the inspector wouldnât see the open door.
In a few minutes, Meg and the inspector rejoined the Aldens.
As everyone walked back to the candy kitchen, the inspector finally put his pen away. âIâll be making my report in a few days. Iâll come back for another visit so you have a chance to fix some of the problems that came up today.â As he was about to leave, the inspector froze dead in the doorway. âWhat is that cat doing in the candy kitchen?â
The Aldens crowded behind the man to see what he was talking about. Under the mixing counter, a cat the children had seen around the factory was enjoying a speck of chocolate the children hadnât noticed.
âWhy, I never!â the inspector sputtered. âChildren in the kitchen is one thing in these family businesses, but a cat?â Out came the manâs pen once again.
Meg ran over to the spilled chocolate. She tried to clean it up. âShoo! Shoo!â she yelled at the cat.
âYeow!â the cat answered before he licked himself and strolled out the door that Meg had left open.
CHAPTER 8
Somethingâs Cooking
W hen the Aldens returned to the loft, Henry made a decision. âYou know,â he began, âit seems as if Meg is so careless, sheâs hurting Mrs. Winklesâs business even if sheâs not doing it on purpose. Weâve got to find out what is going on with her and with Mr. Boxer.â
Jessie agreed. âShe even let him into Mrs. Winklesâs office. Somethingâs going on with those two.â
âTomâs the one who brought over the containers of sugar chicks with the candy ghosts mixed in,â Henry reminded everyone. âMaybe he mixed up the candies before he gave them to Meg.â
âI donât like to think anything bad about Tom,â Violet said in her quiet way. âTom might not have known anything about the mix-up.â
Benny tapped Jessieâs elbow. âKnow what? All the candy came from Mr. Boxerâs warehouse â the candy ghosts, the candy hearts with the scary messages, even the mice.â
Henry put his hand up for a high five. âYouâre right! Hereâs what Iâm thinking. Mrs. Winkles said we could visit the warehouse to see how they ship the candy. Letâs go now. Maybe weâll clear up a few mysteries there.â
The Aldens were soon on their way to Boxerâs Shipping Company, which was about a mile from Winkles Candy Factory. When they arrived, the children found more than a mystery to clear up.
âMrs. Winklesâs egg cartons â the ones we packed. Look!â Jessie pointed to the loading platform. âSomebody just left them sitting out in the sun. I know itâs cold out, but the chocolate eggs will be ruined if they stay there too long. They should be in the shade or in a cooler place.â
âWhy would Mr. Boxer let all of Mrs. Winklesâs candy get ruined?â asked Benny.
âI donât know,â said Violet, âbut we better do something before this chocolate melts!â
The children noticed two men loading a truck.
âHey, hey!â Henry yelled out when the men shoved the boxes into the truck any which way. âWeâre working for Mrs. Winkles. Those are her candy shipments. See, the shipping boxes say, Handle With Care . And thereâs a pile of her chocolate egg cartons just sitting in the sun. Theyâre going to melt if someone doesnât move them to someplace cooler.â
The two men looked at each other. Who was the teenage boy telling them how to do their job?
âThe boss says we have to get this truck loaded in a hurry,â one of the men told the Aldens. âHe told us to leave those boxes over there. He must know what heâs doing.â
âThatâs what weâre afraid of,â Jessie whispered to Henry. She looked up at the men. âCould we at least get them out of the sun? Weâll move them for you
Learning to Kill: Stories