Tattletale Mystery (4 page)

“And we’re not here to sell anything,” Henry assured her.

Violet put in, “Mrs. Spencer’s a good friend of ours.”

“Well, isn’t it just wonderful to meet the Aldens!” Rachel responded, though it was clear from her voice that she didn’t think it was wonderful at all. “My mother told me what’s been going on, you know,” she said, coming out into the hallway. “And I don’t like it. Not one little bit!” She gave the children a hard look.

Henry and Jessie turned to each other in disbelief. Why was Rachel so angry?

“You’d better stop this little game of yours. I’m warning you, you’ll be sorry if you don’t!” And with that, Mrs. Spencer’s daughter hurried out the door.

When she was gone, Henry shook his head in astonishment. “What was that all about?”

“I thought we were supposed to come right in.” Benny took a deep breath.

Jessie put an arm around her little brother. “Don’t worry, Benny,” she said, trying to comfort him. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Did I just hear Rachel leave?” Mrs. Spencer asked as she came down the stairs. When the children nodded, she said, “Oh, dear. I was hoping we could all have a nice visit together.”

“I don’t think Rachel likes us very much.” Benny still felt upset.

“I’m sure she likes you just fine, Benny,” Mrs. Spencer assured him. “Rachel has a good heart, but sometimes she gets a bit grumpy. You mustn’t let it bother you. She’s been a bit worried about money lately. She’s a real estate agent, and things are slow for her at work right now. I keep telling her to go into nursing. Rachel always wanted to become a nurse, you know. But she says she can’t afford to go back to school. The truth is, she
could
afford it if she’d move back home with me for a while. But she insists she doesn’t want to get in the way. And she thinks she’s too old to go back to school.”

“That’s a shame,” said Jessie, softening a little toward Rachel.

Mrs. Spencer suddenly changed the subject. “I’m glad you stopped by,” she said. “I have something to show you.” Then she led the way into the living room.

“You mentioned you wanted to see one of Milly’s paintings, Violet.” Mrs. Spencer made herself comfortable on the sofa. “I remembered a picture I’d taken in Milly’s backyard.” She reached for the photograph album. Everyone gathered around as she turned the pages one by one.

“Here it is.” Mrs. Spencer put her finger under a snapshot of an elderly woman sitting at an easel, her hair hanging down her back in one long silver braid. There was a young woman standing nearby. “You can see what Milly’s painting. It’s the self-portrait I was telling you about.”

Violet looked closely at the photograph. “Oh, she really
was
awonderful artist!” she said, admiringly.

Benny pointed to the young woman in the photograph. “Who’s that?” he asked.

The other Aldens had been wondering about her, too. The young woman was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, and her blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

“Oh, that’s Peg,” Mrs. Spencer answered. “She was a promising young artist Milly’d taken under her wing. Milly was always encouraging her to develop a style of her own. But Peg was too eager to make a name for herself in the art world. She liked to imitate the latest up-and-coming artists. Milly, on the other hand, was one of a kind.” Mrs. Spencer suddenly sighed. “Oh, I do miss her!”

None of the Aldens liked to hear the sadness in Mrs. Spencer’s voice. Violet was trying to find something cheery to say when Jessie spoke up.

“You won’t believe this, but we figured out the coded message!”

Mrs. Spencer looked surprised — and pleased.

After telling Mrs. Spencer about their visit to the library, Jessie read the rhyme they’d decoded out loud.

“It doesn’t make any sense to us,” finished Violet.

Mrs. Spencer threw up her hands. “I’m afraid it doesn’t make any sense to me, either.”

The Aldens looked at one another. They were each thinking the same thing: How were they going to solve such a strange mystery?

It rained in Greenfield for the next few days, and the children spent their time inside, puzzling over the strange rhyme. They thought and thought, but they still couldn’t come up with any answers.

“I have an idea,” Violet said when the sun finally came out. “Let’s pack a picnic lunch and eat in the park.”

The others agreed. “We could use a break,” said Henry.

“I love picnics!” Benny got out the peanut butter and jelly.

“Maybe we should stop at Mrs. Spencer’s on the way,” Jessie suggested. She got out the bread, cold cuts, lettuce, and mustard.

But Violet wasn’t so sure this was a good idea. “We’re not having much luck with the mystery. Mrs. Spencer will be so disappointed.”

“You’re right, Violet,” Jessie said after a moment’s thought. “Let’s wait until we have good news.”

Benny looked relieved. “I didn’t want to go over there, anyway. Rachel wasn’t very nice to us.”

“I wonder why she was acting so weird,” Henry said.

“Things are slow for her at work right now,” Jessie reminded them.

Benny filled a thermos with water for Watch. “She said we’d be sorry if we keep playing games,” he said in a worried tone of voice. “I wonder what she meant.”

“I don’t know,” Jessie said. “But I think we should concentrate on one mystery at a time.”

After cleaning up the kitchen, the children loaded their picnic lunch into Jessie’s backpack and set off for the park. Henry held Watch’s leash as they pedaled along. They were careful not to go too fast so that Watch could keep up with them.

At the park, Jessie spread the old blanket on the grass, and the children sat cross-legged on it. Watch curled up close to Benny, keeping an eye on the sandwiches. Watch loved peanut butter.

“I don’t get it,” said Benny. He held out his special cup as Violet poured the lemonade. It was the cracked pink cup he had found when they were living in the boxcar.

“What don’t you get, Benny?” Jessie looked over at her little brother as she unwrapped a ham sandwich.

Benny looked puzzled. “How can anyone smile
all
the time? My face would get sore from all that smiling.”

“Maybe it’s a snapshot of someone smiling,” Henry said thoughtfully as Jessie handed him a sandwich.

“Or a painting,” Violet was quick to add.

Jessie recited the first few lines of the rhyme. “ ‘She is guarded in Greenfield, By night and by day,/ And the smile on her lips/ Never does go away.’ ”

“Don’t forget the rest of it,” put in Benny. “ ‘The smile is more famous/ Than any in history,/ And behind it there lurks/ A snapdragon mystery.’ ” The Aldens had read the rhyme so many times, they knew it by heart.

No one said anything for a while. They were all completely baffled by the strange rhyme. After lunch, they put all thoughts of the mystery aside as they played a friendly game of touch football, with Watch running all around them in circles. When they sat down to catch their breath, Watch slurped up his water noisily.

“An ice-cream cone would sure hit the spot right now,” Benny hinted.

Henry took out his money and counted the change. “You’re in luck, Benny. Looks like I have enough for ice cream.”

After cleaning up and making sure they hadn’t left any litter, they wheeled their bikes back onto the road and headed for Cooke’s Drugstore.

“This was a good idea, Benny,” Jessie said, as she leaned against the minuteman statue in the middle of Town Square. She licked a drop of strawberry ice cream from the back of her hand.

Benny grinned. “I told you it would hit the spot! Right, Watch?”

Watch looked up and barked as if in agreement. Then he went back to chewing on his special doggy treat.

Violet put a hand up to shade her eyes. “Isn’t that Janice from the library?” Everyone turned to look at the young woman coming toward them across the brick-paved square.

“Hi, kids!” Janice greeted them with a warm smile. She was wearing a pale green skirt and matching blouse. “Enjoying the sunshine?” she asked them.

“We sure are,” said Jessie. She smiled back at Janice.

“I just wish I could enjoy it, too.” Janice sighed as she gazed up at the clear blue sky. “But I’m scheduled to work at the library all afternoon and then tonight at my other job.”

“You have
two
jobs?” Violet asked in surprise.

Then Henry added, “That must be hard.”

“It’s the only way I can afford to go to college,” said Janice. “But I like my jobs,” she added. “Especially the one at the Mona Lisa Gallery.” The children followed her gaze to the gallery, tucked between stores on one side of Town Square. A sign hung out front with a picture of the
Mona Lisa
on it.

“The art critics had a sneak preview of the latest exhibit,” she went on, “and they gave Peg’s — I mean Margaret’s — paintings rave reviews. Of course, that means it’ll be crowded at the gallery this evening. But I don’t mind. It’s always so exciting when there’s a new exhibit.”

Violet looked puzzled. “Who’s Margaret?”

“Margaret Longford,” answered Janice.

“Peg’s her nickname. I know her from school, but ... I had no idea she was such a brilliant artist. She won the contest this year. The one sponsored by the gallery.”

“Milly Manchester could have won that contest,” put in Benny. “She could’ve won just like that!” He snapped his fingers.

Janice looked over at the Aldens in surprise. “It’s funny I just heard that name recently. Did you know Milly Manchester?”

“No.” Henry shook his head. “But a good friend of ours did.”

“And so did the Tattletale,” added Benny not noticing Jessie’s warning look.

“Who?”

Jessie quickly changed the subject. “Benny I think you have more chocolate ice cream on your face than in your mouth,” she said, handing him a napkin.

Janice looked down at her wristwatch. “I’m going to be late if I don’t hurry. See you later,” she said, dashing away. She turned and waved back to them. “ ’Bye, kids! ’Bye, Watch!”

Jessie stared after her, puzzled. Nobody had mentioned Watch’s name. How did Janice know it? Jessie couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. She was trying to sort out her thoughts when Benny suddenly spoke up.

“I bet Josiah Wade’s happier today,” he observed. The youngest Alden was gazing up at the statue of the Revolutionary War hero.

“What do you mean, Benny?” Henry wanted to know.

“I don’t think he liked it before,” said Benny. “When he was standing guard with a pigeon on his head, I mean.”

Violet giggled. “He
did
look funny. Didn’t he, Benny?”

Benny didn’t answer. His mouth had suddenly dropped open.

“Benny, are you okay?” asked Violet.

“It’s ... it’s Josiah!” Benny was pointing up at the minuteman.

The others looked from Benny to the statue and back again. “What about him?” Henry asked.

Benny was so excited, he was hopping on one foot. “Remember how the rhyme begins? ‘She is guarded in Greenfield/ By night and by day.’ ”

Jessie’s eyes widened as she caught Benny’s meaning. “Josiah Wade is standing
guard
!”

“And that means —” began Henry.

“That the lady with the famous smile must be close by!” finished Violet.

The Aldens let out a cheer.

“That was good detective work, Benny,” praised Violet.

Benny beamed. “Thanks.”

The Aldens let their eyes wander around Town Square. Their gaze took in the parking lot on one side of the square, the shops and businesses that lined two sides, and the Town Hall that occupied the fourth side.

“Let’s check out the stores,” Henry suggested.

Jessie nodded. “Good idea.”

The children finished up the last of their cones, then headed across the brick pavement. Henry looped Watch’s leash around his wrist so he couldn’t pull away. He didn’t want him to get lost in the crowd of shoppers.

Taking turns waiting outside with Watch, they went into every store along one side of the square. Then they went into every store along the other side of the square. When they were finished, though, they were still no closer to solving the mystery.

The children turned to one another in dismay. They had been so sure they were on the right track.