Original subtitles

Yes, it works.

My name is Ezra Banks, and welcome to the first video blog case entry for...

Actually, I need to go right back to the beginning, because this story starts a

long, long time ago.

Wednesday last week... It was early before school, and I needed to ask the

principal a big favour.

Luckily, Henry and I are tight.

Don't call me Henry.

I thought because we talk a lot. You're still Mr McGillick. Mr McGillick? You

know I'm a blue -sky -thinking, tech -savvy guy.

You're also in grade five, and you have yoghurt on your chin?

What do you want, Ezra?

Can I borrow the school credit card?

Oh, uh, it's a new one. Um, no.

But there's a pro host, 4 ,000, selling online for $75.

No. It's website building software.

No. And if I'm redoing the school website?

The thousandth time, you are not redoing the school website.

He definitely had not said that a thousand times.

900 tops.

My mum says I have a very busy mind, and she's had some chats with Mr McGillick

about how I need to keep it stimulated.

Mr McGillis said I should find a special project, but so far he hasn't liked any

of my ideas.

You said no to the water slide, no to the monorail over the oval, no to the

invisible classroom.

Actually, I've thought of a special project for you. Is it to download

that costs $75?

It's to look after our new student.

Look after our new student?

How is that a special project?

I told Henry no way.

It's non -negotiable. I've sent her off to explore. I know she was keen to see

your classroom.

This was the worst special project ever.

I went outside and I couldn't see a new girl, but I could see my friend Ava

selling cupcakes in the Pebble Garden.

Ava is always raising money for things in the Pebble Garden.

Hi, Ezra. Want to buy a cupcake to help build more bike racks?

Then more kids can ride to school, like this little guy.

Sure. Did you know we have a new girl starting today? I know. Her name's Morty

Miller, and she's so nice.

Which one is she?

I don't know. I haven't met her yet.

Ava is what my mum called a glass -half -full person, and what I call a glass

-flooding -the -kitchen person.

She hasn't even met Morty, and she already liked her.

I'm... Definitely saving her a cupcake.

For free. I'm going to see if she's in the classroom, so come over when you...

Finished. A soccer ball bouncing off my head could only mean one thing.

Kyle! You okay, Ezra?

People don't really know why Kyle and I are friends.

I don't really know why Kyle and I are friends.

Because Kyle is super sporty. And the only time he doesn't have a ball in his

hand is when it's on my head.

Sorry, Ezra.

Kyle!

Sorry, Ezra.

Sorry, Ezra.

For someone with very good ball skills out on the field, Kyle has terrible ball

skills around me.

Except this time it wasn't Kyle.

That wasn't me. That was Billy.

Carl had been doing soccer practice with boys from our class and also Billy from

the other grade five.

Sorry, Ezra. I slipped over.

It's really muddy on the grass.

That's why we wear soccer boots.

My mum won't buy me boots until I get good at soccer, but I can't get good at

soccer until she buys me boots. Well, you need to get them soon because

picking a competition team next week.

Billy looked sad, so I told him, I've never been picked for a sport team.

I didn't tell them I've never tried out for a sport team.

Don't worry, Billy.

There's always next year.

I'll buy you a cupcake to cheer you up.

Can I have two cupcakes, please, Ava? Do you have any money?

No, Ava, I'm trying to buy two cupcakes without money. You don't have any, do

you? No, I don't.

Can I pay you back? That's what you said at my sausage sizzle, my donut drive,

my biscuit bag, my... Yeah, and did I pay you back?

No. Oh, sorry.

I shouldn't be asking for two free cupcakes.

Just make it one.

Sorry, Billy.

No, Kyle.

No cupcakes until you pay me back.

Kyle really wanted a cupcake.

He kept arguing with Ava and I went to go look for the new girl in our

classroom. Except the classroom was empty.

So I went to our book corner and grabbed my favourite book, the one with the

mystery riddles, and sat down.

The police get a call that a robber they're after is inside a house at 33

Buckton Drive.

They don't know what he looks like, but they know his name is Craig.

The police burst in to find a truck driver, a carpenter, a mechanic and a

fireman sitting around the table playing cards.

They immediately arrest the fireman.

Why? He's the only man.

The carpenter, the truck driver and the mechanic can all be women, but the

fireman has to be a man, so he's the one called Craig.

The fireman was the only man.

I think I just met my special project.

Woody? Yep.

Hi, Ezra.

How do you know my name? It's on your bag, Ezra Banks.

This is a nice classroom.

Have you read this book?

No. Then how do you know the answer? And why did you come in the classroom

window? I wanted to have a look around. I mean, why did you come in the window

and not the door?

Are you not allowed to do that?

Um, I've never seen anyone do it.

I'll use the door next time.

Okay. Well, um, Henry said... I mean, Mr McGillick said I should show you around

in here.

So, do you want... What?

Just happened.

I'm so excited to finally meet you.

Oh, isn't Morty here?

No, she went out the window.

Why? I don't know. She came in the window, she went out the window.

If I was going to get to know my special project, I needed to find a room

without windows.

I'm going to look outside.

And you wait here. Look after myself.

Ava's Alton landed on my foot and I thought she must have sold about a

cupcakes because it was so heavy.

I couldn't stop thinking about Morty.

How'd she get that riddle about the fireman so fast?

I got the book back off the shelf and was re -reading the riddle when... I

have a ball magnet in me.

Kyle!

Sorry, Ezra. Ava said you met the new girl.

What's the best sport?

Because when I meet someone new, that's my burning question.

Ava couldn't find Morty outside, but she did find Mr McGillick and they both

came into the classroom.

No, Ava, I am not filing a missing persons report. But Mr McGillick, Morty

missing! Perhaps if we dial down the drama... But Morty is not!

No one has seen us and she went out the window!

Why did she go out the window?

Because I thought I should come around to use the door.

Morty! You're here!

else would I be?

Morty looks like when a Labrador puppy licks you on the face, which feels half

sweet, half disgusting.

I'm Ava.

That's Kyle.

And I gave you a cupcake for free.

And so where's my outing?

What? My outing with my cupcake money in it.

I don't know. It was right there on the shelf.

Ava's owl tin was gone.

What does it look like?

It's got an adorable little owl riding a bike on its lid. And it has a lot of

money in it. My foot has the bruise to prove it. What are you talking about?

You threw the tin on my shoe and it felt like it was full of rock.

Because there was $80 in it. $80?

Almost. I had 40 cupcakes that I sold for $2.

Except one I kept for Morty and one I kept for me.

Who would take your $42?

Let's just say math isn't Kyle's strong point. 40 times 2 minus 4.

Ezra, this is no time for a quiz.

Ava's owl tin has been stolen. And you took it.

You needed to pay me all the money you owed me, so you came here and took my

tin. Ava, he's been standing with me the whole time.

Kyle didn't take it.

Oh. In that case... I'm so sorry, Kyle. That was very unfair of me. Then who

took your $76?

$76? No -one took it. I've been the only person here.

Suddenly, everyone was looking at me. And the person looking at me the most

Mr McGillick.

Tell me this has nothing to do with the website software you wanted to buy for

$75?

I know it looked bad, but if you're innocent, there's no need to panic.

I swear on my life, I didn't take the money!

I believe Ezra, Mr McGillick. It just looks extremely suspicious because he

alone with the tin and nobody else has been in here and he needed a lot of

money.

Ezra, can I see your bag, please?

I know Mr McGillick thinks I'm a bit annoying because I have a very busy

But now he thought something terrible about me.

He thought I was a thief.

I can't believe you could think that Ezra would steal something. He's the

honest guy I know. He never lets me copy in class or cheat on the test. And he

would never take something that wasn't his.

And this is his own outing full of money that he brought from home.

Right, Ezra?

I felt sick in the stomach.

Nobody said anything.

Except for Morty.

Why would Ezra leave his bag open if he wanted to steal Ava's money?

I don't know. But Ava, you and Kyle take Morty and find Miss Tan... Do you mind

if I ask a couple more questions first? Thank you.

Ava, can you tell me everything you remember about your cupcake store?

It was weird because Mr McGillish actually let Ava stay and tell Morty

everything.

How she had set up her stall in the Pebble Garden and how she had sold a lot

cupcakes. Then we both told Morty what happened next with the soccer ball and

Billy and the boots.

And then Ava said what happened when I went to the classroom.

Let's see.

Ezra left and Kyle and I were squabbling, but I'd sold all my cakes

Oh, that's when Miss Tam called out.

Miss Chan's our teacher, Morty. Have you met her yet? She's really nice.

And really clumsy.

She dropped her folders and called us to help before all her papers blew away.

So we all went over and helped. Wait, who went over to help?

Me, Ava, Mario, James, Justin, Archie, Toby and Billy. No, Billy stayed.

He's not in our class, so I guess he didn't think Miss Chan was talking to

OK, then what happened? Then I packed up my stuff and came in here to see you.

You went here, but I left and threw your tin at Ezra's foot and it felt like it

was full of rocks.

Is she the police?

Maudie did sound like the police. She asked me exactly where did I put the

outing. So I showed her how I balanced the tin up carefully, like a wheel,

and... Kyle!

What? You threw your basketball in here and it hit me over there and did a big

bounce into this shelf. So, if your owl tin was up like a wheel and your bag was

open next to the shelf, the basketball would have hit the shelf and made the

roll into my bag.

That's how it got into my bag. See, Mr McGillick, I didn't take Ava's money.

very sorry, I thought you did.

To be fair, what else was he supposed to think?

I was so pleased that because of Morty, now we knew the truth.

Almost knew the truth.

Oh, yay!

No one stole my money!

Well, actually, I'm pretty sure someone stole your money. What are you talking

about, Morty? My money is right... No wonder it felt like it was full of

It was.

Pebbles, actually.

Who put pebbles in here?

Someone who needed a lot of money in a hurry to buy something.

Oh, Ezra, I stuck up for you.

Not Ezra.

Someone who needed a lot of money to buy soccer boots.

My mum won't buy me boots until I get good at soccer.

Wait.

Billy? I think when you said he might not make the team if he didn't have

boots, Billy got desperate.

So when you all ran over to help Miss Pat and left your outfits, he took the

coins and replaced them with pebbles from the garden.

And to think I was going to buy him a cupcake with money I didn't have.

How could Billy do this to the kids who need somewhere to put their bikes?

Don't worry, Ava. Billy and I are going to have a chat.

Oh, and thank you, Morty.

It's quite a first day you've had, and the bell hasn't even rung yet.

Right, Ezra?

I got why Henry thought Morty should be my special project.

He knew we would get on. But now, she's given me an idea for a much better

special project.

You and I should start a detective agency.

Cool. You know who else we should ask? Morty.

She's pretty smart.

I was talking to Morty, Kyle. Really? I would love that. I've always wanted to

be an investigator.

Me too. Can I join too?

I've always wanted to be a... What do you call it?

Investigator, of course. What about you, Ava? Oh, my goodness, yes!

We can have a cool agency office. Where will our office be?

I knew the perfect place.

We have a granny flat out the back of my house. We can decorate it and I'll do a

sign on the door. I can do a sign. What will the sign say?

Our name, silly. What's our name?

It has to be catchy.

About the four of us. That says what we do. And tells people that we're the best

investigators. That's the name. The Investigator. The Investigator.

The Investigator.

Wait,

what did you guys call it?

The Investigator.

Uh -oh. I did it backwards.

Oh, and guess what? Henry really liked this special project.

Well, Henry... Mr McGillick, welcome to the investigators' first video blog.

Ava? Yeah, all right. You can do the sign.

In an investigator's office, it's sometimes hard to find... Because it's

really an office. It's this flat behind Ezra's house. But one needs another

visit, which is tomorrow.

So we have to clean the fridge.

Ezra's at piano practice, so we said we'd do it. On the condition that I can

any food I find in here.

So, because the office is hard to find, Ezra and I made a flyer of where to find

us with a map.

And then we did a letterbox job.

Which was surprisingly successful.

Can we help you?

I'm looking for the investigator's detective agency.

Our flyer had worked.

This is the investigator's detective agency.

Where are the detectives?

Here. How old are you?

I'm 10. He's 11.

It says here that you have over 40 years experience.

We do.

Between us, if you add up the ages, of Ezra, me, Carl and Ava.

Yeah, I thought this was a proper detective agency, not just kids mucking

around. I need someone who can actually help solve a crime.

Did a crime happen at the frozen yoghurt shop?

That's where you've come from now, isn't it? On your bike?

How did you know that?

I know!

She was wearing a helmet.

No, she wasn't.

Oh, then I don't know. You've got your pant leg rolled up, which my dad does if

he's wearing pants that will get stuck in his bike chain.

So I'm guessing your bike is outside?

Yeah, it is.

And those pants look like part of your uniform.

They are.

And you've got white splotches on them, which look a lot like frozen yoghurt. So

I think you work at the frozen yoghurt shop.

Wow, that's amazing.

How do you do that?

I'm very observant.

But then, I should be like you.

I'm very observant too.

Disgusting. Disgusting, by the way.

Mayonnaise. We persuaded the girl, whose name is Sophie, that we were grown up

enough to help her. Find out why my parcels are disappearing.

Your parcels?

From my online shopping.

Every parcel I've ordered lately has vanished from outside my house.

How many parcels have you ordered? And also, would you like a peanut butter and

salmon sandwich?

Um, no, thank you.

Yuck, Morty.

Anyway, Sophie, how many parcels have you ordered?

Nine.

Nine parcels worth a lot.

My mum doesn't make heaps of money, so I help out by buying my own clothes and

make -up. You must earn a lot at the frozen yoghurt shop.

Maudie, it's rude to talk about how much money people make.

Is it?

Yes. Well, that's what my dad told me when I asked my Uncle Keith how much

he made as a dentist.

Sorry, Sophie.

So how do you know the parcels had actually been delivered?

Hey, don't throw that tip out. It's expired.

Does it have stuff going on it? Cos I can pick it off.

How about a slightly old carrot instead?

Deal. So how did Sophie know that the parcels had been delivered?

I get text messages from the post office.

See? They've all arrived.

So the deliveries always happen around 4 .55?

Which is when I'm working at the frozen yoghurt shop.

And when I get home, they're gone.

Can you find who's taking them? I have $20 in my wallet.

Ezra tried to act like we got $20 all the time.

Woo -hoo!

Yeah!

It didn't work. We arranged to meet Sophie the next afternoon, straight

school, before she went to work. Oh, this is when Ava and I came too.

I know this bit.

Wait, what happened again?

Sophie met us at her house with her best friend, Grace.

This is my best friend, Grace. Grace!

I love your earrings.

Thanks. Soph gave them to me. I got them online before my parcel started

disappearing. She buys everything online.

She's so lucky. She gets so much money at the frozen yogurt shop.

Grace, it's rude to talk about how much money people earn.

I'm not sure Grace liked me saying that.

How dare you? I'm not rude. You're rude for saying I'm rude.

Am I?

It's just super hard when your friend can buy a lot of cool stuff because of

really cool job. Can you stop being jealous so I can talk to the detective?

Detective? Don't be fooled by how little they are. They're really smart.

Morty, look.

The postman must have put the parcels behind this spot to keep it secret. And

this plant is one of those fly -trapping killer plants.

The plant ate the parcels.

Really smart.

It was an aloe vera plant.

The only thing it can kill is a rat. Yeah, pretty sure there's no such thing

an aloe vera plant.

Hello, Vera. How are you today, Vera?

We told Sophie we would talk to the neighbours and see if anyone's noticed

anything. Great, thanks, guys. You're actually paying them?

Someone is stealing from me, Grace. You don't actually know if anyone is

stealing. Maybe a random dog is taking them.

Or... Some big bird? Yes, a giant bird.

An eagle.

There are no eagles around here. And if there were, what would an eagle want

with... lipstick, a hairbrush and cross -training runners to look pretty while

it plays nest ball?

That was a joke.

Netball. Like netball, but the bird's in the net.

I love sport themed jokes.

It's not a bird and it's not a dog. It's a person and they're stealing.

Okay, well it's your money and it's not like you don't... Sophie

has fallen over. It was really... Funny.

Odd. I mean, odd.

Very odd.

Oliver!

so much trouble.

Whoever Oliver was, he was about to get yelled at. I just shipped over your

cricket bag and what is this skateboard doing here?

I didn't even know we had roller skates.

Sorry, are you hurt? No, I'm fine, but what has gotten into you?

This is my brother Oliver.

He was the neatest little boy a month ago and now every day he leaves his

all over the floor.

Fine, I'll clean it up. No, you need to go to Joanna's.

Sophie explained that Oliver went to their neighbour's house until their mum

home from work.

Yeah, and their neighbour's name was Joanna. And she was what my dad calls a

character.

There he is.

Hello, my good friend Oliver.

Hi, Joanna.

Joanna was singing.

But not like a song that you know. She was singing normal sentences.

I'm so glad...

She seems fun.

You and I have a different idea of fun.

Joanna sang to everybody.

Hello, children.

Hello, grey.

Hey, Joanna.

How did work experience go when you tried out at the throw your shop last

for five afternoons in a row?

Um, they said they're not hiring at the moment.

What a pity, my little pretty.

Anyway, I'd better go home now.

Grace had been a bit mean to us, but we felt sorry for her. She'd done work

experience for a whole week at the frozen yogurt shop and still hadn't been

hired.

And now this lady, Joanna, was singing about it.

And here's my selfie.

I wish I had a trophy.

Hi, Joanna.

Oh, you're selling good today.

Oh, I hope so.

I've got my... I audition on Fridays. I've been trying to sing everything.

Joanna's an opera singer.

She's going for a part in a big new show, so she's been practising for

And my little Oliver's been helping me out every day, haven't you?

Suddenly we understood why Joanna was singing all the time. She was desperate

get the part in the show and it was very important to practise all the time.

It was also very annoying.

Oliver!

Oliver, shall we see what we should have for a...

singing back.

Ava and I sang yes to afternoon tea, but Oliver didn't want that.

They're not my friends.

They're with me, Joanna. They're helping me find my missing parcels.

Well, I've told you online shopping isn't safe.

It's not surprising if things don't turn up. Perhaps you've learnt a valuable

lesson. Joanna, they have turned up. Then they've been stolen.

We don't have thieves.

How could we with Dusty on patrol?

What's so interesting there, Dusty?

Joanna's little dog, and Ava was right. She was adorable.

I love her, Joanna.

So does Oliver, don't you? He helps me feed her, and every day at about five o

'clock, he takes her out for a toilet time so you can do a little weave and a

little poos.

Weave and poos.

I love your garden.

It's so pretty with your garden toys.

Have you seen anything unusual in the afternoons, Joanna?

I mean...

Have you seen anything strange?

Or anyone acting odd?

Let me think.

Was it a cat on the mat?

Or was it a rat?

Okay, we really need to talk to other neighbours who don't sing.

Where's my phone?

I swear I put it in my bag.

Well, Mum says she can't go to work without it, so... We have your number,

Sophie, so we can call your phone.

Before anyone could say anything.

Morty had swiped her phone.

Oliver, do you have my phone?

No.

Oh, I must have accidentally picked up your phone instead of mine. My phone is

big and pink. How can that have been an accident?

It wasn't.

Oliver took your phone on purpose, just like he took your parcels.

When Morty said that Oliver had taken the parcels, everything made sense.

Kidding. Nothing made sense.

Oliver isn't a thief and he's been with Joanna every afternoon.

Yeah, and did you even hear what I said about the pot plant?

Sophie, could you please excuse us for just a second?

Ava and I thought Morty was wrong.

Morty, it wasn't Oliver. It was Grace.

She took the parcels because she was jealous of Sophie's money.

but she was doing work experience when the parcels were stolen.

Ah, that's right.

Well, what about Joanna?

She wanted to teach Sophie a lesson about online shopping.

No. And have we ruled out the eagle?

I promise to be quiet. And I promised to explain what had happened.

Oliver isn't a thief, really, but he did take your parcels.

That's why Dusty was scratching.

What? But how?

Oliver brought Dusty out every day at 5 for toilet time and also to collect any

parcels that had arrived at 4 .55 at your house and hide them in the little

Oliver thought if he took your parcels, you would stay home, you wouldn't go to

work and you'd collect them yourself.

Is that right?

Also... Oliver was doing other things to make sure you stayed home, like taking

your phone and leaving his stuff out everywhere.

Wait, you wanted me to hurt myself?

I didn't mean for you to trip. I just thought if I left my stuff all over the

ground, you would make me stay home and clean it up instead of going to

Joanna's. But what?

Seriously?

Oh, is it me?

You don't want to be around me because of the singing.

I know the audition is important.

No, no, I've been very selfish, haven't I?

You really have been.

Now that was rude, Morty. No, no, she's right. I've been way too obsessed with

this audition.

Still, Oliver, that's no excuse to steal.

I wasn't stealing.

I was temporarily hiding.

Which I guess is kind of stealing. Sorry.

And I'm sorry.

How about this, Oliver?

I stop seeing you when you walk through the door at a quarter to four.

Oops.

Sorry.

It was a happy ending.

Sophie's parcels were just a little bit squashed. And Oliver got to do normal

things like watch videos and play. And yesterday, Sophie sent us a message

saying Joanna got the part in the show.

Awesome! Yeah, it was good.

I'm not talking about Joanna. I'm talking about these sandwiches.

Oh, they're my peanut butter and salmon. Mmm.

Ezra doesn't know what he's missing.

Mmm.