Taniaisadetective

KanikaG

Copyright2014byKanikaG

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Tania is a detective

Tania and mama were in the park. Tania wantedto sit on the merry-go-round. As usual, shehad taken Anne with her. Anne was Tania'sfavourite doll. Mama put Tania on one of theseats of the merry-go-round and Anne onanother seat. Then mama pushed it to make itgo round. Tania was delighted and shouted,"Faster mama, faster! I want it to go faster."So mama pushed harder and soon it was goingquite fast.

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Suddenly it started raining heavily. Mamaquickly picked up Tania and took her indoors.But they had to run some distance in the rainand they were both soaked. In their rush theyforgot all about Anne. Poor Anne.

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Mama rushed Tania home. She undressed her anddried her vigorously with a towel. Then sheput her in clean dry clothes. Mama dried andchanged herself too. When they finished, itwas time for dinner. Tania went to get Anne sothey could have dinner together. Papa wasgoing to be back late from office. So it wasjust the 3 of them. Tania could not find Anne

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in the usual place. She asked, "Mama, have youseen Anne? I can't find her." "When was the last time you saw her?" askedmama. Tania thought for a moment and said, "We tookher to the park. She was on the merry-go-round." "Oh no!" said mama, "I suppose we left herthere when we rushed back because of therain." Tania looked very upset. She said, "Mama, Anneis wet in the rain and all alone. Can we goget her now?" "Yes of course sweetie." said mama willing todelay dinner for such an important matter.Tania and mama walked up to the merry-go-

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round, but Anne was not on it. Where could shebe? Tania asked, "Mama where is Anne? How dowe find her?" Mama replied, "Lets ask the building watchman.He may know what happened to Anne."

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So they went back to the building and askedthe watchman. The watchman said "I saw thedoll on the merry-go-round. I did not know who

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it belonged to. So I brought it in and put iton my desk here. Just a few minutes back Iwent to the rest-room, and when I was back thedoll had disappeared. I assumed that, theperson it belonged to, had come and taken it.""That is odd." said mama. "When we came out ofthe elevator you were not here and neither wasthe doll." "Yes, I suppose I left for the rest-roombefore you came out of the elevator." "So what now?" asked Tania. "Did someonekidnap Anne? Mama what will happen to her?Will she be okay? Where can we look now?" Mama said "Tania, lets go home and have dinnerand figure out what to do next."

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Mama was unlocking the door when Taniaexclaimed, "Look mama! This is the button fromAnne's jacket. You sewed it on last month,remember? That means she was here mama." "But Tania, that button could have fallen offwhen we took her down to the park." "No. The button was on Anne's jacket when shesat on the merry-go-round. I remember that." "Are you sure?"

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"Yes. That means someone brought her here."

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"You are right. Someone from the building musthave recognised Anne to be your doll andbrought her here. The person must have beencoming up on one elevator while we were goingdown on the other one. By the time we weredown the person had already picked up Annefrom the watchman's desk. But when the persongot here we were not home. So he or she tookAnne home to keep her safe. You are a smartlittle detective Tania." "Mama, I think it was Tanisha. She would knowAnne lives here. She was supposed to come backfrom dance class at that time." "Call Tanisha and find out."

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Tania rushed to the phone and dialledTanisha's phone number with trembling fingers.

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She was desperately hoping her deductions werecorrect and that Anne was safe. Tanisha'smother answered the phone and Tania waitedimpatiently while she called Tanisha. Tanishasaid, "Tania don't worry. Anne is with me. Shewas wet on the watchman's desk and he was notthere. So I picked her up and brought her toyour house. But no one answered the door bell.So then I brought her home. Mama helped me dryher with a hair dryer. She is fine now. I wasgoing to call you after dinner and let youknow." Tania heaved a sigh of relief. She said"Thanks Tanisha for keeping her safe. I'llcome right now and get her." Tania ran up thestairs to Tanisha's house and got Anne back.

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She put her safely on the sofa.

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It was getting really late and Mama broughtout the dinner. Just then the doorbell rang.Mama went to answer it grumbling, "We willnever finish dinner tonight." Papa was at thedoor. He was home a little earlier than he hadexpected. Papa joined Tania and mama fordinner and they told him how they had cleverlysolved the "Mystery of Anne's Disappearance".

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