Great Detective Race (2 page)

“Unless I miss my guess,” Grandfather said, pushing back his chair, “my grandchildren will have this mystery wrapped up in no time.”

The Aldens got up to clear the table as their grandfather left the room.

“Debra was right,” Henry said, stacking the dinner plates. “That first clue really
is
a doozy!”

“Why don’t you read it again, Henry,” Violet suggested, as they carried the dishes into the kitchen.

Henry read the riddle aloud:

The Pied Piper’s tune

is the sweetest of all;

to find the next clue,

just answer his call.

“I remember that story,” Benny said, handing Jessie an empty platter. “The Pied Piper saved a town from rats.”

Jessie nodded as she opened up the dishwasher. “He saved the town of Hamelin.”

“But Hamelin wouldn’t pay the piper’s fee,” added Henry, “so he decided to teach them a lesson.”

“What did he do again?” Benny wanted to know.

“He played a tune on his pipe,” Violet reminded him. “All the children followed him out of town.”

Benny frowned. “Did that really happen?”

“No, it’s just a story, Benny,” Jessie told him.

“Then how can we follow his call?” Benny wanted to know. “If he isn’t real, I mean.”

“Good question,” Henry said. He gathered the dirty forks and knives and put them into the dishwasher rack.

Just then, Mrs. McGregor came into the room. “I never imagined they’d be sold out already,” she said, more to herself than anyone else.

“Is anything wrong, Mrs. McGregor?” Violet asked.

“I was hoping to get tickets to see the ballet, Violet,” Mrs. McGregor told her. “But it looks like I’m out of luck.” She reached her sewing basket down from the cupboard with a sigh. “I guess the early bird gets the worm.”

As their housekeeper left the room, Violet shook her head. “Mrs. McGregor looked so disappointed. I sure hope we can win those tickets for her.”

Henry nodded. “The answer’s got to be somewhere in the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.”

“There’s something about that name that rings a bell,” said Jessie.

“What name, Jessie?” Benny wondered. “The Pied Piper?”

Jessie shook her head. “No, not that,” she said. “I’m talking about the name of the town. I have a feeling—” Her face suddenly lit up, then she dashed from the room.

A moment later, Jessie came back waving a street map in the air. “I want to check something out,” she told them.

The other Aldens gathered round while Jessie opened the map. As she bent over the table to look at it, she suddenly thumped her finger down. “I knew it sounded familiar!” she said, pointing to a street just behind the Greenfield tennis courts.

Henry, Violet, and Benny took a closer look. “It’s Hamelin Lane!” Violet realized.

“That’s good detective work, Jessie!” said Henry. He slapped his sister a high-five. So did Violet and Benny.

“You think that’s where we’ll find the next clue?” asked Benny. “Somewhere on Hamelin Lane?”

“That’d be my guess,” said Jessie.

Benny let out a cheer. It was always fun figuring out clues.

After breakfast the next morning, the Aldens put on their WGFD baseball caps and hopped on their bikes. With Watch beside them, they set off for Hamelin Lane. Henry held their little dog’s leash as they pedaled along. They were careful not to go too fast so that Watch could keep up with them.

“Keep your eyes peeled,” Henry advised when they reached the lane behind the tennis courts. “Remember, anything unusual can be a clue.”

The children rode up and down Hamelin Lane. Once … twice … three times. They saw a teenager cutting the grass, kids throwing a Frisbee, and a woman knitting at her kitchen window. But they saw nothing that would help them win the Great Detective Race. They finally stopped.

“I was so sure we were on the right track,” Jessie said, as they walked their bikes across the grassy lawn by the tennis courts.

Henry nodded. “The clues seemed to fit.” Benny had a thought. “Maybe we should be looking for rats.”

“Ooooh!” Violet shivered. “Do you really think so, Benny?”

“Well, The Pied Piper of Hamelin
was
a story about rats.”

“You might be on to something, Benny,” Henry said thoughtfully.

Jessie turned to her older brother. “What are you thinking, Henry?”

“What’s the name of the bookstore?” Henry asked.

Jessie snapped her fingers as she remembered. “The Rat Cellar!”

Benny grinned. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

With that, they headed down Main Street. While Violet waited on the sidewalk with Watch, the other Aldens went inside the Rat Cellar to look for clues. They searched up one aisle and down another. They even checked out the books on the bargain table. But it was no use.

“Looks like we struck out again,” Henry said, heading for the door.

“Wait a minute, Henry.” Benny pulled on his brother’s arm. “We’re forgetting something.”

Henry turned around. “What’s that, Benny?”

“Remember what Debra Belmont said?” he reminded them. “About the magic words, I mean.”

“Oh, right!” said Henry. “Good thinking.”

With that, Benny walked up to the salesclerk. “I listen to the Big G!” he announced.

“What …?” The salesclerk looked startled. “That’s, um, … nice,” she said, then hurried away to help a customer.

“Well, that didn’t work,” Henry said as they stepped outside.

“No luck?” Violet asked.

Jessie shook her head. “Zero.”

Violet had been thinking. “There’s a music store just down the street. Let’s check it out.”

“A music store?” Henry looked puzzled, but only for a moment. “Oh, because the Pied Piper played music on his pipe, right?”

“Exactly,” said Violet, taking her bike from the rack.

“Hi there, kids!” said a voice behind them.

As they whirled around, Amber Madison flashed them a smile. The children were so surprised by the author’s friendly greeting, they were speechless for a moment.

“You’re the Aldens, right?” Amber went on. “I noticed you signing up for the Great Detective Race. Are you getting anywhere with it?”

“Not really,” said Jessie. “Not yet, anyway.”

“Oh,” said Amber. “Too bad.” She sounded disappointed.

“But we’re getting warmer,” Benny said.

Amber lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?” She flashed them another smile. “I’d love to hear all about it,” she said. “I find it quite fascinating.”

Jessie suddenly felt very uncomfortable. “We have to go,” she said, glancing at her watch. “Sorry.”

The Aldens hurried away.

“That was weird,” Jessie said, when they were out of earshot. “How did Amber Madison know who we were?”

“We didn’t tell her our names,” said Benny.

“Maybe she overheard us talking at the mall,” suggested Violet. “I noticed her sitting on the edge of the fountain nearby.”

But Jessie wondered if Amber Madison had asked someone who they were. But why?

When they got to the music store, they soon forgot all about the author. Jessie, Violet, and Benny gave the shop a careful search while Henry had waited outside with Watch. They checked out the flute section twice. They even said the magic words to the salesclerk. But he just looked puzzled. Finally, they stepped outside again, shaking their heads.

“Another dead end?” Henry asked.

Violet nodded. “Looks that way.”

Just then, Benny caught his breath. “Look!”

The others followed their little brother’s gaze down the street. “Oh my gosh!” cried Violet. “Is that what I think it is?”

Jessie nodded. “It’s a … a giant turkey!”

Henry laughed. “I think it’s just Dennis Howe in some kind of turkey getup!” Dennis was a college student—and one of the Aldens’ neighbors.

Sure enough, Dennis greeted them with a cheery smile. “Good to see you again, kids!”

“Cool costume!” chirped Benny.

“Actually it’s anything
but
cool, Benny,” Dennis said, as he knelt down to pet Watch. “I’m roasting under all these feathers.”

“So … why are you dressed up like a turkey, Dennis?” Henry wanted to know.

“Goes with the job.” Dennis looked up as he scratched Watch behind the ears. “I’m handing out fliers for the Turkey Trot dance studio,” he explained. “And what are you kids doing in town?”

“We’re on the hunt for clues,” Jessie told him. “We’re taking part in the Great Detective Race.”

“That explains the baseball caps,” Dennis said, standing up. “They’re very popular around here lately.”

The Aldens glanced around at the shoppers. Dennis was right. Half the people in town seemed to be wearing WGFD baseball caps! Could they find the code word before anyone else?

After dinner, the children took turns telling Grandfather about their day as they relaxed on the front porch. Watch was dozing nearby while the evening shadows grew longer. Benny finished by saying, “We kept striking out.”

James Alden smiled over at his younger grandson. “I have a hunch there’s a clue just around the next corner, Benny,” he said. “Speaking of WGFD,” he added, “here comes Jordan Porter.” Grandfather waved as a man in shorts and a white T-shirt came jogging by. Waving back, the silver-haired man turned into the walkway and ran up the porch steps. Grandfather introduced the children to Mr. Porter, the owner of the WGFD radio station.

“Guess what?” Benny said as he shook hands. “We just signed up for the Great Detective Race!”

Jessie nodded. “We’ve been looking for clues all day.”

Mr. Porter nodded approvingly. “We’re hoping to drum up more listeners with the race,” he explained. “The station just hired someone new. The race was her idea.”

“Debra Belmont,” guessed Violet. “Right?”

“Right!” Mr Porter said. “So far, she’s been doing a great job. But I must admit, she hasn’t had an easy time of it.”

Grandfather raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Mike Devlin can be a bit difficult sometimes,” said Mr. Porter. “He’s a good deejay. But I’m afraid he thinks he’s too important. He seems to forget it takes teamwork to make a successful radio station.”

“Or solve a mystery!” said Benny.

Mr. Porter smiled at the youngest Alden.

“You’ll get no argument from me, Benny.” With that, the station owner gave them a friendly wave and hurried away.

“Well, I still have paperwork to finish,” Grandfather said, getting to his feet. “Sounds like you have your work cut out for you, too,” he added. “So I’ll leave you to your detective business.”

As the screen door closed, Jessie fished the riddle from her pocket and glanced at it again. “There must be something here we’re not getting,” she said.

Just then, Watch let out a whine. He tilted his head as if he were listening to something that no one else could hear. A moment later, an ice cream truck came around the corner, a happy tune coming from its speakers.

“Do we have enough money for ice cream, Henry?” Benny wanted to know.

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

The four Aldens were soon racing down the street with Watch close behind. When the truck slowed to a stop, they joined a long line of children waiting for ice cream.

Violet had a sudden thought. “The ice-cream man is a bit like the Pied Piper,” she noted. “Don’t you think?”

Henry turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”

“Well, he plays a tune and all the kids follow him down the street,” Violet explained. Then she caught her breath, surprised by her own words. “Oh my gosh!” she cried.
“The Pied Piper’s tune is the sweetest of all!”

“And ice cream is sweet!” Benny exclaimed, catching on.

“I think you just found the Pied Piper, Violet!” Jessie said.

Henry added, “Now let’s see if the magic words work on him.”

When they got to the front of the line, Benny piped up, “We listen to the Big G!”

The young man handing out ice cream suddenly smiled. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a WGFD envelope. The Aldens raced home with ice cream bars
and
the next clue.

“Read it, Jessie,” Benny urged, inching his porch chair closer. He couldn’t read very well yet.

“Here goes,” said Jessie, tucking her long hair behind her ears. She read aloud:

Make your way to an alley,

that’s what you should do.

Three strikes in a row

and you’ll find the next clue.

Benny looked confused. “We already struck out three times.”

This made Jessie smile a little. “That’s true, Benny,” she said. “But I think this means something else.”

Violet giggled. “Grandfather was right.”

Henry looked over at her. “Right about what, Violet?”

“He said there was a clue coming around the next corner,” she reminded them. “And there was!”

Benny nodded. “The Pied Piper came around the corner driving his ice-cream truck.”