Mystery on the Ice (5 page)

The Aldens left Alex and hurried over to Miss O’Shea.

“Hi, Miss O’Shea,” Henry said.

Janet O’Shea turned. “What is it? I’m a busy woman!”

“We wondered about the man in black,” Jessie said.

“The man in black?” She paused. “What do you want to know about him?”

Benny squinted up at her. “Maybe he’s the robber.”

“Oh!” The short plump woman sank down onto a seat.

“Is he with the troupe?” Violet asked. “We’ve seen him spying on people.”

Janet O’Shea gazed at her fingertips. “I don’t know who he is!”

Jessie thought this was strange! They had seen Janet talking to this man. Maybe Janet and the man had planned the robbery together!

Suddenly Jessie had a thought that hadn’t occurred to her before. “Have there been other robberies besides the Murrays’?” she asked.

“Yes,” Janet O’Shea answered. “In every town where we’ve performed, one of our wealthy patrons has been robbed.”

“So,” Jessie reasoned, “if anyone joined the troupe
after
the other robberies, that person would be in the clear.”

Janet O’Shea’s finger tapped her chin. “No one is
that
new to the troupe.”

Janet O’Shea stood up. “Time to go to work. I’ve a pile of bills to go through.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how I’ll pay my skaters.”

She left, the Aldens staring after her.

“Hi, everyone!” Marcia hobbled toward them. “I’ve been working on my costume.”

“Are you going to be off your crutches soon?” Benny wondered.

Marcia gazed at Benny. “Why?”

“I want to see you skate,” he replied, folding his arms.

“I’d like to see you skate, too,” Jessie said, taking a deep breath. There was no easy way to say what was on her mind. She couldn’t come right out and say, “I think it’s strange you don’t remember Valentina Markov!”

Frowning, Marcia turned to face Jessie. “You think I stole Mrs. Murray’s jewels, don’t you?”

For a moment Jessie didn’t reply, then she said slowly, “Did you?”

Marcia’s frown changed to a smile. “You don’t
really
believe I could crawl through a window, sneak upstairs, and steal jewels, do you?” She raised a crutch. “No way could I be the thief!”

“No,” Henry agreed. “Being on crutches, you wouldn’t be able to rob the Murrays.”

“But we need to suspect everyone, Marcia,” Violet added, not wanting to upset her.

“What about the mystery man?” Marcia questioned. “He spies on everyone. I don’t trust him.”

“We’re wondering about him, too,” Violet said.

Marcia shook her head and hobbled away.

“Let’s go home,” Benny said. “I want to build an ice sculpture like Carl’s.”

Violet laughed. “We might not be able to make something that pretty, but I’ll bet we could build a great snowman!”

Benny grinned. “Good! But first I want to buy an apple in the coffee shop!”

They all went into the shop. As they were leaving, Jessie picked up a newspaper on the floor. Scanning the contents, she silently handed the paper to Henry.

“This is an article from the Greenfield paper,” he said. “It’s about the upcoming benefit performance.” He read off the names of the listed board members. When he came to the Murrays’ name, he stopped. “William Murray’s name is circled in green ink,” he said in an excited voice. “Just like the ink on that map of Greenfield we found.”

“It looks as if
someone
was interested in the Murrays and their house,” Violet said.

“Someone in the troupe?” Jessie asked.

Benny wrinkled his nose. “I don’t like whoever did it!”

“Shall we build that snowman?” Henry said, patting Benny on the back. “We’re getting closer and closer to finding the real thief.” He tucked the article in his pocket.

Jessie hoped so. There were so many suspects, though, it was hard to figure out who could be the thief!

When they arrived home, the Aldens changed into old clothes, then hurried outdoors to build the biggest snowman on the block.

Watch romped at Benny’s side, and Benny threw snow up in the air, letting it drift over him and the dog. Laughing, Benny plunged into a snowbank. Jessie pulled him out and dusted him off, saying with a chuckle, “We don’t need to build a snowman. We’ll just stand you in front of the house, Benny, and stick a broom in your hand.”

“No, no!” Benny shouted, taking off his knit cap and shaking snowflakes out of his short brown hair. “We’ll build a real snowman! Come on, Violet, let’s roll a big snowball!”

Violet waded through the snow and joined him. Benny made a snowball, and together they rolled it over and over until the tiny ball grew and grew.

“Jessie,” Henry said, “we can’t let them get ahead of us. Let’s roll a huge ball for the bottom of the snowman.”

“Okay,” Jessie said, hurrying to help him. They began to roll a second ball. Bigger and bigger it swelled.

Once Jessie and Henry’s ball was in place, Violet and Benny set the smaller one on top. Now the snowman had a body, but no head.

“I’ll roll the head!” Benny exclaimed, starting another snowball. Watch leaped and played alongside. His paws and muzzle were white with snow.

Henry formed snow-arms, then stuck the snow shovel through one.

When the snowman was complete, Violet added a carrot for the nose, purple grapes for eyes, and a slice of melon for the mouth.

Benny dashed inside and found an old hat, scarf, and gloves to decorate the snowman. Jessie finished it by adding five green apples for buttons.

“I could eat one of those apples right now,” Benny said.

Henry laughed. “Shall we start supper?”

“Yes!” Benny said, snow covering him from head to foot, except for his rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes.

The children stamped snow from their boots before entering the house. In their rooms, they changed into dry clothes.

For supper Henry heated chili, Jessie set the table, Violet made a salad, and Benny arranged crackers on a plate.

James Alden came home just in time for dinner. “This looks delicious,” he said, sitting down and rubbing his hands. He smiled at his grandchildren. “I like your snowman! But tell me, what else did you do today?”

Jessie told him about the mystery man, Violet described the newspaper article she found, Benny told about Carl and Alex’s ring, and Henry explained the green ink that was used on both the article and the map.

Grandfather nodded wisely. “Well, there are a lot of suspects. With you and the police working on the case, you’re sure to find the guilty person.” He reached for a cracker. “Be careful, though. William Murray is concerned, too. We don’t want you to be in any danger.”

“I don’t think we’re in any danger, Grandfather,” said Henry, spooning up the last of his chili.

“We want to find Mrs. Murray’s diamonds,” Jessie said. “But it’s very confusing!”

“Maybe tomorrow night at the performance all the pieces will fall into place,” Grandfather reassured them.

Benny shook his head. “I’m about ready to give up! Everyone could be a thief.” He counted on his fingers. “First there’s Marcia.

Then there’s Janet and Ollie and the mystery man!”

“For all we know, it could even be Alex or Carl,” Jessie said. “We can’t eliminate them totally.”

Henry smiled at Benny. “Since when do we give up, Benny? We’ll find the thief! Now it’s time for dessert.” He brought in a chocolate cake. Jessie cut five slices.

Grandfather said, “I know you will! By the way, today I received a call from Joe and Alice.”

Violet’s eyes sparkled. “Where are they?”

“Did they find Soo Lee?” Jessie asked.

“When will they come home?” said Benny, through a mouthful of cake.

James Alden leaned back in his chair. “One question at a time. Soo Lee is with Joe and Alice in San Francisco. The Greenfield airport is still closed, but by Saturday the runway should be cleared and planes will be able to land.”

“Saturday will be a glad day and a sad day,” Jessie murmured.

“Sad?” Henry inquired, raising his brows. “Why?”

“Well,” said Jessie, “we’ll be glad to welcome Joe, Alice, and Soo Lee home, but sad because the ice skating troupe will be leaving for Cincinnati.”

“That’s true,” Violet agreed. “But still, I can’t wait to meet Soo Lee!”

Benny said thoughtfully, “I wonder if Soo Lee plays Monopoly.”

Jessie smiled. “If she doesn’t, we’ll teach her. Grandfather, does Soo Lee speak English?”

Grandfather replied, “Alice said Soo Lee had learned English from a woman in the orphanage.” Then he said, “Tomorrow is a big day. Aren’t you baking cookies to sell at the benefit performance?”

“Yes, we have a lot to do,” Henry said. “We’re going to the Civic Center in the morning.”

“I promised Carl I’d mend his shirt,” Violet said, “and help Alex with her costume.”

Henry piled several plates together. “Let’s clear the table, wash the dishes, and then bake cookies.”

“Baking cookies is fun!” Benny said as he helped Jessie bring dishes into the kitchen. Violet and Henry washed and dried them.

Once the kitchen was clean, Henry opened the cookbook to two recipes — one for jam thumbprint cookies, and the other for gingerbread men.

“First,” Violet said, “let’s bake jam thumbprint cookies. They’re pretty and will be perfect for the holidays!”

Jessie mixed the sugar and butter, then Violet added the eggs. Henry measured flour and stirred it in. After they’d let the dough chill, they all helped form it into little balls.

Once the cookie balls were on the metal sheet, ready for baking, Henry asked, “Now who wants to press down the center of the dough with your thumb?”

“Let me! Let me!” Benny said in a loud voice, holding up his thumb. “I’ve got a good thumb.”

“All right, Benny,” Jessie said, “go ahead.”

Benny loved this part of the recipe best of all. Carefully, he pressed each cookie with his thumb.

Then Jessie filled each dent with a spoonful of raspberry jam.

While the thumbprint cookies baked, Violet mixed flour, ginger, molasses, sugar, and eggs for the gingerbread men. Henry rolled out the dough. Using the cookie cutter, Jessie cut out the gingerbread men.

While the cookies baked, the Aldens sat around the table and played Who Am I? Jessie thought of George Washington. Henry guessed Washington on the second clue.

When the stove timer buzzed, Jessie removed the baked cookies.

Violet filled the pastry tube with white frosting. She added a happy face to each gingerbread man.

After covering each tray with foil, Henry stretched. “I’m tired.”

“Me, too,” Jessie said, wiping a smudge of flour off her arm.

“Me, three.” Benny gave a big yawn.

“Let’s take our showers and go to bed,” Violet suggested, heading for the stairs.

That night Benny snuggled deep under the covers. He smiled, thinking of his idea. He had a wonderful plan!
He
might be the one who would capture the thief all by himself.

The next morning, as soon as Benny arrived at the Civic Center, he picked up a program for the night’s performance. Next he went down to the edge of the rink.

“Carl!” Benny called to the skater who practiced a camel spin in the middle of the ice, “would you come here?”

Jessie had warned Benny not to upset Carl’s practice, but Carl skated over to Benny. “What can I do for you?”

“Would you sign this?” Benny asked, holding out the program to Carl.

“Sure thing!” Carl said. “I’d feel honored. Do you have a pen?”

Benny shook his head. “No, sorry.”

“I’ve got one right here,” Carl said, skating to a bench where his jacket lay.

In fine handwriting he signed, “To Benny, a wonderful friend, Carl Underhill.”

Benny hugged the program to his chest. “Thanks, Carl.”

With a friendly wave at the Aldens, Carl skated away. No sooner was Carl gone, than Alex glided up to Benny. She gave him a teasing smile. “Aren’t you going to ask for
my
autograph?”

“Yes! yes!” Benny said. “I wanted you next, Alex!” He pointed to her name on the program. “Will you sign here?”

“Be happy to,” she said, skating to her gym bag on a bench and pulling out a pen.

Benny’s eyes grew big and his smile turned upside down. “Th-that’s a green pen,” he stammered.

Alex smiled. “Is something wrong with a green pen?”

“No,” Benny said, but his heart sank.

Alex signed her name, and Benny frowned. It was just what he was afraid of. The ink was green! “Thanks, Alex,” he said in an unhappy voice.

“You’re welcome!” Alex answered, skating to join Carl.

Benny took a deep breath, wishing Alex’s pen hadn’t been green. He went off to get Janet O’Shea’s autograph, but she didn’t have a pen and didn’t have time to find one. Then he asked the mystery man but he wouldn’t sign, either. He shook his head. Maybe his idea was dumb!

When Ollie came by, Benny asked him for his autograph, too. Ollie pulled a pen out of his hair and printed his name. Benny’s eyes widened.

Each letter was in a different color: