The Lost Necklace

It looks like a big mystery!

The father got into the house holding the mystery in his hand; it was The Mystery of the Black Bag. Sandy jumped to have the mystery from her father’s hand; he waved it laughing and said:
“This is a gift for the heroine who has found the worst thieves and managed to solve the biggest theft cases that have confused the minds in and around Dubai, “Sandy Abdul-Allah.” Her hand reached her father’s hand level, she took the mystery and hugged her father saying: “Thanks daddy!”

She opened the mystery and headed to her room and started reading. Her mother said laughing: “You will not see Sandy till she finishes the mystery”
Her grandmother raised her hands praising her: “May Allah protects her, her hobby is very nice.”
The grandfather asked: “Do you mean the hobby of reading or reading the mysteries in particular?”
grandmother pointed with her two fingers: “I mean both of them.”
Two hours passed but Sandy did not feel the time till her brother Mouaz approached her and pulled the mystery from her hand and got out of the room.
Sandy followed him to the dining room angrily, but she was surprised since all family members were around the table. She stopped suddenly; she was shy and her face was red. She approached her brother Mouaz and pulled the mystery from his hand, at this moment her mother said: “We called you out to have launch but you did not hear us, so Mouaz decided to call you in his own way”
Sandy put the mystery on the table and said with a shy smile: “Sorry Mom, I did not hear you”, she looked at her brother angrily but he smiled as if he had won and wanted to repeat what he had done if he had the chance.
Sandy ignored her brother and sat on the empty chair, she held the spoon and moved it in the empty plate, she was an absentminded when her grandmother presented her a piece of cucumber saying: “What are you thinking about dear?”
Sandy took the piece of cucumber and said smiling: “I am sorry, my grandmother, I am reading a detective story and I want to know the culprit.”

Gramma’s gift

After they have finished eating launch, they sat in the living room; Sandy also joined them and the book in her hand. Her grandmother approached her and presented her a very nice red velvet box and said: “Before you start reading, open this box dear.”
Sandy took the box and opened it, she found a necklace of blue turquoise stones with small silver rings between them and in the middle of the necklace, there was a large turquoise stone that has the shape of white Shiraz kitten with a red tie around its neck; from that stone there was a collection of short silver chains dangling. Sandy took it off the box and said: “Oh! This is for me grandmother?!”

Sandy hugged her grandmother and kissed her, she was so happy and held the necklace in front of her family and wore it, her grandfather looked with astonishment on his face and said to the grandmother: “It is the necklace that your mother-May Allah have Mercy on her- gives to you!”
The grandmother turned to Sandy and said: “Yes dear, my mother has inserted the beads in a silver chain and given it to me since 40 years, it means a lot to me so I have decided to give it to my dearest Sandy, I wish you can keep it and always remember me whenever you wore it.”
Sandy’s parents looked at it admiringly and said: “Wow! It is so elegant, it shines with beauty”
Her brother Mouaz felt jealous and raised his hand showing his watch: “My grandfather also has given me a beautiful watch.”
Sandy hugged her grandmother who kissed her a lot: “Thanks a lot my grandmother, it is an amazing necklace, I will wear it in my friend’s Maha birthday party next Friday, I love you so much”
In the next day and in the school yard, Sandy was with her friend Rama who took out a piece of cake and presented it to Sandy but Sandy was reading in a book and did not hear Rama; so Rama said: “Stop studying, have a break and taste this cake.”

Who did it?

Sandy laughed and her eyes on the book: “I am not studying dear, it is a mystery, it is a wonderful detective story and I will know the head of the gang, I think he is the concierge.”
Rama took out a pack of juice saying: “A concierge? I think the head of the gang should be a famous and rich man.”
Sandy answered while her eyes are on the mystery: “I do not think so, he can be a normal man that no one knows, manages the gang’s affairs secretly so as not to draw attention to him.”

Rama took out another piece of cake and started eating it: “Did not you say he was the concierge?
The doubts revolve around the concierge since he is the one who opens the door of the building where the stolen house is. He knows the residents of the building and knows the wealthy residents since he goes into their homes when he brings them the purchases and cleans the stairs.
Rama finished her piece of cake and her voice sounded strangling: “Are you sure he is the concierge?”
No I am not sure, these doubts are not enough to accuse him, there should be concrete evidence condemns him and leaves no room for doubt.
The police must arrest him then he will confess.

Sandy threw the empty pack in the waste basket and wiped her hands:
“Shall we accuse him because of these doubts? They must look for his fingerprints and ask him where he was when the theft occurred.”
The bell rang and the break ended so they should go back to the classrooms, Rama held Sandy from her shoulder as if she has arrested her and said: “Sandy Abdullah, I accuse you of wasting the time of the break talking about the thieves and thefts, you do not give us the chance to talk about the birthday party that will take place next Friday.” Sandy answered: “I confess that I will go with you and with our neighbor Nora to the birthday party.” Both of them ran towards the classroom laughing. Amira was among the girls, she whispered: “Do you have an evidence for your accusation?”

The Birthday Party

The three girls Sandy, Rama and Nora went to Maha’s birthday party. Sandy chose a blue dress with embroidered belt and two pockets of the belt’s color on its sides, Rama wore yellow silk dress with white lace on its tail, sleeves and neck while Nora wore a nice dress; the top was white while the skirt was red.

Everyone presented the gifts to Maha, Sandy presented her a wonderful music box where she can put her accessories in; when Maha opened it, a nice music with colorful lights and a spinning ballerina made of colored ceramic came out of the box and around this ballerina there were birds attached to the lid.

The girls had nice time with their friends; they ate delicious food and played interesting games. After the party, Sandy came back home, once she got into, she saw her father leaving, her mother was so worried, Sandy asked them: “What happened?”
Her parents told her that her cousin is suffering from severe fever so the doctor prescribed a medicine for inflammation and antipyretic for her. But since her aunt’s husband was in work mission in Sharjah, so Sandy’s father had to buy the medicine himself, she asked her father to take her with him to see her cousin.

After she came back from her aunt’s house, her friend Nora came to borrow the mathematics book. They got into the bedroom and talked about the school and the funny things that happened in the birthday party, finally Nora left and Sandy went to sleep, it was really a busy day.

But, Where is the necklace?

When Sandy waked up the next morning, she remembered the necklace that her grandmother gave her. She did not find it around her neck, she wore it yesterday in the birthday party, but she did not take it off, where did it disappear? Maybe it was in the bed or fell down on the ground when she was changing her clothes!
She looked for it in the room but she did not find it and did not tell anyone, she was afraid to tell her grandmother about it so she may get angry of her, she looked for it again, but she did not find it. She called Rama and asked her to visit her for something urgent. Rama came and they started to look for it in the room, under the bed and cupboard, in the drawers and between clothes but they did not find it. Sandy was very sad and started thinking and thinking until Rama said:

“You need to remember where you put it yesterday.”
I remember that I have worn it and gone to the birthday party.
Do you think that it was stolen in the party?
Stolen? No, I do not think so, remember with me, the lights turned off in the party twice, the first time was when we lighted off the candles in the party and the second time was when I have tried to turn on the music box that I have presented to Maha, did you remember?
Yes, I remembered, Maha, Marwa, Shaimaa, Thuraya and Lubna were standing with us. But I saw the necklace around your neck after we have finished eating and were playing the game of lost sharpener.

Sandy thought and said:

Then it has been lost after that.
Do you remember that you have taken it off from your neck after you come back?
No, I do not take it off, if I have done, I would have asked my mother to unlock it.
Maybe you dropped it somewhere.
Maybe! No, I do not know, but where did I drop it? Absolutely in one of the places I was in. Sandy held her chin between her thumb and her forefinger and said as if she was thinking loudly: “I remembered, I went to my aunt’s house after I came back from the party, maybe I dropped it there.”
So call her immediately.
Sandy called her aunt and asked her but her aunt said that she did not see anything.
Rama said with a frown on her face: “Maybe someone has stolen it from your neck and you did not notice.”
A theft, no, no, no I do not think so.
You do not think so but maybe…remember, have you met anyone after the party? Sandy kept silent and thought then jumped from her place:
Ah, yes, I remembered, Nora came to visit me yesterday evening.
No way…?
Do not accuse anyone without evidence, be silent I will think.

Sandy kept silent and walked in the room back and forth then said:
“Ah, I am so confused; I have to arrange my thoughts, after I have worn the necklace I went to Maha’s party, then I went to my aunt’s house, after that I came back home and Nora came to visit me, where did it lose?
Rama rubbed her head: “If it is not in your aunt’s house because you have asked her, and not here because we have looked for it in the whole room and we have not found it…”
Sandy immediately answered: “May be it is in Maha’s house, I will call Maha and ask her, what do you think?”
Rama looked at the ceiling and said: “But would she tell us that she has found it?”
Sandy was so angry: “You’ll make me suspect everyone, do I suspect you too?”
Rama got angry and walked towards the door to go: “The time is late, I have to go back home.”
Sandy followed her and said: “I am sorry, I do not want to accuse you, you know how much I love you, I just think loudly, we cannot suspect anyone without evidence, please think with me, the necklace is not expensive but it is very valuable to my grandmother, I have to find it, let’s think together!”
Rama answered while she was looking at Sandy’s eyes: “Since it is not in the house, may be it is stolen and we have to find the evidence.”
Sandy thought: “Well, since it is not expensive why should someone steal it?
Rama answered angrily: “Maybe because she thought that it is expensive, maybe because it is beautiful, maybe just to bother you…”
Sandy stood in front of her: “Ok, Ok, do not get angry, what do you suggest?”

Rama said: “Tomorrow in the school, we will watch the girls who were in the party yesterday and we must draw attention to what they speak and wear”
Do you think that the thief will wear it?
We may find evidence, a word…
And we may not find anything.
Maybe, but I will not stand without doing anything; do not be frustrated, do not you want to find the necklace? We will find it.

Could Sandy find out who’s the thief?

The two girls agreed to meet in the next day to do what they have agreed on.
In the next day, and in the school yard, the two girls started watching everything around them:

Rama, have you noticed anything?
Yes…Shaimaa.
What is the matter with her?
Rama said: “Under her books in the seat drawer there is a silver chain that has blue stones, it looks like your necklace”
Really?
Yes this is what I have noticed, what about you?
Yes, I saw a hidden necklace around Nora’s neck under her blouse, when I came close to her, she closed the collar tightly, I said to her: “What a beautiful necklace Nora?” Her face became pale; she turned back and pretended to talk to Lubna.
Oh! This is dangerous.
Have you noticed anything else?
No nothing new, I am still watching.
So we have to make sure of Shaimaa’s chain and Nora’s necklace.

Rama and Sandy agreed that Rama must draw Shaima’s attention while Sandy pulls the chain from the drawer, may be it would be the lost necklace.
After the bell rang, Rama came close to Shaimaa and said: “Dear Shaimaa, I have brought you a piece of cake with chocolate cream.”
Shaimaa replied with disgust: “Thank you, but I do not like chocolate cream.” She put her hand on her stomach: “My stomach also hurts me.”
Rama was surprised of Shaimaa’s answer so she said: “You absolutely like crispy popcorn with cheddar cheese, it will not harm you”, Rama took out the popcorn bag of her school bag, but Shaimaa said: “As I have told you Rama my stomach hurts me, I do not want any food.”
After these attempts, Rama asked: “Ok…I want to ask you about something Shaimaa. Can we walk a bit in the corridor?
Shaimaa answered: “Yes of course Rama!”

Rama held Shaimaa hands and came out of the class, once Sandy made sure that they have come out, she sat in Shaimaa’s seat where she saw short silver chain that looked like her necklace’s chains, she lifted the books and stretched her hand to pull the chain but she found a mobile phone attached to that chain, the mobile phone fell down, it was a chain of mobile not the chain of her necklace. Sandy tried to bring the phone but the books slipped and fell down, in the same time she heard footsteps coming closer to the classroom and heard Rama talking to Shaimaa: “Thanks a lot Shaimaa, I know you are excellent in Physics.”
Shaimaa answered while she was coming closer: “No need to thanks, wait for me, I will bring my mobile phone then we can come down to the school yard.”
Sandy was scared when she heard Shaimaa’s voice coming closer, she brought back the books and the mobile phone randomly and tried to come out from the seat quickly. When the two girls got into the class, she became confused, she stumbled and fell down, so she dropped the books and the mobile phone again. Shaimaa ran and helped her to stand up, Sandy stood with pale face and started to fix her clothes and held her elbow that hurts her: “Sorry Shaimaa, I fell down so I have dropped your books and your mobile phone.”
Sandy collected the books and gave them to Shaimaa, Shaimaa brought the books back to the drawer and took her mobile phone and checked it: “Do not worry, are you ok?
In the school yard Sandy and Rama talked together:

It is enough Rama, I do not want my necklace anymore, I feel so embarrassed, I have looked for my necklace in my friend’s things, how do I suspect her?
Calm down Sandy, Nora is the second suspect, we should check her necklace.
Oh my God! Shall I face the same situation again?
Do not worry, in the next break I will find a way to see the necklace.
After the girls came back to the classroom, Sandy poked Rama in her waist and whispered: “Look, Nora is collecting her things, she has a permission to come back home.”
Really, what shall we do?
We will visit her at home.
What?
Yes, as you have heard.

Could it be Nora?

After they have finished their attendance at school, Sandy called Nora to tell her that they will come to visit her. Nora told Sandy that her mother was sick that’s why her father took her from school to take care of her little brother so Sandy told her that they will come to visit her sick mother.
Sandy and Rama visited Nora’s mother and made sure that she was fine. They got into Nora’s room and started to talk together. Sandy said:

Your dress was very nice in Maha’s birthday party.
Thank you, you looked very nice too, but in fact I did not draw attention to these details when I saw the birthday cake that was on the table.

Rama commented as if she saw the cake in front of her: “Wow! It was so delicious!”
Nora was wearing a white blouse; she opened the first button of the collar, when she turned towards Sandy, the silver chain that had turquoise stones appeared under the blouse, and Sandy saw a red color as if it was the red tie of the Shiraz kitten, Sandy stretched her hand into Nora’s neck and said:
“Your necklace looked very nice; can you show it to me?”
Suddenly, Nora put her hand on her neck: “What? The necklace?”

Nora’s mother was calling her: “Nora, come please”
Nora apologized and came out of the room: “Excuse me, I will see my mother and come back”
After Nora came out of the room, Sandy looked at Rama and said angrily:

I was about to catch it, have you seen how she got confused?
She will come back and we will see it.

Suddenly they heard footsteps came close, and they heard an angry voice saying: “I do not care, give me the necklace, I am late” Nora’s voice was trembling: “Take it and shut up” After a minute, they heard that the door has been closed and Nora got into the room; the two girls noticed that the necklace was not around Nora’s neck, Nora was so embarrassed, she sat beside them and knew from their looks that they have heard what happened, she said: ” She is my sister, I am so sorry, she has raised her voice, I borrowed her necklace yesterday and forgot to bring it back so she gets angry.”

Sandy replied: “The necklace that we have seen since a while, is not it the same necklace that you have worn today in the school?”
Yes, but as you know that jewelries and necklaces are not permitted in the school and I forgot it with me, so I have hidden it because I was afraid of the supervisor, if she saw it, she would take it.
At this moment Sandy asked: “It looks like my necklace, can I see it?”
Nora replied: “Really! I am so sorry; my sister has taken it and come out.”
Sandy and Rama drank the juice and came out.

Finally, I found the thief!

After they came back home, they sat in Sandy’s room who was so sad because she did not find the necklace, suddenly she got up and said:

“I will bring my necklace back, I have stretched my hand to her neck, I was about to pull it, but her mother called her out.”
What are you going to do now?
I will put a plan and watch their house, their house is above ours, I will watch her sister from the peephole and when she comes back I will….

The door of the room knocked, Sandy’s mother got into the room carrying a tray that had two plates of desserts: “You are mostly welcome Rama, how are you dear?”

Rama took the plate and said: “Thanks a lot.”
You are welcome dear.
The mother was about to leave the room when she stopped suddenly and said: “By the way Sandy, have you noticed that you have dropped your necklace?”

The two girls looked at the mother with astonishment: “Mmm, what have you said mom?”
The mother pulled out the necklace from her pocket, the lock seemed broken: “While I was hanging your dress in the closet, the necklace that your grandmother has given you has dropped from its pocket, the lock is broken, I will give it to your father to fix it, be careful and hang your clothes by yourself in the next time.”
Sandy jumped and held the necklace, she was astonished and touched it to make sure of it, she brought it back to her mother and replied: “I will, I will mom.”
Once her mother came out of the room, the two girls looked at each other; Rama held Sandy from her shoulders and shaked her saying: “How a smart detective you are, the necklace was in the pocket of the dress!”
Sandy hit her forehead with her hand and said: “How stupid I am, I do not look for it in the pocket.”

But how? Nora’s necklace, we have seen it with our eyes, as if it was your necklace”
Sandy answered: “There is a difference between, it is the same and as if it is.”
Rama started eating the dessert saying: “How delicious it is after hunger and sadness for two days.”
In the next day, the girls gathered around Sandy as she was telling them the story of the mystery that she has finished reading yesterday, Rama asked her about the thief, Sandy answered:
The concierge was innocent and the thief was the grocer against the building.
How is that?
Sandy started counting the evidence: “His fingerprints are on the safe at house, after the police searched his closet they have found the key of the stolen house in the small drawer, it has disappeared when the owner of the house has visited the grocery plus the thief could not prove where he was when the theft occurred. After the police investigated him, he confessed and as you know confession is the master of evidence”.
Rama interrupted her saying: “That’s enough, all these proofs?”
Yes, of course and there are more proofs.
Sandy poked Rama and said laughing: “Do we accuse people because we suspect them?”

Nora saw Sandy and Rama’s looks; they were talking and gazing at her neck. Nora was wearing her sister’s necklace and a red tie around a Shiraz’s kitten neck was shining in the middle of the necklace. This time Sandy felt that she was the one who made laugh of that Shiraz kitten.