Read Online Game Store Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online
Authors: Gertrude Chandler Warner
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off that sign,” Jessie announced.
“What are you talking about?” Carter asked.
Henry held up the fabric scrap for Carter to see. Up close, there was no doubt it matched Carter’s jacket perfectly.
Carter glanced around nervously. “Look, it’s not what you think,” he said in a low voice. “How about we go down to that coffee shop and I’ll explain everything.”
CHAPTER 9
The Secret Message
The children followed Carter down to the Java Café. Carter went to the counter and ordered everyone cookies and hot chocolate. Then they all took their treats to a large table in the back of the café.
“I have been taking letters off that sign,” Carter admitted. “But it’s not what you think. I’m planning on giving the letters back. When I’m finished with them.”
“What are you doing with them?” Henry asked.
Benny took a bite of his cookie and listened intently.
“You were on the right track when you were looking for a message in the missing letters,” Carter explained. “I’ve been trying to collect the right letters so I can spell out a message.”
“You want to spell out a message on the mall sign?” Jessie asked. “Why?”
Carter smiled. “If you knew what the message was, I think you’d understand.” He reached inside the inner pocket of his jacket, pulled out a stack of plastic letters and laid them all out on the table.
“What is the message supposed to say?” Benny asked.
“Let’s see if you can figure it out,” Carter said. “I’ve finally collected all the letters I need.”
The Aldens watched as Carter moved some of the letters around on the table. “These letters make up the first word,” Carter said as he separated out the letters L E P E A S.
Jessie moved the six letters around until she found the word. “The word is PLEASE,” she said.
“That’s right,” Carter said. He pulled five more letters out of the pile: R A R M Y.
Henry scratched his head. “The word isn’t army,” he said. “There would be an R left over.”
“That’s right,” Carter said, taking a sip of hot chocolate. “Keep looking. You’ll get it.”
Violet moved the M to the front of the word. She grinned. “I know what the word is. It’s MARRY!”
Carter nodded. “And you already know that Queenie’s first and last names are in here.” He pulled out the Q U E E N I E and P O L K and laid the letters out at the end of the table.
“That’s why you talked Queenie into changing the message on the sign that day,” Jessie said. “You needed those letters.”
“That’s right,” Carter said.
“That only leaves M and E,” Benny said, reaching for the last two letters. “That spells ME.” He inserted the word in its proper place.
The children read the message in full: PLEASE MARRY ME QUEENIE POLK.
“I’m planning to put that message up tonight after dark,” Carter explained. “That way Queenie will see it when she comes in in the morning. Would you kids like to help me put it up?”
“Oh, yes,” Violet said eagerly. The others agreed.
“Everyone was right about you kids,” Carter said. “You are good detectives. I’m just glad that it was you who figured out what I was doing instead of Queenie.”
“Well, don’t worry,” Jessie said. “We won’t tell her.”
“But there’s still something I don’t understand,” Benny said, his face wrinkled in confusion.
“What’s that?” Carter asked.
“If you’re the one who’s been messing up the sign, why would you rearrange the letters to say CARTER ROBBER?” Benny asked. “You’re not the safe robber, are you?”
Carter stiffened. “No, I’m not,” he said. “And I’m not the one who put that message there. I wish I knew who did.”
Jessie finished the last of her hot chocolate, then wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I wonder if it was the real robber?”
“There have been three robberies here and the police still don’t have any leads,” Carter said. “I don’t suppose you kids have
“What are you talking about?” Carter asked.
Henry held up the fabric scrap for Carter to see. Up close, there was no doubt it matched Carter’s jacket perfectly.
Carter glanced around nervously. “Look, it’s not what you think,” he said in a low voice. “How about we go down to that coffee shop and I’ll explain everything.”
CHAPTER 9
The Secret Message
The children followed Carter down to the Java Café. Carter went to the counter and ordered everyone cookies and hot chocolate. Then they all took their treats to a large table in the back of the café.
“I have been taking letters off that sign,” Carter admitted. “But it’s not what you think. I’m planning on giving the letters back. When I’m finished with them.”
“What are you doing with them?” Henry asked.
Benny took a bite of his cookie and listened intently.
“You were on the right track when you were looking for a message in the missing letters,” Carter explained. “I’ve been trying to collect the right letters so I can spell out a message.”
“You want to spell out a message on the mall sign?” Jessie asked. “Why?”
Carter smiled. “If you knew what the message was, I think you’d understand.” He reached inside the inner pocket of his jacket, pulled out a stack of plastic letters and laid them all out on the table.
“What is the message supposed to say?” Benny asked.
“Let’s see if you can figure it out,” Carter said. “I’ve finally collected all the letters I need.”
The Aldens watched as Carter moved some of the letters around on the table. “These letters make up the first word,” Carter said as he separated out the letters L E P E A S.
Jessie moved the six letters around until she found the word. “The word is PLEASE,” she said.
“That’s right,” Carter said. He pulled five more letters out of the pile: R A R M Y.
Henry scratched his head. “The word isn’t army,” he said. “There would be an R left over.”
“That’s right,” Carter said, taking a sip of hot chocolate. “Keep looking. You’ll get it.”
Violet moved the M to the front of the word. She grinned. “I know what the word is. It’s MARRY!”
Carter nodded. “And you already know that Queenie’s first and last names are in here.” He pulled out the Q U E E N I E and P O L K and laid the letters out at the end of the table.
“That’s why you talked Queenie into changing the message on the sign that day,” Jessie said. “You needed those letters.”
“That’s right,” Carter said.
“That only leaves M and E,” Benny said, reaching for the last two letters. “That spells ME.” He inserted the word in its proper place.
The children read the message in full: PLEASE MARRY ME QUEENIE POLK.
“I’m planning to put that message up tonight after dark,” Carter explained. “That way Queenie will see it when she comes in in the morning. Would you kids like to help me put it up?”
“Oh, yes,” Violet said eagerly. The others agreed.
“Everyone was right about you kids,” Carter said. “You are good detectives. I’m just glad that it was you who figured out what I was doing instead of Queenie.”
“Well, don’t worry,” Jessie said. “We won’t tell her.”
“But there’s still something I don’t understand,” Benny said, his face wrinkled in confusion.
“What’s that?” Carter asked.
“If you’re the one who’s been messing up the sign, why would you rearrange the letters to say CARTER ROBBER?” Benny asked. “You’re not the safe robber, are you?”
Carter stiffened. “No, I’m not,” he said. “And I’m not the one who put that message there. I wish I knew who did.”
Jessie finished the last of her hot chocolate, then wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I wonder if it was the real robber?”
“There have been three robberies here and the police still don’t have any leads,” Carter said. “I don’t suppose you kids have
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