Read Online The Mystery of the Soccer Snitch by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online

put her pencil down and said, “There is something bad happening. It has to do with Jessie.”
    â€œJessie?” Kayla looked instantly concerned.
    â€œPeople are saying Jessie wrote that letter to the mascot committee because she wanted to be mascot. People say she knew she was Coach Olson’s favorite and if your chances were ruined, she’d get to be mascot.”
    â€œEveryone should know Jessie would never do something like that,” Kayla said.
    Kayla frowned and went back to her sketch pad. The two girls drew for a while in silence. Violet was not concentrating on her drawing. She sensed that Kayla wasn’t either.
    Violet took a deep breath and said, “Do you know what I think?” Violet knew it was easier for shy people to listen to other people’s ideas than to answer direct questions. So she said, “I think you wrote the letter.” She said this in a matter-of-fact way.
    â€œRidiculous,” Kayla said. She went on drawing.
    â€œI just thought maybe you wrote the letter because your parents are so serious about soccer.”
    â€œThey are serious,” Kayla said. “Too serious, if you ask me.”
    They drew in silence again. After a while, Kayla said, “Do people really think Jessie would write that letter?”
    â€œIt looks bad, doesn’t it? Someone writes a letter, then Jessie gets to be mascot. You can see how people might think that.”
    Kayla sprang to her feet. “Well it’s not true! Jessie did not write the letter.” Kayla scooped up her pencils and sketchpad. “I have to go now,” she said, and ran off through the woods.
    Violet scooped up her own pencils and sketchpad and ran after her. Kayla was a good runner, much better than Violet. Violet had to run her fastest to keep up. When Kayla turned right at the street, Violet understood Kayla was heading toward the soccer field.

    Jessie had come early to soccer practice that day. Coach Olson, and a few of the girls, were already there. Mia had said she couldn’t coach, so Coach Olson said he’d be there too so Henry wouldn’t be on his own.
    Jessie waved to Coach Olson. He waved back. She walked purposely toward him.
    â€œHey, Jessie, what’s up?” he asked.
    â€œI’ve been thinking,” she said. “I believe someone is sabotaging Kayla. I just don’t feel right accepting the invitation to be mascot because—”
    They both looked up to see Mrs. Thompson marching across the street toward them.
    â€œOh, no,” Coach Olson said. “It looks like something else has happened.”
    â€œHas anyone seen Kayla?” Mrs. Thompson asked loudly.
    Coach Olson looked around. “She doesn’t seem to be here yet.”
    â€œI haven’t been able to find her all afternoon. Lately she’s been disappearing for hours at a time.”
    â€œHere she comes now!” Jessie said, pointing.
    Kayla jogged toward them. Tucked under her arm was a sketch pad. Her face was flushed from the heat, her neck and forehead wet with perspiration.
    That was when Jessie noticed that Violet, too, was running from the same direction. Violet was panting. Jessie ran for her own water bottle and gave it to Violet, who drank some, then splashed water on her face.
    â€œWhew!” Violet said. “It’s hot!”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Jessie whispered.
    â€œI’m not completely sure,” Violet whispered back.
    â€œWhere have you been?” Mrs. Thompson asked Kayla.
    â€œIn the woods, drawing.” Kayla’s voice was low and remarkably steady for someone who had just sprinted in the heat.
    â€œWhy?” Mrs. Thompson asked.
    Instead of answering the question, Kayla said, “I cannot have people saying that Jessie wrote that letter sabotaging me. Jessie is much too nice. She didn’t do it.”
    â€œAnd how do you know that?” Mrs. Thompson said.
    â€œBecause I wrote the