Tam and Ant woke up on a Sunday morning and immediately crinkled up their noses.
“What is that smell?” they both said at once.
“It smells like stinky socks on the stovetop,” said Ant.
“Dirty diapers dangling outside the door,” said Tam.
“It could be a brontosaurus with a bad breath,” Ant giggled.
“Or an entire elevator filled with expired eggs!” Tam joined in the laughter as she opened the door and stepped out of their room.
Their mom was searching the drawers for scented candles. She told the girls that Dad had gone down to find out what the stink was about.
The girls stood in front of the armchair and quickly called Egghead. “Phew, what is that smell?” he said the moment he appeared on his chair.
“We are going to investigate it now, Sherlock Holmes,” said Tam.
The ghost detective looked around in confusion. “You are speaking to me?”
“Yup, Sherlock Holmes used to wear the kind of deerstalker cap you are wearing,” Tam chuckled.
“Ah, I had asked for a detective’s hat,” said Egghead, taking it off.
The detectives heard commotion from the garden and hurried downstairs. A few of the residents, including their Dad, were gathered in the central gardens. Ms Makhija was talking to them in her high-pitched voice. “This is sabotage. An attack on Emerald Gardens!” She saw the girls and gestured for them to come near.
“What happened?” asked Ant.
“Someone has dumped a truckload of garbage in the empty plot next to our compound,” Makhija replied.
“They did this in the middle of the night,” said Arvind, who was standing next to her.
“The security guards didn’t notice the truck. It must have come from the other direction,” said Banerjee Uncle.
“Why do you think it’s an attack on Emerald Gardens?” asked Tam.
“Because they do not want us to win the Model Apartment competition,” said Ms Makhija grimly.
The competition was conducted by the municipal corporation to judge the best apartment complex in each ward. They were rated on factors like amenities, cleanliness, greenery, and so on. Emerald Gardens had won the trophy two times in a row and was in the running for the third time. Ms Makhija was sure they would win again this year and achieve a hat-trick.
“Do you suspect anyone?” asked Tam.
“Not one, but six,” said Makhija, taking out a sheet of paper from her purse. “The six other competitors in the Model Apartment competition.”
Egghead was air-walking up and down the girls’ room; a few inches above the ground. “We should proceed with order and method,” he said finally. “I say we go and have a closer look.”
“Do we have to? The smell will be unbearable up close,” said Tam.
“What if we just sit at home and use our little buddhi?” Ant chirped.
“Not all detective work is fun, my friends. Sometimes we have to literally look through rubbish to find a clue,” said Egghead. “Let us prepare to do our duty.”
Neha was surprised to see the girls as they came out of their room. Ant and Tam were wearing double masks, rain boots, and huge rubber gloves. Tam’s hair was tied in a bun and wrapped in a scarf, while Ant’s unruly hair was tucked under a shower cap.
“Where are you going dressed like that?” asked Neha.
“To investigate the garbage problem,” replied Tam.
“Wait a minute; don’t go.”
Tam felt a bit relieved, but her mom returned with a pair of face shields. “Wear these, and don’t touch anything.”
“I thought you didn’t want us to go,” said Ant.
“Well, I heard somewhere that detective work can’t be all fun,” said Neha.
“Where did you hear that?” Ant’s eyes widened.
Her head swam in thoughts. Had her mom heard Egghead speak? Could she see him too?
“It must be from the detective show that I watch,” Neha smiled.
The detectives stood in front of the garbage heap. Flies buzzed noisily over it. The trash had spilled out of torn polyethene bags. The stench was sickening, and the detectives tried very hard to hold their breath. Egghead pinched his bulbous nose closed.
Tam took pictures of the rubbish. She saw a piece of tissue paper on the ground and clicked it too.
“I think we got a clue. Can we can move away now?” said Tam.
Egghead nodded; he had almost turned purple.
After a nice hot bath, the girls sat down to discuss the case. The old ghost meanwhile had sprayed himself with a good amount of Neha’s perfume.
The scented candles had done their job, and the house was bathed in the fragrance of lavender and vanilla.
“The bad smell was because of the food in the garbage. Can you see the heap of noodles?” said Egghead, pointing to one of the pictures.
“There were also idli pieces and stale bread,” said Ant, looking at another picture.
Excerpted with permission from The Egghead Detective Agency Volume 2, Pika Nani, Puffin Books.