Boardwalk Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

and waited for the tide to come in.
    Violet watched the waves breaking. “Do you think that Mrs. Reddy made up the story about the zombie hitting the man in the head? Or do you think she heard it from someone else?”
    “I don’t know,” Jessie said, tracing her finger through the sand. “It is always hard to tell where rumors start.”
    “One thing we do know,” Henry said, “is that Mrs. Reddy certainly enjoys spreading rumors.”
    “I think she is just lonely and bored,” Violet said. “I think she is sorry that she sold the amusement pier.”
    “I wonder what was she talking to Mr. Cooke about,” Jessie said. “Do you think that Mr. Cooke and Mrs. Reddy could be working together to ruin Hanson’s Amusement Pier?”
    “Last time Benny and I saw Mr. Cooke and Mrs. Reddy together, they were fighting,” Jessie said. “But today they were not. Mr. Cooke was smiling.”
    “I’m not sure if they are working together or not,” Henry said. “But if Mr. Hanson cannot stop these rumors soon, his amusement pier will fail. No one will go there.”
    “We have to think of something to stop all these rumors,” Violet said.
    “Watch out!” Jessie cried.
    A big wave came. It hit the castle and the walls fell away. Big chunks of sand slid into the ocean. Only the very top of the tower with the sea grass flag still stood.
    “That was so cool,” Benny said. “I love playing in the sand. Can we build another castle?”
    “We can, but not right now,” Jessie said. “I think we should go back to the house and get cleaned up. It is getting late.”
    The children splashed into the ocean and rinsed the sand from their arms and legs. They collected their things and walked back to the Hanson’s beach house. Wendy waved to them from the porch.
    “I was just going to come to look for you,” she said. “How was the beach?”
    “It was great!” Benny said. He told Wendy all about their sand castle and how the tide had come in and knocked it down.
    “That does sound like fun,” Wendy said. “Do you kids have any plans for tonight?”
    “No,” Jessie said. “We have not planned anything.”
    “I hate to ask this,” Wendy said. “You have already done so much to help. But my father has lost two more employees today. There are so many rumors. People think that the amusement pier is unsafe. They think it is going to close soon. My father could really use your help tonight.”
    “Of course we’ll help,” Jessie said. “We’ll be glad to,” Violet added.
    The children showered and dressed. They rinsed their bathing suits and hung them to dry out on the line in the sun. Benny had a small collection of seashells that he had found. He set them in a pile by the steps.
    Benny sat beside the shells. “Jessie, do you think I could buy a big bucket to put my shells in?” he asked.
    “I think that is a good idea,” Jessie said. “We should get some shovels, too, Benny,”
    Henry said. “We can build an even bigger castle with shovels.”
    “I would like to stop in the souvenir shop as well,” Violet said. “I want to buy something to remember our trip.”
    “We should leave right away,” Jessie said. “That way we will have time to go into the stores before we are needed at the amusement pier.”
    “I’ll be right out,” Violet said. Violet went back into the house. She wanted to get her money from her bedroom. She had just opened her drawer and was looking through her things when she heard Wendy and Will talking in the hallway.

    “Did the kids leave yet?” Will asked in a quiet voice.
    “Yes,” Wendy said. “Did you get the zombie back in place in the haunted house?”
    “Dad was working on it,” Will said. “But there is a bolt missing. I don’t know if the zombie will be working by tonight if we can’t find that bolt.”
    “Where could it be?” Wendy asked. “Are you sure that you don’t have it?”
    “I don’t have it, Wendy,” Will said.
    “Okay. I’m just checking,” Wendy