Mystery on Stage (5 page)
“Let's find a stick before we let him loose,” Jessie suggested, running ahead.
“Good idea,” Benny said, hurrying to keep up with the dog. “Maybe he'll play catch with us.”
Sarah threw her big shoulder bag on one of the benches and raced after the Aldens. They played with Watch until it became dark. Jessie and Benny had Sarah give Watch commands so he would become used to her voice.
“I think we're ready to go inside and tell Jim you two are getting along fine.” Jessie smiled at the sight of Watch obediently trailing Sarah.
“Yes, it's getting cold out here,” Sarah said as she stooped down to pick up her big shoulder bag from the bench. The bag was on its side and when Sarah reached for it, a large manila folder fell out.
Benny started to pick it up, but Sarah quickly snatched it from him. “Don't touch that,” she said.
“What is it?” Benny asked, pointing at the folder as Sarah quickly shoved it in her purse.
“Oh, nothing, nothing at all,” she said quickly. Without another word, she turned and hurried toward the Playhouse.
Jessie and Benny exchanged glances and followed Sarah inside. Jim was waiting for them on stage. “How did Watch do?” he asked, patting the dog on the head.
“He's really getting used to Sarah,” Benny said, smiling proudly at his dog. As if in response, Watch went over to Sarah and wiggled his body. Sarah forced a smile and stooped down to pet him.
“Good,” Jim said. “Watch, it looks like you still have a job.”
Watch sat down by Jim's feet and wagged his tail. “He's happy,” Benny said, translating for his dog.
“I'm glad someone is,” Jim said. “See you tomorrow. By the way, the rest of your family has already gone home. Better hurry to be in time for your dinner.” Jim actually smiled.
“Would you like to come to our house for dinner?” Jessie asked Sarah as they were all walking out the door with Watch.
Sarah looked down at the ground and played with the purple belt on her wool coat. “No, thank you,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “I have to go.”
Jessie was very puzzled by Sarah's behavior. She'd seemed so friendly only a few minutes ago.
“I wonder what Sarah has in that envelope,” Jessie said thoughtfully as she hurried home with Benny. She wrapped her red scarf more tightly around her neck.
“Maybe it was the missing script,” Jessie said. “Maybe Sarah hadn't really lost it.”
“I don't know,” Benny said. “But whatever it was, it was addressed to New York City and she sure didn't want us to see it.”
“B
enny, what are you going to use that star for?” Violet asked a few days later. Benny was at the kitchen table. He had glue, scissors, cardboard, and a small pile of shiny gold paper spread in front of him.
“I'm making Watch a gold star for his doghouse.” Benny carefully cut out the cardboard star Violet had drawn for him.
Violet smiled. “Watch has been doing well in rehearsal.”
“Yes.” Benny nodded. “Nothing's gone wrong for a few days. Jim doesn't even yell as much anymore.” Benny continued cutting the cardboard.
“Grandfather is taking us all out to dinner,” Violet told Benny.
“Really!” Benny exclaimed. He put down his scissors. “I hope we're going to the pizzeria.”
“If that's where you want to go, Benny, the pizzeria it will be,” Grandfather said as he came into the kitchen. “Are you ready to leave soon?”
“I
am
sort of hungry,” Benny admitted.
At dinner, Benny ordered two slices of his favorite pizza â pepperoni with special tomato sauce and lots of cheese. He also asked for apple juice and a green salad.
Henry took a bite of his pizza. “You know, the man at the table by the window looks kind of familiar,” he remarked.
Violet and Jessie looked sideways. “I think I've seen his picture in the paper,” Jessie said. She poured some dressing on her salad.
Grandfather frowned a little. “I know I've seen him before, too,” he said slowly. “I just can't remember where.”
Benny reached for his glass of apple juice. “I don't know him,” he said. “Oops!” Benny shouted as his glass of juice spilled onto the red-and-white checked tablecloth.
Several people in the restaurant turned toward their table, including the man who looked familiar. When he saw the Aldens, he started to nod in their direction, then suddenly stopped and turned away.
A waiter in a white apron hurried over with a wet cloth. Another waiter brought Benny a new glass of juice.
“Did you see that?” Violet asked her sister.
“What, the juice spilling?” Jessie asked.
“No.” Violet shook her head. “That man who looked familiar knows us, too, I think.”
Jessie turned toward the man, but he had put on his coat and was heading out the door. She shrugged. “I guess he must have finished eating,” she said to Violet.
Benny took a big sip from his new glass. “This juice tastes much better,” he told the waiter, who laughed.
“Enjoy the rest of your meal,” the waiter said.
Soo Lee carefully put her glass of grape juice on the table. “I hope it doesn't spill,” she said.
Grandfather said, “Don't worry. Oh, Soo Lee that reminds me.” He turned in his chair to face her. “Alice dropped off a suitcase of clothes for you today. She said you could stay at our house until the play is over.”
Soo Lee smiled happily. She liked staying with her cousins.
Benny pushed aside his empty plate. “You know,” he told his family, “Watch really liked his gold star. I put it on his house before we left.”
“How do you know he liked it?” Henry teased.
“Because he tried to jump up and lick it,” Benny said.
Grandfather chuckled. “I hope his stardom doesn't go to his head,” he remarked, as he looked proudly around the table. “You're all doing so well with this play.”
“Oh, we're enjoying it,” Jessie said. “It's just too bad so many funny things happened in the beginning.”
“At least, Melody's been on her best behavior at rehearsals,” Violet remarked.
“I've noticed that,” Henry said. He poured himself some water from the pitcher. “That talk with Jim must have really scared her.”
“You really think she's the one who made the phone call, wrote the note, and took all those props?” Jessie asked.
“Don't forget the ripped costume,” Benny reminded her.
“I don't know what to think,” Henry said slowly. “At first I thought Melody wanted to give Sarah a bad time for getting the lead, but now I'm not so sure.”
“I know what you mean.” Jessie played with her spoon. “Melody seems really scared when anything bad happens, and lately she's tried to do her best.”
“I don't think she wants to hurt the show,” Violet agreed.
“Then
who
does?” Benny wondered.
“That's what we have to find out.” Henry said.
As the Aldens drove home from the restaurant, they passed the Community Playhouse.
“Hey, look!” Benny shouted. A bright light shone from the second floor.
“That's where the stage is. Maybe someone is practicing,” Soo Lee suggested.
“So late?” Grandfather asked, looking at his watch.
“We saw Jim turn all the lights out after rehearsal. He even locked the door. No one's supposed to be in there,” Violet pointed out.
“No, but someone is,” Henry said.
Grandfather stopped the car and the Aldens got out. Henry tried the door, but it was locked.
“That's funny,” Violet said.
“Maybe Jim or Nancy came back to check on something and forgot to turn the lights off,” Jessie said.
“Well, there's nothing we can do now,” Grandfather said.
“We'll tell Jim in the morning,” said Henry.
“He's not going to like this,” Benny added.
“S
omeone noticed a light on in the theater late last night,” Jim announced to the cast and crew the next day. He paused to nervously pull up the collar of his faded blue shirt.
“Are you sure it wasn't the janitor?” Richard asked.
“I was the last one in the building. I turned out all the lights and locked the door,” Jim said as he paced up and down the stage.
Violet was worried about Jim. He looked paler and thinner than ever.
“Okay, let's get started,” Jim called. He suddenly seemed in a hurry to begin rehearsing. “I want Sarah, Jessie, Melody, Harold, and Richard on stage.”
As Benny made his way backstage, he noticed Sarah in the wings. She had a large manila folder tucked under one arm. When she noticed Benny looking at her, she quickly stuck the folder in her script.
“Did you ever find your script?” Benny asked, trying to sound friendly.
“Uh, yes. I mean no. Nancy found an extra script.” Sarah seemed anxious to get away from Benny.
“I really think there should be a softer light on me in this scene,” Richard was saying loudly to Henry and Jim on stage. “I see no need for a green gel.”
“A what?” Benny asked Jessie.
“It's a piece of thick plastic you put over a stage light to make it change color,” Jessie explained softly.
“You have to look green.” Jim tried to sound patient with Richard. “We need to have green lighting in this scene. The Wizard
does
live in the Emerald City.”
“Why can't there be a soft, white spotlight on me?” Richard demanded.
“Look, I give the lighting directions here,” Jim said firmly. “Now, please take your positions so we can get on with this scene.”
“Come on, Benny, you should be backstage,” Henry called softly. He pulled one of the levers on the lighting board down to low.
“I'm going,” Benny said. He did a few dance steps from his Munchkin routine.
“You're showing off,” Henry teased him.
“Not as much as Richard is,” Benny pointed out. Henry couldn't argue.
Backstage, Violet and Soo Lee were making the tail for Jessie's lion costume. Benny went over to watch them.
“Oh, Violet,” Nancy called as she came into the costume room. “Could you make a big poster for the show? We open in a week and we need more advertising.” Nancy sighed and looked at the jumble of materials spread out on the big table in front of the girls.
“I can make the poster right here. Remember, we found lots of crayons and paints in this drawer.” Violet opened the long thin drawer of the black dresser.
“Good, I know you'll do a good job. All you Aldens are such a big help around here,” Nancy said, looking appreciatively at Benny and Soo Lee. “By the way, Benny, if you're not busy, I'd like you to help Mrs. McGregor paint the Yellow Brick Road on the backdrop. I have to be in the wings all afternoon to give the actors their cues.”
“I'm coming,” Benny said cheerfully. He liked to paint.
When Violet had sketched and painted the poster, she left it on the table in the costume room so the paint would dry. Then she went with Soo Lee to help Benny finish painting the Yellow Brick Road.
“Oh, good, I'm glad you're here to help.” Mrs. McGregor brushed a wisp of hair off her forehead with her arm. “Benny has to go on stage now. They're rehearsing the Munchkin scene.”
As she worked on the Yellow Brick Road, Violet noticed people going in and out of the costume room. When Richard came out, Violet asked, “Can I help you?”
“Oh, no.” Richard sounded a little embarrassed. “I, uh, was just looking for my costume.”
“It's hanging on a hook near the wardrobe,” Violet said as she dabbed yellow paint on the big canvas backdrop in front of her.
“Yes, I saw it.” Richard played nervously with his bow tie. “It's too bad I have to wear a brown suit during most of the play when all the others have such colorful costumes.”