Posted inside the treehouse door
House Rules
The agency has rules. Most of them were made by Mom. A few were made by the manager. One or two were learned the hard way, which is the most expensive way to learn anything.
- Tell Mom where you are going. All of it. Even the parts that are hard to explain.From: Mom
- When the streetlights come on, you have twenty minutes to be through the front door. Snow or no snow. Even for a case.From: Mom
- Ask permission before every outing. A detective who sneaks off is not a detective. He is a runaway with a magnifying glass.From: The Manager
- Do not touch the evidence. Look first. Draw it. Then think.From: The Lead Detective
- Being sure is a feeling. Evidence is a fact. Only one of them goes in the file.From: The Manager
- A detective may suspect anyone he likes. He may accuse only when he can prove it.From: The Manager
- Before you blame someone, ask them. Politely. Then be quiet long enough to hear the answer.From: The Lead Detective, who learned this the hard way
- If a sled ever gets away from you, do not try to be a hero. Roll off. A sled is cheaper than a nose.From: Dad
- Some secrets are not yours to tell.From: Everyone, eventually
- Payment for the manager’s services is accepted in sardines.From: The Manager