A DETECTIVE STORY(Lachlan Dana Cline) (Note that this author was 7 years old when he wrote this story.)


It was a dark and shadowy night. Detective Sheldrake waddled over to his favorite chair, a Sheraton, nestled in and put up his weary webbed feet. On his desk he noticed some sheaves of paper covered in shorthand from his secretary Sheila. He picked them up and began to read about a delivery of shuffleboards on the S.S. Shamrock. A shipping line with known shady operations.

Sheldrake shifted uneasily in his chair. On any other night a shipment of shuffleboards on a liner might go unnoticed. But they were headed deep into Sherwood Forest. He got on the horn to call his old friend Sherlock but he wasn't at home. As he hung up the phone there was a knock at the door. It was his associate Shoebill Joe.

Joe slowly entered the office, one foot in front of the other as he moved to stand just opposite Sam, a big Oxford desk planted between them. The chairs were too low for Joe so he stood there on one leg while slowly drawing the other one up under him. He stood there silent as an Obelisk.

"Hello Joe: said Sam." We might have a new case. Want to hear the overview?" Joe nodded and Sam obliged.

"Who do you think is behind this?" asked Joe.

"The S.S. Oceanliner Shamrock is owned by Oscar Octopus. But his shipping lines are only one arm of a bigger company called, 'Omniscient INK'", said Sam.

Joe slowly drawled "Shouldn't that be spelled INC?"

"Sure it should" said Sam. "Obviously it's a link to his murky past and whatever rock he is hiding under."

Sam and Joe now had an agenda. Oscar Octopus had a known accomplice named Archie Armadillo, an Ace Archer out of Austin Texas. Oscar's secret base of operations was thought to be in Ajaccio on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. San and Joe's informants told them that Archie was looking for a new suit of Armor from Armani's out of Paris. They might apprehend him there before he went back to the island.

"Well Joe, looks like we're going abroad. Got your passport ready?" said Sam.

Joe nodded, "Affirmative."

The next day Sam and Joe found themselves on an airplane headed for Paris. Upon arrival they were met by their French counterpart Agent Amber Albatross.

"Detective Sheldrake, Inspector Shoebill? I am Agent Albatross. INTERPOL has assigned me to your case. I have a car and accommodations waiting for you. Come, I'll fill you in on the way."

Agent Amber took them to her car and drove them to the Paris INTERPOL G.Q. On the way she told them of Archie Armadillo's weakness.

"He loves to eat escargot and peaches at a restaurant near the Eiffel Tower late at night. He walks home from the restaurant between 2 and 3 in the morning. His home is a private barge moored near Notre Dame."

"Agent Amer are you telling us that Archie Armadillo has a boat?" asked Sheldrake.

"On no!" said Agent Amber. "It is much larger that a mere boat. It is huge!"

Sheldrake and Shoebill looked at each other with concern. Shoebill asked slowly "Would it be possible for you to draw us a map of Archie's route?"

"But of course" said Agent Amber. "But I can also do one better. We have surveillance tapes."

As they arrived in her office at H.Q., the phone rang.

"Excuse me please" said Agent Amber.

Sheldrake and Shoebill sat down. The chairs were a little larger than those in Sheldrake's office. His feet dangled over the edge while Shoebill's knees were tucked in close to his body.

"Merci, Au revoir?" said Agent Amber. As she put down the phone she turned to Sheldrake and Shoebill and said "I have some new information that just came in. But first I need to book you into your Hotel."

Sheldrake asked "Why are we leaving so soon?"

"I'll tell you later" she said.

The End. (to be continued...)

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