Kelsey's dad has a new job and that means a new house―on the same property as a castle! Kelsey, Becca, and Leo can’t wait to explore, but what they find might lead to their most intricate case yet. How are an abandoned tree house, a wad of cash, a missing heirloom, and a mysterious creature roaming the grounds all connected? The Curious Cat Spy Club is determined to find out! Linda Joy Singleton is the author of thirty-five books for children and young adults including YALSA-honored The Seer series and the Dead Girl trilogy. She lives in California. The Secret of the Shadow Bandit Book Four By Linda Joy Singleton Albert Whitman & Company Copyright © 2016 Linda Joy Singleton All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8075-1385-9 Contents Prologue: Three Months Ago ..., Chapter 1: Monstrous, Chapter 2: Houdini Cat, Chapter 3: Cat-Napped, Chapter 4: Up in a Tree, Chapter 5: Cash and Clues, Chapter 6: Dinner Rules, Chapter 7: Bragg Castle, Chapter 8: Game of Bones, Chapter 9: Tailing a Tail, Chapter 10: Ferreting Out the Truth, Chapter 11: Surveillance, Chapter 12: Doggy Dilemma, Chapter 13: SOS!, Chapter 14: The Cat Guy, Chapter 15: Pawn, Chapter 16: A Sticky Situation, Chapter 17: Cash, Clues, and Crushes, Chapter 18: Dog-Gone Lucky Day, Chapter 19: Road Trip, Chapter 20: Mystery Solved?, Chapter 21: Accused, Chapter 22: It's a Trap, Chapter 23: Shaker Shake-Up, Chapter 24: A Thief Unmasked, Chapter 25: King, Queen, Pawn, Chapter 26: The Mystery Name, Chapter 27: Treasure Quest, Chapter 28: The Emerald King, Chapter 29: Club Mates, CHAPTER 1 Monstrous A shrill scream rips through the house. I jump off the window seat, fling my mystery novel aside, race out of my bedroom and — Wham! — into the solid mass of big brother. "Whoa, Kelsey!" Kyle's hair is mussed like he just woke up from a nap. He puts his hands on my shoulders and peers into my face. "Why'd you scream?" "Not me ... Kiana, I think," I say as another scream echoes through the hall. I whirl around and run into her room, my brother close on my heels. My older sister is perched on her bed, clutching a stuffed pink bunny to her chest like a shield. "Get the monster out of here!" she shrieks. "What monster?" Kyle scrunches his forehead, looking around. "It moved too fast to get a good look, but I think it's a fanged snake or horned lizard with a spiky tail," Kiana says in a rush. A fanged horned monster with a spiky tail? I want to believe Kiana because she's nicer to me than Kenya and sometimes she even helps me with my homework. But there's no monster in her room. "It's in my closet!" Kiana points a shaky finger. "I saw a horrifying shadow on the wall then heard claws running into my closet so I kicked the door shut. It's still there!" "You only saw a shadow?" Kyle scoffs. "Don't you know that shadows are always more exaggerated than reality? I'm not surprised you're imagining monsters after you and Kenya stayed up late watching Jurassic Park. " "That has nothing to do with this ... this creature !" Kiana squeals, her gaze glued to the closet. "I came into my room to get my backpack and heard a crunching sound — and look! That thing chewed my book report!" Kiana picks up a shredded paper from her bed and waves it at us. I stare at needle-sharp punctures and clawed stripes, and my stomach knots. As Spy Tactics Specialist in the Curious Cat Spy Club, I've trained myself to observe and analyze evidence. The claw and teeth marks are proof I can't ignore. A horrible suspicion grows in my mind. "A monster ate your homework?" Kyle throws back his head and laughs. "Try getting that excuse by your teacher." "It's true! And it's probably devouring my clothes and best shoes right now!" Kiana twists a curl of her dark hair around her finger. "Hurry, Kyle! You're older and stronger than we are. Get rid of it!" My brother's smile fades fast. While he's tall and can play a mean game of hoops, he's not made of muscles or courage. And lately he's been too busy researching colleges to play any sports. He glances uneasily at the closet, backing into the hall like he's poised for a quick getaway. "I'll go ask Mom to help. Catching animals is her job, so she'll know what to do." "She's working in the garden," Kiana says. "No need to bother Mom on her day off," I say calmly even though my heart is thudding. I step forward. "I'll do it." My brother and sister stare at me, shocked. I'm the youngest in the family after all, the little sister who's usually so quiet no one notices me. They probably think I'm trying to prove I can be brave, but my offer has nothing to do with bravery. It's the opposite. If my suspicion about the "monster" is right, I'm going to be in big trouble. My only hope is to get my sister and brother out of the room. "I can handle this." I imagine I'm a fearless detective from one of my novels and lift my chin confidently. "I've learned a lot about dealing with wild animals from hanging out with Bec