John Phoenix was lying on his bed listening to music. His face tensed slightly and he removed his earbuds and listened into the air.
"John Phoenix help me," he heard a faint cry coming from the detention center. And so he leapt out of bed and ran over there!
"Hi I'm John Phoenix," said John Phoenix.
"And I'm Kyle Hyde," said Kyle Hyde. "I was accused of stealing stuff from Hotel Dusk."
John Phoenix went to Hotel Dusk to investigate. He rang the bell and Dunning Smith came out.
"Welcome ta my slice'a heaven, yer stayin' in Room 215 the room I call Wish, careful though it's cursed ever since the darned thief Hyde stayed there."
"What did he steal," asked John Phoenix.
Dunning turned red.
"That's nonea yer damned business, boy!"
"TELL ME!" ROARED JOHN PHOENIX.
"Okay okay keep yer darn hair on," said Dunning. "Hyde made off with my precious red box. Haven't slept a wink since it disappeared!"
Dunning Smith walked away. John Phoenix laughed because he did not care about a stupid box so he decided to make it look like Kyle didn't steal it. He went to the arts and crafts room and found a cardboard box but it was brown not red, John Phoenix needed to color it red. He left the room and the cleaning lady came by.
"Lands' sake John Phoenix what were you doing in there? Well? Spit it out!" said Rosa.
"Investigating."
"Oh, we have a Mr. Detective here, do we?" said Rosa. "Well why don't you snoop around and find the famous author Konrad Kross, he is here in this very hotel yes he is and I want his autograph."
"Get it yourself," said John Phoenix.
"No I'm busy unlike that useless boy DeNonno. Busy busy!"
Rosa gave John Phoenix a book that was written in red. John Phoenix got an idea. John Phoenix went to Room 217 and knocked on the door.
"Hello," said Konrad Kross.
"Hello Konrad Kross," said John Phoenix. "Say, that name sounds familiar..."
"No."
"Oh okay," said John Phoenix. "Can you sign this book?"
Kross signed the book with a red pen.
"One more thing," said John Phoenix. John Phoenix took the book and threw it in Kross's face!
"Ah what the shit!" said Kross. While Kross was trying to get the book off his face, John Phoenix swiped the pen out of his hand. Kross did not see this because all he could see were the words in his book.
"Thanks Kross," said John Phoenix and he ran.
"What is this appalling service. I am writing about this in my next story!" shouted Kross.
John Phoenix took out the pen he stole from Kross and used it to color the box red. It was now unmistakably a red box so he snuck into Dunning's room and hid the box under the bed.
Then the door opened behind him!
"John Phoenix I've had it up ta here with yer sneakin' around," said Dunning.
"But Dunning, look, I found your red box!" said John Phoenix. "It was under the bed all along!"
"Jumping jackrabbits! How did I never notice," said Dunning. "Guess that Hyde fella is NOT GUILTY!"
Kyle Hyde was released from jail.
"Thanks for proving my innocence John Phoenix," said Kyle.
"Yo Hyde, let's celebrate at the bar my man!" said Louie.
They went to have drinks but while they were throwing back the good stuff, Rosa came in waving a book around titled "John Phoenix Goes to Hotel Dusk."
"John Phoenix, Konrad Kross just wrote a story about us and our reviews just plummeted, what do you have to say for yourself boy?"
"OBJECTION!"