The Mystery of Case D. Luc by Beverly Lewis

ONE
    Dunkum dribbled his new basketball up the driveway. The basketball was very special. David Robinson, his hero, had signed it! David Robinson wasn’t just any basketball star, he was a Christian, too.
    Jason Birchall and Eric Hagel flew into Dunkum’s yard on their bikes. They skidded to a stop.
    Jason dropped his bike onto the grass. “Hey, Dunk, let’s ride,” he called.
    â€œNot today,” Dunkum said. He aimed his ball at the net and shot. Whoosh! Itslipped right through.
    â€œAw, come on,” Eric begged. But Dunkum ignored them and kept shooting baskets.
    Soon, Abby Hunter and her little sister Carly showed up. “Hi, Dunkum,” Abby said. “Do you have time to talk about the April Fool’s Day party?”
    Dunkum dribbled the ball under his leg. “Not now.” He shot the ball up over his shoulder. It bounced off the backboard. In!
    â€œGood shot, now let’s go,” Jason said.
    Stacy Henry, Abby’s best friend, came down the sidewalk. “What’s up?” she asked.
    â€œHi, Stacy,” Abby said. “I’m trying to talk to Dunkum about the party next week.”
    Dunkum stopped shooting baskets. “Sorry, Abby. I have to keep practicing.”
    â€œBut you practice all the time,” Eric said.
    Carly giggled. “If you don’t watch out, you’ll turn into a basketball!”
    â€œEric’s right,” Stacy said. “All you ever do is shoot baskets. What about us ?”
    Dunkum ran between Abby and Carly and shot the ball. It spun off the rim and he chased after it.
    â€œStop bouncing that silly basketball,” Carly said.
    Dunkum froze like a statue. “What did you say?”
    Jason and Eric began hooting like owls. Eric laughed so hard, his bike toppled over.
    Dunkum glared at Carly. “Nobody calls my basketball silly ! David Robinson wrote his name right here!” He held the ball up for them to see.
    Abby shot him a sour look. “Your basketball isn’t silly. You are!”
    â€œOh, yeah?” Dunkum felt the back of his neck getting warm.
    Stacy walked up to him. “We can’t plan our April Fool’s Day party because of you. You’re too busy with this!” She tapped on his basketball.

    Dunkum swung the ball away from her. “Then plan it without me,” he said. “I don’t care.”
    â€œBut we always have our meetings at your house,” Abby said. She was the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids—nine kids on Blossom Hill Lane.
    Dunkum dodged Abby, then leaped up and shot. Missed! “Go have your silly meeting somewhere else,” he said.
    Abby frowned. “Please, Dunkum. Just talk to us!”
    â€œNot today,” Dunkum said. “I’m busy.”
    Jason whistled. “That’s what he always says!”
    â€œDo not,” Dunkum muttered.
    â€œUh-huh!” Eric shouted. “Maybe you want to drop out of the Cul-de-sac Kids. Is that it?”
    Abby frowned. “No, we stick togetheraround here, remember?”
    Dunkum didn’t care about sticking together. His basketball was more important. He spun the ball on his pointer finger. “I’m going inside,” he said, then ran into the house.
    Dunkum never even looked back at the Cul-de-sac Kids. Not even once.

TWO
    In his room, Dunkum placed the ball on his dresser—in front of the mirror. He sat on his bed and stared. Maybe this ball will make me a great player, he thought. Maybe I’ll be as famous as David Robinson!
    Suddenly, he dashed to the window and pushed the curtains back. Abby and Carly were gone. So were Jason and Eric. Dunkum almost wished his friends were still waiting in the driveway.
    But then he remembered the girls.They had made fun of his fantastic basketball. Rats! thought Dunkum. Who needs them .
    Later, at bedtime, Dunkum read his Sunday school lesson. The verses were in Matthew 6. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures