The Detective Trio and the Case of the Missing Apples

One sunny day in the village, Lily, Rose, and Jack were walking to the market to buy some supplies for their families. As they were walking, they saw a boy sitting by the side of the road, looking sad and lonely.

Lily went over to him and asked, "Are you okay? You look sad."

The boy looked up and replied, "I'm new in town, and I don't have any friends. I'm not sure how to make any"

Rose, Jack, and Lily all looked at each other and smiled. They knew just what to do. "Come with us," Rose said. "We'll show you around and introduce you to everyone."

The boy smiled and said, "Thanks. My name is Ben."

As they walked through the market, they saw a commotion near the apple stall. They went to see what was happening and saw that the apples had all gone missing.

they noticed an apple seller sitting on a bench, crying.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked.

The apple seller looked up at them and said, "All of my apples are gone. I've been working hard to save up for my daughter's birthday, and now I don't have anything to sell. I don't know what to do."

Jack said, "This looks like a case for the Detective Trio!"

Jack stepped forward and said, "Don't worry, we'll help you find your apples. We're the Detective Trio, and solving mysteries is what we do best."

The apple seller wiped away his tears and thanked them. "I appreciate your help more than you know."

As they were walking towards the forest, Rose said, "I bet the squirrels took the apples. They're known for stealing food and hiding it for the winter."

Jack nodded in agreement, "You're right. We'll need to find their hiding spot."

As the Detective Trio and Ben were searching for the squirrels' hidden apple stash, they suddenly heard rustling in the bushes. They quickly hid behind some nearby trees and watched as a group of squirrels appeared.

One of the squirrels stepped forward and said, "Who goes there? What business do you have in our forest?"

Jack stepped forward and said, "We're the Detective Trio, and we're looking for some stolen apples. We believe that you might have taken them."

The squirrel looked at them suspiciously and said, "If you want the apples, you must answer our four questions correctly. If you fail, you'll never see the apples again."

The group was nervous but determined to get the apples back. The squirrel began asking the questions.

"What has a heart but no other organs?"

Lily quickly answered, "A playing card."

The squirrel nodded and asked the second question. "What is always in front of you but can't be seen?"

Rose replied, "The future."

The squirrel was impressed and asked the third question. "What can you catch but not throw?"

Ben answered confidently, "A cold."

The squirrel nodded and asked the final question. "What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?"

Jack took a deep breath and answered, "Silence."

The squirrel smiled and said, "You have answered all our questions correctly. Congratulations, you may have your apples back."

The squirrels led the group to their hidden stash of apples and gave them the ones they had taken from the market. The Detective Trio and Ben were overjoyed and thanked the squirrels for their help.

As they were leaving the forest, Ben turned to the group and said, "That was amazing. I never knew solving riddles could be so much fun. Thanks for including me."

Rose smiled and said, "We're happy to have you as part of the team, Ben. You're a great addition."

The group walked away from the forest, feeling proud of their accomplishment and grateful for their new friendship with the squirrels.

As they returned to the market, the apple seller was waiting anxiously for them. When he saw them coming with the apples, he jumped up with joy.

"You found my apples! Thank you so much!" he exclaimed.

The Detective Trio explained how they solved the mystery with the help of the squirrels and Ben's smart answers to their questions.

The apple seller was amazed and grateful. He offered them a basket of the freshest and juiciest apples as a token of his appreciation.

But then, they noticed that one apple was missing from the basket.

"Did the squirrels take one of the apples again?" Jack asked, looking around.

Suddenly, they heard a soft giggle coming from behind them. They turned around and saw an apple seller's daughter, who was hiding behind a tree, holding the missing apple in her hand.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed, laughing.

Everyone laughed and smiled, feeling happy and relieved. They spent the rest of the day enjoying the market, making new friends, and sharing the delicious apples.