In the flickering candlelight the Aldens sat quietly at the table. The bank inspector would be there any minute. The thunder rumbled and the lightning flashed,
It wasn’t long before the pinch-faced man and Kay entered their room. Kay introduced them to Mr. Smiley. But he didn’t look very smiley, Benny thought. He looked more scowly. Mr. Smiley barely nodded as he snooped around the motel. He sniffed as he poked at a bed with his umbrella.
Kay winked at the children as Mr. Smiley walked into the kitchen. Henry gave Kay a thumbs-up sign. They heard the faucet run and the gas stove turn on.
Mr. Smiley came into the room and said, “I’ve seen enough, Mrs. Kingsley, to make an honest assessment.” Glancing at the children, he again nodded coldly. Holding the door open for Kay, Mr. Smiley followed her out of the room.
Jessie breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew,” she said. “I’m glad that’s over!”
“Do you think Kay will get the loan?” Violet asked quietly.
“He looked too fussy to me,” Benny said, lifting his nose in the air, pretending to be Mr. Smiley.
Suddenly, the rain came down in torrents. Henry rushed for a pot to place under the leak above where Benny’s bed used to be.
Jessie took down a game from the closet shelf. “This is a good day to play Monopoly,” she said.
“Yes, it is,” agreed Violet. “Isn’t it nice that Kay has all kinds of games and cards for tourists to check out?”
They played Monopoly for over an hour.
“The rain has stopped,” Jessie said.
Henry opened the door and drops of water fell from the roof. The dark sky, however, had changed to a light gray, and in the east was a rosy-pink streak, which meant the sun might shine after all.
“Let’s go for a bike ride,” Benny said eagerly, pushing the board away. “Violet won.”
“Okay, Benny,” Violet answered. “We can stop at the store and buy bread.”
They all helped to put the game back neatly.
Henry went outside and glanced up at Kay’s house. Mr. Smiley’s car was gone. Coming back in, he said, “Let’s swing around by Kay’s and see if she was given the bank loan.”
“Oh, yes,” Jessie said, holding up two crossed fingers for luck. “I hope.”
“And let’s call Grandfather,” Benny said.
“Oh, good, Benny,” Violet said. “We will.”
Wheeling out the bikes from the nearby shed, they pedaled single file up the narrow path to Kay’s house.
Kay and Aunt Jane were picking roses that grew near the house. The pink blossoms glistened with raindrops.
Aunt Jane turned and smiled. “Hi, children. Did you sleep well last night?”
“After Willie jumped off the roof,” Henry said, straddling his bike, “we were fine.”
Kay laughed. “My cat likes to roam at night.”
“Does he ever!” Jessie said. “Willie’s yellow eyes gave us quite a scare.”
“We were wondering what Mr. Smiley had to say,” Violet asked shyly.
Kay said in a deep voice like Mr. Smiley’s, “ ‘After much thought, I will recommend that you be granted a loan.’ ”
“Hurrah!” Benny yelled. Jessie laughed in delight at Kay’s imitation.
Now Kay’s voice was lighthearted. “I’ve already phoned Rolf, and he’s in Lyndale right now buying shingles to patch the roof. He’s also bringing fuses. He thinks someone stole the fuses from the fuse box and that’s what made the lights go out.”
“Good!” Benny said. “Now we can see, but who did it?”
“I wish we knew,” Kay said. “Too many things are happening!”
“Whoever it is, the person will be caught,” Violet said, trying to reassure Kay.
“When Rolf fixes the roof, no more rain will drip on my face,” Benny said, his face brightening.
Kay chuckled. “That’s right, Benny. No more leaks in the roof.”
“May we call Grandfather?” Jessie asked.
“Please,” Kay answered, gesturing to the phone on the desk.
Jessie dialed the number and told Grandfather Alden what a good time they were having. Violet said hello and didn’t mention any of the mysterious goings on, for fear that he’d worry. Benny eagerly told him about the orange trees and the swimming pool.
After each Alden had talked to Mr. Alden, Henry went over to Kay. “Could we bring you anything?” he offered. “We’re biking to the store.”
Kay glanced at Jane, who shook her head. “I don’t think we need a thing, but thanks,” Kay said.
Cheerfully waving good-bye, the children biked down the muddy lane.
At the store, Jessie bought a loaf of bread. That errand over, they biked to the edge of Lyndale and back.
When they returned, Kay called to them, “Rolf is back with the shingles and has already replaced the missing fuses. He needs a little help with the shingles.”
Benny shouted. “I’ll help.”
“And so will I,” Henry volunteered.
“Wonderful,” Kay said. “I think he just needs someone to hand him the shingles.”
“What can we do?” Violet asked.
Kay smiled. “See all these geraniums? They need potting. I have window boxes stored in the bike shed.”
“Oh, what fun,” Jessie said. “We’ll plant the flowers in the boxes and put them on the windowsills of each motel unit.”
“Right,” Kay said.
“Won’t the red flowers be pretty against the white motel?” Violet said.
“I thought so,” Kay said. “If you’ll do that, Jane and I have a sewing project. You know the small round table by each bed. We’re going to make tablecloths to cover each one in all the units.”
“Aunt Jane is a beautiful seamstress,” Violet said.
Kay chuckled. “I know. She’s already hemmed a skirt for me.”
Rolf climbed the hill. “Hi, kids,” he called. “It’s good to see the sun again, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Benny said, looking up at the big man. “Henry and I will help you with the shingles!”
“Then let’s get started,” Rolf said. “My Jeep is parked below, filled with shingles. Come on, kids.” He hoisted Benny up on his shoulders.
“I’m a roofer today,” Rolf said with a grin, setting Benny on the ground. Rolf wore a cap, jeans, and a navy shirt and looked quite handsome. “Do you want to bring me a bundle of shingles from the Jeep, Henry, while I get the ladder?”
“Sure thing,” Henry said, eager to start.
The girls hauled out eight window boxes and filled them with potting soil from the bags that were lined up against the shed. Then they took the crimson geraniums and planted the first window box.
Rolf placed the ladder against the motel.
Benny shaded his eyes as Rolf climbed halfway up the ladder. “Will you stop the rain from dripping in my eyes?”
“I’m going to patch that very spot,” Rolf promised.
Shingles were stacked high in the back of the jeep.
Henry reached in for a stack but quickly pulled his hand away. Puzzled, he stared at his sticky fingers.
Benny, coming up behind Henry, also tried to lift a shingle, but it was stuck fast.
“Ugh!” Benny said, wiping a thick black substance on the grass. “It won’t come off,” he wailed. “What is it, Henry?”
“I think it’s tar,” Henry said.
The shingles were ruined. Someone had poured tar all over them. |