“Just ignore him,” Annika said.
Outside the theater, the wind had picked up. It blew the fallen leaves into swirling patterns. Rain began to fall.
“Annika, can you give me a ride?” Isiah asked. “My car broke down.”
“Of course,” she said.
“How did you get here?” Henry asked.
“I walked through the cemetery, but it wasn’t dark and stormy then. I’d rather not go back that way.”
They were almost at Annika’s car when Isiah stopped and patted his pocket. “Oh no. My cell phone is missing. It must have fallen out of my pocket inside the theater. I’ll have to go back and look for it. You go on.”
“We can wait for you,” Annika said.
“No, I don’t know how long it will take me to find it. I’ll just get a ride from someone else. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He went back inside.
“Not again,” Annika said. She shook her head and said to the Aldens, “Let’s hurry to the car. I don’t want to get soaked.”
The Aldens and Annika got back to the Vanderhoffs’ just as it began the rain began to fall very hard.
The storm got worse as the Aldens were getting ready for bed.
As they lay there listening to the thunder and lightning, Jessie said, “I hope Isiah got a ride. I wouldn’t want to be outside in this. Maybe we should have waited for him.”
“I hope he at least found his phone,” Henry said. “I’ve never known anyone who loses things so much or has so many things go wrong. Remember that first night when he had a flat tire and lost his cell phone then too?”
“He also said the wagon wheel broke,” Jessie added. “Then the night the horse nearly ran us down on the ghost tour, Isiah said he fell down and that’s how he got muddy.” She told them how she noticed there wasn’t any mud around the carriage that night.
“Is Isiah lying about some of the things he claims happened to him?” Benny asked.
“I don’t know,” Violet said, “but all those things are suspicious.” She yawned. “Let’s talk in the morning. I think I can fall asleep now.”
The next morning the Aldens helped Mrs. Vanderhoff in the shop while they were waiting for the ghost tour to start.
After lunch, Annika said, “I’d better call Isiah and make sure he knows we have a tour tonight.” She dialed and listened for a few moments before hanging up. “He’s not answering.”
“Maybe he couldn’t find his phone,” Jessie suggested.
“Yes. Knowing Isiah, he could have lost it anywhere,” Annika said. “I guess I should go to his apartment and tell him in person. Would you all like to come with me? I want to treat you to some ice cream for all your hard work.”
“We’ll always say yes ice cream,” Benny said. The rest of the Aldens agreed.
Isiah lived in an apartment in a big old house overlooking the cemetery. Annika rang the bell and the landlady came to the door. Annika explained they were looking for Isiah.
“You can knock on his door,” the landlady told them. “But I don’t think he’s there. I haven’t seen him since yesterday afternoon. His car has been here all night, but he hasn’t.”
“That’s strange,” Annika said.
“There’s something else that’s odd,” the landlady said. “I found one of his hats in the back of the yard by the cemetery this morning.” She picked up a hat from a table next to the door. It was the brown fedora Isiah had worn the night before.
“You would think he’d notice his hat fell off,” Violet said.
“Maybe he couldn’t get a ride after all,” Henry suggested. “He could have been hurrying through the cemetery to get home because of the rain. The wind was blowing very hard last night.”
“I’ll call the library,” Annika said. She took out her phone and dialed. She asked the person on the other end a few questions and frowned when she hung up. “He’s not supposed to work today. They haven’t seen him. I hope he shows up later. I don’t know how I’ll do the tour without the wagon. I’ll call his parents. They live in town.” She made another phone call.
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny exchanged glances. They could tell Annika was becoming concerned.
When she hung up, her face was pale. “No one has seen or heard from him. Isiah is missing.”
CHAPTER 9
Mystery in the Woods
“Isiah’s father says he’ll turn up, but I’m worried,” Annika said. “I have to cancel the tour now. I don’t have anyone else to drive the wagon.”
“I have an idea,” Henry said. “If you drive the wagon to the pick-up spot and left it there with us, we could watch over it until you arrive.”
“That would be a big help.” Annika smiled. “The horses are very gentle and well-trained. They won’t give you any problems.”
When it was time, Annika drove the Aldens to the stable. It was a long white building on the edge of town. When they pulled up in front of it, Henry said, “The sign says Sanders Stables. Does it belong to Isiah?”
“No, it belongs to Isiah’s father.” Annika got out of the car. “He has several horses they use for tourist trail rides and wagon rides. That’s how I’m able to borrow one of their wagons.”
“Could this be where the mystery horse lives?” Jessie asked. “It has to have a stable close to town.”
“If it’s a real horse,” Benny said, “and not an evil spirit horse.”
“It’s a real horse,” Violet said. “I’m sure of it.”
“There’s no all-black horse at the stable,” Annika assured them. “I would have recognized it. I’ve been riding horses here for years.”
A tall older man who looked a little like Isiah was feeding the horses inside. “Hello, Mr. Sanders. These are my friends.” Annika introduced everyone.
“Isiah still hasn’t shown up,” Mr. Sanders told them.
“We’ll manage without him,” Annika said. “I need to hitch up the horses a bit early and get the wagon in place. If you do see Isiah, will you tell him to come to the meeting place?”
Mr. Sanders said he would.
“How many horses do you have here, Mr. Sanders?” Henry asked.
“About twenty. Some are too old to do more than loaf around most of the time.” He rubbed the nose of the brown horse he was feeding.
A black-and-white horse at the end of the stalls stuck his head over the wall and looked at them.
“That’s a pretty horse,” Violet said.
Mr. Sanders snorted. “I’ve never thought of Domino as pretty. He’s always had a bad temper and he bites. The older he gets, the crankier he acts. Isiah is the only one he likes because Isiah gives him treats. Too bad he’s not like Ghost and Spook. They are good horses. Now let’s get that wagon ready.”
Ghost and Spook stood patiently while Annika and Mr. Sanders showed the Aldens how to fasten the harnesses.
“Henry, if you’d like to drive the wagon, I’ll show you how,” Annika said. “We take the back roads so there aren’t many cars.”
Henry took the reins and drove the wagon along the back roads of Sleepy Hollow to the right spot.
Annika and the Aldens got down and fastened the reins to a tree. Annika pulled something out of her pocket. “Ghost and Spook should be fine, but if they get restless, just feed them a few of these.” She held out some sugar cubes. “Sugar isn’t good for them, but Isiah says it’s all right once in a while.” Ghost whinnied at the sight of the treats. “He loves them,” Annika said. “Do you know how to feed a horse a treat?”
“Yes,” Jessie said. “You hold your hand out flat with the treat in your palm.”
“That’s right. You don’t want a horse thinking your fingers are a snack. They might nibble on them. Now I have to get my car and go home and change. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“We’re sure,” Henry assured her.
As Annika hurried off, she said over her shoulder, “Just call me with your cell phone if you need anything.”
Jessie petted Ghost’s no
se. Her brothers and sister could tell she was thinking about something.
“What are you thinking about?” Violet asked.
“At least we know that horse at the parade was not a ghost horse,” she replied. “That sugar cube Benny found was a treat for him. Spirit horses don’t eat treats.”
“You’re right,” Henry said. “We should check the tube. It’s going to be dark soon.”
They walked down the path. Fallen leaves crunched beneath their feet, but otherwise the woods were silent.
“It is colder than it was last night,” Violet said, pulling her hat down on her head.
“It’s getting dark faster than I thought it would,” Henry said. “We should hurry.”
A loud crack came from down the path, and then a groaning noise. The Aldens froze in place. They waited, but there were no other sounds.
“What do we do?” Violet whispered.
“We keep going,” Henry said. “That sounded like a human groan, not a ghost groan.”
They crept as quietly as they could down the path. “It’s just around this bend,” Jessie said.
They came to the big tree. “The tube is still there.” Benny pointed out it.
“I see something is different.” Henry walked over to the trunk. “That branch wasn’t broken before. I used it to get up in the tree.”
“Maybe a big animal crashed into it and broke it,” Violet said.
Henry shook his head. “Look where it broke, along the top, just like when someone is climbing a tree and the branch won’t hold them. When that happens, it breaks at the trunk first.”
“So that means someone was climbing up the tree,” Jessie said.
Benny fell to the ground. “And he fell down like this!”
“And then he groaned because it hurt,” Violet added. “But whoever did it ran off. Let’s see if we can find some clues to tell us which way he or she ran.”
While they were looking, Henry’s cell phone rang. Annika was calling. He put her on speaker so they could all hear. “Everyone has canceled their spots on the tour.” She sounded very upset. “I’ll be there soon to help bring the wagon back. We won’t be able to find out who is playing the tricks tonight after all.”
“I don’t think anyone will try tonight.” Henry explained about the broken branch. “We think whoever is playing tricks fell and got hurt.”
“We may never solve this mystery,” Annika said and sighed. “I’ll be there soon.”
When she arrived, they took the horses back to the stable and then drove to the Vanderhoffs’. Margot was outside by the fire with Mrs. Vanderhoff and Mrs. McGregor. She was very interested to hear the story of the broken branch and the tube. “Whoever is doing that is very clever,” she said.
“It may be clever, but it’s not very nice,” Violet said.
Jessie went to get her notebook. She brought it back to the fire and sat down. “I’ve been thinking. Are there other stables around town where the mystery horse could live?”
Margot shuddered. “Don’t ask me. I don’t keep track of the horses in town.”
“You don’t like horses?” Violet asked.
“Not at all.” Margot shuddered again. “They’re so big that they could trample you if they got angry. I should be going. Busy day tomorrow. Let me know if you see or hear anything else that’s scary.”
After Margot left, Mrs. Vanderhoff explained, “Margot has been frightened of horses ever since she was a little girl. A horse stepped on her foot one time.”
“So I guess that means she doesn’t ride horses,” Henry said.
Annika laughed. “She certainly doesn’t. She wouldn’t even ride a horse on a merry-go-round.”
Benny yawned. “I’m getting sleepy. Ghost tours even without ghosts make me tired.”
“It’s time for bed.” Jessie closed her notebook. “We’ll make a new plan in the morning.”
When the Aldens were inside the apartment, Henry said, “At least we know Margot didn’t play the tricks. If she’s so scared of horses, she’s not the rider.”
“That leaves Isiah, Mr. Beekman, or Brett.” Violet went to the window and looked out into the dark. “One of them is still out there planning more tricks.”
CHAPTER 10
Help from a Horse
The next morning after breakfast, the Aldens helped Annika rake leaves and clean up outside the front of the shop. They saw Mr. Beekman struggling to carry a big box up the steps of the café. His ankle was wrapped in a bandage.
“Let me help you,” Henry offered, hurrying to the café.
Mr. Beekman looked surprised, but said, “Thank you. I was afraid I was going to drop it.”
Mrs. Vanderhoff came out of the shop. “Mr. Beekman, what happened to your ankle?” she asked.
“I sprained it when I tripped over a broken step in back,” he said.
“You should get one of your workers to carry things in,” Mrs. Vanderhoff scolded. “The ankle won’t get better unless you rest it.”
Mr. Beekman shook his head. “I can’t. They’re all busy with other jobs. We’re having a special charity dinner tonight to raise money for the library.”
“We can help,” Jessie offered.
“Yes,” Mrs. Vanderhoff added. “We’ll all help. Just tell us what you want us to do.”
Mr. Beekman frowned and asked, “Why would you help me?”
“I like to be neighborly,” replied Mrs. Vanderhoff. “And I’m happy to do anything that helps the library.”
Mr. Beekman took his volunteers to the backyard. Mrs. Vanderhoff and Mrs McGregor set the tables that had been placed there while Jessie, Henry, and Annika helped string paper lanterns around the trees. Violet and Benny did the centerpieces. Benny scattered colorful leaves on the table and Violet arranged miniature pumpkins and pinecones around small pots of yellow mums.
When they were done, Mr. Beekman said, “I can’t thank you enough. I couldn’t have done it without you.” He turned to Mrs. Vanderhoff. “I want to apologize. Ever since you said you weren’t selling your house, I haven’t been very nice to you. I realize how unkind that is.”
“Apology accepted.” Mrs. Vanderhoff gave him a big smile.
“Why don’t you all come in for a snack?” Mr. Beekman said.
Mrs. Vanderhoff and the Aldens followed him inside and sat down at a table. He brought them hot chocolate and a plate of his apple custard tarts.
“Hello!” Isiah called out from the front door of the café. He came over to their table and did a funny little dance like a jig. “It’s a wonderful day. I have some wonderful news.”
“Where have you been?” Annika asked.
Isiah pointed at himself. “You are looking at an actor who has a real part in a real play in New York City. I found out the other night. I took the train into the city right away so I could sign the contract.”
“Congratulations!” Annika said. “But you could have told someone,” she grumbled. “We’ve been worried.”
“I couldn’t find my cell phone, but I left you a note. I taped to the front door of the shop.”
“We didn’t see any note,” Mrs. Vanderhoff said. “It must have blown away.”
While Isiah was telling Annika about the play, Henry pulled the rest of the Aldens aside. “So now we know it wasn’t Isiah and it wasn’t Margot. That leaves Mr. Beekman or Brett.”
“Mr. Beekman said he fell down the steps, but he could have sprained his ankle falling out of a tree,” Jessie said.
“Brett is the meanest one though,” Violet said. “I think it was him.”
“How are we going to find out which one it is?” Benny asked as he reached over to take a sugar cube out of the bowl.
“Benny, your hot chocolate doesn’t need anymore sugar!” Jessie said.
Henry took a sugar cube of his own. “This gives me an idea,” he said. “Anyone else guess what I’m thinking? Benny isn’t the only one who likes sugar cubes.”
Violet nodded. “I bet I can guess what you
r idea is.”
Henry got up and went over to Mr. Beekman. “Could you and Brett do us a big favor?”
“Of course,” Mr. Beekman said. “You’ve helped me out. I’ll help you out.”
“We need you to come to Sanders Stable, just for a few minutes,” Henry said. “I’ll explain there.”
Mr. Beekman looked very puzzled but agreed to go. He went to get Brett, who did not seem pleased at Henry’s request.
When they all reached the stable, Isiah’s father was outside washing out brushes.
“We just need to see the horses for few minutes,” Jessie told him.
“I usually don’t have folks come just to visit the horses, but you’re welcome to come in.” He showed them inside. Domino looked out of his stall and neighed at the sight of them. Mr. Sanders frowned. “I wonder what’s gotten into him.”
“Let’s go see,” Violet suggested.
They walked down to the end of the row of stalls. Henry motioned to the front of Domino’s stall. “Mr. Beekman and Brett, would you just stand together right here?”
“I don’t know why you want us to do that, but I guess you’ll tell us soon enough,” Mr. Beekman said.
The Beekmans moved into place.
Domino stuck his head out and butted it against Brett’s chest, whinnying softly.
“I don’t believe it,” Mr. Sanders said. “I think he likes you.”
“Why don’t you give him a treat?” Henry said, taking some sugar cubes from his pocket. He tried to hand one to Brett, but Brett wouldn’t take it.
Domino neighed, sounding angry.
“I think you should give the horse the treat,” Mr. Sanders said. “When Domino gets angry, sometimes he kicks the stall door.”
“Go ahead, Brett,” Mr. Beekman said.
Brett fed Domino the sugar cube. The horse rubbed his nose against Brett’s chest and whinnied again. “He acts like he knows you,” Mr. Sanders said.
Brett didn’t say anything but he looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Sanders, could we see where you keep the grooming supplies?” Jessie asked.