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another one,” Benny said as he spotted a second torn poster on the fence across the street. As the children continued down the street, they could see that nearly all the Greenfield Four’s posters had been torn down.
    â€œWhat happened to them?” Violet wondered. “Did the band take them down because they aren’t going to be playing?”
    â€œI hope not,” Jessie replied. “I hope they’re not giving up yet.”
    â€œMaybe someone else did it,” Henry suggested. He was about to say something else as they turned the corner. Just then, though, they saw a van pull to the side of the road half a block ahead of them. Then a hand reached out, grabbed one of the posters from a telephone pole, and ripped it off. After that the driver hit the gas, and with screeching tires, the van disappeared.
    â€œDid you see that?” Henry said.
    â€œI sure did,” Jessie answered. “And did you see what the van looked like?”
    â€œIt was white,” Benny said, “with a blue stripe.”
    â€œJust like the one Zoey told us about!” Violet said.
    â€œThat’s right,” Henry nodded. “I think that was our thief.”

CHAPTER 7
The Man with the Van
    When the children returned to the Greenfield Four’s rehearsal studio, they told the band everything they’d found out.
    â€œI’m glad my keyboards turned up,” said Amy. “But who is this man in the beret?”
    The other members of the band shrugged. “We have no idea,” Karen said. “I suppose we’ll have to let the police figure it out from here.”
    Later that afternoon the children went to the Greenfield Diner to meet Grandfather for dinner.
    â€œWhen we told the band about the man with the beard and the beret, they said they had no idea who he was,” Jessie said.
    â€œAnd aside from the keyboards,” Violet added, “everything else is still missing.”
    â€œWe told the police what he looked like,” Henry said. “Maybe that will help.”
    â€œPerhaps it will,” Grandfather said.
    The Aldens ate quietly for a few minutes. It was a busy night at the diner, filled with good smells and the sound of people talking. Whenever the Aldens came here, they always sat in the same place—a large booth by the front. It was quiet and cozy. One of the things Benny liked about it was that it was right by a big window. He could see everything that was happening on Greenfield’s main street.
    He got up on his knees to look outside. He was chewing on another chicken finger when he noticed a van parked across the street. He stopped chewing. He remembered what Zoey had said about the van the thief was driving.
    â€œLook!” Benny said. “A van! A white one with a blue stripe!”
    Everyone, including Grandfather, got up to see.
    â€œOh my goodness, Benny’s right!” Violet said. “That’s exactly like the one we saw!”
    â€œDid you see anyone get in or out of it, Benny?” Henry asked.
    â€œNo, no one,” Benny said.
    Grandfather paid the check quickly, and soon the Aldens headed outside to look over the van.
    Benny was right—it looked just like the one they saw earlier. It was white, with a thick blue stripe down each side, and it was dirty, dented, and rusty.
    â€œI’m going to take a look in the window,” Henry said. Carefully, he walked around to the back window and peered inside. He was hoping to see the Greenfield Four’s stolen instruments.

    Instead, the back of the van was filled with wood and tools—saws, hammers, drills, and jars full of nails and screws.
    â€œWhat’s in there?” Violet asked. “Any guitars?”
    â€œNo,” Henry replied, disappointed.
    â€œCan I help you?” said a voice from behind them.
    The Aldens turned to find a man about Grandfather’s age standing on the sidewalk. He was dressed in jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, and