Mystery in the Fortune Cookie (2 page)

Jessie smiled as the waitress handed out the menus. “What are you studying at school?”

“I’m in the creative writing program,” said Lucy. Then she leaned forward as if about to share a secret. “Inventing stories has always been a great hobby of mine.” Just then, she noticed someone waiting to be seated and hurried away.

Everyone was quiet as they looked over the menus carefully. Each of them decided to order something different and share with the others. That way they could sample many dishes. Lucy returned and they ordered wonton soup, egg rolls, lemon chicken, chow mein, sweet-and-sour spare ribs, chop suey, and pork fried rice.

While they waited for their food, Dottie turned her attention to her birthday present. She quickly tore away the pink and gold wrapping. When she caught sight of the framed photograph, she laughed and clapped her hands. “What a wonderful surprise!”

Violet let out the breath she’d been holding.

“Violet took the picture herself,” Benny told Dottie. “She’s a very good photographer,” he added proudly.

Martin was quick to agree. “You’ve captured all the charm of our little bookstore, Violet. You’re becoming quite a pro.”

A flush of crimson crept across Violet’s face. “Thank you,” she said with a shy smile.

When their drinks arrived, Martin said, “I believe I ordered a cola, Lucy, not an iced tea.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Lucy slapped a hand against her cheek. “I’m always getting orders mixed up. Will I ever learn?”

Aunt Jane smiled warmly. “Don’t worry. We won’t hold it against you.”

When Lucy had gone, Martin reached into his jacket pocket and removed an envelope. “Just a little something,” he said, holding it out to Dottie. “Happy birthday.”

Dottie looked surprised — and pleased. “How thoughtful, Martin!” She opened the flap of the envelope and pulled out a heart-shaped birthday card. Inside were two tickets for the Friday night symphony concert. Dottie read the words on the card aloud: “ ‘To Dorothy Ruth Ursela May — Enjoy the concert! Love, Martin.’ ”

“I happen to be free Friday night,” Martin pointed out. “If you’re wondering what to do with one of those tickets, I mean.”

With a teasing twinkle in her eye, Dottie said, “I’ll keep that in mind, Martin.”

Violet and Jessie glanced at each other. They wondered if Martin had a crush on Dottie.

“There’s something I don’t understand,” Benny said as the soup was put in front of them. “Why are there only two tickets to the concert? What about all those other people?”

Dottie looked confused. “What other people, Benny?”

“Ruth, Ursela, and May.”

The corners of Dottie’s mouth began to twitch and then she laughed. “That’s me, Benny,” she said. “
I’m
Dorothy Ruth Ursela May.” When she saw the look of surprise on the children’s faces, she explained. “You see, my parents couldn’t decide which of four names to give me. So they just — ”

“Gave you all four names?” guessed Henry.

“That’s exactly what they did, Henry,” said Dottie. “Of course, folks in Elmford just call me Dottie.”

Martin put down his soup spoon. “I remember when you first arrived in town,” he said, giving Dottie a meaningful look. “That was my lucky day.”

Dottie sighed a little. “I can’t believe how the years have flown by since I left Keller’s Crossing.” She turned to Aunt Jane and the Aldens. “It was just after my husband died. That’s when I packed up my bags and left my hometown for good.”

None of the Aldens liked to hear the note of sadness in their good friend’s voice. As the soup bowls were cleared away, they tried to think of something cheery to say. But Aunt Jane spoke first.

“I take my hat off to you, Dottie,” she said quietly. “It takes courage to make a fresh start like that.”

“Thank you, Jane.” Dottie dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “I soon made new friends in Elmford. And I started The Underground with Martin.”

Auntie Two arrived with their dishes of steaming food. Benny piped up, “You didn’t run out of fortune cookies yet, did you, Auntie Two?” He sounded worried.

“Not much chance of that,” Auntie Two assured him with a cheery smile. The owner of the Kowloon Restaurant was a middle-aged woman with straight dark hair and sparkling brown eyes. “Like everyone else in town, I’m trying to drum up business, Benny. It just wouldn’t do to run out of fortune cookies. Look over there.”

Benny followed her gaze to a side table where beige cookies were piled high in a huge blue bowl. His face broke into a big smile. “Oh, there’s plenty to go around!” he said.

Violet helped herself to an egg roll, then passed the plate. “Do you make all the fortune cookies yourself, Auntie Two?” she wanted to know.

“Oh, it’s certainly a simple enough recipe, Violet. Just eggs and flour, sugar and water. But so many factories churn them out every day, I find it easier to buy them ready-made. Some companies even put lucky numbers on the little slips of paper. My customers seem to enjoy that.”

Benny gave the restaurant owner a puzzled frown. There was something else he was wondering about.

Auntie Two caught the look. “What is it, Benny?”

“Is Auntie Two your real name?”

“Benny!” Jessie gave her little brother a warning look. “That’s not really any of our business.”

Auntie Two laughed. “That’s okay, Jessie,” she said. Then she turned to the youngest Alden. “The truth is, I’m from a big family, Benny. My nieces and nephews have oodles of aunts. It’s hard for the little ones to remember so many names. It makes it easier if they just call us Auntie One, Auntie Two, Auntie Three, and ... well, it goes all the way up to Auntie Eight!” she told them before she walked away.

Benny kept his eyes fixed on the little beige cookies in the blue bowl. As they finished eating the main courses, he was quick to ask, “Is it time for fortune cookies yet?”

“Not quite, Benny.” Martin signaled to Lucy with a wave of his hand. The waitress gave him a smile, then disappeared into the kitchen. “I have a little surprise planned,” he said.

A moment later Lucy walked into the dining room carrying a big cake. Martin and Aunt Jane started singing “Happy Birthday,” and soon the whole restaurant had joined in. Dottie made a wish and blew out the candles. Then Lucy served chocolate cake to everyone at the table.

“Tonight we get
two
desserts,” Benny said, excited. “Cake
and
fortune cookies!”

“That’s a dream come true for you, Benny,” Henry teased his little brother. Everyone laughed, including Benny.

Aunt Jane turned to Dottie. “I’d love to hear more about your hometown,” she said. “What was it like growing up in Keller’s Crossing?”

Jessie leaned forward, interested. “Did you run a bookstore there, too?”

For a moment, Dottie said nothing. She just poked at her cake with a fork. When she finally spoke, her voice was strained. “Keller’s Crossing was a fine place to grow up,” she said. “It will always have a special place in my heart. But the past is best forgotten.” Quickly changing the subject, she added, “Now, where are those fortune cookies?”

Jessie stared at Dottie for a moment, wondering why she hadn’t answered her question.

Just then, Lucy arrived with one — and
only
one — fortune cookie on a small plate. She went around to the other side of the table and set the plate down in front of Dottie.

Benny looked bewildered. Had Auntie Two run out of fortune cookies after all? No, the blue bowl on the side table was still filled with the bow-shaped cookies. What was going on?

“I’ll get more fortune cookies in a minute,” Lucy promised, noticing Benny’s puzzled frown. “But the birthday girl should open the first one.” Then she turned and quickly walked away.

Dottie wasn’t having any of this. “You’ve been waiting long enough, Benny,” she said.

She held the plate out to him. “The first one is for you.”

Martin put up a hand. “Wait a minute, Dottie. The birthday girl should always open the first — ”

Dottie shook her head and cut in with, “Nonsense! The first one’s for Benny. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Is it all right, Aunt Jane?” Benny looked over at his aunt expectantly.

Aunt Jane smiled. “Help yourself, Benny.”

Benny was grinning from ear to ear. “Thank you very much!” With a few quick motions, he reached for the fortune cookie, broke it in half, and pulled out the fortune.

“Would you like me to read it?” Violet offered. Benny was just learning to read. As Benny passed the fortune to her, she silently read the words on the little slip of paper. Then her eyes widened and she gasped.

“What is it Violet?” Jessie asked. “What does it say?” She inched her chair closer to her sister’s.

“It’s ... it’s the strangest thing,” Violet said in a quiet voice. “I’ve never seen a fortune like
this
before!”

Everyone was staring at Violet in surprise. “Read it, okay?” Benny said, jiggling with excitement.

“All right.” Violet nodded. “Here’s what it says.” Then she read aloud:

“Where rainbows explode,

And tigers twist,

A mystery awaits,

Just choose from the list.”

Benny jumped in his chair and clapped his hands. “I knew it! My fortune really
does
say a mystery’s coming our way!” His big eyes had grown even rounder.

The others at the table looked at one another. They were too stunned to speak.

Henry reached for the little slip of paper. “It doesn’t make any sense,” he said after reading it again.

“We’ll figure it out,” chirped Benny. “We’re good detectives.”

Violet didn’t look so sure. “We’ve never had a mystery like
this
before.”

Jessie giggled. She couldn’t help it — it all seemed so funny. “One thing’s for sure,” she said. “A mystery in a fortune cookie beats everything!”

Everyone laughed — except Martin, who was strangely quiet.

“Hang on a minute!” Henry said as something caught his eye. “There’s a message on the other side of this fortune.”

“What does it say?” asked Benny.

“Is it another poem?” Violet questioned at the same time.

Henry read it to them. “
No need to go far
.” He looked up. “That’s all it says.”

“It must be a clue,” Benny guessed.

Henry passed the fortune back to his little brother. “Could be.”

Martin suddenly spoke up. “I bet it’s just somebody’s idea of a joke.” He sounded annoyed. “What I mean is, a worker in one of those fortune cookie factories was probably just having a bit of fun. That’s all.”

“I’m not so sure,” said Dottie as Lucy arrived with more fortune cookies. “There’s something very strange about this.”

Hearing the remark, Lucy said, “Is everything all right?”

Martin frowned. “Well, I hope you brought some better fortunes this time. Benny’s was a real dud.”

“What ... ?” Lucy’s jaw dropped. “What are you talking about?” She sounded upset.

“I found a mystery in my fortune cookie!” Benny told her, glowing with excitement.

A strange look passed over Lucy’s face. As she set the plate of fortune cookies on the table, she almost knocked over Benny’s glass of water. Luckily, Violet grabbed it in time and set it back in its place.

Lucy stood twisting her hands. “I ... I ... ” She shut her mouth.

Jessie glanced at Henry. Why was the waitress so upset? She could tell by the look in Henry’s eye that he was wondering the same thing.

Turning to Benny, Lucy said, “I guess there’s only one thing to do. You can trade that fortune in for a better one. Would you like that?”

“I wouldn’t like that one little bit!” Benny closed his hand over the little slip of paper. “Thanks anyway.”

“No, none of us would like that,” added Jessie.

Aunt Jane explained, “There’s nothing these children enjoy more than a mystery.”

At this, the waitress walked off with a troubled look in her eye.

Jessie turned her attention to the plate of fortune cookies. “I wonder...”

“What is it?” Henry asked.

“I was just thinking — maybe we’ll find more clues inside the other cookies.”

Henry said, “Let’s check it out.” He reached for a fortune cookie. So did everyone else.

A moment later, Jessie was shaking her head. “No clue in mine,” she told them. Then she read aloud: “
Your patience will be rewarded
.”

Henry took a look at his fortune. “
Save your money for a rainy day
.” He shrugged. “Nothing mysterious about that, either.”

It was Violet’s turn next. “
Keep an open mind
.” She looked on the other side of the little slip of paper. “That’s all it says.”

Nobody else got any mysterious fortunes, either. Aunt Jane’s said, “
Do not rush things this week
.” Dottie got, “
Now is the time to move forward
.” And Martin’s was, “
Actions
s
peak louder than words
.” They weren’t really sure what kind of clue they were looking for, but they didn’t find anything helpful.

“I’ve never heard of exploding rainbows,” said Jessie, taking another look at Benny’s fortune.