Twelve-year-old Jamie loved solving mysteries, and today was the biggest challenge yet. Their school's beloved mascot, a fluffy golden retriever named Buddy, had gone missing just days before the big basketball game. As the student council president, Jamie knew they had to find Buddy before the game, or the entire school would be devastated.

Jamie and their best friend, Alex, decided to investigate. They started by asking their classmates if they had seen Buddy around the school. No one had spotted the friendly pup since the last basketball practice. The two detectives in training knew they had to think outside the box to crack this case.

After searching high and low, Jamie and Alex stumbled upon a clue - a small piece of Buddy's fur caught on a bush near the school's back entrance. They followed the trail, which led them to the janitor's closet. Inside, they found Buddy curled up and fast asleep, surrounded by chew toys and a bowl of water.

"Buddy must have wandered off and gotten locked in the closet," Jamie exclaimed. "Let's get him out before the big game!" The two friends quickly freed Buddy and returned him to the gym, where the entire school erupted in cheers. Thanks to their detective skills, the mystery of the missing mascot was solved, and the basketball team had their lucky charm back just in time.