“Where are we going to eat?” Benny asked.
“Good question,” Henry replied.
“I know,” Violet said. “Let’s buy some food and fix lunch in our kitchenette.”
“That would be fun,” Jessie agreed.
Benny was doubtful. “Where are we going to buy food? I haven’t seen a grocery store anywhere.”
“He’s right,” Jessie said.
“There must be some place around here,” Violet said.
The Aldens walked a few blocks and then Benny exclaimed, “Look! Over there!”
“It’s a deli,” Henry said.
“That’s food,” Benny pointed out.
The children ran into the delicatessen and bought ham, cheese, bread, fruit, cookies, and hot chocolate mix.
When the Aldens got back to The Plymouth with their bag of food, Jessie looked around the lobby, her eyes wide. “There are an awful lot of people here,” she said.
Henry laughed. “It’s New York City, Jessie. There are ‘an awful lot of people here.’ ”
“It seems more than usual,” Jessie said, thoughtfully.
Benny grabbed Jessie’s hand. “Come on! Let’s go upstairs and eat. Never mind the people.”
“Benny’s right, as usual,” Henry said.
They went up to their rooms. They took dishes out of a little cupboard in the kitchenette and made ham-and-cheese sandwiches. They put the sandwiches and fruit on plates. Henry put water up to boil on the tiny stove. When it was bubbling, he put the hot chocolate mix into four cups and poured the water over it. Benny carefully stirred the mixture and licked the spoon.
They took their plates over to a table next to a window and ate contentedly.
“We forgot mustard,” Benny said.
“We’ll just have to rough it,” Jessie said, smiling.
They all laughed and finished their lunch.
“What are we going to do this afternoon?” Benny asked.
“Before we do anything,” Jessie said, “I know what I want to do.”
“What?” Violet asked.
“I don’t care what you said, Henry. I think there were a lot of people in the lobby. I want to see why,” Jessie said.
“Let’s go,” Benny said. “It’s another mystery.”
“We’ll go,” Henry answered, “but I’ll bet there’s no mystery.”
In the lobby, there was a crowd of people around Joan Ames, all calling out different things.
“There are no towels in my bathroom.”
“The hangers are gone from my closet, and all my clothes are on the bed.”
“I have no shower curtain.”
“My pillows have disappeared.”
“You see!” Jessie said. “I was right!”
Ms. Ames, looking very upset, said in a firm voice, “Please calm down! Everything will be taken care of.”
“I’m never coming to this hotel again,” an angry man said.
“Me, either,” said someone else.
Suddenly Don Parker came running over. “What’s happening, Joan? Can I help you?”
“You can certainly help our guests,” she answered.
She called out, “Please! This is Mr. Parker, our assistant manager. He will take care of each one of you. Just tell him your problem.”
Joan whispered to Mr. Parker, “I’m going to try to find out how this happened.” Then she ran off.
“Don’t worry — I’ll take care of everything,” he called after her.
“Do you suppose we could help Mr. Parker?” Violet asked her sister and brothers.
“I don’t know how,” Henry answered.
“We can ask him,” Benny said.
“Right! Let’s go!” Jessie added.
The Aldens ran over to Mr. Parker, who was surrounded by guests. “Can we help in any way?” Jessie asked him.
Mr. Parker sighed. “I wish Ms. Ames had stayed here.” Then he said, “I guess you could just tell the guests I’ll talk to each one personally and take care of their problems.”
The children circulated around the lobby and spoke to each guest who was upset. When things were quieter Jessie said, “I think we should go back to our rooms and try to figure out what is going on here.”
“I said right away there was a mystery,” Benny said, proudly.
Back in the suite, Henry got some paper and a pencil. “I’ll write down everything that’s been strange since we got here.”
Jessie began, “Well, first of all our reservation had been cancelled. And there were no bellhops.”
“And then, before we went into our rooms, a man was complaining to the maid, Lucille. He said she hadn’t cleaned his room. But she said she had,” Violet noted.
“And then, that Karen Walsh poked her head out of her door and listened,” Benny added.
“And the pool was dyed purple,” Jessie said.
“And you liked Mike,” Violet said, grinning.
“I didn’t, and that is not part of the mystery,” Jessie replied.
“You forgot the man who always wears sunglasses,” Henry said.
“Right! And the salt and sugar were mixed up in the coffee shop,” Violet went on.
“And Karen Walsh didn’t want me to see what she was writing,” Benny said.
“And we heard Lucille and Malcolm arguing on the street,” Jessie said.
Henry said, “Go slower. I can’t write that fast.”
“And last,” Violet said, “all those people in the lobby complaining that things were missing from their rooms.”
“What does it all mean?” Benny asked.
The Aldens were all quiet. “I don’t have any idea,” Jessie said.
“I don’t either,” Henry and Violet said together.
“This is a really mysterious mystery,” Benny said.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Benny ran and opened it. Mr. Grant, from next door, and his son, Bobby, were standing there. “I’m sorry to bother you,” Mr. Grant said. “But I wonder if I could use your phone?”
“Of course,” Jessie said. “Is yours out of order?”
“It’s gone,” Bobby said.
“Gone?” Violet asked.
Mr. Grant shrugged. “Do you believe it? Someone took our phone! I want to call the desk and tell them.”
The children exchanged glances. Just then Mr. Alden came into the room. As Mr. Grant called the desk, the Aldens started telling their grandfather everything that had happened.
They all talked at once, until Grandfather held up his hand. “Wait a minute. One at a time.”
The children took turns until they had told Mr. Alden everything.
“Wow!” Bobby said.
Mr. Alden said, “Well, it all does seem strange, but I’m sure it can be explained.”
“Grandfather,” Benny said, sounding disappointed, “don’t you think it’s a real mystery?”
Mr. Alden laughed. “Well, maybe, Benny, but I think the hotel has to solve it. I’ll talk to Ms. Ames, if it will make you children happier.”
“Do, Grandfather!” Jessie said.
“Meanwhile,” Grandfather said, “you children are here to enjoy yourselves. What do you have planned for tomorrow?”
“How about the Empire State Building?” Jessie asked.
The others all agreed. Benny said to Mr. Alden, “Can Bobby come, too?”
“I think he has to ask his father,” Mr. Alden replied.
“Can I, Dad? Can I?” Bobby asked eagerly.
“Well, I guess it would be all right. How old are you, Henry?” Mr. Grant asked.
“Fourteen,” Henry replied, standing up tall.
“I guess you can look after Bobby,” Mr. Grant said. “Meanwhile, Bobby, we have to leave the Aldens to themselves.”
As they left, Benny called out to Bobby, “See you tomorrow!”
|