Missy Scrivner is an editorial assistant at one of the many publishers that rejected Emerson Cod's pop-up book Lil' Gum Shoe. She wears a significant amount of orthodontic headgear, and must drink all liquids through a straw, but is prone to spilling. A spill onto Emerson's rejection letter obscured his name. Missy's headgear mangled her attempt to locate an E. Cod netting her a C. Cod, Calista, Emerson's mother. This led Calista to begin investigating why her son was writing a book about a Gum Shoe's child.