By the time Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny got back from the grocery store the next morning, it was just starting to rain.
“I hope Reena still wants to go sightseeing,” said Benny, while they put the groceries away.
“Remember what she said, Benny?” Violet put the onions and green peppers into the refrigerator. “Rain or shine!”
Henry pulled a jar of tomato sauce out of the grocery bag. “It’s supposed to clear up,” he said. “At least, that’s what they said on the radio.”
“Even if it doesn’t, we’re not going to let a little rain stop us, are we?” asked Jessie.
“No way!” cried Benny. “Nothing stops the Aldens!”
It wasn’t long before they were splashing their way along the wet sidewalks. When they were almost at the diner, a woman came rushing out, hidden beneath a blue umbrella. She was in such a hurry, she almost knocked Violet over.
“Are you okay, Violet?” asked Henry. They watched the woman dash away.
Violet nodded slowly, her eyes still fixed on the woman under the blue umbrella. “I think so.”
“That lady wasn’t very nice,” said Benny, as they stepped inside the Hungry Heart Diner.
“No, she wasn’t,” Jessie was quick to agree. “She didn’t even stop to apologize.”
The Aldens left their drippy umbrellas in a stand by the door, then made their way to an empty table by the window. No sooner had they sat down than the waitress hurried over, shaking her head.
“This section’s closed, kids,” she said. “If you’ll follow me, there’s a spot over here.”
“No problem,” Jessie said. They headed for an empty booth nearby.
Henry craned his neck as he glanced around. “I don’t see Reena anywhere,” he said. “Do you?”
Jessie shook her head. “No, but I think we’re a bit early. What time do you have, Violet?”
Violet didn’t answer. She seemed to be deep in thought.
“What’s wrong, Violet?” Jessie asked, giving her sister a gentle nudge. She could see that something was troubling her.
“Nothing really,” said Violet. “I was just thinking about that woman outside.”
“The one who bumped into you?” asked Henry.
Violet nodded. “For a second, I thought it was Aunt Jane.”
The others looked at her in surprise. “Aunt Jane’s back in Connecticut,” Henry reminded her. “Miles and miles away.” Aunt Jane and Uncle Andy lived in the small town of Elmford. The four Alden children often took the bus from Greenfield to visit them.
“Besides,” added Jessie, “Aunt Jane would never be that rude.”
Benny was quick to agree. “She’d never bump into somebody and then just hurry away without even saying she was sorry.”
“I know.” Violet laughed a little. “That’s what makes it so weird.”
“We might as well take a look at the selections while we’re waiting,” Henry suggested. He reached for the menus tucked behind the shiny napkin dispenser.
“Good idea!” said Benny scooting closer to the table. “I wonder if they have any—oh!”
“What is it, Benny?” Jessie asked.
“There’s a piece of paper stuck to the bottom of the table,” he answered in surprise.
“Maybe it’s a list of the specials,” joked Jessie.
“It’s a note!” said Benny, prying the folded piece of paper loose. “Can you read it, Jessie?”
Taking the note, Jessie began to read silently. Then her eyes widened and she gasped.
Violet asked, “What does it say?”
“It … it’s some kind of message,” Jessie said in a quiet voice.
The others were instantly curious. “Read it, Jessie,” urged Benny.
“All right.” Jessie nodded. Then she read aloud:
Through the eye of a needle
a clue can be found
where a saucer is resting
high off the ground.
“That sure isn’t a list of the specials!” noted Benny.
Violet laughed. “We were close, Benny,” she said. “It’s a mystery, and that’s our specialty.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” said Henry, when Jessie passed him the note. “How can you find a clue through the eye of a needle?”
“It must be a teeny-weeny clue,” Benny said. “I wonder who left the message here?”
“And why,” added Jessie.
“Oh, here comes Reena!” Benny put up a hand and waved.
Jessie quickly put the note in her pocket. “Let’s keep this to ourselves for now,” she said in a low voice.
Nobody argued. The Aldens wanted to figure a few things out on their own first. |