Meg Mackintosh and the Mystery at the Soccer Match by Lucinda Landon Page B

Peter, you have a cut,” she shot him a glance. “That could be your bloody fingerprint.”
    â€œI did pick it up,” replied Peter. “But I didn’t take it!”
    â€œI picked it up, too,” said Heather. “I was checking the date.”
    â€œI looked at it, to make sure it was authentic,” admitted Heather’s dad. “This is so unfair that it was stolen! Now what will the Panthers get for a prize?”

    â€œI glanced at it, too” said Alex’s mom nervously. “They aren’t going to fingerprint us, are they?”“
    â€œMom, take it easy. It sounds like just about everybody touched it,” said Alex.
    â€œDo you think we should call the police?” Carmen asked.
    â€œIf it isn’t found by the end of the match, I may have to,” Coach Lee replied sadly.
    â€œNow is my chance to really score,” Meg said to herself. “Maybe I can solve this mystery before they call the police!”

    â€œParents, please. I’m sure there’s a very reasonable explanation,” said the referee, then she blew her whistle. “Half time’s over — now let’s play soccer!”
    â€œMeg, you don’t suspect my mother, do you?” asked Alex.
    â€œNot in particular,” Meg said. “But everyone who was around the table is a suspect,” she added. “They all picked up the medal at one time or another.”
    â€œCome on, Meg.” said Carmen. “You’ll have to solve this later. We’ve got to play.”
    â€œI guess you’re right,” Meg said reluctantly. She thought for a moment, then tossed her knapsack to Alex. “Okay Alex, now
you're
the detective. If you want to join the Detective Club, help me solve the case.”

    â€œH-h-how?” stammered Alex. “I don’t know what to do!”
    â€œDon’t worry,” said Meg. “I made a chart to help you get started.”

    â€œIt’s hard to suspect friends and relatives,” Meg said. “I know — for instance, it could have been my brother. But you have to look at the evidence with an open mind.”
    WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE MOTIVES AND EVIDENCE FOR EACH OF THE SUSPECTS?
    Alex started filling in the chart, but his attention was mostly on the field. The Hawks started to slip: they couldn’t get a goal past Peter, and then the Panthers scored, tying the match 4 - 4.

    At the end of the third quarter, Meg and Carmen were side-lined again.
    â€œLet’s see what you’ve got,” Meg said, reaching for Alex’s notes. “Hey! You think Carmen and I are suspects?” she added.
    Alex grinned. “You said that everyone who was near the table at the end of half-time was a suspect. And everybody heard you and Peter arguing about wanting the medal.”
    â€œFair enough,” said Meg. “The problem is, everyone is a suspect — but we really don’t have enough substantial evidence against anyone.”
    She renewed Alex’s notes and added a few of her own.

    Meg bit her thumbnail, then flipped to the next page in her notebook. “Time to switch tactics. If I can’t figure out
who
took the medal, I’ll concentrate on
where
the thief could have hidden it.”
    WHERE COULD THE MEDAL POSSIBLY BE HIDDEN?
    â€œWhen in doubt…doodle” Meg said to herself. “If I brainstorm long enough, a good idea might surface.”

    â€œScore!” yelled the crowd.
    â€œOh, no!” Alex cried.
    Meg looked up. It was the Panthers scoring, not the Hawks! She tried to focus on the case.

    â€œDid you take any instant photos?” Meg asked Alex. “Maybe looking at them will help the investigation.”
    â€œJust a couple,” said Alex, pulling them out of his pocket.
    â€œSome nice portraits of Farley,” Meg said with a bit of disappointment.

    She’d hardly had a chance to look at them when Coach Lee called out, “Meg,