The Aldens took their sack lunches and went outside to the park beside the Civic Center. Jessie spread the blue tablecloth from their boxcar days on a grassy hillock. Benny had even remembered to bring his old cracked pink cup.
“This is like old times,” Henry said. “All we need is the boxcar.”
“And Watch,” Jessie added.
“Sometimes I wish we were still living in the boxcar,” Benny put in.
“I don’t,” Violet said. “I never would have learned to play the violin if we hadn’t come to live with Grandfather.”
“And you wouldn’t know me,” Soo Lee said.
“That’s right,” Benny said to his sister and his cousin. “I forgot.”
Henry laughed. “Things work out.”
“Except for this mystery,” Jessie said. “I wonder if it’ll work out at all.”
“Let’s go over what we know,” Henry suggested.
“We know the music’s missing,” Soo Lee responded.
“And that Victor took the score to the hotel,” Violet said.
“Two false notes,” Jessie added. “And two ransacked rooms.”
“Don’t forget about Melody and that mysterious man,” Benny put in.
Henry looked sad. “We always come back to Melody, don’t we?”
“It’s not Melody,” Violet said. “Someone else signed her name to those notes.”
“At least that’s what we think,” Jessie reminded her sister.
Benny’s face lit up. “I got it: Melody signed the notes herself and just told us she didn’t.”
“That’s a possibility,” Henry agreed.
“But what about the ransacked rooms?” Violet asked.
“Yes,” Soo Lee said. “Melody didn’t do that. She was at the Civic Center with us.”
Henry shrugged. “Maybe she has a partner.”
“The mysterious man! I’ll bet he messed up the rooms,” Benny piped up.
Violet crushed her lunch sack and got to her feet. “Melody did not do any of this!” She stalked off toward the Center.
“Wait, Violet!” Benny called. “We didn’t say she did it — only that she might have.”
But Violet was already inside the building.
Benny’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t like to see Violet upset. “Now what?” he asked the others.
“Let’s go and listen to the orchestra rehearse,” Henry answered.
They found Violet in the front row and sat down beside her. Victor was at the podium, his baton raised, ready to begin.
“Violet, I — ” Benny began.
“Shhh!” she said.
Just as the music began, Bob Weldon hurried in a side door. He saw the Aldens and headed toward them.
When he reached Jessie, he whispered, “I wonder if you’d be kind enough to run an errand for me.”
“Yes, of course,” Jessie whispered back. “What is it?”
Bob motioned for her to follow him.
“Bob wants me to run an errand for him,” she told the others. “I’ll be back soon.” She started up the aisle.
“I’ll go with you,” Benny offered. He crawled over Henry and hurried after his sister.
In the lobby, Bob told them, “I left my glasses in my room. They’re in my briefcase on the desk. I’d get them myself, but I can’t leave right now. Too busy.”
“We’ll be happy to get them for you,” Jessie said.
“Thank you,” Bob said. He gave Jessie his room key and hurried off.
Bob’s briefcase was on the desk in his hotel room. Benny got to it first. Its latch was closed. Benny fiddled with it.
“Wait, Benny, let me do — !” Jessie said, but it was too late.
The briefcase fell to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere.
Benny stood looking at the mess. “Oops,” he said.
“Oops is right,” Jessie said.
Benny began picking up things. “Here’re the glasses.”
“Just pile the rest on the desk,” Jessie instructed. “No sense putting the papers back in the briefcase. We won’t get them in the right order.”
They were ready to leave when Benny saw something under the desk chair. He knelt down and reached for it.
“It’s a plane ticket,” he said and sat back on his heels to examine it. He handed it to Jessie.
“You’re right, it’s a plane ticket,” she said and set it on the desk.
“Where’s it to?” Benny asked. “Doesn’t it say Paris?”
Jessie glanced at the ticket. “Yes.” She examined the ticket more closely.
“That’s in France, isn’t it?”
Jessie nodded. “And the ticket’s for tomorrow afternoon.” She looked puzzled.
“That’s funny,” Benny said. “The concert isn’t until tomorrow night. Why would Bob leave before that?”
Jessie shook her head. “I don’t know, Benny. Maybe he has to go on ahead to make arrangements for the next concert.”
“But the orchestra’s not going to Paris,” Benny reminded her. “It’s going to Cleveland!” |