Candy Factory Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

warehouse. That’s where the candy smells are coming from. We could smell candy, but we couldn’t see it.”
    â€œYou mean the inspector?” Violet asked. “Why would he be here?”
    â€œOh, I suppose that’s not so strange,” Jessie said. “He probably has to make sure the candy doesn’t get spoiled or anything before it gets shipped.”
    â€œThen why did they meet in back?” Henry pointed out. “All the shipments are in front on the loading dock and in the truck.”
    â€œFrom what Benny and Soo Lee saw, it sounds as if Mr. Boxer is making candy,” Violet said. “He could be trying to get the school candy business for himself.”
    â€œYou know what else?” Jessie asked. “I think Mr. Boxer planted his own spy at Mrs. Winkles’s factory — either Meg or Tom. After all, Meg used to work for him. As for Tom, well, even Mrs. Winkles said he practically dropped out of the sky. Let’s tell the two of them that we saw Mr. Boxer’s place and see what they have to say.”
    â€œOr not say,” Henry added.

CHAPTER 9
    Something Sweet, Something Fishy
    T he children had a lot to talk about. As they crossed the parking lot to return to the loft, the inspector’s car passed by and drove away.
    â€œI guess he’s all done here,” Henry said. “I’d sure like to know why he stopped by. Look, Mr. Boxer is leaving, too.”
    The Aldens waved at Mr. Boxer when his van went by, but he didn’t wave back.
    â€œWhat are you smiling about, Jessie?” Violet asked when she noticed a grin on her sister’s face, “Mr. Boxer didn’t look very friendly just now.”
    Jessie went on grinning. “I left my sweater in the warehouse.”
    Now the other children looked just as confused as Violet.
    â€œThat’s nothing to smile about,” Henry said.
    â€œYes, it is,” Jessie replied. “I left it behind on purpose. Now that Mr. Boxer is gone, we have an excuse to go back inside to get it. Only let’s go the back way where Benny and Soo Lee were.”
    â€œGood plan, Jessie,” Henry said. “What are we waiting for?”
    Jessie quickly ran ahead to find her sweater. When she came out, the other Aldens were waiting in front of a small building. It looked a lot newer than the rest of the warehouse.
    The children breathed in the sweet, sugary air.
    â€œSomebody was definitely cooking candy or something sweet in there,” Violet said.
    Benny and Soo Lee crept up to the building first. A window was opened slightly, but they weren’t tall enough to see in.
    Henry was. “Hey, guys. Take a look inside!”
    Violet and Jessie stood behind Henry. He picked up Benny, and Jessie picked up Soo Lee. Now the two younger Aldens could see a gleaming candy kitchen. It was newer and smaller than Mrs. Winkles’s kitchen, but equipped with the same kinds of pots and candy molds.
    â€œSo Mr. Boxer is a candy maker, not just a shipper,” Jessie said. “Now that’s pretty fishy. I don’t think Mrs. Winkles knows about this. She might not want to use a shipper who’s competing with her.”
    Violet looked worried. “If Mr. Boxer is making candy, too, that would explain why he’s not careful about Mrs. Winkles’s candy. Maybe we should come back with Mrs. Winkles when Mr. Boxer doesn’t expect us. That way she can see for herself what is going on.”
    â€œGood idea,” Henry agreed. “Maybe we’ll catch him in the act.”

    â€œLet’s bring Tom and Meg, too,” Jessie suggested. “We need to find out once and for all if they’ve been making trouble — and candy — with Mr. Boxer.”
    The children headed to the loading dock.
    â€œHi,” Jessie said to the two workmen. “Would you give Mr. Boxer a message that we’ll be back in a couple of days?”
    â€œOkay,” one of the men