The Triceratops Pops Mystery by David A. Adler Page B

map.
    â€œWe have to go past the movie tapes to the end of aisle seven,” Cam said.
    Cam started to walk away. Then she came back. She looked at the map, blinked her eyes, and said, “ Click. ”
    â€œThat’s in case we get lost,” she told Eric. “I’ll have a picture of the map stored in my head.”
    Cam and Eric walked down aisle seven.
    Music was playing throughout the store. Then the music stopped.
    â€œMake Ernie happy,” someone announced. “Buy a CD or tape. You’ll be happy, too, with Ernie’s low, low prices.”
    The music started again.
    â€œThe CDs in each department are in alphabetical order,” Cam told Eric.
    Cam walked to the end of the aisle. Eric stopped near the middle.
    Cam searched for the new Triceratops Pops CD. She couldn’t find it.
    â€œLook at this,” Eric said.
    He showed Cam a CD.
    â€œIt’s the new Ripe Banana Band CD,” Eric said. “The group’s music is soft and sweet, just like a ripe banana. I love it.”
    Cam closed her eyes and said, “ Click. ”
    â€œI’m looking at the store map,” she told Eric.
    Cam opened her eyes.
    â€œLet’s try aisle four,” she said.
    Cam and Eric went to aisle four. But they didn’t find any CDs by Triceratops Pops.
    â€œHm,” Cam said. She put her hands on her hips and looked around.
    Eric looked, too.
    â€œMaybe he can help us,” Eric said. “He works here.”
    Eric pointed to a tall young man wearing a yellow and green striped jacket. He was in aisle six next to a cart loaded with boxes. He was taking CDs from an open box and putting them on a shelf.
    â€œCould you please tell me where to find the new Triceratops Pops CD?” Cam asked the man.
    On the front of the man’s jacket was a name tag that said: HELLO. I’M ERNIE’S HELPER. MY NAME IS JORDAN.
    â€œAisle two. Case five. Top shelf,” Jordan said without turning around. “I put six discs there just a few minutes ago.”
    â€œAisle two? Why aisle two?” Cam asked.
    Jordan turned and looked down at Cam and Eric and said slowly, “Because that’s where they belong.”
    Cam closed her eyes and said “ Click ” while she walked. Eric held her hand, so she wouldn’t walk into anyone.

    â€œHe’s wrong,” Cam said with her eyes still closed. “Aisle two is for Country music. Triceratops Pops is not Country.”
    Cam opened her eyes. She and Eric found aisle two, case five, top shelf. There was a large empty space on the shelf. But no Triceratops Pops CDs.

Chapter Three
    â€œM aybe Jordan put them on another shelf. Maybe they’re in another aisle,” Eric said.
    Cam closed her eyes and said, “ Click. ” Then she told Eric, “There are ten music sections in this store. We’ve already checked Popular, New Releases, and Country. It won’t take long to check the others.”
    Cam checked the Show Tunes section. Eric checked Jazz. Then Cam checked Classical and Rap. Eric checked Easy Listening, Rhythm and Blues, and Specialty Recordings. They didn’t find the Triceratops Pops CDs.
    â€œLet’s ask Jordan,” Cam said. “He put the CDs on the shelf. Maybe he can find them.”
    Jordan was still in aisle six. A woman was talking to him.
    â€œI’m looking for a tape. My daughter asked me to get it for her and I said, ‘That’s just what I’ll do.’ The tape is called Cupcake Love , or Cup Lake Glove , or Pups Above . I’m sure you know the one I mean.”
    Jordan said very slowly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    The woman smiled. “I’ll tell you about the people who made the tape. That’s just what I’ll do. It was a group called Teacher Creature or Fixture Mixture or Peach and Picture.”
    Jordan looked at the woman for a long while. Then he said slowly, “You want me to find a