{"id":322,"date":"2026-04-29T13:09:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T10:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/?p=322"},"modified":"2026-06-07T21:22:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T18:22:26","slug":"the-case-of-the-missing-glasses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/2026\/04\/29\/the-case-of-the-missing-glasses\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0421\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u044f\u0442 \u0441 \u0438\u0437\u0447\u0435\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043e\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0430"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Genre:<\/strong> Detective Stories,\u00a0Children<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Type:<\/strong> Short Story<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary:<\/strong> Herbert can\u2019t find his glasses anywhere. His grandson, Charlie, takes on the role of a cunning detective to solve the mystery of the missing glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publish date:<\/strong> 29\/04\/2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Words count:<\/strong> 3.9K<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read time:<\/strong> ~ 21 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author\u2019s notes:<\/strong> Suitable for all ages<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This story is an original work by Lina Dimitrova and is protected by copyright.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Herbert frowned and loudly sighed. \u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked upon the side table once again and then slowly completed another lap around his armchair. His joints were creaking even more these days, but he was too determined to find his missing glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie was sitting on the second step of the stairs, attentively observing his tireless grandfather. His curious blue eyes followed the old man\u2019s every movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFlibbertigibbet!\u201d Herbert exclaimed after he checked underneath the sofa. \u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The old man got up with a loud cracking sound. \u201cArgh! My back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie sensed it was time to interfere. He ran to his grandfather and helped him sit in his armchair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take the case,\u201d Charlie said decisively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d Herbert replied while massaging his hurt back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe case of the missing glasses\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean, my boy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour glasses have disappeared,\u201d Charlie continued enthusiastically. \u201cYou have been searching for them all morning without success\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is true. And I know they\u2019re here somewhere\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWorry not, grandpa dear, I\u2019ll find them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy then put his hands behind his back and started pacing throughout the living room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert observed his grandson with confusion. Kids nowadays watch too much television and is messing up their heads<\/em>, he thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you doing, my boy?\u201d the old man asked seemingly still in pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am walking around,\u201d the boy answered the obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can see that. But why are you walking around?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo I can think better and solve the case of the missing glasses. That\u2019s how detectives do it\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, so now you\u2019re a detective?\u201d Herbert asked intrigued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes!\u201d the boy replied excitedly. \u201cLike Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI see,\u201d Herbert replied with a smile. His grandson was one of the brightest and most curious kids in town. He was certain Charlie could find his glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, tell me, Mr. Brown,\u201d Charlie started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Brown?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen was the last time you used your glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see,\u201d the old man strained his memory to retrieve this information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh boy,\u201d Charlie said softly to their pet cat that was lying and purring beside him. \u201cThis might take a while, Merlin\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes!\u201d Herbert exclaimed with a jump in his seat and then loudly moaned in pain. \u201cArgh, my back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie looked back at Merlin. \u201cA while, indeed\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHelp me get up, my boy\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t it better if you stay seated?\u201d Charlie inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you want me to show you where I last used my glasses or not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed, Mr. Brown\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With great effort, Herbert was back on his feet and began his slow walk to the back of the house where his room was located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie looked at Merlin again, sighed, and slightly shook his head. \u201cNot a while \u2013 forever!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merlin meowed in agreement and went to look for a cozier spot for his mid-morning nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a few tortuous minutes, Herbert finally made it to his room, followed by the little detective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour mum brought me the morning newspaper,\u201d the client began his story. \u201cI sat in the chair here, by the bed. Around the sports pages, your mum walked in again to call me for breakfast. I took off my glasses and joined the rest of you for her delicious Saturday pancakes. And after breakfast, I wanted to finish the newspaper. I came here to pick it up, but couldn\u2019t find my glasses anywhere, so I began my search throughout the entire house!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout success!\u201d Charlie emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes! Where could they be? They should be here somewhere,\u201d Herbert started searching again. \u201cMaybe I didn\u2019t see them before\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He tried to lean forward and check under the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArgh, my back!\u201d he exclaimed once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Brown, why don\u2019t you sit down and I\u2019ll look?\u201d Charlie suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a good idea, my boy\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease, call me detective Hughes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh? My apologies, detective Hughes,\u201d Herbert said humbly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie looked thoroughly under the bed, under the sheets, under the pillow, under the chair, and even under the rug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm, I think we would have known if they were there,\u201d Herbert noted. \u201cThere would have been a cracking sound\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere were a few cracking sounds this morning but all seemed to come from you,\u201d Charlie noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOi!\u201d Herbert exclaimed, as if offended, but knew very well this was true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Brown, do you remember where exactly you placed your glasses when you were summoned for mum\u2019s delicious Saturday pancakes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s see,\u201d Herbert proceeded to recreate his morning. \u201cI was reading the newspaper right here when your mum walked in to call me for breakfast. Then I put the newspaper upon the bed and took off my glasses, which I also put upon the bed\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie took a good look at his grandfather\u2019s bed. A pillow and a blanket \u2013 nothing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe newspaper is also missing!\u201d the boy exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe newspaper is not missing, detective Hughes. I took it to my armchair in the living room, thinking my glasses might be there\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait here,\u201d Charlie ordered and swiftly ran to the living room to check whether the newspaper was there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, you didn\u2019t lie,\u201d the boy said after he returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course I didn\u2019t lie,\u201d Herbert replied offendedly. \u201cWhy would I lie?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. But a good detective mustn\u2019t overlook anything. No matter how small\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The old man muttered something under his breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWas there anything else on the bed?\u201d Charlie continued his interrogation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm, my cardigan was on it earlier. I put it on after I got up, but I was too hot, so I took it off and put it on my bed\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie looked at the bed. \u201cOkay, so where is it now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert looked at his bed, as well. \u201cWhere is it indeed?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie jumped. \u201cSo we have two missing items? This is getting most intriguing!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy started pacing back and forth in the small room. \u201cWho could possibly need your glasses and cardigan and why? Mum for example? But why would she need a man\u2019s cardigan? I know she sometimes borrows a T-shirt from dad, but that\u2019s it. Then dad maybe? He ran out of clothes and took this one, because\u2026 he didn\u2019t have another choice?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t seem likely. Your father has never borrowed any clothes from me before\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat you know of,\u201d Charlie noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe he took it because he thought you wouldn\u2019t notice it\u2019s gone. Maybe he\u2019s done it before, as well. You just never knew\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This statement really made Herbert think. Was it possible that Gary occasionally borrowed his clothes without permission?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, Mr. Brown, you say you walked out of your room for breakfast and didn\u2019t return until you finished eating, correct? When your glasses and cardigan were already missing\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is correct, detective Hughes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat means someone entered your room and took your possessions while you were having breakfast. But who could it be?\u201d Charlie was still pacing around. \u201cDad was with us during breakfast and then went to the garage to wash the car before it was time to leave for the Community Centre. He could have taken your cardigan to clean with it\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI kind of doubt your father would do that,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm, maybe not,\u201d the boy agreed. \u201cWhile mum\u2026 mum said she\u2019ll do the laundry before it was time to leave\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few moments of silence followed. Then Charlie snapped his fingers. \u201cThe washing machine!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy ran out of the room while Herbert remained seated. He sighed and made an effort to get up. By the time he managed to be on his feet again, Charlie returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you find them, my boy?\u201d Herbert asked when his grandson entered the room. \u201cOh, erm, sorry\u2026 detective Hughes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie took a moment to catch his breath. \u201cNo,\u201d he shortly answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I found your cardigan,\u201d Charlie added as he looked outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert, now standing, walked to the window and saw the laundry hanging outside. His cardigan was there, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere\u2019s what I think happened,\u201d Charlie returned to pacing. \u201cWhen mum called you for breakfast, you placed your glasses on the bed, on top of the cardigan. While we were eating, mum picked up clothes for washing and walked in your room again. She took your cardigan but didn\u2019t see the glasses. They\u2019re nowhere on the floor, so my theory is she picked them up along with the cardigan and they got into the laundry basket, as well\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie stopped by the window again as if his story was finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, but where are my glasses then?\u201d Herbert asked confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy seemed somewhat embarrassed. \u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 yet!\u201d then returned to pacing. \u201cThey weren\u2019t in the washing machine. Mum would have realized they were there\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe she did and took them out of the laundry machine?\u201d Herbert suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut took them where?\u201d Charlie inquired. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t she put them back in your room? Or give them to you while you were still in the kitchen? Something else must have happened to them\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The young detective continued pacing in the room. \u201cShe always picks clothes from their room, then my room, then your room and then \u2013 the washing machine. But I didn\u2019t see your glasses anywhere between here and the washing machine\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour dad,\u201d Herbert said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSorry?\u201d the boy stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard your dad telling your mum to pick up some dirty clothes from the garage, as well\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie took a moment to process the information and ran towards the garage. The old man sighed and slowly followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert found his little detective closely examining the interior of the garage. There were numerous tools, boxes, and junk everywhere. Charlie was particularly focused on something on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you find anything, detective Hughes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy leaned forward and reached into a box. He took out a polka-dot sock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert stood behind him. \u201cHow did that get there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie got up and started pacing back and forth again. \u201cI saw his partner earlier\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis partner?\u201d the old man was confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, his partner. When I went outside to look for your cardigan. This sock is from today\u2019s laundry\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you make of that, detective Hughes?\u201d Herbert inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie thought for a little while. \u201cDad said he could use some help washing the car, so here\u2019s what I think happened. Mum came here to pick up the dirty clothes, as my dad asked. But he also asked for some help with the car, so mum put the basket here to give him a hand,\u201d the boy pointed to a small table. \u201cOne of them accidentally pushed the basket and some of the clothes scattered. This sock got inside this box, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie looked inside the box again. Then around it. Then searched the other boxes. Then went through the entire garage, but didn\u2019t see his grandfather\u2019s glasses anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm,\u201d he said seemingly frustrated. \u201cThey\u2019re not here\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe your dad took them,\u201d Herbert suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut why would he do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo return them to me\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExcept that he didn\u2019t,\u201d Charlie added. \u201cYour glasses never got to you\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, maybe he got distracted on the way or accidentally took them with him\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll check this theory now,\u201d Charlie said and ran inside the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He got to the cabinet in the living room and opened the top drawer. Inside, his parents kept an emergency phone<\/em>. It was his father\u2019s old smartphone, which acted as a home phone when they needed to talk to Herbert or Charlie. The boy wasn\u2019t allowed to use it without permission, except for emergency situations. And this was such \u2013 his grandfather needed his glasses to finish reading his newspaper!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie took the phone, unlocked the screen and dialed his mum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHello? Charlie? Is everything all right?\u201d Lily answered worriedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, mum, everything is fine,\u201d Charlie replied. \u201cBut there\u2019s something important I have to ask dad\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour dad? What? He\u2019s a little busy at the moment\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to know if he took grandpa\u2019s glasses this morning\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour grandfather\u2019s glasses? Why would he do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan you just ask him, please?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, just one moment,\u201d Charlie heard the next words muffled. \u201cGary, do you have my father\u2019s glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEh?\u201d Charlie heard his dad faintly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy father\u2019s glasses. Charlie asks if you had taken them. I guess he can\u2019t find them\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t seen his glasses at all\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Charlie heard faintly, but sensed his father\u2019s certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, honey, your dad doesn\u2019t have them,\u201d Lily said to Charlie. \u201cDid your grandfather lose them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot on my watch!\u201d the boy said decisively and hung up the phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo?\u201d Herbert asked when his detective returned to the garage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDad didn\u2019t take them. The mystery deepens,\u201d Charlie said and started pacing again. \u201cThey were on your bed. Probably on your cardigan, so mum must have picked them up by accident. Then she must have brought them here with the rest of the laundry. And, surely, they must have fallen out when the basket was accidentally pushed over\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie took a few more steps and firmly said. \u201c\u2019When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth\u2019 \u2013 Sherlock Holmes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWise words,\u201d Herbert added. \u201cBut what is<\/em> the truth?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA black hole,\u201d the little detective said without hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI beg your pardon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey must have been swallowed by a small black hole\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert looked around the garage and asked a little mockingly. \u201cGee, are we safe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, what is your<\/em> explanation then!?\u201d Charlie exclaimed seemingly offended. He was getting quite frustrated for not being able to solve the mystery of the missing glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right, all right. I\u2019m sorry, detective Hughes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While grandfather and grandson were standing silently in the garage defeated, Charlie heard faint barking. At first he didn\u2019t pay attention to it. Then he suddenly snapped his fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuke!\u201d the boy exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d Herbert was once again confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuke!\u201d Charlie repeated enthusiastically. \u201cMr. Moore\u2019s dog\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie pressed his right ear to the garage door. The barking continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, Duke sometimes wanders around the neighborhood,\u201d the boy continued. \u201cAnd Mr. Moore always says he\u2019s glad to have a companion, but Duke is still a young pup and very energetic, and sometimes manages to escape when Mr. Moore opens the gate. And Duke likes to pick up stuff, especially from our garage when the door is open\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie returned to his more calm expression and started pacing again. \u201cHere\u2019s what I think happened. Mum was helping dad in the garage and one of them accidentally pushed the laundry basket. Your glasses fell on the ground and Duke took them while sniffing around. But mum and dad didn\u2019t notice that. Mum also didn\u2019t notice that one of the socks was missing,\u201d Charlie showed the sock they had found earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite the theory, detective Hughes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShall we go and test it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see why not. My glasses are nowhere to be found here\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy detective and his client left the house and went to their neighbor\u2019s. Duke was playfully running around Mr. Moore\u2019s front yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh yes, look at that little rascal,\u201d Herbert said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie opened the gate and they walked in the front yard. Duke saw the guests and started jumping on them in joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArgh, my back!\u201d Herbert exclaimed. \u201cIt suffered too much today\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome one, Duke,\u201d Charlie said to the dog. \u201cLet\u2019s go find Mr. Moore\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two young boys ran to the front door and Charlie rang the doorbell. Mr. Moore opened it and Duke immediately started jumping on his owner in joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArgh! My back!\u201d Mr. Moore exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie couldn\u2019t help but giggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOi! You\u2019ll see one day when you get my age,\u201d Mr. Moore said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, let the boy laugh, Eugene\u201d Herbert said while slowly approaching them, supporting his back. \u201cWe used to be the same, no doubt\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, what can I do for you, gentlemen?\u201d Mr. Moore asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy grandfather\u2019s glasses have disappeared, and after a thorough investigation, I believe they are in your house\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my house?\u201d Mr. Moore was surprised. \u201cAre you accusing me of stealing his glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot you,\u201d Herbert interfered. \u201cYour dog\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duke tilted his head to one side at the old man as if he understood he was being accused of stealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuke?\u201d Mr. Moore sounded offended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy dad was working in the garage earlier and he usually leaves the door open,\u201d Charlie said. \u201cAnd Duke occasionally comes for a visit and finds something to play with. We believe it was my grandfather\u2019s glasses this morning\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish I could help you, gentlemen, but Duke hasn\u2019t brought in any glasses,\u201d Mr. Moore replied. \u201cOnly mine,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy detective lifted one eyebrow in suspicion. \u201cYour<\/em> glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Mr. Moore answered. \u201cI don\u2019t know why he was playing with them or how he got them, but at some point he brought them to me\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grandfather and grandson looked at each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan we see your glasses, Mr. Moore?\u201d Charlie asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee them?\u201d their elderly neighbor seemed surprised. \u201cWell, sure. I don\u2019t see why not\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He let them inside and took them to the living room. He picked up the glasses that were upon his armchair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, here they are,\u201d he said somewhat proudly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert took them and strained his eyes. They looked like his but he wasn\u2019t sure. \u201cAnd you\u2019re certain these are your glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Moore also strained his eyes to take a better look. \u201cWell, I can\u2019t be completely certain if I\u2019m not wearing my glasses to see the details\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, me, too,\u201d Herbert said straining his eyes even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie sighed and looked at Duke. \u201cWe won\u2019t get anywhere like this,\u201d he took the glasses from his grandfather. \u201cI\u2019ll check them. Are there any specific details?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, mine have beige frames,\u201d Mr. Moore said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo do mine,\u201d Herbert added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The glasses in Charlie\u2019s hands were indeed beige.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd they\u2019re big,\u201d Mr. Moore continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo are mine,\u201d Herbert added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Charlie was, in fact, holding big, beige glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAha!\u201d suddenly Herbert exclaimed. \u201cMine have a text on the inner frame – \u2018Property of Herbert Brown\u2019, for situations like this one\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, how posh,\u201d Mr. Moore mumbled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herbert frowned but didn\u2019t say anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, let\u2019s see,\u201d Charlie said and looked for the text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two elderly men waited in anticipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere it is!\u201d Charlie exclaimed. \u201cIt clearly says \u2018Property of Herbert Brown\u2019 on the inner frame\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere?\u201d Mr. Moore was surprised and strained his eyes once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t believe my boy, Eugene?\u201d Herbert asked angrily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, these glasses have been in my house all morning and you two suddenly come and claim they\u2019re yours,\u201d Mr. Moore replied even more angrily. \u201cWhat would you think in my position?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you said Duke brought them to you,\u201d Herbert continued. \u201cDidn\u2019t it seem strange that he was playing with your glasses? Do you regularly let him do that? Hmm?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow I play with my dog is none of your business!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGentlemen, please!\u201d Charlie interfered. He knew the two old men were close friends since forever and didn\u2019t want to see them fight over something so silly. \u201cMr. Moore, where do you usually keep your glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn the side table,\u201d he pointed to the small table by his armchair. \u201cOr in my internal left pocket,\u201d he added and placed his hand there and pulled his glasses out by habit. \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Moore looked at the glasses he was holding and then at the glasses in Charlie\u2019s hand. \u201cBy Jove!\u201d he exclaimed, then put his glasses on and took the ones from the boy. He could clearly see the text on the inner frame – \u2018Property of Herbert Brown\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy, it seems I owe you two an apology,\u201d Mr. Moore added. \u201cAnd so do you, Duke!\u201d he scolded his young pup, which whined and lay down in guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take these,\u201d Herbert said and took his glasses back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut how? I don\u2019t understand,\u201d Mr. Moore was baffled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere\u2019s how I think it happened,\u201d Charlie started pacing again as he told the story. \u201cMy grandfather was reading his morning newspaper when my mum called him for breakfast. He placed his glasses on his bed, upon his cardigan. Then later mum took the laundry basket and started collecting clothes from our rooms. She took his cardigan without noticing the glasses. I believe the frame somehow got caught in the cardigan\u2019s fabric and in the basket they went\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInteresting theory,\u201d Mr. Moore said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen mum went to the garage to pick some clothes from my dad who was busy with our car,\u201d the boy detective continued. \u201cHe needed help, so she left the laundry basket upon a little table. At some point one of them accidentally pushed the basket and some of the clothes fell on the ground, alongside his glasses\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you figure all that out?\u201d Mr. Moore was most intrigued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI found one sock in a box\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA sock in a box?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. A sock in a box in the garage\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould have gotten there another way,\u201d Mr. Moore opposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould have… but his partner is hanging outside as we speak,\u201d Charlie said decisively. \u201cWhich means both socks were from today\u2019s laundry. Besides, my grandfather\u2019s glasses must have gotten out of the laundry basket somehow and that is the only explanation\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut how does Duke get into this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dog lifted his head. He was also interested in what the prosecution had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen my dad works in the garage, he usually keeps the door open. I really don\u2019t know why exactly, but Duke has taken stuff before, too\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dog put his head down again. He knew he was guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAy, you little rascal,\u201d Mr. Moore scolded his faithful companion but with a gentle tone. Duke whined guiltily in reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost times my dad notices and manages to take it back,\u201d Charlie continued his narrative. \u201cBut this morning, it would seem none of them noticed Duke took my grandfather\u2019s glasses. And when he returned to you, you assumed they were your glasses\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Moore suddenly started clapping. \u201cBravo, my boy! This certainly is quite the investigation you have conducted!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlie blushed and bowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m telling you, Eugene, this boy here is really bright,\u201d Herbert added. \u201cHe\u2019s our pride\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy detective blushed even more and tried to hide his face away. The two elderly men laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCharlie!\u201d suddenly they all heard Lily\u2019s voice from outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMum!\u201d the boy shouted in turn and ran outside, followed by the perpetrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, look at them sprinting,\u201d Mr. Moore said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what it was like to be young, Eugene, but we have long forgotten,\u201d Herbert added and they both laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, there you are, honey!\u201d Lily sighed. \u201cWhy were you in Mr. Moore\u2019s house? Is everything all right? Where\u2019s your grandfather?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverything\u2019s fine, mum. Duke had taken grandpa\u2019s glasses, so we went to retrieve them\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dog whined again in guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe took your grandfather\u2019s glasses? How?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you!\u201d Charlie exclaimed enthusiastically. \u201cI conducted an investigation and figured everything out\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou conducted an investigation?\u201d Lily was surprised by her little boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes! And it all started with you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith me?\u201d Lily was most surprised. \u201cWhat do I have to do with this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy detective giggled and told her all about his investigation as they walked inside the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right before he went to bed, Charlie peeked in the living room and saw his grandfather snoozing in his armchair. His glasses were on the side table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merlin meowed next to the boy as if to say \u201cwell done\u201d. Charlie smiled and petted his furry companion. Then he went to bed pleased, knowing he successfully solved the case of the missing glasses and his grandfather was able to finish reading his newspaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 2026 Lina Dimitrova \u2013 Lina Narratives. All rights reserved.
This story is an original work and is protected by copyright. Reproduction or redistribution without permission is prohibited.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Genre: Detective Stories,\u00a0Children Type: Short Story Summary: Herbert can\u2019t find his glasses anywhere. His grandson, Charlie, takes on the role of a cunning detective to solve the mystery of the missing glasses. Publish date: 29\/04\/2026 Words count: 3.9K Read time: ~ 21 minutes Author\u2019s notes: Suitable for all ages This story is an original work by Lina […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":257333782,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1343,2275898],"tags":[1747,40287],"class_list":["post-322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-children","category-detective-stories","tag-fiction","tag-short-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/ph2CI6-5c","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/257333782"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":881,"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions\/881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linanarratives.com\/bg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}