. The Newcomer is my latest book in the Bobby and Sonny Mystery series for preteens. I teach a Creative Writing/Life Story class at the Moreno Valley Senior Center.

Book preview

THE NEWCOMER

A Bobby and Sonny Mystery

by Anna Christian

Published by Dadielte Production at Smashwords

copyright 2012

http://anachristian.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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CHAPTER ONE

Did your mom ground you for knocking over the trashcans Mr. Brown set out? Sonny asked Bobby as they hurried home from White Rock Baptist Church. It had snowed earlier but the flakes hadn’t stuck to the ground. Pushed on by the chill in the air and the darkening clouds, Mrs. and Mrs. Thompson walked briskly ahead. Covered from head to toe with cap, scarf, heavy coat and boots, the boys struggled against the wind. Behind them followed Brenda with her friend Josephine. Both were dressed alike. They were deep in conversation and from time to time the boys would hear the girls giggle, probably about Tommy, Bobby guessed. Tommy was the tallest and best-looking boy in the choir and he usually sang lead. All the girls competed for his attention including Bobby’s thirteen-year-old sister Brenda and Josephine though he didn’t seem to notice either of them.

Since it was young people’s day, Sonny played for the youth choir. Brenda sang in the choir whereas Bobby preferred the usher board. He liked to move around and stay in the background. After every one was seated, he could sit down and read a comic book he had stowed away in his pocket when Mrs. Mobley, the head usher, wasn’t looking.

My mom said somebody’s been smashing out the lights in the hallway and turning over the garbage cans. She thought maybe it was you and me and she got real mad, said Sonny.

Yeah, I got grounded and for something I didn’t even do. Now I can’t watch TV for a week, Bobby responded.

Same here. Mom says I can’t leave the block except with her.

It was wintertime and strange things seemed to be happening in their building. Not like the things Larry did a few months back when he broke into neighbors’ apartments and took clothes and food. Larry was living in North Carolina with his daughter. This was different. Somebody was deliberately messing up the building and Bobby and Sonny were being blamed.

Having a light or two blown out in the hallway was not unusual. Weeks would go by and the residents of 24 Bradley St. would have to creep up the darkened staircase to the next floor where there was usually light. Only after several of the neighbors complained enough times to Mr. Brown, the super, would he reluctantly replace them, grumbling all the while.

One day, however, when the lights on every floor of the six-story building were out, smashed with glass scattered along the corridor, the residents gathered together to complain to Mr. Brown about the dangerous conditions.

So what are you going to do about it? Mrs. Vincent asked heatedly. Her hands on her hips, she rolled her eyes at the super.

You suppose to be taking care of this building, Mr. Washington added. We shouldn’t have to walk up the stairs in the dark and risk cutting our feet because of glass.

Others chimed in. They encircled the super like a wagon trail. He turned to each one, responding to their questions angrily. "I can’t be everywhere at once. I