The Internet Escapade

By Joan Lowery Nixon

When an Internet prank turns serious, Sean becomes the main suspect
Bored in computer class, Sean Quinn and his friend Matt decide to liven things up with a little computer prank. But the laughs stop quickly when they accidentally hurt a younger student’s feelings, earning themselves a quick trip to the principal’s office. That night, Sean receives an anonymous email praising him for the prank, and promising to avenge his punishment by causing trouble at the school. The next day, a virus wreaks havoc with the school computers, and the principal suspects Sean of being the mastermind! To keep himself out of trouble, Sean asks his brother Brian to help him find the hacker behind the anonymous email. Catching criminals in the real world is tough enough, but when a crook decides to hide behind the computer screen, it will take every trick in the Casebusters’ arsenal to bring this cyber-thug to real-world justice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Release date: Oct 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781453282830

Joan Lowery Nixon

Joan Lowery Nixon (1927–2003) was a renowned author of children’s literature, best known for series like the Orphan Train Adventures and Casebusters. Born in Los Angeles, she began dictating poems to her mother before she could read. At the University of Southern California, Nixon majored in journalism, but took a job teaching the first grade upon graduating. In 1949, she and her husband moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, and in 1964 she published her first novel, The Mystery of Hurricane Castle. Nixon became a fan of mystery fiction when she was a child, and many of her most popular series incorporate elements of sleuthing. She won four Edgar Awards for best young adult mysteries, including prizes for her novels The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore (1979) and The Name of the Game Was Murder (1993). In addition to writing more than 140 young adult novels, Nixon also co-wrote several geology texts with her scientist husband.      

Book preview

The Internet Escapade

Casebusters # 11

Joan Lowery Nixon

With love to the Brush family:

Kathy, Kirk, Melia, Nicole, and Veronica.

Special thanks to Dwight Silverman,

the Houston Chronicle’s technology writer, for his helpful advice.

—J. L. N.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Preview: Bait for a Burglar

1

LOOK OUT! DEBBIE JEAN’S coming this way!" Sean Quinn nudged his friend Matt Fischer, who quickly turned the knob that darkened their computer screen.

Sean pretended that he hadn’t seen Debbie Jean. But from the corner of his eye he carefully watched her walk through Redoaks Elementary School’s media center. Bossy Debbie Jean Parker was a real pain. Sean hated the way she always tried to find out what everybody else in class was doing so she could tell them how to do it. Sean held his breath as she came close. Would she … would she …?

As Debbie Jean pulled out a chair and sat in front of her favorite computer, Matt let out a snicker.

Sean poked him. Don’t make her suspicious, Sean whispered, but he wanted to laugh so badly he could hardly stand it.

Matt lightened up the computer screen again and began to type.

Debbie Jean scowled and muttered, Something’s wrong with this computer.

Sean clapped his hands over his mouth, but a small laugh burst out. Quickly, he turned and pretended to be reading the poster on the wall behind him. He was sure that Debbie Jean was looking at him.

As Matt kept typing, Debbie Jean leaned closer to the screen of her computer and stared at the words on it.

She began typing something on her keyboard, then stopped and frowned again. Sean’s stomach hurt, he wanted to laugh so much.

Debbie Jean grabbed the mouse and shook it. This stupid computer is broken! she cried. Jumping up, she knocked her chair over.

As she picked it up, she glanced at Matt and Sean, who quickly pretended to be reading something on their monitor. They waited until Debbie Jean stomped out of sight, then they broke down laughing.

That was great, Matt said. We really fooled her.

What did you type? Sean asked.

Matt grinned. I wrote, I’M A MAGIC COMPUTER. I’M GOING TO TURN YOU INTO A ROBOT, AND YOU’LL HAVE TO DO WHATEVER I SAY. Then she wrote back, THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK.

She sure looked angry, Sean said. This is a great trick.

Yeah, Matt said. I’m glad that Dennis Taylor told us how to do it.

Sean ran over to the computer Debbie Jean had used, cleared the screen, then hurried back to Matt. Shhh! Sean whispered. Someone’s coming.

Charlie, Sam Miyako’s little brother, came into the media center and sat at the computer Debbie had just left.

Matt began typing on his computer keyboard, but Sean said, Let him alone. He’s not only our next-door neighbor, he’s just a little kid. Besides, Charlie gets spooked real easy. Sam’s always telling him scary stories.

Charlie leaned forward to read the message on his screen and gasped.

What did you write to him? Sean asked.

I wrote him, I’M A MAGIC COMPUTER, AND YOU GET THREE WISHES, Matt whispered.

Charlie began to type with one finger, carefully hitting one letter at a time. The message slowly came up on the screen in front of Sean and Matt.

I WISH FOR A GIANT CANDY BAR, A NEW BIKE, AND A MONSTER UNDER MY BROTHER’S BED.

Cool, Matt said. I’d like to see that monster, too.

Sean felt a pang of guilt. Charlie’s going to be disappointed when he doesn’t get his wishes.

Hey, Matt said. It’s only a game. Okay?

Sean was intent on watching what Charlie continued to write: I NEVER MET A MAGIC COMPUTER … He jumped when a stern voice behind them said, Sean! Matt! Turn around please.

Mrs. Harrison, the school’s media specialist, stared down at them. "We had a complaint about one of the computers, and now I see