Football Frenzy

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Book: Read Football Frenzy for Free Online
Authors: Alex Ko
floral-patterned sofas.
    Mr. Yamamoto raised his cup in greeting as the twins walked in. “Ah Josh-kun, Jessica-chan. Mimi-san says you have a case for us.”
    “We might have,” Josh said. Nana passed a cup to Granny, who blew on her hot tea before taking a sip. Josh took a deep breath. “We think something dangerous might be going on.
Something to do with Shinichiro Hanzo.”
    “The football player?” Mr. Nakamura asked, raising his bushy grey eyebrows.
    “First – I think Granny told you – there was the attack on his parents’ restaurant last night,” Josh began. “It was like someone wanted to scare them, to
damage the place but not actually hurt anyone. Then this morning someone nearly was hurt.” He described the “accident” at the photo shoot.
    “Thank goodness you two were not harmed!” Sachiko gasped.
    “Indeed,” said Granny. She was staring into the middle distance, her eyes unfocused for a moment. Was she imagining what she would’ve done if they had been hurt? How would she
have explained it to their parents?
    “Then afterwards we found this,” Jessica said, nodding at Josh.
    Josh passed the card around the team. “It was in Shini’s jacket. It must have been planted there while nobody was looking.”
    “In fact,” Jessica said, flipping through her notebook, “there was something else as well. Remember when we first met Shini? There was a man in the changing room. Shini said he
was a weird fan, but maybe there was more to it than that.”
    “That could have been his first warning,” said Sachiko, stroking her wrinkled chin thoughtfully. “Or our villain making some sort of demand.”
    “Money, do you think?” Nana asked.
    “Straightforward extortion? I think not,” Granny said, taking a sip of tea. “I would have believed it after the restaurant – but someone could truly have been injured at
the photo shoot today. I imagine whoever we’re looking for really wanted something bad to happen, and with the sabotage at Shini’s restaurant, I wonder if he’s the person the
attackers wanted to get at.”
    “But who would want to hurt Shini Hanzo?” Nana frowned.
    “Nobody who cares about Japanese football, that’s for certain,” Josh said. “Not with the England game coming up.”
    “Then a personal rivalry?” Jessica wondered. “Something...girlfriend-related?” She looked at Josh. He hadn’t thought of that – could it be about Kiki?
Either one of them could have a jealous ex, or an insane fan who felt threatened. He shook his head.
    “Shini and...and his girlfriend haven’t gone public yet,” he said, just managing to avoid mentioning Kiki. “So it’d have to be someone really close to
them, and...” A thought struck him. “Wait, there’s something else. This could be about the big game itself.”
    “Shinichiro’s contribution will be invaluable on Saturday, won’t it?” Nana said. “Nobody who wants Japan to stand a chance against England would let him come to
harm.”
    “But what if someone wants them to lose?” Jessica said, her eyes widening. “What if – no, not someone on the England team, surely?”
    Josh shook his head. “They got on so well at the photo shoot. And all of them were on the ground with us, even the managers. And they hadn’t arrived in the country when we saw
the man in the changing rooms yesterday.”
    “Well if it’s not someone connected with the team, some mad England fan?” Jessica suggested, wincing.
    “No...I can’t believe that,” Josh said. He tried to sound certain, but he felt his face flush with shame at the very idea.
    “Ah...” said Mr. Yamamoto, quietly. The rest of Team O turned to look at him. He was staring at the frozen game of Go on the pad in front of him. “I think it may come down
to money, after all.”
    “You have a theory, Yamamoto-san?” Granny asked.
    Mr. Yamamoto stood up and walked to the console. After pressing a few buttons, the banks of screens filled up with Japanese

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