The Case of the Missing Librarian
By GRADE 5 SUPER SLEUTHS
Burke Elementary School

Early one Tuesday morning, before most of the staff had arrived for work at Southside School, Mr. MacIntosh, the principal, was sitting in his office pondering what to teach the grade 5's that day for their Math lesson. In the middle of his thoughts, Mr. Dylan, the retiring school janitor, came in to his office with an envelope in his hand.

"Good morning boss, I found this envelope laying on the floor in the xerox room and it has your name on it," Mr. D said.

Mr. MacIntosh ripped open the envelope. Inside there was a message that had been pasted together using letters from magazines, newspapers and even some old Southside School newsletters. The note was covered with smudged fingerprints and stated that Mr. Smyth, the librarian, was kidnapped.

Mr. MacIntosh and Mr. D went and did an extensive search of the school looking for more clues.When the morning bell rang, Mr. MacIntosh met the grade 5's in the classroom. He explained that Mr. Smyth was kidnapped and he needed their help.

Mr. MacIntosh proceeded to give the students all of the details, "This morning I received a message saying that Mr. Smyth was kidnapped and he would only be returned if we came up with a great deal of money. We have until noon today to either find Mr. Smyth or give the kidnapper the money. "Mr. D brought me a note that he had found on the xerox room floor. It was not hand printed but pasted together with scrap letters from magazines, newspapers and old Southside newsletters. The note was not quite dry and the envelope was sticky from whomever had made it. The envelope stuck to our hands as Mr. D passed it to me. It was a good thing Mr. D had a rag so we could clean our hands. Mr. D said he had been cleaning glue off Mrs. Patrick's desk. He had used a solvent to get the glue off. The solvent he used sure smelled different.

"Mr. D helped me do a thorough search of the xerox room where the note had been found. In the xerox room, there was a pile of Mr. Smyth's work still sitting on the copier. Mr. Smyth must have been in that room at the time of the kidnapping. I was frantic about Mr. Smyth but Mr. D reassured me that everything would be fine.

"All of the school doors were locked until 8:30 am, so the only way someone could have gotten in, was through the staff door by the parking lot. We split up and searched the rest of the school. Now I have to deal with another problem ... the furnace has gone out. Can you help me solve the kidnapping mystery?"

The grade 5's got together and discussed the clues that had been presented by Mr. MacIntosh. They still had a few questions.

"Was there anyone else in the school?" asked one of the girls questioningly.

Mr. MacIntosh said they found Ms. Elroy, the library technician, who was busy filing new magazines. She claims she never saw or heard anything but she did notice a strong odor earlier. The smell lingered for a while and then vanished so she never worried about it. She asked if she could get Mr. Smyth's job if he didn't return.

Mrs. Patrick, who, like Mr. D was retiring in June, was in her room. She was sorting old teaching materials like magazines, school letters and art supplies. She was tying her papers in bundles with a strong rope and claims she never left the room.

"Have you checked the furnace room?" they asked Mr. MacIntosh.

"Mr. D had searched the room earlier and said everything was fine," Mr. MacIntosh replied.

"We believe you should check the furnace room yourself, Mr. MacIntosh," the class suggested, "because we think that is where you will find Mr. Smyth. It is the closest room to where he was working. We believe we know who the kidnapper is."

How did the grade fives know who the kidnapper was?

Resource:
http://www.qesn.meq.gouv.qc.ca/schools/olp/2mmclub/98-99/burke.htm