It was six in the morning, and I could see Ava laying on the floor-eyes closed. Rolling myself off the bed, I went to feel Ava’s chest. Was her heart beating? Yes, she was alive. 

“Willow,” I whispered.

“Uuuh, what is it, Jade. I’m trying to sleep,” she mumbled, sounding angry.

“You’re mum’s alive!”

“What? I-I, this is amazing!” Willow was jumping up and down, wide awake. 

Now everything was alright, nobody was dead. Yet, I thought to myself. 

I knew today was going to be a good day, because I saw the flowers suddenly sprout up. However, I still wondered why anyone would want to kill Ava. Unless she was not the intended victim? It was clear that the maid wanted to poison someone, but who and why?

“I am never eating a cake again, who would do something like that. I’m giving this place a bad review!” Ava stormed off, with her eyebrows furrowed. So she was awake- very awake. 

“Ok, so  we need to find this maid. Simple! We must talk to the real maid that got her clothes stolen, I’m so smart.” Willow guessed, I could see that she was not so sure.

“It’s not that easy, I don’t think. I’ve noticed something else.” Willow looked at me, eager for the answer. “Well, your father has been communicating with someone else. Sophie from the other family. I saw them using their hands trying to say something, maybe sign language? Anyway, this has been going on for days. I think that Sophie and your father know each other. I think the maid was Sophie.” I explained.  She stared at me with uncertainty, I thought I said something wrong. 

“Fine, if you say so. I noticed it too, but I didn’t like it. Write it all down, Jade. We need to start, it’s now or never.” I grabbed my casebook out, a new leather one that hadn’t been touched. Nowadays, I bring a case book everywhere. 

At last, we had a name for this case. ‘The Mystery of the Cyanide Maid’, I thought this name was going to change throughout the case- the maid would be discovered and maybe not by us. Which is a shame, because Willow nor I, agree with this. At first I didn’t know what to write, not much had happened. However, we have gone through a lot of theory’s. I knew half of them were wrong, but what’s a case without any theory’s. 

The Mystery of the Cyanide Maid:

What happened?

A cake was set on the table for breakfast that was made with almonds (bitter almonds contain a poison called cyanide) and nobody touched it. A little boy ran up to it and Sophia Mc’ cloud (someone from the other family) pulled the cake away from the boy. Willow asked why she took the cake, and she said that she read a lot of books. What does this mean? This lunchtime, an unfamiliar maid came up to us, and put the same cake on our table in front of Maxwell. This ‘maid’  was wearing a wig, so she wasn’t telling the truth about her being a maid. Her hair was braided, long, and a hazel colour. Maxwell asked her name, and she was thinking for a long time before she answered. She said her name was Sarah Mckenzie, but we think this is a lie and so does Maxwell. Maxwell wrinkled his forehead and narrowed his eyes. Willow said he does that when he knows that someone is lying. I’ve also realised that Maxwell keeps looking back at Sophie’s family. 

Yesterday, during dinner, Ava (Willow’s mum) was poisoned by the cake. Luckily, she didn’t eat enough for her to die. We think that this is not the intended murder, but we can’t be sure. I saw Maxwell and Sophie communicating with their hands, so I think they definitely know each other.  I think the maid was Sophie, but Willow disagrees. 

Plan of action:

Create a suspect list

Talk to the maid who got her clothes stolen

The Maid’s real name (if it’s fake)

Find out the list of all the guests, so we can create the suspect list

All the staff were now in a meeting, so we didn’t know how to talk to the maid. Willow however, always breaks the rules. We walked towards the door, and knocked it as silently as ever,  that I thought they weren’t going to hear us. 

“Who’s there?” the manager asked.

“We need a maid, something has happened. Can we just have you?” we asked, pointing to the maid that had her clothes stolen.” He frowned, and sent the maid to help us. The maid was called Imogen crow, which gave me the shivers. 

“What do you want, I’m busy?” she groaned

“I -we- just wanted to ask where the list was. You know, with all the guests and stuff.”

“Why?” I could see she wasn’t enjoying this conversation.

“My father is a friend of the manager.” I stuttered as I said this. 

“In the manager’s office,” as soon as she said this, she walked away.

What a lovely conversation, I thought. I was just being sarcastic, this maid reminded me of a murderer. Now that the manager was out of his office, we could go. 

The door had been left slightly open, and all the paperwork had been strewn across the floor. He was particularly messy, which was not very helpful. Nevertheless, the list was right by our feet, and all the names were scribbled down. I quickly put it under my shirt, but just then, the door opened. 

“What are you doing here!” the manager stood there, he was fuming and his face burnt with anger. 

I was scared, and my whole body was frozen. Willow stood, and confidently replied, “We thought that this was the place to rest if you're bored, we were going to go out now.” He pointed to the door, and we quickly ran out. Now we could make the suspect list, since we had all the guests here.

“Have you got it, Jade?” Willow asked.

“Yep,” I pulled it out, and started writing the suspect list. 

Maxwell- he could not have been the maid because he was at the table when the ‘fake’ maid came walking to us. He is innocent.

Ava- she could not have been the ‘fake’ maid because she was at the table when the maid walked to us. She is innocent.

We are definitely innocent. 

1st tent:

Troy mittle (a father and he is 42 yrs old)

May mittle (a mother and she is 49 yrs old)

Oliver and George mittle (both twins with the age of 8, son of May and Troy)

The 2nd tent is us, and we are innocent.

3rd tent:

Sophie Mc’cloud (a daughter with the age of 40yrs)

Miles Mc’cloud (Sophie’s brother, with the age of 44)

Lily Mc’cloud (their mother, with the age of 72)

Carmen Mc’cloud (their father, with the age of 73)

Now we needed to start investigating, the suspect list was ready. Oh, I forgot to make a new plan of action. 

Plan of action:

Create a suspect list- done

Talk to the maid who got her clothes stolen- done

The Maid’s real name (if it’s fake)

Find out the list of all the guests, so we can create the suspect list- done

Create interviews with all suspects

Start to rule out more people