Mystery of the Secret Message

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Book: Read Mystery of the Secret Message for Free Online
Authors: Charles Tang
Mr. Bond liked Josiah Wade,” Jessie remarked.
    “He did,” Rick agreed. “They were great friends, despite their age difference. According to the notes on this drawing, Josiah gave Franklin a gift when he was a boy.”
    “What was it?” Benny asked.
    Rick shook his head. “Franklin doesn’t say. I think he liked keeping secrets. But I believe I can find the present.”
    “Where?” asked Violet, glancing around the cluttered room. How could anyone find anything in this mess?
    Rick tapped the drawing. “See that little box penciled lightly near the statue?”
    Violet bent closer. Now she could read the old-fashioned handwriting. “ ‘The Statue’s Secret,’ ” she read aloud. “What does that mean?”
    Benny felt a current of air hit his face. Had someone opened the outer door?
    Rick grinned broadly. “I’ll bet a piece of Mrs. Turner’s apple pie that Josiah’s gift is hidden inside the statue! That little box is a secret compartment!”
    Before Benny could say anything, Dawn Wellington and Sylvia Pepper came into the museum. Benny wondered if they had heard Rick talking about the statue’s secret.
    Rick jumped with surprise. “Ladies,” he said. “What can I do for you?”
    “We’re looking for Mr. Alden,” Dawn replied. “Is he here?”
    “No,” Henry said. “Grandfather is still trying to find a construction crew.”
    “That’s what I wanted to see him about,” Sylvia said in her bossy tone. “I heard the original contractors backed out, so I hired another crew. They’ll be here tomorrow.”
    Jessie was amazed. Sylvia Pepper didn’t seem like the type to help Grandfather with the festival.
    “And I wanted to tell Mr. Alden that we can salvage most of the decorations,” Dawn said. “We’ll just make the garlands shorter. Sylvia and I can fix the wreaths.”
    “This is terrific,” Rick said. He walked over to them, leaving the drawing on the table. “Mr. Alden will be pleased. He’s worked so hard on the festival.”
    Rick and Dawn began talking about the vandalism of the past few days. Sylvia moved over to the table.
    Jessie watched her. There was something odd about that woman.
    Just then Sylvia dropped her purse. Its contents spilled all over the table.
    “I’m so clumsy,” she muttered. As she picked up lipsticks and coins, she stared intently at the drawing. The woman’s eyes grew round.
    She acts like she’s seen that drawing before , Jessie thought.
    But how was that possible? Rick Bass had only discovered Franklin Bond’s papers yesterday. How could Sylvia Pepper have seen that drawing before?
    And how, she wondered, did Sylvia know the construction crew had canceled?
    “Now we have two mysteries to solve,” Benny said. “The one about the message photograph. And now the mystery of the statue.”
    Jessie tied a ribbon around a bag of oatmeal cookies. “Don’t forget the strange things happening in the town square lately,” she said.
    “Okay. Three mysteries.” Benny took a fistful of cookies from the large tin on the kitchen table. He put three in a small plastic sack, then ate one.
    “Benny Alden!” Violet scolded, laughing. “We can’t sell a bag with a cookie missing. People want to buy a full bag.”
    “Mrs. McGregor’s oatmeal cookies are worth more than four for a quarter,” Henry said. “But Violet’s right, Benny. Make sure four cookies go in each sack.”
    “And no more in your stomach,” Jessie added.
    The Aldens had been working since dinner, helping Mrs. McGregor make her famous oatmeal-raisin cookies to sell at the refreshment booth at the Winter Festival.
    The housekeeper retired to her room when the children volunteered to bag the cookies.
    “I hope we make lots of money from Mrs. McGregor’s cookies,” Benny said.
    “And from the pictures Violet will take,” Henry added. “There should be enough money to fix the statue’s base.”
    “Do you think the town will vote to move the statue?” Violet asked.
    “Who knows?” Henry

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