The Powder Puff Puzzle Read online

  The Powder Puff Puzzle

  Patricia Reilly Giff

  Illustrated by Blanche Sims

  Love and welcome

  to James Patrick Giff,

  August 5, 1987

  Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  A Biography of Patricia Reilly Giff

  CHAPTER 1

  DAWN BOSCO WAS HOT.

  There was no shade in the yard. Not one bit.

  Then she remembered.

  Emily Arrow had a pool. A nice cool one.

  She looked around. “Come on, Powder Puff,” she yelled. “We’re going to Emily’s house.”

  She looked up at the fence.

  “Powder Puff?”

  Where was he? She dived under the bushes. “Where are you?”

  The cat jumped at her.

  “Whew,” Dawn said. “I thought you were lost.”

  She scooped him up.

  Powder Puff was the greatest cat in the world.

  He was all black. Almost all black.

  He had one white ear.

  He had a white tip on his tail.

  Noni, Dawn’s grandmother, looked up. She was weeding the yard.

  “We have more weeds than tomatoes,” she said. She rubbed her back.

  Dawn put Powder Puff over her shoulders.

  He curled his tail around her neck. “This cat’s perfect,” she said.

  She gave the white tip of his tail a tug.

  The cat began to purr. He sounded like the refrigerator.

  “This cat’s a pest,” said Noni. “Last night he jumped on my bed. I woke up. I saw those yellow eyes.”

  Noni shivered. “Whoosh. I thought he was a tiger.”

  “You should have called me,” Dawn said. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  “Really?” said Noni.

  “It’s because I’m a detective,” Dawn said.

  Noni stood up. “Ouch, my knees. The ground is hard.”

  “I’ll rub them,” Dawn said. She smiled. Noni’s knees were ticklish.

  “No, thanks,” said Noni.

  “We’re going to Emily Arrow’s,” Dawn said. “Me and Powder Puff.”

  Noni shook her head. “Better not take the cat. He’ll get lost.”

  Dawn stuck out her lip. “He wants to come.”

  Noni slapped at a fly.

  Smack.

  The cat jumped at the noise.

  He jumped off Dawn’s shoulder.

  “Hey,” Dawn said.

  The cat raced out of the yard.

  Dawn ran after him.

  “See what I mean?” Noni called.

  “Powder Puff,” Dawn yelled.

  The cat kept going. He went up one block. He went down the next.

  Dawn kept going too.

  The cat dashed across the street.

  A horn sounded. The cat went faster. He raced for the next street.

  “Yeow,” Dawn yelled. “Watch out.”

  The light turned red. The cars stopped.

  Dawn started across the street.

  The cat was halfway down the block.

  His back was up. His tail was out.

  A red car was parked in front of the hardware store. A mess of a red car.

  One fender had dents.

  The paint was scratched.

  Powder Puff jumped up on the hood.

  He put his paws on the side mirror.

  He jumped in the open window.

  “Powder Puff,” Dawn yelled again.

  Just then a woman came down the street.

  She was carrying a box. It looked heavy.

  She had a pole over her shoulder.

  She was long and skinny like the pole.

  A jelly cookie was between her teeth.

  She had a gray ponytail. A long skinny one.

  It looked like a mousetail.

  She opened the car door. She shoved the pole in.

  “Lady,” Dawn yelled.

  The light turned green. The woman slammed the car door.

  All the cars started to move.

  The red one pulled out.

  Dawn started to run.

  Powder Puff must be on the backseat. The woman didn’t even know he was there.

  “Stop,” Dawn shouted.

  A horn blared in back of her.

  Dawn jumped out of the way.

  She raced to the curb. She kept watching the red car.

  It was moving slowly.

  She looked at the license plate. Detectives were supposed to do that.

  It began with a P.

  Dawn shaded her eyes. P . . . and then A . . . All letters.

  A name.

  She had to see it.

  The car started to turn the corner.

  Dawn took three steps.

  It was too late.

  The car was gone.

  So was Powder Puff.

  CHAPTER 2

  DAWN WENT DOWN the street.

  She didn’t look where she was going.

  She fell over a ladder.

  “Ouch,” she said. She could feel tears in her eyes.

  She turned the corner.

  Jason Bazyk was standing in front of Emily’s house.

  So was Alex Walker.

  They were wearing bathing suits. Wet ones.

  Jason was jumping up and down. He turned his head to one side. “Water in my ears,” he said.

  “My cat,” Dawn said. “My poor cat.”

  She sat down on the grass. She tried to stop crying.

  “What happened?” Alex asked.

  “He rode away in a car,” said Dawn. “He’s lost.”

  Jason stopped jumping. “You’ll find him.”

  “No.” Dawn shook her head. “He’s far away.”

  Alex shook his head too. “You’re right. He’s gone.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Jason said.

  Dawn looked up.

  “You forgot,” Jason told Alex. “Dawn’s a detective.” He started to jump again.

  Alex put a towel around his neck. “Hey, that’s right.”

  “Of course,” said Dawn. “I’m not worried. Not one bit.”

  She swallowed.

  “What are you going to do?” Jason asked.

  Dawn tried to think. Poor Powder Puff. He liked to eat potato chips. He liked applesauce too.

  The woman in the car didn’t know that.

  Suppose she didn’t even see him?

  Suppose she locked the door with the cat inside?

  Dawn wouldn’t think about that. She’d think about how to find him.

  “I tried to see the license plate,” Dawn said.

  “What was it?” Jason asked.

  “A name. It began with P. There was an A in it too.”

  “How many letters?” Jason asked.

  “What kind of name?” Alex said at the same time.

  Dawn shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  She pulled at a piece of grass. “A woman got into the car. Maybe it was a woman’s name.”

  “Good thinking,” said Alex.

  “A woman’s name beginning with P . . .” Dawn began to chew on the piece of grass.

  “Peg,” said Jason. “Like my sister Peggy.”

  “I don’t think Peggy drives,” Alex said.

  The boys grinned at each other.

  “Uh-uh. Not Peg,” Dawn said. It has an A. Remember?”

  “Patsy,” said Alex. “That’s my aunt’s name.”

  “Pamela,” said Jason. “That’s my aunt’s name.”
r />   Dawn sat up straight. “Maybe.”

  “What’s next?” Alex asked.

  “I have to see Emily Arrow’s father. He’s a policeman.”

  Alex rubbed his face with his towel. “You’re lucky. Mr. Arrow is off today. He’s in the backyard.”

  They went around the side of the house.

  Emily was in the pool.

  So was Stacy, her little sister.

  Stacy was singing a song.

  Emily was floating on her yellow raft.

  It was too big for the pool.

  It kept bumping the side.

  Mr. Arrow was sitting on the back step. He was drinking a can of soda.

  Emily sat down next to him.

  “My favorite detective,” he said.

  Stacy stuck her head over the side of the pool. “No, I am.”

  “You too,” said Mr. Arrow.

  Dawn told him about Powder Puff. She told him about the license plate.

  “It said Pamela,” said Alex.

  “Or Patsy,” said Jason.

  “What color was the plate?” Mr. Arrow asked.

  Dawn frowned. “It was white. White with blue letters.” She nodded. “It had a picture of the Statue of Liberty.”

  “That’s New York,” said Mr. Arrow.

  He took a last drink of soda. “I’ll find out.” He went into the house.

  Jason looked at Dawn. “How—”

  “Policemen know the license plates. There’s a list.”

  “That must be a long list,” said Alex.

  “Very,” said Dawn. “Mr. Arrow will call the police station. A policeman will look it up.”

  Alex crossed his fingers.

  So did Jason.

  Dawn crossed her toes.

  A little later Mr. Arrow came outside. He was frowning.

  “No Pamela,” he said.

  “How about—” Jason began.

  Mr. Arrow shook his head. “No Patsy.”

  Dawn wanted to cry. She stood up. “I have to go home now.”

  Emily waved at her. “Don’t you want a quick dip? Just to cool off?”

  Dawn started down the path. She tried to smile. “Not now.”

  She waved back at them. “Thanks,” she told Mr. Arrow.

  She heard Emily say, “Poor Dawn.”

  She heard Stacy say, “Poor Powder Puff.”

  She started to run.

  Powder Puff was gone forever.

  CHAPTER 3

  “DAWN BOSCO,” A VOICE called. “Wait a minute.”

  Dawn stopped. She turned around.

  Stacy Arrow was running down the street. Her feet were bare. She was running on her tiptoes. “My father says come back,” Stacy yelled.

  Dawn blinked hard. “All right.”

  They started back.

  They had to go slowly.

  “Ouch, my poor feet,” Stacy kept saying.

  Mr. Arrow was waiting for them. He had a pile of big papers.

  He had a bunch of crayons.

  He smiled when he saw Dawn. “I have an idea.”

  “To find my cat?” Dawn asked.

  “It might help,” said Mr. Arrow. “I’m not sure.”

  He called Emily out of the pool. “Dry off,” he said. “We need everyone.”

  Stacy shook herself. “I’m drying off too.” They sat down at the table: Dawn and Stacy, Jason and Alex, Emily and Mr. Arrow.

  “We’ll make signs,” said Mr. Arrow. “We’ll let everyone know. Someone may have seen Powder Puff.”

  “Good,” said Stacy. “I’ll write my name.”

  Mr. Arrow shook his head. “We’re going to write Powder Puff’s name.”

  Stacy frowned. “I don’t know how to write Powder Puff. You forgot. I didn’t start school yet.”

  Emily looked as if she were going to laugh. She didn’t though. “Just make a cat. I’ll write the words.”

  Everyone drew a picture of Powder Puff.

  Dawn drew a fat Powder Puff.

  He had one white ear.

  He had a white tip on his tail.

  Emily drew a skinny Powder Puff.

  Jason drew a long one.

  Mr. Arrow watched. “Terrific,” he told Dawn.

  “Mine’s terrific too,” said Stacy.

  Mr. Arrow nodded. “Now,” he said. “Write LOST on top.”

  Jason wrote a red LOST.

  Alex wrote a yellow LOST.

  Stacy wrote a blue LSTO.

  They wrote Dawn’s name underneath.

  They wrote her address too.

  Mr. Arrow helped Stacy with hers.

  Then he stood up. “Now put these signs all over the place.”

  Dawn piled the signs up. “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll bet we’ll find him now.”

  “Hey,” said Jason. “What time is it?”

  Mr. Arrow looked at his watch. “Lunchtime.”

  Dawn put the signs under her arm. “I’ve got to hurry. Noni will be looking for me.”

  She started down the driveway.

  “Wait,” yelled Emily Arrow.

  She rushed after Dawn.

  She had a pack of thumbtacks.

  “Thanks,” Dawn said again.

  She started down the street.

  “Come for a swim,” Emily called. “Come when you find Powder Puff.”

  Dawn waved back with one hand. “Don’t worry. I will. I’m dying of the heat.”

  She stopped at the corner.

  She tacked Jason’s sign to a pole.

  On the next street she put another sign.

  She kept going. She passed the house with the ladder. She stepped around it.

  By the time she reached home, the signs were gone.

  She stood there.

  Suppose the lady with the mousetail didn’t live near here?

  Suppose she didn’t see the signs?

  Dawn would have to do something else to find Powder Puff.

  But what?

  CHAPTER 4

  DAWN SAT AT THE kitchen table. “I’m not hungry.”

  Noni pinched her cheek. “Maybe the cat will find his way back.”

  “Maybe he won’t,” Dawn said.

  “Eat some egg salad,” said Noni. “Have a potato chip.”

  “I can’t,” Dawn said.

  Noni sighed. “You want to look like a skinny little toothpick?”

  Dawn gave Noni a kiss.

  She went outside.

  Powder Puff wasn’t in the yard.

  He wasn’t in the street.

  Dawn sighed.

  How could she find him?

  Jason came along. He was dragging a stick on the ground.

  “What’s that for?” Dawn asked.

  Jason raised one shoulder. “It’s a sword.”

  “Don’t poke anyone in the eye.”

  “Uh-uh.” Jason dropped the stick. “I have nothing to do.”

  “Help me find Powder Puff.”

  Jason sat on the curb. “How?”

  Dawn looked up in the air. “We could look for the car. The red car.”

  “It’s hot,” Jason said. “Too hot to walk all over the place.”

  Dawn looked worried. “Maybe Powder Puff is thirsty.”

  “You’re right,” said Jason. “I’ll help.”

  He grabbed his stick.

  They started down the street.

  Dawn looked back at the house. “I’m going for a walk,” she shouted.

  Jason looked back. “I don’t think Noni heard you.”

  Dawn raised one shoulder. “Just as long as I said where I’m going.”

  Jason didn’t say anything. He rolled his eyes.

  Dawn sighed. “Wait a minute.”

  She raced back to the house. “Noni,” she yelled.

  Noni stuck her head out the window.

  “I’m going for a walk,” Dawn said. “Jason and me.”

  “Don’t go far.”

  Dawn shook her head. She ran back to Jason.

  They started d
own the street again.

  They turned the corner.

  Four cars were parked on the next block.

  Two black ones.

  A green station wagon.

  One red car.

  “Is that it?” Jason asked.

  Dawn shook her head. “The other one was a mess. A big mess.”

  “Just like that house,” Jason said.

  Dawn looked up.

  It was the house with the ladder.

  The ladder wasn’t on the sidewalk anymore. It was against the house. A gray, dirty house.

  “I guess they’re going to paint,” Dawn said.

  “Let’s try the next block,” Jason said. He pointed with his stick. “Forward march.”

  “Hey, wait a minute.” He reached into his pocket. He pulled out two candy kisses.

  “Too hot in my pocket,” he said. “They’re all soft. Want one?”

  “Maybe.” Dawn held out one hand.

  She pulled off the silver paper.

  She popped the candy into her mouth.

  “Gooey,” she said. She rubbed her hands together.

  They were full of chocolate.

  On the next street were nine cars.

  Not one red one.

  There were no red cars on the street after that either.

  “I’m dying for a glass of water,” Dawn said.

  “I’m dying for an ice cube,” Jason said. He waved his stick over his head. “Two ice cubes.”

  He looked down the next block. “One ice cube for my mouth. The other one for the top of my head.”

  They started down Stone Street.

  “Hey,” Dawn said.

  She stopped.

  She pointed up at a white house. “Look.”

  Jason stopped too.

  “There in the window,” she said.

  “A cat,” said Jason. “A black one.”

  “Powder Puff,” Dawn yelled. The cat looked at them. He stood up on the windowsill.

  He waved his long black tail. “Come on,” Dawn yelled. “Let’s get him.”

  Jason shook his head. “Wait a minute.”

  “No. Don’t wait,” Dawn said. “Hurry.”

  She raced up the front path.

  CHAPTER 5

  DAWN RANG THE BELL.

  Once. Twice.

  Nobody answered.

  The cat sat in the window. He looked at them. He meowed.

  “Don’t worry, Powder Puff,” Dawn shouted. “We’ll save you.”

  “We’ll get you a mess of potato chips,” Jason called.

  “And some applesauce,” said Dawn.

  She rang the bell again.