Baby Blue nudged Dottie as the magpie fluffed its wings, eyeing the puppies and Captain Zoomie with suspicion. The oak tree seemed suddenly taller, its branches twisting high into the summer-blue sky. The fireworks glimmered above, tantalizingly close yet utterly out of reach for small paws. Dottie shook glitter from her fur and looked up, her nose twitching in concern.
“We have to get those down,” she whispered, “before the big show starts. And before anyone else ends up like Mr. Diggs…”
Captain Zoomie, always the bravest, strutted forward and barked up at the magpie. “Excuse me, sir or madam of the tree! We are here on official detective business. Please return the fireworks to their rightful place.”
The magpie cocked its head, its beak still adorned with a gleaming red hairclip. It let out a series of musical clicks, then tucked a piece of sparkly ribbon under its wing as if to say, "Finders keepers."
Russo whimpered, glancing at the crowd gathering on the distant street for the evening’s festivities. “We have to hurry,” he said. “If the humans can’t celebrate, they’ll be sad. And what if the magpie tries to light a firework?!”
Baby Blue narrowed his eyes. He noticed that, just beneath the tree, a garden rake rested against the fence. Not far from it, Brenda’s old trampoline sat in the shade, half buried in wildflowers. A perfect launching pad—if one was brave enough. The magpie, however, kept a sharp lookout, ready to dart away if anyone tried to climb up.
Dottie’s attention turned to the recycling bin. Among the jumble of empty bottles and glitter tubes, she spotted a crust of bread and a shiny apple core. An idea sparkled in her mind. “Maybe we can trade!” she whispered. “Magpies love treats and shiny things.”
Captain Zoomie nodded. “We must do this carefully. No one gets hurt—not puppies, magpies, or fireworks!”
But as the puppies started to hatch their plan, a sudden gust of wind rocked the old oak. The bundle of fireworks teetered on the branch. The magpie squawked in alarm and began flapping its wings, sending a shower of glitter down upon the pups. The scene shimmered with magic and danger.
Baby Blue’s heart pounded. It was now or never. He stared up at the magpie, the sparkling fireworks, and the swaying bough. If they waited too long, the whole bundle might tumble down—or be lost forever to the magpie’s hoard. The Spookyween Detective Agency had one shot to save the Fourth of July.
And in that charged moment, the wind stilled, the magpie glared, and everything hung in the balance, waiting for someone to make the first bold move.