Fabio The World's Greatest Flamingo Detective: Mystery on the Ostrich Express Extract

BLOOMSBURY CHILDREN’S BOOKS Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, UK BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY CHILDREN’S BOOKS and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Text copyright © Laura James, 2019 Illustrations copyright © Emily Fox, 2019 Laura James and Emily Fox have asserted their rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author and Illustrator of this work All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: PB: 978-1-4088-8934-3; eBook: 978-1-4088-8935-0 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 Typeset by Janene Spencer Printed in China by Leo Paper Products, Heshan, Guangdong

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I

n

a

small

town

on the banks of

Lake

Laloozee

lives

the world’s greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He’s not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he’s very, very clever.

At his side for every case is his friend and associate, Gilbert, a giraffe terrible at the art of disguise but good at asking questions – sometimes even the right ones.

Chapter 1

T

he bell rang as Fabio and Gilbert stepped into Alfonso’s, the small

and exclusive jeweller’s shop. Alfonso’s was as much part of the history of Laloozee as the Hotel Royale or Plume Street, where Fabio’s detective agency was based.

‘I’ll

be

with

you

in

one moment, gentlemen,’ said Alfonso, who was an ageing tortoise

1

with an unhurried way of speaking.

Fabio tipped his hat and he and Gilbert browsed the expensive jewellery as Alfonso dealt with his customer, a stylish desert fox.

‘Good he

said,

package.

luck,

carefully ‘If

my handing

your

dear,’ her

a

mother

could see you now …’

The fox smiled. ‘Thank you, Mr Alfonso. It’s a pleasure doing business with you.’

Fabio tipped his hat again as the fox sashayed out of the shop.

2

Alfonso

turned

his

attention

Fabio and Gilbert. ‘How

may

to I

be of service, gentlemen?’ he asked.

‘It’s my pocket watch, Alfonso,’ said Gilbert, lolloping towards him. ‘It seems to be on the blink.’ He gave the watch a shake and then rested it on the counter.

Alfonso delicately picked it up and examined it through his eyeglass.

‘I don’t see these much any

more,’

nothing fix

it

he

too

now,

said.

‘It’s

serious. if

you

I’ll

don’t

mind waiting a minute.’

‘Not at all,’ said Gilbert, trying his best not to be impatient. He felt sure,

4

at Alfonso’s pace, it was going to take more than a minute.

5