1. A Move and a Mystery

The churning sea rose in walls of waves that crashed across the ship’s deck even as the unrelenting rain lashed down in sheets. The skies were as dark as a moonless night, as was the water. Lightning speared down and thunder boomed louder than the roar of the wind. The storm raged and the sea roiled. Eight-year-old Zoe Gowda clutched her teddy bear Gus to her chest and held on to the railing at the prow of the vessel. It was a strange storm as there was both fog and rain. Zoe could not see two feet ahead. Sailors swarmed the deck trying to keep the craft upright. The Captain screamed his orders, desperately trying to be heard above the clamour of nature. From the far distance came another sound. Faint at first and hardly audible; but then it grew louder and louder as all other noises fell away, as though muffled by the fog.

‘I tink I tee a pwetty day! I know it it a pwetty day!’ sang Tweetie.

‘Tweetie?’ exclaimed a startled Zoey. ‘What are you. . . .’ She didn’t get to finish her question as Sarah Fontana joined in, belting out, ‘You get the best of all things!’

Zoey’s eyes flew open and her hands scrabbled for her bedside alarms. Gus fell out of her hug as she twisted around trying to turn both of them off before the cacophony woke her mother up. Mission accomplished and alarms silenced, she picked Gus up from the floor with a big laugh.

‘What a dream, Gus!’ she chuckled. ‘You’d know, you were there.’

Gus looked back at her with knowing eyes.

‘Anyway, let’s go. We have work to do.’ Pulling on her robe and putting on her slippers, she gathered Gus and made her way towards the window at the end of the first floor hallway. The window was the perfect vantage point for it gave her a clear view of their driveway from there. As she tiptoed past her mother’s room she was relieved to see it was still shut. She paused for a moment and put her ear to the door. She heard nothing but silence.

‘Good. We didn’t wake her up,’ she whispered in relief, to her steadfast companion as she proceeded.

There was a little window seat and she curled up on it with her teddy, eyes peeled on the pathway to the house. She thought of it as ‘The House’ because it was still new to her. Her mother had been there for a month already, setting everything up. Gus and Zoe, though, had arrived only the previous day. It was all very exciting.

You see, once Zoe turned eight, she got eight big things. You will have to wait to know what number 1 was for now.

Number 2: She got to move into a new home, in a new country!

Zoe’s mother, Reena had taken a job at the Switzerland International Girls School (SIGS) in the city of Bern.

So, they had shifted home there.

Number 3: She got to fly by herself, all the way from India to Europe, with her teddy bear Gus.

The flight was not one bit scary. As a matter of fact, it was a lot of fun because all of the cabin crew made such a fuss over and took amazing care of her. They even brought Gus ear buds, a pillow, a blanket, and snacks. Zoe felt very important indeed. Of course, her father was with her until she boarded and her mother was there when she deplaned, so there was that. She had a million questions for her mother as they drove home from the airport, all of which her mother answered happily. Reena believed Zoe should be as curious as possible for that’s the way she’ll know the world. The city of Bern was quite beautiful. Everything looked like it was straight out of her picture books. Zoe drank it all in with her eyes.

Their new home was picture perfect. It was a white, two-storied house with sloped roofs and a big garden around it. There were huge windows, and roses climbed the walls outside. Inside, everything was as cosy as only her mother knew how to make a home. Zoe loved her new room immediately. It had a sink-intome bed, a writing desk, a large closet and best of all―window seats with all her favourite toys already in them.

‘I love our new house, Mama!’ she proclaimed, exploring it and the garden around with eagerly.

Reena laughed in relief, happy that Zoe was taking this move so well. ‘Shall we get you unpacked, Zoe?’ she asked hefting the backpack Zoe had brought with her. ‘Wow!’ she exclaimed immediately, for the bag was very heavy. ‘What do you have in here baby? It weighs a ton!’

Zoe skipped in through the open back door from the garden, cheeks glowing pink from all the racing around.

‘Something wonderful, Mama! Here, let me show you.’ She unzipped the bag and a dozen books tumbled out onto the kitchen table.

‘Zoe,’ laughed Reena. ‘Are you carrying a library in your bag?’

‘No, Mama! Papa bought these for me at the airport shop. These are only the best books ever!’

Her mother picked one up and looked at the title. It read The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene. Reena’s face broke into an enormous grin. ‘Why Zoe! These were my favourite books too when I was a little girl!’

‘Really? That’s so awesome, Mama! They’re now my most favourite books in the whole world!’ she chirped jumping in glee. ‘Nancy Drew is the world’s greatest detective, Mama and I’m going to grow up to be exactly like her!’ she declared. ‘Except I don’t want a boyfriend,’ she quickly added.

‘Are you sure? Ned’s very handsome,’ Reena teased her with a sly look.

‘Eww! Mama! Boyfriends are gross!’ protested Zoe as she began to gather her books. Reena chuckled. ‘Really? Okay then. No boyfriend. But I must say I’m glad to have a detective in the making at home because we have our very own mystery happening right here.’ Zoe froze and whirled around to stare at her mother, eyes wide in disbelief and shock. She stood statue still looking agog at her mother. Her thoughts exploded in her mind. Could this really be happening? My very own mystery to solve like Nancy?

‘What’s it, Mama? Tell me, tell me please!’she cried aloud.

‘Once we get you washed up, I’ll tell you over dinner.’

‘No. Please. Now!’ ‘Zoe. . . .’

That was all Reena had to say. Zoe retrieved her books and backpack and zipped up the stairs to her room. She knew when it came to her mother and hygiene, no amount of pleading or wheedling could sway her.

In twenty minutes the little girl was downstairs; showered, changed, and most eager to hear all about the mystery at their new home in Bern. And no, she did not skip any part of her washing up routine because Zoe was a very sincere little girl.

They sat at the new dining table in their new home, mother, daughter and teddy bear. Over dinner Reena gave Zoe her first case.

Of the eight big things Zoe got once she turned eight, this was: Number 4. She got her first ever mystery to solve.