BEANS: SPILLED. EMERALDS: MISSING.

I almost choked on my Fruity Pebbles this morning when I heard Jr. Deducers Horowitz & Barnett spilling their beans on the radio (click here to listen for yourself). Apparently, they do not understand the "confidential" in Confidential Assistant. Nevertheless, though their discretion was weak, their facts were strong: the Emerald Khroniker was indeed stolen, and three digits remain hidden underground — including the jewel-encrusted Twelve. See below for a rare history of the Khroniker:

Comments

[Jessica Lee]

Mr. Twintig,
It is good to see that you are taking such good care of your health, having switched from a marshmallowy breakfast cereal to one with both fruit and minerals! I, too, was shocked at the indiscretion of your assistants. Perhaps this bold move will bring fresh eyes to the case and help us pry those last stubborn digits from the stony earth. I just pray that Dodge and his minions listen to commercial radio.

[journo]

Any update about the emerald found in New Braunfels, Texas? Never before has Texas been so quiet.

[Augustus Twintig]

Ms Lee: Thank you for noticing! The Fruity Pebbles took some getting used to, I must admit -- for the first week I had to pour a tablespoon of maple syrup on top, just to give it a bit of sweetness. But now I've fully embraced my new healthy lifestyle -- straight Pebbles every breakfast, with no other snacks til my mid-morn Ho-Ho.

Journo: The New Braunfels Nine remains a mystery. It has been claimed — there's no doubt about that — but I've been unable to learn anything more about the claimer.