doesnât know,â said Jessie. âBut I have an idea about how we can fix that.â
CHAPTER 10
Surprises for Everyone
S orry, Henry, donât take your jacket off,â Laurie said when Henry came through the back door of the restaurant the next day at lunchtime. âJessie just gave me one more delivery order. Itâs for a Pizza Supreme.â
âI know all about it,â Henry said with a smile. âItâs a surprise delivery.â
Laurie was puzzled. âWhat do you mean?â
âWhat Henry means is that we have a new plan,â Jessie told Laurie. âWeâve been trying to get Mr. Irons on the phone, but he wonât talk to us. Today, weâre going to deliver a pizza right to his office.â
Laurie couldnât help laughing. These Aldens just never gave up!
Benny sniffed at the big pizza box. âMmm. We think Mr. Irons doesnât know how good this pizza is. If he is the one whoâs trying to hurt Piccolosâ, maybe heâll stop once he knows he can get this good pizza every day if he wants!â
âIf he gets one bite of this,â Violet said, âheâll be glad, not mad, that Piccolosâ is right next door.â
Jessie headed toward the apartment upstairs. âIâm just going to make sure heâs in his office. I can sometimes see him from the apartment window.â
When Jessie bounded back down into the kitchen, she cried: âEverythingâs a-okay. Letâs go!â
The children were out the door before Laurie could stop them. They were sure their plan was going to work.
âOkay, ready everyone?â Henry said when they reached the factory gate. âNow letâs just stroll in like all these other people.â
The four friendly, polite children had no trouble getting into the building.
âPizza delivery for Mr. Irons,â Jessie said to the woman at the front desk.
âHmm, I guess Mr. Irons is getting tired of deli sandwiches,â the woman said with a smile. âSixth floor, then down the hall to the right. His secretary is out now, but Iâll let him know his lunch is here.â
The children hadnât counted on anyone telling Mr. Irons he was getting a pizza. They crossed their fingers.
âMr. Irons, your lunch is on its way up,â the woman said. Luckily for the Aldens she didnât say what that lunch was going to be!
The children stepped into the elevator with several other people. They noticed some of them sniffing the good pizza smell.
âI just had lunch,â one nice businesswoman told Jessie, who was carrying the Pizza Supreme. âBut I must say that pizza you have there smells mighty good.â
âIt is good,â Benny said. âItâs from Piccolosâ Pizza right down the street. Hereâs one of our flyers.â
âIâll be sure to get over there soon,â the woman said. She gave all the children a big smile. âOr maybe you can deliver one right to me next time!â
âJust call,â Benny cried when he and the children reached the sixth floor.
âWhew, I was a little worried there,â Jessie said. âAfter all, Mr. Irons told Henry over the phone that Mighty Mufflers wouldnât accept any deliveries from Piccolosâ.â
Henry laughed. âHeâll have to accept this. Itâs free.â
The children went down the hall. They were a bit nervous but not too nervous. After all, how could anyone, even Mr. Irons, resist Piccolosâ Pizza Supreme?
âHereâs his office,â Violet said before she opened the door. âHis secretary still isnât back, so I guess we should just go in.â
The children approached the door that said: MAXWELL IRONS, MANAGER. They nearly dropped the pizza when they heard a loud crackling noise. It was the intercom on the secretaryâs desk.
A voice boomed out: âMs. Donella! Call the deli and find out what on earth happened to
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