As soon as they arrived at Penny’s Emporium the next morning, the Aldens heard popcorn popping. Penny stood at the cash register, ringing up a sale. When Janet saw the Aldens, she disappeared into the storeroom.
“I must say, she spends more time back there than out in the store sometimes,” Penny told the Aldens. “Well, I’m glad you Aldens are here to lend a few hands again. I’m off to visit some of my suppliers today.”
“What would you like us to do?” Jessie asked.
“You and Violet can stock the pushcart with some souvenir snow globes of Hope Harbor. People love those. Hap offered to bring up some shipments from the warehouse, but I’d rather send Henry down instead. Every time I turn around, Hap Merchant is in my way! As for Benny, he’s my caramel corn man. I just made a batch that he can scoop into the boxes. If anybody comes in for pirate pictures, both boys can do that. See you in a few hours.”
After Penny left, Jessie and Violet knocked on the storeroom door. They found Janet shaking the plastic snow globes and staring into each one.
“Penny said for us to put some of those out on the pushcart,” Violet said, picking up one of the snow globes.
Janet looked cross. “Put that down. They’re not ready to be sold yet. I have to check them first. Take some of those carved wooden boxes for the pushcart instead.”
Jessie and Violet looked at each other.
Finally Jessie spoke up. “But ... but Penny said—”
“Never mind what Penny said,” Janet interrupted. “I’ll explain to her about these later. Take the wooden boxes.”
Jessie and Violet obeyed. Quietly they stocked the pushcart with wooden boxes, some souvenir pot holders, and some gift mugs. They pushed the cart into the mall area.
“I wonder why she was staring into all those snow globes,” Violet said to Jessie.
Jessie sighed. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not worth arguing with Janet.”
The girls were soon too busy to think about Janet. Inside the store, Benny filled up caramel corn boxes. When he was done, he went over to help Henry with the pirate photos.
“Go back and ask Janet to give you some film from the storeroom. There’s none left here,” Henry told Benny.
Janet didn’t like being interrupted. “What are you doing here?” she asked Benny when he entered the storeroom. “I thought Penny wanted you to fill up the popcorn boxes.”
Benny gulped. He never seemed to say the right thing around this young woman. “I finished that already. Henry said to ask you something.” He took a deep breath but no words came out.
Janet shoved some boxes onto a shelf. “Well, what do you want? I’m very busy.”
“Henry says he needs film,” Benny said quickly. “There’s no more in the camera.”
“Well, tell him he’ll have to go to Fast Photo to pick up some more film.”
At that moment, the back door to the storeroom opened. The young crewman from the docks stood there looking at Benny, then at Janet.
“I ... uh ... guess I came in the wrong way again,” the young man said. “I’ll go around and come in the front way.”
Janet stood up. “Never mind. You can go through here.”
The crewman stepped over the boxes in the storeroom. Janet and Benny trailed after him into the shop.
Janet went straight over to Henry. “I need the four of you to run errands for me. First, get some film from Fast Photo. Just charge it to the shop.”
Jessie decided to speak up. “Are you sure all four of us have to go, Janet? Penny asked us to help sell things from the pushcart. You’ll be the only one in the store.”
Janet put her hands on her hips. “I’ve done it before. In fact, covering the shop by myself is easier than supervising new people. If you really want to help out, then please pick up what I need.” With that, Janet turned away from the children.
“Those two seem to know each other,” Violet whispered to Jessie, “but they act like strangers when we’re around.”
“Know what?” Benny asked, whispering. “That man came in the storeroom again by mistake.”
“I noticed that,” Jessie said. “Customers aren’t supposed to use the back entrance. I wonder how he got in. You need a key to the back staircase.”
When Janet saw the children whispering, she came over to them again. “If all you’re doing is standing around talking, then do it during the errands I asked you to do.”
“First, I’m going down to the warehouse to pick up those boxes Penny told me about,” Henry said.
“What boxes?” Janet demanded.
“Hap told Penny there were deliveries for the shop that arrived,” Henry explained. “I was going to pick them up now, then go on your errands.”
Janet wasn’t having any of this. “I’m afraid my errands are more urgent. I’ll make other arrangements for someone to pick up those boxes. Now, all of you, please get going.”
“Whew, I wish people would make up their minds,” Henry said after the children left the store. “Penny tells us one thing, then when she’s gone, Janet wants something else.”
Jessie frowned. “You know what I’ve noticed? Janet never wants Henry to pick up shipments when she’s around.”
Henry shrugged. “Well, she’s in charge whenever Penny’s gone, so I guess we should do what she says.”
Before he left with Henry and his sisters, Benny remembered something. “Well, I’m bringing my monkey with me. I don’t want to leave it here anymore.”
Benny went to fetch his monkey from under the counter.
“I thought you left,” Janet said.
Benny scooted past the young woman. “I forgot something.”
Jessie followed Benny behind the counter. Bending down, Jessie slid her hand back and forth over the shelf where she and Benny had hidden the bag. “Benny, you didn’t move the bag this morning, did you?”
Now Benny scooted behind the counter. “Don’t worry, Jessie. It’s behind a box. I know it’s there. I’ll get it.”
But when Benny moved the box, he discovered the space behind it was totally empty.
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