Inspector Dexter & the Case of the Missing Chocolate Pudding

By Kathryn Lehan

The first book in the Inspector Dexter series -
The Case of the Missing Chocolate Pudding

Middle school is tough on everyone but if you aren’t a good student, aren’t athletic and can’t play an instrument, what’s left? You become an amateur detective. Meet Dexter Poindexter – all elbows and knees and as graceful as a three-legged chair.

When a whole case of chocolate pudding disappears from the Gladys Purvey Hockings Middle School’s cafeteria, Dexter is on the case. He doesn’t have much to go on - just a partial footprint in the storage pantry, the help of an Austrian exchange student and his police detective grandfather’s wisdom. He has to sort through a motley bunch of suspects that include a gang of bullies, the football team, the band, a maintenance man with a secret, a new employee with a lazy eye, the cafeteria manager’s cousin and the school principal.

Meanwhile, Dexter has to go about the business of being a mediocre student with no athletic abilities while he dodges love sick middle school girls, unhappy Spanish teachers, underwear wedgies and cannon fire from Civil War re-enactors to solve the case of the missing chocolate pudding.
Dexter is a hero for all the kids who don’t fit in.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kathryn Lehan
• Release date: Jul 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301471317

Kathryn Lehan

KATHRYN LEHAN is the author of three non-fiction titles: Save Yourself! The Plain Truth, You Can Go to Hell But I'm Not Going with You, and How to Get Your Miracle Healing; plus she's written four children's book: Becoming a Warrior, The River of Life, Our Differences Define Us, and Inspector Dexter and the Case of the Missing Chocolate Pudding. She is currently working on the second book in the Inspector Dexter series. She also writes articles on writing, business and marketing, and Christianity for various sites. Her heart is for people who are hurting and suffering from physical, emotional and spiritual sickness. She believes we all have a divine purpose here to fulfill. In order to find true purpose a person must clear away painful things first. Ms. Lehan uses plain language to explain the complicated things of God so her readers can access the power of healing, restoration and deliverance for themselves. She lives in Houston, Texas, where there are only two seasons - summer and thermonuclear summer.

Book preview

Inspector Dexter and the Case

of the Missing Chocolate Pudding

An Inspector Dexter detective series book

KATHRYN LEHAN

Copyright © 2013 Kathryn Lehan

Smashwords Edition

ISBN: 9781301471317

Discover other titles by Kathryn Lehan

at Smashwords.com

How to Get Your Miracle Healing

Save Yourself! The Plain Truth

Inspector Dexter and the Case

of the Missing Chocolate Pudding

Chapter 1

No sooner had Dexter Poindexter bent over to pick up the quarter than he found himself with a mouthful of playground dirt.

The heavy foot on his back made it difficult to get his elbows under him so he could raise his head far enough to spit out the mixture of red clay, pea gravel and dead skin cells from the thousands upon thousands of former students who’d skinned their knees on the playground at Gladys Purvey Hockings Middle School.

You gotta’ let him breath, he heard a voice say over the laughter.

Dexter groaned and quit struggling. The coach’s foot moved lower on his back. Dexter lifted his head and spat out the dirt.

That’s mine, the coach said, snatching the quarter from Dexter’s hand.

Yes sir, I was just getting ready to give it to you, Dexter said, as he wiped his tongue with the end of his sleeve.

Jeez, I hate sissies, Coach Garrett Donugal said as he pocketed the quarter.

Better leave him to finish his dirt sandwich, Londy Halliburton laughed, kicking more dirt into Dexter’s open mouth.

Dexter tried to spit it on Londy’s sneaker but it just dribbled down his chin.

Londy was the coach’s favorite. He always got to be team captain, even when there was no team, like when they had the President’s Physical Fitness Test. No other kid could finish before Londy so the entire class got a fair on their running fitness level. No one dared run past Londy. He was as big as a gorilla and just as uncoordinated.

Dexter was also the coach’s favorite. His favorite bullying target. Punching bag. Rag doll. And, all around object of the coach’s disdain. You name it.

Dexter wasn’t too fond of the coach either. Dexter was a lot of things but his long list of talents did not include athletics of any sort. Even ping pong was a challenge for Dexter’s lack of eye-hand coordination. But intellectually, Dexter could run circles around most people, even adults.

Dexter lagged behind the other boys as they walked back into the building for the dreaded after workout shower. Dexter’s pale skin, skinny legs, caved in chest and lack of