Read Online Mystery in the Fortune Cookie by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online
Authors: Gertrude Chandler Warner
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did he say again?” Benny looked confused.
Violet smiled at her little brother. “He said, ‘Don’t forget, you’re dealing with Drum Keller.’ ”
Benny nodded. “Now I remember.” He paused and frowned. “I wonder who was on the other end of the phone.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea.” Violet tucked the thermos into her backpack. “This whole Drum Keller mystery is very odd.”
Jessie sat quietly, thinking hard. She wrapped her arms around her knees. Something about the name Drum Keller was still bothering her, but she couldn’t figure out what.
Benny took a big gulp, polishing off his lemonade. “If Martin is Drum Keller, why is he leaving these fortunes for Dottie?”
Henry dipped his toes into the cool water. “Maybe to keep her busy,” he guessed. “You know, distract her so she won’t notice that he’s trying to steal her half of the bookstore.”
Benny nodded as he crunched into an apple.
Henry continued with his theory. “People think Drum Keller disappeared because of money,” he reminded them. “If Martin is Drum Keller, then money’s very important to him.”
“So Martin, also known as Drum Keller, is trying to steal Dottie’s half of the bookstore so he can make more money?” Violet asked. “But ... why is Auntie Two helping him?”
The Aldens were silent. No one had an answer.
Jessie spoke up. “There’s another possibility.”
Benny was instantly curious. “What is it, Jessie?”
“Maybe there is somebody else who knows the truth about Martin,” she said. “Somebody who’s trying to warn Dottie.” Jessie pushed her damp hair behind her ears. “Maybe that person is leaving the strange messages.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Violet exclaimed.
It made sense. What better way to hint at Martin’s secret identity than by hiding a mystery in a fortune cookie? After all, Drum Keller wrote a whole series of fortune cookie mysteries, didn’t he?
“Then it’s got to be Lucy who left those messages,” put in Benny, who was still convinced the waitress was behind everything. “She was talking to Angela at the ice cream parlor about somebody’s secret identity. Remember? Maybe Lucy and Auntie Two are trying to warn Dottie about Martin.”
“I have a hunch we won’t know what’s really going on,” Jessie said, “until we figure out the rebus puzzle.” Reaching for her backpack, she dug into a zippered pocket and pulled out the little white slip of paper.
“Maybe it’ll make sense this time,” Benny said hopefully.
They took turns studying the fortune again — first Violet, then Benny, then Henry, and finally Jessie. On the second time around, Violet noticed something. “I’m no expert,” she said, “but I think the bird in this drawing is supposed to be a loon.”
The others crowded around to take another look. “What makes you think so, Violet?” asked Jessie.
“Well, for one thing, check out the bill — it’s dark and pointed.” Violet had an artist’s eye for detail. “And look at the white stripes on the neck.”
“Good detective work, Violet,” said Henry.
“But how does a loon fit in with the other drawings?” Benny wanted to know.
“I think I have that figured out,” Jessie said with a big smile. “If you put the pictures of the cow and the loon together, you get — ”
“Kowloon!” everyone cried out in unison.
The children looked at one another, their faces glowing with excitement. Then Benny suddenly caught his breath. “Auntie Two!” he cried. “I bet that’s what the drawing of the two ants is all about.”
“Good thinking, Benny.” Henry gave his little brother a pat on the back. “Looks like the rebus is telling us something about Auntie Two Kowloon.”
“But ... what?” Violet wondered.
“Let’s take it one drawing at a time,” Henry suggested. “We figured out the first part of the rebus. Now let’s study the rest of it.”
Jessie frowned a moment. “The barbells come next.”
Violet smiled at her little brother. “He said, ‘Don’t forget, you’re dealing with Drum Keller.’ ”
Benny nodded. “Now I remember.” He paused and frowned. “I wonder who was on the other end of the phone.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea.” Violet tucked the thermos into her backpack. “This whole Drum Keller mystery is very odd.”
Jessie sat quietly, thinking hard. She wrapped her arms around her knees. Something about the name Drum Keller was still bothering her, but she couldn’t figure out what.
Benny took a big gulp, polishing off his lemonade. “If Martin is Drum Keller, why is he leaving these fortunes for Dottie?”
Henry dipped his toes into the cool water. “Maybe to keep her busy,” he guessed. “You know, distract her so she won’t notice that he’s trying to steal her half of the bookstore.”
Benny nodded as he crunched into an apple.
Henry continued with his theory. “People think Drum Keller disappeared because of money,” he reminded them. “If Martin is Drum Keller, then money’s very important to him.”
“So Martin, also known as Drum Keller, is trying to steal Dottie’s half of the bookstore so he can make more money?” Violet asked. “But ... why is Auntie Two helping him?”
The Aldens were silent. No one had an answer.
Jessie spoke up. “There’s another possibility.”
Benny was instantly curious. “What is it, Jessie?”
“Maybe there is somebody else who knows the truth about Martin,” she said. “Somebody who’s trying to warn Dottie.” Jessie pushed her damp hair behind her ears. “Maybe that person is leaving the strange messages.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Violet exclaimed.
It made sense. What better way to hint at Martin’s secret identity than by hiding a mystery in a fortune cookie? After all, Drum Keller wrote a whole series of fortune cookie mysteries, didn’t he?
“Then it’s got to be Lucy who left those messages,” put in Benny, who was still convinced the waitress was behind everything. “She was talking to Angela at the ice cream parlor about somebody’s secret identity. Remember? Maybe Lucy and Auntie Two are trying to warn Dottie about Martin.”
“I have a hunch we won’t know what’s really going on,” Jessie said, “until we figure out the rebus puzzle.” Reaching for her backpack, she dug into a zippered pocket and pulled out the little white slip of paper.
“Maybe it’ll make sense this time,” Benny said hopefully.
They took turns studying the fortune again — first Violet, then Benny, then Henry, and finally Jessie. On the second time around, Violet noticed something. “I’m no expert,” she said, “but I think the bird in this drawing is supposed to be a loon.”
The others crowded around to take another look. “What makes you think so, Violet?” asked Jessie.
“Well, for one thing, check out the bill — it’s dark and pointed.” Violet had an artist’s eye for detail. “And look at the white stripes on the neck.”
“Good detective work, Violet,” said Henry.
“But how does a loon fit in with the other drawings?” Benny wanted to know.
“I think I have that figured out,” Jessie said with a big smile. “If you put the pictures of the cow and the loon together, you get — ”
“Kowloon!” everyone cried out in unison.
The children looked at one another, their faces glowing with excitement. Then Benny suddenly caught his breath. “Auntie Two!” he cried. “I bet that’s what the drawing of the two ants is all about.”
“Good thinking, Benny.” Henry gave his little brother a pat on the back. “Looks like the rebus is telling us something about Auntie Two Kowloon.”
“But ... what?” Violet wondered.
“Let’s take it one drawing at a time,” Henry suggested. “We figured out the first part of the rebus. Now let’s study the rest of it.”
Jessie frowned a moment. “The barbells come next.”
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