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The afternoon sun was getting warm by the time the Aldens got back to the hotel. Toby waved to them from behind the front desk.
“Hi, kids!” he said. “Enjoying our beautiful city?”
“We sure are.” Henry returned the desk clerk’s friendly smile. “We’ve been checking out the sights.”
“Any luck?” Toby asked.
The four Aldens exchanged glances. Did Toby know they were trying to track down clues?
Seeing the children’s startled faces, the clerk added, “I, uh … I meant finding your way around. That’s all I meant about—” He stopped suddenly. “By the way, your grandfather just got back. He’s waiting for you upstairs.”
“Thanks, Toby,” Henry called back over his shoulder as they headed for the elevator.
“That was pretty strange, wasn’t it?” remarked Jessie. “Toby was awfully1 nervous.” She pressed the elevator button.
Henry nodded. He’d picked up on this, too. “He was acting2 as if he’d said the wrong thing.”
Benny crinkled his brow. “Do you think he knows something about the mystery?”
“Toby just started a new job,” Violet was quick to remind them. “That’s why he was nervous. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing,” Henry said, as the elevator doors opened. “Not if that’s all it was.”
“Just acting nervous doesn’t make him suspicious,” Violet insisted. Violet was shy, and being around a lot of people made her nervous, too.
“You’re right,” said Jessie. “Still, it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on him.”
As they stepped inside the hotel suite3, they heard Grandfather talking on the phone in the other room.
“We have to hope for the best,” he was saying. “Yes, yes, I know… everything depends on finding Rachel.”
The four Alden children didn’t like the sound of this. Who was Rachel? And why was she missing?
A surprised look crossed Grandfather’s face as he came into the room. “Oh!” he said. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Is everything all right, Grandfather?” asked Violet.
James Alden gave his youngest granddaughter a warm smile. “What could be wrong, Violet? It’s a beautiful afternoon and the ferry awaits!”
Jessie and Henry exchanged glances.
Whatever was going on, it was clear Grandfather didn’t want to talk about it. But why? And who in the world was Rachel?
“This was a wonderful idea, Grandfather!” said Jessie.
They were standing4 on the deck, enjoying the warm sun on their faces and the sea breeze in their hair. They had traveled all the way to Bainbridge Island, and now they were heading back.
Grandfather looked pleased. “It’s always nice to get out on the water.”
“I took so many great pictures,” said Violet. “I just hope they all turn out.”
It wasn’t long before they were following a long line of people off the ferry and onto the dock. Violet turned around to take one last picture.
“I want to get the ferry in this shot,” she said.
“No problem,” said Grandfather. “That’ll be a nice photo to put in our—wait!”
“What is it, Grandfather?” asked Jessie.
James Alden hurried them along. “I’m afraid we don’t have time for any more pictures.”
“But—” Violet began.
“Sorry, Violet,” Grandfather cut in. “But I still have a … a business call to make. I, uh … left my cell phone back at the hotel.”
Jessie glanced at Henry. This was strange. She could tell by the look on his face that he was thinking the same thing she was. It wasn’t like Grandfather to be forgetful.
As soon as they were back at the hotel,
Grandfather went upstairs to make his phone call. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny decided5 to head down the street to the one-hour photo shop. While Violet was waiting in line to get her film developed, Jessie caught sight of Reena Evans through the store window. But Finn’s daughter wasn’t alone. Walking beside her was a young woman with curly red hair. It was Gwen—the waitress from the Hungry Heart Diner!
“Things are getting weirder7 and weirder,” said Benny, who was perched on the bed. The four Alden children were having a late-night meeting in the room that Jessie and Violet were sharing.
“You can say that again!” said Jessie. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, the street map opened in front of her.
“I don’t get it.” Henry was shaking his head in disbelief. “Reena made a big point of looking at the name on the waitress’s uniform,” he recalled. “Why would she pretend she didn’t know Gwen?”
Violet was standing by the window looking out at the city lights. “Reena’s been so nice. Why would she want to fool us?”
“We all like her, Violet,” said Henry. “But it is suspicious.”
Jessie nodded. “It’s beginning to look like Reena and Gwen are up to something.”
“Like what, Jessie?” Violet wondered.
At this, Jessie shrugged8. “I’m not sure,” she said. “But what if these riddles9 are just a way of distracting us.”
“What do you mean, Jessie?” asked Benny.
Jessie quickly told her sister and brothers about the conversation she’d overheard between Reena and Toby. “Reena was saying, ‘If they find out something fishy10 is going on, it’ll ruin everything.’ ”
“You really think something fishy is going on?” Violet asked. She looked at Jessie, then over at Benny and Henry. She could see they believed it was possible.
“I bet it has something to do with Rachel,” said Benny. “Whoever that is.”
“We’ll, whoever it is,” put in Jessie, “she seems to be missing.”
Henry nodded. “And Grandfather said everything depends on finding her.”
“Wecan’t be sure Reena has anything to do with Rachel,” insisted Violet. “Or the notes.” She still had a hunch11 Aunt Jane’s look-alike was behind everything.
“You’re right, Violet,” Henry agreed. “We shouldn’t jump to any conclusions until we have more evidence.”
“So what should we do?” Benny wanted to know.
Jessie looked up from the map. “I guess we’ll just keep following the clues.”
“Easier said than done,” remarked Violet.
“That’s true,” Jessie said, glancing down at the map. “With so many bridges, we really have our work cut out for us.”
Nobody said anything for a while. Then Jessie came across something that made her eyes widen.
“I think we can narrow our search,” she announced, slowly raising her gaze.
The others were instantly curious. “Don’t keep us in the dark, Jessie,” Henry pleaded. “What’s going on?”
“Well, maybe this is just a weird6 coincidence,” Jessie began, “but I just found Troll Avenue on the map!”
“What?” Henry blinked in surprise.
As they crowded around, Jessie pointed12 a finger. “It’s right here in the Fremont neighborhood.”
Henry studied the map closely. “You’re right, Jessie,” he said. “And Troll Avenue leads under the Aurora13 Bridge.”
Violet pressed her hands against her cheeks. “I can’t believe it!”
“Then … that means—” began Benny.
Henry cut in. “It means the troll must be under the Aurora Bridge!”
“Now we’re getting somewhere!” Benny rubbed his hands together.
“We can’t be sure,” said Jessie. “But it’s worth checking out.”
Benny was already halfway14 to the door. “What are we waiting for?”
“Daylight,” Henry said with a laugh. “It’s late, Benny. Remember?”
Benny looked over at the darkened window. “Oh, right!”
“I vote we get a good night’s sleep,” Henry said in the middle of a yawn.
“Good idea,” said Jessie. “Tomorrow we have a date with a troll!”
收听单词发音 |
1
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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2
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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3
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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4
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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5
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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6
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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7
weirder
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| 怪诞的( weird的比较级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的 | |
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8
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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9
riddles
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| n.谜（语）( riddle的名词复数 )；猜不透的难题，难解之谜 | |
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10
fishy
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| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
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11
hunch
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| n.预感，直觉 | |
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12
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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aurora
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| n.极光 | |
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14
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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