Great! Here's **Chapter 22: The Disappearing Gardener from the City Park** in its full, comprehensive novel form: ---

 

## **Chapter 22: The Disappearing Gardener from the City Park**

The Jan Słoneczny City Park was one of the most beautiful places in the entire city. Colorful flowerbeds, well-kept paths, and a small pond attracted residents year-round. Everyone knew that Mr. Teofil—an elderly gardener with a kind heart and vast knowledge of plants—was behind this harmony.

One day, however, Mr. Teofil… disappeared.

"Commissioner Nowak!" called Ms. Lena, the park manager. "Mr. Teofil is gone! And he left his tool cart in the middle of the path, as if he'd stopped working mid-work! Please come!"

Jakub glanced at Argo, who immediately jumped to his feet.

"Come, Argo. Something's happened." Mr. Teofil wouldn't disappear without a reason.

The dog barked softly and moved ahead, ready for action.

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### **First Clues**

The park was quiet, but the atmosphere seemed heavier than usual. Abandoned gardening gloves and a watering can lay on the grass, and the flower path looked as if someone had suddenly stopped working.

Argo immediately buried his nose in the garden cart. After a moment, he moved toward the nearby bushes, sniffing intently.

"Got anything?" Jakub asked, following the dog.

The dog stopped at a small clearing. In the grass, among the leaves, lay... Mr. Teofil's hat. The same one he never parted with.

Jakub frowned.

"That's not his style. He would leave his tools behind, but not his hat."

Argo barked briefly and moved on, leading Jakub toward a small forest on the other side of the park.

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### **Building the Tension**

The woods were darker, cooler, and denser than the rest of the park. The residents rarely entered. Argo sniffed faster and faster, as if sensing they were close.

Suddenly, the dog's ears twitched. Argo sprinted toward an old garden gazebo, almost completely overgrown with vines.

"Argo, slow down!" Jakub called, but the dog knew better.

When the commissioner entered the gazebo, his heart skipped a beat.

Mr. Teofil sat in a chair—his head rested against the wall, his eyes closed, his face pale.

"Mr. Teofil!" Jakub called.

Argo approached the man, sniffed him, and barked… calmly. Jakub understood immediately.

"He's alive," he murmured with relief.

The elderly gardener stirred, opened his eyes, and looked at them with tired eyes.

"Oh... Commissioner... Argo..." he whispered. "I'm sorry, I think I overdid it..."

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### **Solution to the Riddle**

It turned out that Mr. Teofil, having been working since early morning, felt faint from dehydration and the heat. He decided to rest in the gazebo, but he fainted so badly that he lost consciousness.

"It could have been serious," Jakub said, helping him to his feet. "It's good that Argo picked up your scent."

Argo wagged his tail proudly, as if he knew he'd saved a man.

"Thank you," the gardener said in a trembling voice. "I just wanted to finish watering the roses... I didn't know I'd get so dizzy."

Jakub called an ambulance, and Mrs. Lena—worried but happy—thanked them for their quick intervention.

"Without Argo, we wouldn't have found him so quickly," she repeated with tears in her eyes.

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### **Reflection after the adventure**

When Mr. Teofil was taken to the hospital for observation, Jakub patted Argo on the head.

"Good job, partner. Another case solved, and the man safe."

The dog barked proudly and sat down in the middle of the alley, as if waiting for the next challenge that was sure to come.

Because in this city, the mysteries never end.

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