As the Aldens walked home, they saw Mrs. Saunders’ ice cream truck parked two blocks away from their house. Six children were in line for ice cream.
“Yoooo-hoooo,” Mrs. Saunders called when she saw the Aldens. “How was business today?” She handed a raspberry cone to a girl with brown pigtails.
“Not very good, I’m afraid,” Henry was forced to admit.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Mrs. Saunders said as she took the girl’s change. The Aldens didn’t think she looked sorry at all.
“You really should make sure your cream stays fresh,” Mrs. Saunders said as she adjusted her flowered headband.
The Aldens looked at one another. “How did you know our cream was spoiled?” Benny couldn’t help asking.
“Oh, some of my customers complained about it,” Mrs. Saunders answered. “Wouldn’t you like to try some of my ice cream today? It’s very fresh.”
“No, thanks, we’re not hungry,” Benny answered for all of them.
“I can’t believe how rude she is,” Jessie said angrily when the Aldens were inside their house. She was so upset she didn’t even stop to pet Watch as he came bounding over to greet her.
“Jessie, what’s the matter?” Grandfather called. He sat in the living room reading the newspaper in his big overstuffed armchair.
Grandfather listened closely while his grandchildren told him all that had happened in the parlor, including their meeting with Mrs. Saunders. “Grandfather, don’t you think Mrs. Saunders must have something to do with all that trouble in the parlor?” Jessie asked.
Grandfather shook his head. “I don’t know what to think.” Grandfather folded his paper and put it on the table beside him. “But I do know you all have been working very hard. Why don’t we take Watch for a walk in the park and forget all about the parlor this evening.”
“That sounds good to me,” Benny said happily.
“We’d better leave now so as not to be late for dinner,” Grandfather said as he put on a jacket.
As the Aldens walked to the park, they were happy to see that Mrs. Saunders’ truck had pulled away from their street.
“I’m glad we don’t have to talk to her anymore today,” Benny remarked.
When they arrived in the park, Benny unclipped Watch’s leash. Watch took off at once to chase after some squirrels. An Irish setter followed him.
“Hey, Watch! Watch! Come back!” Benny called.
Grandfather chuckled. “Oh, let him get his exercise. He’s been in the house all day,” he said.
“Look, all the cherry trees are in bloom,” Violet exclaimed.
“The park does look pretty,” Grandfather said looking at the rows of tulips along the park’s edge. The branches of the cherry trees stirred in the wind. Some petals dropped on the ground as the Aldens walked across a great lawn.
“Oh, I see Watch!” Jessie exclaimed. “He’s down by the pond.”
“Why don’t we find a stick for him?” Benny suggested. Henry followed Benny into the woods behind the pond. They had not gone very far when they heard a loud voice behind some trees.
Henry put his fingers to his lips. He was sure he’d heard that voice before. It was the voice of the angry customer who had yelled at Simone the first day.
The man was talking loudly again. “I know I could do a better job than that girl,” he was saying to someone. “I’ve been trained as a waiter. It wasn’t my fault the old man fired me so fast! I’ll show them!”
Benny looked at Henry with big round eyes. He didn’t say a word.
“Take it easy, Joe,” the man’s companion was saying. “You can’t be so mad all the time and expect places to jump at the chance to hire you.”
“But I know I’m better than most people who have those jobs!” Joe exclaimed. “I’m a professional waiter!”
Just then Benny stepped on a twig.
“What was that?” Joe cried. Benny took a few steps backward and looked helplessly at Henry. Henry shook his head as if to tell Benny not to worry. The boys were hidden from the men by thick oak trees.
“Don’t be so jumpy, Joe! It’s probably just someone walking by. This is a public park, you know.”
“You don’t have to be such a wise guy, Larry,” Joe said irritably. “I know it’s a public park.” The men’s voices faded away as they continued on their walk.
Benny and Henry waited until the men were safely out of sight before they left the woods.
“Didn’t you find a stick for Watch?” Jessie asked her brothers when she saw them come toward her empty-handed.
“Oh, Jessie, you’ll never guess what we heard!” Benny exclaimed.
“We saw that angry customer in the woods,” Henry said.
“Now boys, catch your breath and tell us exactly what happened,” Mr. Alden said. Jessie nodded and motioned everyone over to a park bench. Watch, who by that time had grown tired of chasing squirrels, came with them. He lay down by Jessie’s feet.
Quickly Henry told his family the whole conversation between Joe and his friend. “But that doesn’t prove Joe is responsible for all the trouble in the parlor,” Henry added.
“No, it doesn’t,” Jessie was forced to agree. “Do you think the Shoppe fired him?”
“If they did, it must have been Mr. Richards who let him go,” Violet suggested. “Because Mr. Brown didn’t even seem to know him.”
“That’s true, and we’ve never seen him either,” Henry said as he rolled down the sleeves of his sweater. “It’s getting colder out here,” he remarked.
“Yes, the sun is going down,” Grandfather said. “We should start home.”
“Besides,” Jessie reminded them all as they got up to leave, “how would he get in to take all the ice cream and those glasses?”
“You know, I don’t think Joe is to blame,” Henry said. “But if the parlor did fire him, that could explain why he’s so rude whenever he comes in.”
When the Aldens crossed Greenfield’s Main Street, they noticed the street cleaners were out. The cleaners carried big hoses and were washing the sidewalk. Watch tried to lick the pavement.
“You’re thirsty, aren’t you Watch,” Grandfather remarked. “We’ll be home very soon,” he assured the dog.
“The parlor looks quiet tonight. No lights are on, and everything is locked up,” Henry observed as they walked by.
“Mr. Brown must have finally gone home,” Violet said as the Aldens crossed the street.
On the way up their driveway, the Aldens decided Mrs. Saunders was still the prime suspect. “But how does she get into the parlor to take all the ice cream and glasses?” Violet asked. She unzipped her lavender windbreaker as Grandfather opened the front door.
“That’s what we have to find out,” Henry said as he stepped inside and unclipped Watch’s leash.
“I hope Simone and Brian aren’t helping her,” Jessie said. She hung up her navy blue jacket in the hall closet.
“I just can’t believe they would be.” Violet sounded sad.
Henry sighed. “We have to suspect everyone in the parlor, I’m afraid,” he said as he went to wash his hands before dinner.
Before they went to bed that evening, the Aldens met in Benny’s room to think of a plan. They decided Jessie and Violet would report to work at the parlor the next morning. Henry and Benny would ask for the day off to trail Mrs. Saunders’ pink ice cream truck on their bicycles.
“Does that mean we have to eat her ice cream?” Benny asked as he leaned back against his red pillows.
“Well, no,” Henry said thoughtfully. “I don’t think we should draw attention to ourselves. We should just spend a day watching her to see what she does.”
“Are you going to tell Mr. Brown why you want the day off?” Violet wondered.
The others shook their heads. “No, I think for now it’s best not to worry him,” Henry decided. |