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he probably forgot about the money.”
    â€œDid Mrs. Pettibone go to the game?” asked Emily.
    Carl shook his head as he scanned the letter. “No, she got in her car and drove home to the party she was late for. It says here that she didn’t know what happened at the game until she got her local newspaper later that week.”
    â€œBoy, the news sure was slow in the olden days,” Benny commented.
    Henry smiled. “Only big cities had daily papers,” he said. “Small towns like Pikesville and Eddington had papers that came out once a week.”
    â€œIt’s too bad,” Carl Soper remarked. “If Mrs. Pettibone had known sooner, my uncle wouldn’t have left town in disgrace.”
    â€œWhy?” asked Violet.
    Carl Soper returned to the letter. “According to this, Mrs. Pettibone was very upset to learn he was accused of throwing the game because he had her twenty dollars in his pocket. She wrote to Herman so he could show the letter to the president of the ball club and the newspaper, and be cleared of any wrongdoing.
    â€œBut I don’t think he ever received the letter,” Carl said sadly. “It was sealed. It was probably delivered after he left town in disgrace.”
    Mike Percy cleared his throat. “We’d like to hear about old baseball games, but we really have to get to that meeting.”
    â€œYes. The council needs my vote,” stated Beverly Percy.
    Jessie looked at her. “Why were you in the clubhouse?”
    Now Mrs. Percy’s tone became frosty. “That is none of your business, young lady.” Glancing one last time at the letter Carl Soper held, she turned on her heel and marched out.
    Mike Percy was right behind her. The kids heard a car start and drive away. The Percys must have had their car parked on the street behind the clubhouse.
    â€œThose people are strange,” Benny commented.
    â€œNot strange,” said Henry, an idea forming in his head. “They are very smart.”
    â€œHow so?” asked Carl.
    â€œThe ‘ghost’ we kept seeing in the old factory,” Henry said. “That was either Jenkins or the Percys. They were all searching for that letter.”
    â€œWhy would they be hunting for this?” asked Emily.
    Now Jessie caught on. “Because it’s somehow connected to the ballpark, I bet. The council should know about it.”
    â€œThe council is going to vote on making this land into a parking lot in ten minutes,” Carl Soper announced.
    â€œWe’ve got to get to that meeting!” Violet declared. “Maybe the letter will make a difference in how people vote.”
    Mr. Soper gave the letter to Benny. “I won’t be able to move as fast as you. Now hurry!”
    Benny tucked the letter carefully in his pocket. Then he and the other kids sped out of the clubhouse.
    â€œI know a shortcut,” Emily told the Aldens.
    They dashed across the ballpark and down a side street.
    Henry was the fastest runner, but he stayed beside Benny.
    The town hall sat in the middle of a green lawn. Revolutionary War cannons flanked the wide steps. The gilded dome glowed like pure gold in the summer sun.
    The children flew along the brick walkway and up the granite steps. Henry pulled the heavy double doors open and let Benny enter first.
    Benny’s sneakers squeaked loudly on the marble floor. Inside, the building was cool and hushed, like a library. He heard voices from the first room on the right. A paneled oak door was propped open.
    â€œIn there,” Jessie said.
    Benny raced to the doorway. He saw men and women sitting around a large wooden table. At one end of the room, Beverly Percy was talking as she stood beside an easel. The drawing on the easel showed a modern parking lot and pretty flowers around the factory building.
    â€œWell, ladies and gentlemen,” said Beverly. “Shall we take a vote on this new project?”
    Benny wasn’t