Cam Jansen and the Birthday Mystery by David A. Adler Page A

Jansen opened the door.
    “Surprise!”
    The hall and living room were filled with friends and family. Many of them were wearing party hats. Some were blowing noise makers. There were lots of Happy Birthday! and Congratulations! signs.
    Cam’s parents looked around. They were both smiling.
    Cam and the party guests sang, “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Jane and Barry. Happy birthday to you.”
    “This is such a surprise,” Mr. Jansen said.
    “All our favorite people are here,” Mrs. Jansen added.
    Cam’s friend Eric Shelton was at the party. So were his parents, with his twin sisters, Donna and Diane, and his baby brother, Howie.
    “Excuse me, please. Excuse me,” Mr. Shelton called out. He carried in a large cake.
    The cake was covered with pink icing. “40 and 40”was written in blue icing in the center of the cake.
    Mr. and Mrs. Jansen’s fortieth birthdays were during the week, just a few days apart.
    “Whose idea was this?” Mrs. Jansen asked.
    “It was Cam‘s,” Eric said. “She planned the party. She kept you at the park so we could set everything up.”
    Mrs. Jansen’s parents were at the party. She hugged and kissed them. She hugged her friends.

    “Surprise! I’m here!” Cam’s aunt Molly called out.
    She hugged Mrs. Jansen and said, “I’m really surprised to be here. I travel so much that sometimes I don’t know where I am.”
    “Molly works for an airline,” Mrs. Jansen explained to the people nearby.
    “Granny and Gramps are coming, too,” Cam told her father.

    “They should be here soon,” Mr. Shelton added. “Their flight should have landed about an hour ago.”
    Aunt Molly said, “My flight landed this morning. I know where I am today. I’m here. But I don’t remember where I was yesterday.”
    “I’m just happy you came to our party,” Mrs. Jansen told her.
    “Me, too,” Cam said.
    Mr. Shelton called out, “Let’s eat,” and everyone followed him into the dining room.
    Mr. Shelton set the cake on the table. There were also plates of cookies, baby carrots, and celery sticks. There were bowls of pretzels, and popcorn, too.
    Mrs. Jansen cut a slice of birthday cake and gave it to Aunt Molly. She was about to cut another slice when the phone rang.
    Mr. Jansen lifted the receiver and said, “Hello.”
    He listened for a moment. Then he said, “Oh, my. That’s terrible.” He listened some more and said, “We’ll be right there. Meanwhile, you call the police.”

    “That was Granny. She and Gramps were robbed,” Mr. Jansen said as he hurried to the door. “They’re alone in the airport parking lot, and I’m going to get them.”
    “I’m going, too,” Mrs. Jansen said.

Chapter Three
    Cam’s parents hurried out of the house. Cam and Eric followed them.
    Mr. and Mrs. Jansen got into the front seat of the car, closed the car doors, and drove off. They were in too much of a hurry, and too upset, to notice that Cam and Eric were in the back.
    “It’s our party. I was just cutting the cake when we left,” Mrs. Jansen said as they turned the corner. “Maybe one of us should have stayed.”

    “They’re our friends,” Mr. Jansen said. “They understand.”
    “And my father is good at cutting cake,” Eric said.
    Cam’s parents turned. They saw Cam and Eric sitting in the back.
    “You shouldn’t be here. You should be at the party,” Cam’s mother told them.
    “I want to see Granny and Gramps,” Cam said.
    “And there’s a thief to catch,” Eric said.
    “And maybe there’s a mystery to solve,” Cam added. “You know I love solving mysteries.”
    They were driving on a highway now. There was a large green sign ahead, pointing the way to the airport.
    “We’re going to the airport to pick up Granny and Gramps. Nothing else!” Cam’s father said sternly. “If there’s a mystery, the police will solve it.”
    They were at the airport now. They drove through a short tunnel under a runway. Then they drove on a