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doesn’t know,” said Jessie. “But I have an idea about how we can fix that.”

CHAPTER 10
    Surprises for Everyone
    S orry, Henry, don’t take your jacket off,” Laurie said when Henry came through the back door of the restaurant the next day at lunchtime. “Jessie just gave me one more delivery order. It’s for a Pizza Supreme.”
    â€œI know all about it,” Henry said with a smile. “It’s a surprise delivery.”
    Laurie was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
    â€œWhat Henry means is that we have a new plan,” Jessie told Laurie. “We’ve been trying to get Mr. Irons on the phone, but he won’t talk to us. Today, we’re going to deliver a pizza right to his office.”
    Laurie couldn’t help laughing. These Aldens just never gave up!
    Benny sniffed at the big pizza box. “Mmm. We think Mr. Irons doesn’t know how good this pizza is. If he is the one who’s trying to hurt Piccolos’, maybe he’ll stop once he knows he can get this good pizza every day if he wants!”
    â€œIf he gets one bite of this,” Violet said, “he’ll be glad, not mad, that Piccolos’ is right next door.”
    Jessie headed toward the apartment upstairs. “I’m just going to make sure he’s in his office. I can sometimes see him from the apartment window.”
    When Jessie bounded back down into the kitchen, she cried: “Everything’s a-okay. Let’s go!”
    The children were out the door before Laurie could stop them. They were sure their plan was going to work.
    â€œOkay, ready everyone?” Henry said when they reached the factory gate. “Now let’s just stroll in like all these other people.”
    The four friendly, polite children had no trouble getting into the building.
    â€œPizza delivery for Mr. Irons,” Jessie said to the woman at the front desk.
    â€œHmm, I guess Mr. Irons is getting tired of deli sandwiches,” the woman said with a smile. “Sixth floor, then down the hall to the right. His secretary is out now, but I’ll let him know his lunch is here.”
    The children hadn’t counted on anyone telling Mr. Irons he was getting a pizza. They crossed their fingers.
    â€œMr. Irons, your lunch is on its way up,” the woman said. Luckily for the Aldens she didn’t 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.
    â€œI just had lunch,” one nice businesswoman told Jessie, who was carrying the Pizza Supreme. “But I must say that pizza you have there smells mighty good.”
    â€œIt is good,” Benny said. “It’s from Piccolos’ Pizza right down the street. Here’s one of our flyers.”
    â€œI’ll be sure to get over there soon,” the woman said. She gave all the children a big smile. “Or maybe you can deliver one right to me next time!”
    â€œJust call,” Benny cried when he and the children reached the sixth floor.
    â€œWhew, I was a little worried there,” Jessie said. “After all, Mr. Irons told Henry over the phone that Mighty Mufflers wouldn’t accept any deliveries from Piccolos’.”
    Henry laughed. “He’ll have to accept this. It’s free.”
    The children went down the hall. They were a bit nervous but not too nervous. After all, how could anyone, even Mr. Irons, resist Piccolos’ Pizza Supreme?
    â€œHere’s his office,” Violet said before she opened the door. “His secretary still isn’t back, so I guess we should just go in.”
    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 secretary’s desk.
    A voice boomed out: “Ms. Donella! Call the deli and find out what on earth happened to