The Duo That Saved Christmas

The missing piece

It was Friday and there was no school to allow everyone prepare for the gala the following night. Heather and Eben found themselves heading towards the halfway point between the village and Misfit Town. They both received a text from Benny and Brody the day before.

Tomorrow 10am meet us at the halfway point between Santa's village and Misfit Town. We really need to talk.

They both, after some debating, decided to meet up with them. They couldn't have had anything to do with what happened. The least they could do was not shut them out. They told Greta that they needed to get some work done at Heather's house since they spent the last couple days at hers. She was understanding and let them go.
They got there at 10am exactly. They had arrived first so they sat on a bench and waited. Soon after not only did Benny and Brody arrive but so did Nick.
"You never said he was coming," Heather said.
"Look guys please let him explain. We promise this is all a huge misunderstanding and we really need your help," Brody said.
"Yeah please," Benny said.
The two misfits looked at each other.
"Alright we will let him explain," Eben said.
The boys all let go of a breath that they didn't know they were holding in.
"Thank you guys. Look August used my words and took them completely out of context. I promise I would never say any of those things about Greta or you guys. I was telling my parents that being with August was a mistake not Greta. When I said they don't belong here I was just repeating what my dad said cause I couldn't believe that he was saying that. You guys do belong here and I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise. Please I need your help getting Greta back," Nick said sincerely.
The two looked at each other. They wanted to forgive him but after seeing Greta crying for the past few days they didn't know if they should.
"Well what are you gonna do about it? You might be able to get us to forgive you but Greta's not just going to easily forgive you," Eben said.
"That's what we wanted to talk to you guys about. We have a plan," Brody said.
"What's the plan?" Heather asked.
"We need to finish solving the case. Once we know for sure who did it we expose them at the gala in front of everyone," Benny said.
"I like it. Completely humiliate the villager and show everyone that they were wrong about the misfits. But what about Greta? She's not going to the gala," Eben said.
"I was hoping you could convince her to go with you guys. We have a dress for her and everything we just need her to be there before I give my speech," Nick said.
"Let's figure out who did it. Tomorrow once we know we can try and talk to Greta but I can't make any promises," Heather said.
"Where should we go?" Brody asked.
"How about the old abandoned school?" Eben said.
"I've never been in Misfit Town before," Brody said.
"Well babe I think it's time I showed you around," Eben said grabbing Brody's hand and walking toward misfit town.
Heather and Benny grabbed hands and walked behind them and Nick followed behind them as they all walked to Misfit Town.

After about 30 minutes of walking through town and Eben giving Brody a brief tour they finally made it to the school. They got there and headed into the auditorium and sat in the seats.
Nick pulled out the box from his backpack, "Here's everything we have so far. We've been able to narrow it down but we can't figure out who it is. I feel like something's missing."
"Well what have you got so far?" Benny asked.
"We think their might be more then one person involved. We think that some people stole the toys and some poisoned the elves. We know they wear press on nails, they wear 6.5/7 shoes, and they are or one of them is good at Chemistry," Nick said.
"Is this the list of people you think it could be? All of the people on here failed Chemistry in school. I've been working with them in the shop after school. They all hated that class," Brody said.
"Well we think that one of them could know someone good at science stuff," Nick explained.
"They are all pretty tightly knit. Not many of the people on this list have many friends outside of this group," Brody said.
"Well then I guess we're all out of options. I don't know who else it could be," Nick said putting his head in his hands.
"Come on Nick don't give up yet," Heather said.
"Yeah we can figure this out," Eben said.
"How? Greta was always the one who pieced the pieces together. She was the one who came up with all the ideas and such. I'm useless," Nick said.
"No you're not Nick. Come on think there's got to be something that you can think of that we are missing," Benny said.
Nick and the others sat and thought about something that could possibly help them.
"We could try and get finger prints from the poison book?" Nick said.
"Finger prints could take sometime but we can do that. Let me see the book and I'll get the prints," Benny said.
Nick handed him the book.
"How long will it take?" Nick asked.
"It will take me all night. I can have them by the morning," Benny answered.
"That's perfect then you can have them before the gala," Heather said as she reached into her pocket to pull out her chapstick. She reached into her pocket and her eyes went wide.
Benny looked over at Heather, "Babe what's wrong?"
"Oh my goodness Benny I think I might have found our missing piece," she said as she pulled out a flash drive from her pocket.
Realization hit Benny, "The flash drive with the camera footage from the night of the break-in I completely forgot we had this!"
"Wait how did you get this?" Eben asked.
"The day we snuck Greta into the workshop to check it out with Nick. When we were in the security room we found this footage and uploaded it onto this flash drive. We need a computer in order to see it," Benny said.
"Here use mine," Nick said.
Benny grabbed Nick's computer from him and plugged in the flash drive. After a few minutes of loading the video finally came up.
"Click play already!" Nick said anxiously as everyone huddled around the computer.
Benny clicked play.

The video started with the door in the back opening carefully. Then a group of three masked people came in and started looking around. They were talking but the cameras couldn't pick up what they were saying. They suddenly took their masks off and started braking into the cabinets and stealing things.

Everyone's eyes went wide.
Brody gasped, "No way. Is that-"
"Yes, that's them," Nick answered.

The next morning came and the two misfits made their way to Greta's house. Now that they knew who the thief was they knew they had to get Greta to the gala. They didn't know how they were gonna convince her but they had to.
"Greta it's us!" Heather shouted as they entered her house.
Greta's house was a simple one story house. It was once a green house but thanks to time and weather it was now a faded mint green with paint peeling around the sides of the house. There was no decorations besides the doormat outside that said "Buzz Off". As you walked into the house there was a hallway that lead to the open living room and kitchen area. If you make a right after the hallway and go through the living room you will find another hallway that will lead to Greta's room, bathroom, and the master bedroom that was her father's. Greta's room was the last room on the left. The two friends went and knocked on her bedroom door.
"G? You in there?" Eben asked.
"Yeah I am," she answered.
They entered her room to find it a mess. Clothes all over her floor, picture frames shattered, and a hole in her wall. Greta was sitting on her bed leaning against her head board with her legs crossed.
"What happened in here? We were only gone a day!" Heather said.
"I had some things I needed to get off my chest," Greta spoke softly.
"G I'm really worried about you," Heather said.
"Yeah Greta it's like a bomb went off in here," Eben said
"I'm fine guys really. You guys should go get ready for the gala and all. I'm sorry we can't all experience it together," Greta said sadly.
The two looked at each other sadly.
After a few moments of silence Eben spoke up, "Greta we have something we need to confess."
Greta looked at them suspiciously, "what did you do?"
"Yesterday we weren't studying," Heather started.
"We were helping the others finish up the case. Look I know you're gonna be mad for lying to you but Greta we found out who did it!" Eben said.
"Who?!" Greta asked.
"I think you should find out for yourself at the gala tonight," Heather said.
"What does the case have to do with the gala?" Greta asked.
"Nick may or may not be exposing them during his Santa speech," Eben said.
"I'm not going," Greta said.
"Come on Greta. I know it's gonna suck seeing him but really you should come. You can hangout with us, Benny, and Brody. You don't need to see Nick. We don't want to experience this without you G," Heather said.
"Yeah remember when we always talked about the day that we would be invited to the Christmas Gala? Now that day has come! We get to go and show everyone that misfits do belong here and we belong there just like everyone else. Don't you want to go and see the looks on everyone's faces when we show them you are innocent?" Eben asked.
Greta thought for a moment, "look guys even if I wanted to go I have nothing to wear."
"Well it's a good thing there is a dress waiting for you at my house where we will all be going and getting ready," Heather said.
"You really think I should go? I mean what will I do if I run into Nick?" Greta asked.
"Talk to him? I mean come on G what's the worse that could happen? He's crazy about you. He wants you back more then anything," Eben said.
Greta sighed, "ughh fine I'll go but I don't want to talk to Nick."
"Yayyyyy," the two misfit friends said as they pulled Greta out of bed.
"Now come on let's go there is much to be done before the gala," Heather said as the three friends left the house.

Authors Note
I can't believe this book is almost over! I can't wait for you guys to read the final chapter. Who do you think is the thief? Comment below!
Much love❤️