“Benny, what are you going to use that star for?” Violet asked a few days later. Benny was at the kitchen table. He had glue, scissors, cardboard, and a small pile of shiny gold paper spread in front of him.
“I’m making Watch a gold star for his doghouse.” Benny carefully cut out the cardboard star Violet had drawn for him.
Violet smiled. “Watch has been doing well in rehearsal.”
“Yes.” Benny nodded. “Nothing’s gone wrong for a few days. Jim doesn’t even yell as much anymore.” Benny continued cutting the cardboard.
“Grandfather is taking us all out to dinner,” Violet told Benny.
“Really!” Benny exclaimed. He put down his scissors. “I hope we’re going to the pizzeria.”
“If that’s where you want to go, Benny, the pizzeria it will be,” Grandfather said as he came into the kitchen. “Are you ready to leave soon?”
“I am sort of hungry,” Benny admitted.
At dinner, Benny ordered two slices of his favorite pizza — pepperoni with special tomato sauce and lots of cheese. He also asked for apple juice and a green salad.
Henry took a bite of his pizza. “You know, the man at the table by the window looks kind of familiar,” he remarked.
Violet and Jessie looked sideways. “I think I’ve seen his picture in the paper,” Jessie said. She poured some dressing on her salad.
Grandfather frowned a little. “I know I’ve seen him before, too,” he said slowly. “I just can’t remember where.”
Benny reached for his glass of apple juice. “I don’t know him,” he said. “Oops!” Benny shouted as his glass of juice spilled onto the red-and-white checked tablecloth.
Several people in the restaurant turned toward their table, including the man who looked familiar. When he saw the Aldens, he started to nod in their direction, then suddenly stopped and turned away.
A waiter in a white apron hurried over with a wet cloth. Another waiter brought Benny a new glass of juice.
“Did you see that?” Violet asked her sister.
“What, the juice spilling?” Jessie asked.
“No.” Violet shook her head. “That man who looked familiar knows us, too, I think.”
Jessie turned toward the man, but he had put on his coat and was heading out the door. She shrugged. “I guess he must have finished eating,” she said to Violet.
Benny took a big sip from his new glass. “This juice tastes much better,” he told the waiter, who laughed.
“Enjoy the rest of your meal,” the waiter said.
Soo Lee carefully put her glass of grape juice on the table. “I hope it doesn’t spill,” she said.
Grandfather said, “Don’t worry. Oh, Soo Lee that reminds me.” He turned in his chair to face her. “Alice dropped off a suitcase of clothes for you today. She said you could stay at our house until the play is over.”
Soo Lee smiled happily. She liked staying with her cousins.
Benny pushed aside his empty plate. “You know,” he told his family, “Watch really liked his gold star. I put it on his house before we left.”
“How do you know he liked it?” Henry teased.
“Because he tried to jump up and lick it,” Benny said.
Grandfather chuckled. “I hope his stardom doesn’t go to his head,” he remarked, as he looked proudly around the table. “You’re all doing so well with this play.”
“Oh, we’re enjoying it,” Jessie said. “It’s just too bad so many funny things happened in the beginning.”
“At least, Melody’s been on her best behavior at rehearsals,” Violet remarked.
“I’ve noticed that,” Henry said. He poured himself some water from the pitcher. “That talk with Jim must have really scared her.”
“You really think she’s the one who made the phone call, wrote the note, and took all those props?” Jessie asked.
“Don’t forget the ripped costume,” Benny reminded her.
“I don’t know what to think,” Henry said slowly. “At first I thought Melody wanted to give Sarah a bad time for getting the lead, but now I’m not so sure.”
“I know what you mean.” Jessie played with her spoon. “Melody seems really scared when anything bad happens, and lately she’s tried to do her best.”
“I don’t think she wants to hurt the show,” Violet agreed.
“Then who does?” Benny wondered.
“That’s what we have to find out.” Henry said.
As the Aldens drove home from the restaurant, they passed the Community Playhouse.
“Hey, look!” Benny shouted. A bright light shone from the second floor.
“That’s where the stage is. Maybe someone is practicing,” Soo Lee suggested.
“So late?” Grandfather asked, looking at his watch.
“We saw Jim turn all the lights out after rehearsal. He even locked the door. No one’s supposed to be in there,” Violet pointed out.
“No, but someone is,” Henry said.
Grandfather stopped the car and the Aldens got out. Henry tried the door, but it was locked.
“That’s funny,” Violet said.
“Maybe Jim or Nancy came back to check on something and forgot to turn the lights off,” Jessie said.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do now,” Grandfather said.
“We’ll tell Jim in the morning,” said Henry.
“He’s not going to like this,” Benny added. |