Read The Mystery Girl Page 6


  “We all like you a lot, too, Nancy,” Jessie said. “But we kept noticing things about you that didn’t make sense.”

  “Like what?” Nancy asked.

  Before anyone could answer, there was a knock at the cabin door. It was the young man named Tony. “I’m sorry to bother you,” he said to Henry, who opened the door. “I’m looking for Nancy Baldwin. Have you seen her?”

  “Tony!” Nancy cried. She jumped up from the chair as Henry let Tony in. “I called Mother and Dad,” she told him. “I’m coming home. And then I’m going to college.”

  Tony looked very happy. “That’s great, Nancy!”

  Nancy turned to the others. “This is my brother,” she said. “Tony Baldwin.”

  “We thought he might be your brother,” Jessie said. “Or your boyfriend.”

  “You mean you’ve met?” Nancy asked.

  “Not exactly,” Violet said. “But I saw his picture in your room that morning Jessie and I came to get you. And when he came into the store yesterday, I recognized him.”

  “You sure did guess a lot about me,” Nancy said. Suddenly, she looked at Mrs. Edwards, who had been sitting quietly on the couch, listening to the conversation. “I’m sorry,” she said to Mrs. Edwards. “I know your name. But I still don’t know who you are.”

  “I do, Nancy,” Tony said. “Mrs. Edwards is a private investigator.”

  “Wow!” Benny said. “A real one?”

  Mrs. Edwards smiled. She had a nice smile. “Yes, a real one,” she said.

  “Mother and Dad hired her to find you and keep an eye on you,” Tony explained to Nancy. “They wanted to know you were safe.”

  “So that’s why you went into her cabin,” Violet said. “To make sure she was the right Nancy.”

  “And that’s why I didn’t want to drive you anywhere this morning,” Mrs. Edwards said to Nancy. “You were in such a hurry, I thought you were running away again.”

  “Now I feel silly,” Jessie said to Mrs. Edwards. “I thought you and Nancy might be doing something together to hurt Mr. Taylor’s store.” She told them about the shopping bags. “I'm glad I was wrong.”

  “I bought things at the shopping center because I didn’t want to keep coming into the general store,” Mrs. Edwards said. “I didn’t want Nancy to suspect me.”

  “I bought my alarm clock there,” Nancy said. “And a few other things. But I would never do anything to hurt Mr. Taylor’s store.”

  “We know that now,” Jessie said with a smile.

  “I’m going to miss working there,” Nancy said. “Even though I wasn’t very good at it.”

  “What did Mom and Dad say when you talked to them?” Tony asked.

  “They said they’d try not to tell me what to do so much,” Nancy answered. “I didn’t think they would be so understanding.”

  “It’s like when we ran away from Grandfather,” Benny said. “We didn’t know how kind he was.”

  “That’s right, Benny,” Violet said. Suddenly, Jessie jumped up from her chair by the table. “Everyone must be starving,” she said. “Let’s have some breakfast.”

  “Tell me what else you figured out about me,” Nancy said to the Aldens, as they started to fix breakfast.

  While Jessie cooked the pancakes, she and the others took turns telling Nancy everything. They talked about how much trouble she had in the store and how nervous she got when they asked her about her family. Jessie and Violet talked about her ring.

  Nancy looked down at her hand. She wasn’t wearing the ring. “My parents gave it to me. I wore it because even though I was mad at them, I missed them, and it reminded me of them. But after you saw it, I put it away. It’s a real emerald.”

  “That’s what Jessie and I thought,” Violet said.

  “That made us think you weren’t poor, like you said,” Jessie told Nancy. “And Violet noticed that your cabin was bare,” she continued, turning the pancakes over. “If you’d been on your own for a year, you would have had a lot more things.”

  “Things like socks and shirts, especially,” Henry said. “Jessie saw you take the T-shirt. You didn’t really steal from Mr. Taylor, did you?”

  “Oh, no!” Nancy cried. “I wouldn’t do anything like that. I took some socks and a shirt because when I ran away, I didn’t bring enough clothes. I just didn’t want anyone to start asking why I needed such basic things, so I took them. Then, later, I put the money in the cash register.”

  “So that’s what you were doing,” Jessie said. “Henry and I saw you but we couldn’t understand why.”

  “And I couldn’t understand why Tony looked so familiar when he came into the store,” Violet said. “Then when we saw you at the picnic spot later, I remembered the picture in your cabin.”

  “You followed us to the picnic spot?” Nancy asked.

  “We were worried about you,” Jessie said. “We thought you were in some kind of trouble.”

  “We were afraid to ask you because we thought you might get scared and run away,” Henry said. “We wanted to help, but we weren’t sure what to do.”

  “You helped just by being my friends,” Nancy said. “And you sure did figure out a lot about me.”

  “We like mysteries,” Benny told her.

  “And you were a mystery, Nancy,” Jessie said.

  Everyone laughed. Then Jessie said, “The pancakes are ready. Let’s eat!”

  “Good,” Benny said. He looked at Mrs. Edwards. “Do private investigators like pancakes?”

  “This one does, Benny,” Mrs. Edwards answered.

  Everyone got a plate, and Jessie served the pancakes. They were all starting to eat when Aunt Jane arrived.

  “Aunt Jane!” Benny shouted, opening the door for her. “Wait until you hear! We solved another mystery!”

  “Come eat with us, Aunt Jane,” Jessie said. “We’ll tell you all about it.”

  When she had heard the story, Aunt Jane smiled. “You all have certainly been busy,” she said. “Working in a store and helping to solve a mystery.”

  “And being my friends,” Nancy said. “I’ll miss you all.”

  Violet asked, “Will you be leaving soon?”

  “As soon as I can,” Nancy said. “But don’t worry, Mr. Taylor. I told my parents I couldn’t go until you found someone to take my place.” She laughed. “Thanks to the Aldens, I can really work in a store now.”

  “That’s good, Nancy,” Aunt Jane said. “But you might be able to go very soon.” She turned to Mr. Taylor. “I found someone who wants to work in your store, Jerry,” she said. “Her name is Jenny Parks. She just moved to Elmford, and she has worked in a lot of stores. She’ll come out to see you tomorrow.”

  Mr. Taylor looked very happy. “Thank you, Jane,” he said. “That’s wonderful news.”

  After breakfast, Mrs. Edwards said good-bye and left. Tony drove into Elmford where he had been staying so he could pack his things. The others walked with Mr. Taylor to open the store.

  “What a morning this has been,” Nancy said as they all went inside. “So much has happened!”

  “I told you we’re always having adventures,” Benny said.

  “Yes, you did, Benny,” Nancy laughed.

  In just a few minutes, a customer arrived. She walked over to Mr. Taylor. “I just wanted you to know that I’ve tried that new Elmford Shopping Center,” she said to him.

  Mr. Taylor looked worried. “Yes?”

  The customer nodded. “And your store is much better,” she said firmly. “Your fruit and vegetables are fresher. Your fabric is just as good. And your prices are much better.”

  Mr. Taylor looked relieved. “That’s very good to hear,” he said.

  “I knew your customers wouldn’t desert you, Jerry,” Aunt Jane said.

  “I’m beginning to think you’re right,” Mr. Taylor said.

  Aunt Jane was just about to leave when a man came into the store. “Hello, Dick,” she said. “Look, Jerry, it’s Dick Forest, who used to work here.”


  “Hi, Mr. Taylor,” Dick said. He looked around and saw Nancy and the Aldens putting out fruit, dusting, and pricing things. “I see you have plenty of people working for you.”

  “As a matter of fact, I don’t,” Mr. Taylor said. He explained that Nancy and the Aldens would be leaving soon.

  Dick looked very happy. “Then would you hire me again?” he asked.

  “Of course I would,” Mr. Taylor said. “But what about your job at the Elmford Shopping Center?”

  Dick shook his head. “I quit, Mr. Taylor. I thought it would be a nice place to work. But the people who own it aren’t very friendly. I’m just not happy there.”

  “Then you’re welcome to come back here,” Mr. Taylor said. “That way, we’ll both be happy.”

  The Aldens smiled at each other. “Everything is turning out great,” Jessie said.

  “Now when we all go home, we won’t have to worry about Mr. Taylor not having anyone to work for him,” Henry said.

  “I’m glad,” Violet said. “I can’t wait to see Grandfather and tell him about it.”

  Benny went over to Jerry Taylor. “Aren’t you glad, Mr. Taylor?” he said. “Now you have someone to take our place.”

  “I’m glad about Dick, Benny,” Mr. Taylor said with a smile. He looked at all the Aldens. “But no one can ever replace the four of you.”

  “That’s what Grandfather says,” Benny told him.

  “He’s right,” Mr. Taylor said.

  Violet smiled at Mr. Taylor. “I’m glad everything is working out for you,” she said. “Maybe I could make more signs for your store someday.”

  “That would be just fine, Violet,” Mr. Taylor said.

  “And maybe when we come to visit Aunt Jane again, we could work here, just for a day,” Benny said.

  Mr. Taylor laughed. “You’re all welcome here anytime, and you don’t have to do any work,” he said. “But if I ever do need help again, I’ll know exactly who to turn to.”

  “You can count on us anytime, Mr. Taylor,”Benny said.

  “Right,” Jessie said.

  “Yes,” Violet said. “But now it’s time to go home to Grandfather.”

  About the Author

  GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.

  Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write each mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car—the situation the Alden children find themselves in.

  When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.

  While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible—something else that delights young readers.

  Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

  The Boxcar Children Mysteries

  THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

  SURPRISE ISLAND

  THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY RANCH

  MIKE’S MYSTERY

  BLUE BAY MYSTERY

  THE WOODSHED MYSTERY

  THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY

  MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY

  SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY

  CABOOSE MYSTERY

  HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY

  SNOWBOUND MYSTERY

  TREE HOUSE MYSTERY

  BICYCLE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY IN THE SAND

  MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL

  BUS STATION MYSTERY

  BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY

  THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY

  THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY

  THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING

  THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO

  THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY GIRL

  THE MYSTERY CRUISE

  THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST

  MYSTERY IN THE SNOW

  THE PIZZA MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY HORSE

  THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW

  THE CASTLE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL

  THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC

  THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT

  THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN

  THE MYSTERY ON STAGE

  THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC

  THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK

  THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON

  THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE

  THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR

  THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN

  THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE

  THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY

  THE HURRICANE MYSTERY

  THE PET SHOP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE

  THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN SAN FRANCISCO

  THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO

  THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY

  THE SOCCER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC

  THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER

  THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL

  THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY

  THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY

  THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY

  THE PANTHER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS

  THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY

  THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY

  THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP

  THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN

  THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL

  THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK

  THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY

  THE POISON FROG MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE

  THE HOME RUN MYSTERY

  THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES

  THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME

  THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE

  THE HOCKEY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL

  THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY

  THE COPYCAT MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE

  THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE

  THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY

  THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP

  THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT

  THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY

  THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY

  THE GREAT SHA
RK MYSTERY

  THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY

  THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE

  THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY

  THE RADIO MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST

  THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR

  THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE

  THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES

  THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT

  THE GAME STORE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN

  THE VANISHING PASSENGER

  THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY

  THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE

  THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY

  THE SECRET OF THE MASK

  THE SEATTLE PUZZLE

  THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW

  THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND

  A HORSE NAMED DRAGON

  THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE

  THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES

  THE SPY GAME

  THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY

  THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY

  SUPERSTAR WATCH

  THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  copyright © 1992 by Albert Whitman & Company

  ISBN: 978-1-4532-1256-1

  This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

  180 Varick Street

  New York, NY 10014

  www.openroadmedia.com

 


 

  Gertrude Chandler Warner, The Mystery Girl

 


 

 
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