The Young Detective: The Missing Gem

By John Leader

Why does Mrs. Humperstein seek out Darnel Trumkel to help her solve her racking dilemma? Who must Darnel Trumkel investigate and how does he and his friends face dangers and events that blindside their efforts. Can a kid working out of his parent’s garage, driving a Vespa, and dogging suspect solve the case?

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Leader
• Release date: Dec 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370506675

John Leader

John Leader enjoys writing science fiction, his first choice. He writes horror just as well. He works using commercial arts techniques and creates his own book covers. His science fiction stories take on action adventure themes.He reads general and technical magazines and books when he can find good materials.He is a part time martial arts practitioner and is familiar with a variety of defense systems.

Book preview

The Young Detective

Book I: The Missing Gen

by

John Leader

Copyright 2017 by John Leader

Smashwords Edition

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The Young Detective

Table of Contents

Chapter

One

Chapter

Two

Chapter

Three

Chapter

Four

Chapter

Five

Chapter

Six

Chapter

Seven

Chapter

Eight

Chapter

Nine

Chapter

Ten

About the Author

Chapter

One

Darnel Trumkel lived in an antique place at the corner of Juniper and Sage, a rather large house that gobbled up the corner. His active parents traveled frequently and this summer they toured Europe signing their recently published books on the insistence of their publisher. At best his parent could travel together since they were scheduled to stop at the same book stores.

Parnell Givens stayed with Darnel as the adult to shoulder any adolescent problems that might arise with quick cell phone numbers at the ready. It was left for Givens to make sure that Darnel didn’t over annoy the neighbors with his routine investigations. His friends called him a master detective because that what’s he talked about and it was a passion he was definitely born to and with a cell phone maximized with a memory chip he was constantly moving around the neighborhood on some unknown task that he assured people was important.

Ever since he could talk, walk, and read he craved detective modus operandi, talking, thinking and most of all investigation and forever questioning and seeking. He was now in middle school where he and one of his best friends, Tasey Trinkel, took physical science together, a most interesting class he thought since the science could be used in his detective work.

It didn’t talk long for Darnel to set up his detective office, the agency, as he called it, in his parent’s extra large garage. He placed a desk, computer equipment, and a temporary partition to block off the cars that never seemed to sit for long in the spacious garage. He had gotten his butler and friend, Parnell Givens, to set up a sign outside on the side of the garage next to the street where the side door provided access to the detective office he had set up. The hanging sign read, Darnel Trumkel, Master Detective, by appointment only and with a phone number, his cell phone that is, that read FindIt9999. On his insistence the garage door stood peculiar, double doors, the outer common door heavy and the one behind it he could keep closed and it was just inside the heavy door with a plexiglas construction that he pulled down to keep the area cool while letting natural light into the garage and it also gave him clear sight of the street and houses in his line of vision. From time to time he enjoyed watching and seeing Mr. Henry Gilbert, a home gardener, who spent his time in his garden, always with greenery, always with colorful flowers, and running sprinklers wetting the lush garden he kept trim.

Darnel never understood how and where Mr. Gilbert found the time to work in his garden, and it was a large one both in front and in back of his extravagant home. Darnel found out that Mr. Gilbert always had time to stop and talk to anyone who wanted to hear about horticulture.

From his detective pursuits Darnel was well known in the neighborhood for retrieving cats, dogs, several cockatoos and parrots, and one small child that had wondered into his office. At first no one took him serious and thought him quiet eccentric for a boy his age and maybe bordering on the neurotic. That is, until he began solving small cases that either no one cared about or paid little attention to.

Tasey Trinkel and Jared Krumple were his closest friends and when time permitted they hung around together. Of course, Darnel never stayed put and frequently was off seeking some answer as he called them that required detective work, all of it around the neighborhood and mostly with the use of his street legal scooter, he was too young for a motorcycle and Darnel didn’t really care how he got to the job as long as he got there. From time to time either Tasey or Jared would ride with Darnel and assist him in his detective ventures. This summer was no different except that the three had grown a little closer after the long year at Anderson Middle School named after one of the local war veterans of World War II.

With the rise of his reputation within his neighborhood and his attention to detail and surrounded by multiple successful detection jobs he found himself visited by Mrs. Gertrud Humperstein, a tremendous rich elderly lady, having been recommended to her by Mrs. Katherine Krumpleman living across from her in the next estate and the closest neighbor which provided for gracious visit and shopping sprees as the two ladies engaged in friendly company, their husbands frequently were out of the city on business trips.

As Darnel sat in his detective office his phone ran, Hello, you have reached the office of Darnel Trumkel master detective. You may see my by appointment only. Darnel used the same format to answer his phone, not that calls happened frequently and most detective jobs he had sought out without being called in for service.

Yes, this is Mrs. Gertrud Humperstein of one-hundred Humperstein Road, there was only one road leading to the estate and her husband had the road named after his last name, I wish to speak to you about an investigation, a detecting or investigation about something I think I may have lost. Can you see me and when? Mrs. Gertrud listened attentively.

How about today, this afternoon, as soon as you can get here? Darnel sounded ready. What would be a good hour for you to come?

Mrs. Gertrud gave a small quiet grinning laugh; she was delighted that she would finally do something about her dilemma, her tension eased a little, and I can be there in two minutes. I’m outside.

Mrs. Humperstein sat in her limousine with her chauffeur and she directed him to assist her down from her seat.

Come with me, Rodney. You wait outside the door while I talk to the young man, she told her armed chauffeur.

And that’s what happened as she knocked at the door with the detective sign over it.

Hello, Darnel opened the door and lead Mrs. Humperstein inside and over to a small brown sofa and a worn coffee table. Darnel sat across from her, his mind racing as he wondered what kind of animal she had lost. Would you like a cold drink? At his age Darnel didn’t think about coffee or tea.

I want to tell you that if you help me I’ll pay you $1,000.00 dollars, maybe I’ll go to $5,000.00 if you can do it before my husband finds out, Mrs. Humperstein waited quietly for Darnel to respond, but Darnel froze for a few seconds. No one had taken him money wise serious before and for the amount she mentioned he didn’t plan on killing anyone.

You understand, I’m a detective not a hired assassin, Darnel looked straight at Mrs. Humperstein who looked back at him and gave a tight mouth smile.

I don’t want anyone killed, she smiled, I need something of value to me, very precious found. I’m not sure how or where I lost it, but Mrs. Krumpleman stated that you’re responsible enough to try out. She told me everyone knows about you and your detective skills. Now, will you work your skills and help me with my missing ring? She leaned forward searching for the answer she wanted in young but professional expression.

I will, do you have a picture of the ring and a description and can you tell me the last time you saw it, the events and what you did before and after the ring disappeared, and were any animals, a dog or cat, maybe a monkey or rat, or a crow in the area when the ring disappeared? And what kind of gold ring was it?

Mrs. Humperstein laughed, I don’t think an animal took it because I found it, but when I look for it to take to the jeweler to be cleaned I found it missing, maybe lost. I’m not quite sure how, but I can’t find it or figure out how or where it could be, that’s why I’m here. I know that with your help and detective insight I, well, you will find it, most likely in my house. You know detectives are good at finding such things, that’s what they do, look and find valuables because they have a way of knowing where to look, places to check, by this time Mrs. Humperstein had a small smile of relief and her husband would never have to know about her absent mindedness or senility, she tended to foster feelings of insecurity at times even when she married her husband. She felt he was too handsome and didn’t quite understand why he wanted to marry her, such a plain and average young lady when there were so many women waiting to rope him in with their beauty, intelligence and charm. And besides, she didn’t want to weight him down with worry, after all, he was an important business man and a husband shouldn’t have to be occupied with such things she thought.

A knock startled Darnel sending him to his feet fast, Are you expecting someone, Mrs. Humperstein? His mouth went dry for a moment, then Darnel looked toward the door leading into the kitchen where Parnell Givens, his friend and butler, was preparing food, and he was not sure to run or stay and what to do about Mrs. Humperstein, then he thought it was probably another client wanting service, but he had never worked directly