Mystery at the Crooked House (2 page)

“Wow!” said Henry. “That sure sounds great!”

Mrs. McGregor let out another long sigh. “Yes, but I’m afraid things haven’t been going very well lately at the Crooked House.”

“Why not?” asked Violet in surprise.

“Last year a fancy resort was built at the other end of Riddle Lake,” explained Mrs. McGregor. “Now people seem to prefer the modern Sterling Resort to the old-fashioned comforts of the Crooked House. I’m afraid business has fallen off. My sister says there isn’t enough money to pay the taxes this year.

“Madeline phoned this morning and asked me to drive up to Riddle Lake for a few days. She thinks it’s time we made a decision about selling the family home. It’ll break our hearts, but there doesn’t seem to be any other choice.” Mrs. McGregor’s eyes clouded. “I’ll leave tomorrow. There’s no point in delaying what must be done. Besides, I haven’t seen Madeline for a while. Not since we made that trip to Oregon together.”

Just then a rush of cold air stirred the curtains on the window as Grandfather Alden came through the door. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the long faces. “What’s this all about?” he asked with concern. When everybody began to speak at once, he held up his hands. “Whoa!” he said. “One at a time!”

Taking turns, they told their grandfather all about the Crooked House at Riddle Lake. Then Mrs. McGregor said, “I haven’t had my mind on my work today. I’m afraid dinner is ruined.”

“I have an idea,” said Grandfather Alden after a moment’s thought. “Why don’t we go to Joe’s Restaurant for pizza?”

“Mmmm!” said Benny. “An extra-large pizza with everything on it?”

Everyone laughed. They laughed even harder when Mrs. McGregor said, “Maybe everything except mushrooms, Benny!”

“Well,” said Grandfather Alden, patting his stomach, “I couldn’t eat another bite if you paid me!” They were sitting in a booth at Joe’s Restaurant.

“Nor could I!” agreed Mrs. McGregor.

“I think I have room for more,” Benny piped up. There was one slice of pizza left. It was Benny’s favorite kind—topped with special tomato sauce, extra cheese, and pepperoni. “Unless somebody else wants it,” he added politely.

Jessie shook her head. “Go ahead, Benny,” she said. “I’m stuffed!”

Benny used both hands to pick up the pizza. “I eat like a bird!” he said. Then he added with a grin, “But just remember, even a hummingbird eats every ten minutes!”

Everyone laughed at Benny’s joke. Then Mrs. McGregor took a sip of her tea. “That pizza really
did
hit the spot. And not a single mushroom in sight!” she said with a laugh.

“It’s good to see you in better spirits, Mrs. McGregor,” Grandfather said.

“How could anyone
not
be in good spirits around the Aldens? But I really must leave for Riddle Lake tomorrow,” Mrs. McGregor added as she grew serious again. “Oh, dear! I really will miss my family home when it’s sold!”

“We missed our old home, too,” admitted Jessie, “until Grandfather surprised us one day!”

The Alden children looked gratefully at their grandfather, remembering the day he had moved the boxcar all the way from the woods to the backyard of their Greenfield home.

Mrs. McGregor nodded. “Any place that has been a home will always be very dear to the heart,” she said. “But I’m afraid my sister is right. We just can’t afford to keep the Crooked House now that the resort has opened.”

Grandfather was thumping a finger against his chin. He put down his coffee cup and said, “It seems to me that if you were to advertise, business just might pick up. I’m sure there are plenty of people who would prefer the peace and quiet of the Crooked House to the hustle and bustle of a big resort.”

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny all leaned forward when their grandfather spoke. James Alden knew all there was to know about business.

“Yes,” agreed Mrs. McGregor. “Advertising would help. But it takes money to advertise. And money is the one thing we don’t have.”

“If I knew what the Crooked House looked like,” Violet said in her gentle voice, “I’d draw a picture of it for you, Mrs. McGregor. Then you could see it whenever you wanted.”

Mrs. McGregor drew in her breath as a sudden thought came to her. “Why don’t you come along?” she suggested. Then, turning to James Alden, she added, “Do you think you could spare your grandchildren for a few days? I know they’d have a wonderful time at Riddle Lake.”

“We would miss you, Grandfather,” said Jessie, “but we
would
like to see Mrs. McGregor’s family home!”

“May we go, Grandfather?” asked Violet. “Then I really could draw that picture for Mrs. McGregor!”

“Plus there’s tobogganing!” Benny managed to say as he took the last bite of his pizza.

“And skating!” added Henry, who sounded very excited.

“Well, now,” said Grandfather Alden, his eyes twinkling, “perhaps I could make do on my own for a few days—if Watch stays behind and keeps me company.”

“Hooray!” cried Benny. “Riddle Lake, here we come!”

“As a matter of fact,” Grandfather went on, “I have business not far from there. I’d be happy to drive you up to Riddle Lake tomorrow. That is, if you don’t mind leaving after lunch. I’m afraid I have a meeting to attend in the morning.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Mrs. McGregor sounded very pleased.

“I’ve been wondering about something,” said Jessie. “Why do they call it
Riddle
Lake?”

“Nobody knows how the lake got its name,” replied Mrs. McGregor. “I suppose that’s a riddle in itself.”

“And a riddle is a kind of question, isn’t it?” asked Benny.

“Yes, it is!” said Mrs. McGregor. “You find the answer by trying to figure out the clues.”

“Just like a mystery!” observed Violet.

“Right!” agreed Mrs. McGregor. “A riddle is exactly like a mystery.”

“I know a riddle!” piped up Benny.

Grandfather laughed. “Tell us, Benny! I like a good riddle.”

“What’s black and white and red all over?”

“That’s easy,” said Henry. “The answer is a newspaper! It’s black and white—and it gets
read
all over!”

Benny shook his head. “Nope! The answer is a sunburned zebra!”

Everybody laughed. Then Mrs. McGregor said, “When we get to the Crooked House, I will tell you a riddle that I have never been able to solve! When I was your age, I spent hours and hours trying to guess the answer.”

“Won’t you tell us now?” pleaded Benny.

Mrs. McGregor laughed. “I’ll tell you when we get to the Crooked House,” she promised. Then she added in a hushed voice, “But I will say this much: The answer is supposed to lead to a hidden treasure!”

The Alden children were staring wide-eyed at their housekeeper. The thought of a mystery waiting to be solved had them very excited.

How could anyone sell a house with a treasure inside?
thought Violet.

Once again the Aldens were about to embark on an adventure!

On their way to the Crooked House the next day, Benny suddenly cried out, “Oh, no! I forgot to bring it.” And he gave his forehead a smack with the palm of his hand.

“Bring what, Benny?” asked Jessie. She was sure he had packed all of his warm winter clothes and his cracked pink cup.

“The mystery book I got for Christmas!” said Benny. “The one by Amelia Quigley Adams. And we were just getting to the best part, Jessie!”

“Oh,
The Alphabet Mystery!
” Jessie had been reading a chapter every night to her brother. “I meant to pack it, but I guess I forgot, too.”

“Don’t worry, Benny,” said Henry. “When Mrs. McGregor tells us the riddle, we’ll have our own mystery to solve.”

Violet put an arm around her younger brother. “And a treasure to find!” she added.

Mrs. McGregor was sitting up front beside Grandfather Alden. She looked over her shoulder and said, “You’re in luck, Benny! Amelia Quigley Adams was my favorite children’s author when I was growing up. There’s a whole collection of her books at the Crooked House. In fact, I have a signed copy of
The Alphabet Mystery.
”

Benny’s round face brightened. “Hooray for the Crooked House!”

At that moment, they passed a huge billboard advertisement for the Sterling Resort. Mrs. McGregor shook her head. “With advertising like that, the Crooked House doesn’t stand a chance.”

As they turned off the main highway and drove along the lake, they caught a glimpse of the new resort through the trees. Mrs. McGregor went on, “Of course, a few people have remained loyal to the Crooked House. They still come out for their holidays. But my sister has always relied on new guests as well.”

Snowflakes were just starting to drift down when they came to a small sign advertising rooms to rent. The sign was nailed to a crooked post. The Aldens’ station wagon turned into a long driveway piled high with snow on either side. At the end of the driveway was a big, old-fashioned cottage nestled among the trees. An evergreen wreath decorated its crooked front door.

As Jessie got out of the car, she noticed a man in a hooded black coat shoveling snow in the next driveway A young girl wearing a blue ski jacket was helping him.

“Those windows really
are
lopsided!” said Henry as he opened the car door for Mrs. McGregor.

“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. McGregor, gazing fondly at her family home. “There isn’t a single window that’s straight. Some go this way and some go that!”

“And look!” cried Benny pointing. “The chimney’s crooked, too! It looks like that funny tower. The one that leans over.”

Grandfather Alden chuckled as he lifted the suitcases out of the car. “I think you mean the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Benny.”

“Right.” Benny nodded. “The Leaning Tower of Pisa in, um ...”

“Italy,” finished Jessie.

“Never fear, Benny,” said Mrs. McGregor. “There’s no danger of the crooked chimney tumbling over. It always passes inspection.”

“What a wonderful home, Mrs. McGregor,” Violet said in a soft voice. “I can’t wait to draw a picture of it for you.”

Their housekeeper was beaming proudly. “The property backs right onto the lake. You won’t have far to go for skating.”

Just then the front door of the Crooked House opened. A white-haired woman waved out to them. She looked a lot like Mrs. McGregor, only taller.

Mrs. McGregor waved back. “That’s my sister, Madeline!”

The man in the next driveway tossed his shovel aside, then the young girl tossed hers aside, too, and they came rushing over.

“I’m Nick Spencer.” The man pushed the hood of his coat back from his dark curly hair. “And this is my daughter, Clarissa.”

“We live just next door,” said Clarissa with a dimpled smile. She was about Violet’s age and was wearing a knit hat that matched her jacket. The breeze kept stirring the wisps of blond curls that framed her rosy face.

“James Alden,” said Grandfather, putting a hand out to Nick. “And this is Mrs. McGregor and my grandchildren: Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.”

“I must tell you, Mrs. McGregor,” said Nick, “we’re really going to miss your sister if the Crooked House is sold. We’ll never be able to repay her for all her kindness. She’s been like a grandmother to Clarissa and a good friend to me.”

Mrs. McGregor smiled. “My sister has always spoken highly of you, too. You teach history at the local high school, don’t you, Nick?”

Nick nodded and smiled. “History has always fascinated me. There’s something so mysterious about the past. You never know what treasures you’ll uncover when you start poking about.”

Jessie and Henry exchanged looks. Was it just a coincidence that Nick had used the word
treasure?

Nick and Clarissa helped Mrs. McGregor with her bags as they all trooped along a path through the snow, then stepped into a hallway cheerfully decorated with sprigs of evergreen and holly. While they breathed in the wonderful smell of home cooking, Mrs. McGregor gave her sister a warm hug. Then she introduced the Aldens.

“Welcome to the Crooked House!” said Madeline. “You must be hungry after that long drive. Will you and Clarissa join us for dinner, Nick?” she added. “You know there’s always plenty to go around.”