NATIVITY NIGHTMARE: A CODY AND LINDSEY CHRISTMAS MYSTERY!

By Carla Cuthbert

Cody and Lindsey, the world's worst teen mystery-solving duo, were shopping for Christmas presents one afternoon when they got an urgent call from Reverend Sneed.

"Meet me at the church as fast as you can," the Reverend implored. "We've got a real mystery on our hands!"

"You bet!" cried Cody and Lindsey, dropping their bags of gifts as they raced for the mall exit.

Minutes later, the pair arrived at the church, where they were warmly embraced by the Reverend.

"Cody and Lindsey," he said at last, "someone has destroyed our nativity scene!"

Lindsey took out her detective notebook and began to survey the scene, while Cody dusted for fingerprints.

"Well, Reverend Sneed," Lindsey said with a frown, "I'm not sure what the problem is here. Headless Joseph and one-armed Mary seem to be fine."

"Fine?" The Reverend gasped. "They're not supposed to look like that!"

"And the Wise Man who's been scorched to a crisp," Lindsey continued. "He's still here."

The Reverend looked at her incredulously. "There were three Wise Men," he said. "And none of them were supposed to be burned."

"Maybe he got too close to the Burning Bush," Cody suggested. "Then his friends abandoned him, because he was horribly disfigured, and he stunk. That would have been the wise thing to do, if you ask me."

"And speaking of things that stink," Lindsey added, "where are the donkeys and sheep? All I see are some rotting squirrel carcasses someone has apparently scooped off the highway and left in your manger."

"Reverend Sneed, can't the church afford a few nice wooden sheep?" she asked. "Has someone been embezzling money from the Christmas fund so he can have some good times at the dog track?"

"Heavens no!" the Reverend exclaimed. "Cody and Lindsey, I don't know where you come up with these wild ideas. Maybe the Sheriff was right. Maybe you two aren't such a good mystery-solving duo after all!"

"Well then," Cody said, "how did we just figure out that Baby Jesus is sitting in the top of that big old elm tree beside City Hall?

"In the elm tree?" the Reverend cried.

"Yes, the Baby Jesus has risen, just like the Bible says," Lindsey told him. "Don't you know your Scripture?"

"No, no," you've got it all wrong," said the thoroughly exasperated Reverend, but Cody and Lindsey weren't listening.

"Now we're off to spread the good news!" they exclaimed. Cody took Lindsey by the arm, and the two teens went skipping merrily down the sidewalk.

"Baby Jesus has risen!" they shouted. "Baby Jesus has risen! The End Times are nigh!"

(Be sure to read Cemetery Plot, another exciting adventure starring the World's Worst Teen Mystery-Solving Duo!)