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p. 2

a huge riot broke out all over our early 1900 s historic town my great-grandfather is mysteriously murdered that can t be a coincidence or can it all the kids in my street refer to me as the blue-eyed sandy-haired kid detective maybe that s because i solved tiny mysteries like who stole the chocolate from the treat jar to who crashed and stole mrs maples beatle they all think i m famous it was the weekend of my great-grandfathers murder and janet the tall brunette girl who towered far above everyone else called it upon herself to hold another john street kids meeting we all crept up to the abandoned library and huddled in a large circle suddenly nine pairs of beaming blue eyes flashed towards me and i was left to come up with an answer quick for a long moment i felt as if my tongue had been twisted in a knot ans as if my vocal chords had been chopped off finally janet broke the silence do you think the riots have had anything to do with your great-grandfather she whispered i couldn t believe my own ears great-grandfather no way i mean when i was little we read books by the blazing fireplace and above the mantelpiece were pictures of us together.

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p. 3

yeah right i retorted watching her shuffle backwards there was another awkward silence i ll prove it i yelled leaving nine worried children gasping tired and exhausted i dug through another trunk of photos photographs and old possesions layscattered across the attic floor i was searching desperastely for captured moments of great-grandfather but my biggest success had been the picture of great-grandfather and his best mate with their new bikes i flipped the pfoto over and found faded yellow writing it read `me and walterriding down john street past he river dam i put the important piece of evidence in my pocket and collected the remaining scrambled photos from the attic floor i tiptoed downstairs just in time for roast lamb and sweet potatoes early the next morning i took the old picture down to the historic museum a large lady sat behind a small desk staring into the distance may i help you she asked me yes please miss i answered trusting the piece of evidence inches before her nose.

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p. 4

this is my great-grandfather and his best friend walter can you help me find out where he is and who he is or was i questioned her hoping for the best of course she replied we wandered over towards a large filing cabinet inside were thousands of files after flicking through the pile we finally found a file with a picture very similar to mine walter ego she told me born in 1930 walter joined william river his great-grandfather two others and formed a gang they were the major cause of the flooded river dam incident and in 1953 started or towns most horrific riot since the early 1900s i couldn t believe that my great-grandfather was involved in so many terrible event ion our towns history somehow i calmly asked for a photocopy of the file we re not supposed to you know i ve heard you re quite a good detective she replied handing over the papers i waved goodbye thanked her for her help and left the museum stunned two days went by and i decided to take action.

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p. 5

mr ego lives on mulberry lane number 66 the retirement home an old lady had said to me taking this advice i headed for the old folks home i felt so nervous walking up the mosaic pathway to the house i patiently knocked on the door no answer i crept around to the side of the house when all of a sudden i heard yelling and arguing i immediately started searching for clues instantly i saw five dark figures through a curtain in a large bedroom we have to do this properly a deep voice boomed taking interest i glided over towards the window leaning close and closer we need to care about this boy one step wrong and everybody would know it was us another voice said i was feeling very curious this riot will send everybody out of town if this all goes well i couldn t believe what i was hearing he was behind this now we got rid of william nobody can stand in our way he cackled without thinking i bursted out a loud yell walter ego i thought you were his friend not realising what extreme trouble i had just put myself

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p. 6

into whipping back the curtain walter revealed his evil comrades exposing their secret hideout you wouldn t say anything would you walter sweetly cried pulling out a gun he pulled the trigger back and aimed for my head bang i m alive walter had just missed but managed to scrape the bullet across my arm leaving a deep but curable wound blood bleed down my arm landing on the freshly mowed grass for a moment i felt as if my whole world had just been turned upside down put the gun down a large policeman shouted thrusting out yet another gun walter dropped his gun he snickered to his comrades he never was better than me why should he get all the credit for my hard work ha what a cheat walter howled he must have been referring to greatgrandfather i killed him he wailed somehow pleasing himself william was just a waste of time getting rid of him wasn t that hard i knew his weaknesses

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p. 7

well next time remember it pays to go to the library and do your research i snickered after all i am the blue eyed sandy-haired kid detective.

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