Cora Flash and the Treasure of Beggar's Bluff by Tommy Davey

to my lips and winked at Marty, discretely making a "Shhh" sound that only he would notice.
     

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
    No doubt about it, the map I had found in the office was the other half of the map I had found tucked into the book.
    As soon as I got home, I pulled out my half of the map and put it together with the one I'd copied from Mr. Burton's office. The picture started to make sense. The river that wound through the map curved up at the top, just like the river in town. Buildings drawn on the map were obviously the buildings that would have existed at the time the maps were drawn. The Bank, the old brick storefronts on Main Street, it was all there on the other half of the map.
    The most interesting part was written at the top. Words at the left side of the map read "THE TH" and "MEN KN" underneath. When I put the new part of the map beside the half I had found, I could read the whole message.
    "THE THREE WISE MEN KNOW ALL."
    I read it to myself a few times, not knowing exactly what it meant. Who were the three wise men? I know of the three wise men in the bible, but what did that have to do with the treasure? Who were they and where could I find them?
    My mind shifted back to Mr. Burton. I couldn't believe I'd found his library card in my room. He had the other half of the map, so it made sense that he would want to find my half, but it had been in the library the whole time! He could have found it any time he wanted... unless he hadn't known where to look.
    "Bling!"
    My computer announced an incoming video chat from Tricia.
    "Hi Tricia," I said.
    "Hi Cora. Any more luck with the treasure map? Did you figure it out?"
    "Sort of, but I'm not sure of something."
    I held up the two pieces of the map side by side so she could see the complete picture.
    "There is a reference to the three wise men, I'm not sure what it means."
    "The three wise men know all," read Tricia. "It's from the bible."
    "I know that," I said, "but what does it have to do with this?"
    "I'm not sure, but I know you'll figure it out. Hey, where did you find the other half of the map?"
    I debated telling her what I'd done. She might not approve of my breaking into Mr. Burton's office to look for the map. If it had been Shelby, there would have been no problem at all.
    "I found it," I finally said.
    "Where?" she pressed.
    After a few seconds, I replied with an answer that was, basically, true. "In the library."
    "In another book?"
    "No, I found it in Mr. Burton's office."
    "Why was it in Mr. Burton's office?"
    I decided to let her in on my secret, even if she judged me.
    "I found something..." I began.
    "Aarf!" Calvin interrupted.
    "Sorry," I said. "Calvin found something that led me to believe Mr. Burton was the person who broke into my house."
    "Mr. Burton? Cora, don't be ridiculous. Librarians don't break into houses."
    "He dropped his library card in my room, it was under the dresser. Marty Bass looked it up and confirmed it was Mr. Burton's card."
    "So you figured he must have had the other half of the map so you broke into his office to find it? Wow, that's crazy, Cora."
    She was right; it was crazy, and dangerous.
    "Do you think he knows you know?"
    I hadn't even considered that, and the thought made me very nervous.
    "I don't know. I don't think so, but maybe he still hasn't discovered he dropped his card. And I doubt he will realize he dropped it here."
    "Just be careful, Cora, and you should tell your mom."
    I knew she was right, but if I told my Mom, I'd never get a chance to search for the missing treasure. I had to hold out for just a few more days.
    "Are you busy tomorrow?" I asked.
    "No, why?"
    "I'm going to need your help. We have to figure out what the three wise men have to do with this."
     

CHAPTER NINETEEN
    "We're probably going to deny all of the claims in the bus accident case," my mother announced.
    We had just finished eating breakfast on Sunday morning and were sitting at the table talking about her insurance case.
    "I went to