If it's not chess pieces or books it's football cards that are left lying around and somehow it's assumed I will know the whereabouts of all things at all times when the small people misplace them.
We have what we call Mama looks or Daddy looks in our house. A Daddy look is pretty typical of both hubby and teenager: where is so-and-so? I reply "in the cupboard on the second shelf on the left." They will open the door, look in and declare "it's not there." A Mama look on the other hand involves going to the exact same spot and moving one small thing aside to reveal said missing article........"well, you didn't say it was BEHIND something" they chorus.....