The Case of the Snack Shack! Case Closed! The Case of the Snack Shack!

Break In at the Harborville’s Snack Shop! Harborville’s Beach Snack Shop had been open only an hour when Max stopped in and noticed a new poster announcing the price increase.

Mr. Levine Stated to Max, “I put the sign up this morning. I had to raise my prices ten percent because I have so many new expenses. Like now I need a new window for my back room. Somebody broke it, trying to get in last night.”

“Have you called the police?” Max asked. “No. Nothing was stolen.” He led Max to a small storeroom in the back. “I use this space as an office. Sat here and made my price change poster last night. Soon as I was done, I left it on the desk.”

Mr. Levine Shares More Evidence! “When I went out, I locked the door to the main part of my store. So whoever got in was stuck in this little storeroom. Nothing here to steal.”

“Did you hear that somebody broke a window at the shack?” he asked. Max wandered down to the break wall where Nathan and Trevor were fishing “Did you hear that somebody broke a window at the shack?” he asked.

Trevor and Nathan Respond Nathan replied, “No we knew nothing about it. We’ve been down here since dawn. Haven’t talked to anybody. Trevor gestured to the bucket, “We’ve caught some big ones!”

Nathan’s ready for lunch! Nathan stated, “I’m starving now. I’ve got a dollar left from my allowance. If Mr. Levine is there now, I’m going up to the Shack to get a Big Beach Bun!”

Too Bad It’s Not on the Dollar Menu! “Better get another dime from somewhere,” Trevor told him. “A dollar’s not enough anymore. As for me, I’m going home to get a couple sandwiches for myself.”

Max Cracks the Case! “You both stay right here,” Max said. “I know which one of you broke that window. You’d better think of a way to pay for it because I’m telling Mr. Levine!”

How did Max figure it out? Fact: Someone broke into Mr. Levine’s snack shop last night. Fact: The window was broken in the back room. Fact: Last night, Mr. Levine made a price change poster in the back room. He left it on the desk.

How did Max figure it out? Fact: Mr. Levine came to the store, saw the broken window, and put the price change sign up anyway. Fact: Max left and saw Nathan and Trevor fishing. Fact: Max asked them if they knew anything about the store being broken into.

How did Max figure it out? Fact: Nathan said they had been fishing since dawn, so they hadn’t heard anything about it. Fact: Trevor showed Max the fish they caught. Fact: Nathan got hungry and wanted to the Snack Shack to buy a burger for a buck.

How did Max figure it out? Fact: Trevor told him he needed to grab a dime because now the burgers were a dollar and ten cents. Fact: Trevor was going home to get sandwiches. Fact: Max told them to stay put because he knew which boy broke into the store.

Max cracks the case! Inference: Max knew that whoever had broken into the back store room would already know the price change. Inference: Trevor knew the price change already, but he said he had been fishing since dawn. Inference: Trevor did not want to go to the Snack Shack; he wanted to go home for lunch, probably because he did not want to get caught.