Guide Dog Mystery by Charles Tang Read Free Book Online

Henry in pursuit, but he was able to outrun Henry. As Henry raced to the end of the aisle, the person ran out the front door.
    Breathless, Henry returned to his sisters and brother, who had paid for their groceries.
    “Well?” Jessie asked. “Could you see who it was?”
    “No,” Henry said, catching his breath. “He — or she — was too fast for me.”
    In a few minutes, Jason, Anna, and Ginger joined them at the front of the store. “What was going on back there, Henry?” Jason asked. “Why did you run past us?”
    Henry was about to answer when Anna interrupted. “Were you after that person who was following us?” she asked.
    “Yes — you knew someone was following you?” Henry asked.
    “I had heard footsteps behind me for several minutes. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, but it was always the same person,” Anna said.
    “How do you know?” Violet asked.
    “I recognized the way he walked — with a slight limp,” Anna explained. “He stopped and started whenever I did.”
    “Did you see who it was?” Jason asked Henry.
    “No, he ran away too fast.” Henry looked disappointed.
    “So you don’t know if it was the same person who was in the kennel last night?” Jason asked.
    “No,” said Henry. “Could you tell if it was him, Benny?”
    “No,” said Benny. “I couldn’t see him.”
    “Wait a minute. What are you talking about?” Anna wanted to know. No one had told her what had happened the night before. They didn’t want to upset her.
    “Well?” Anna demanded.
    “We’ll tell you about it over lunch,” Jessie said.

CHAPTER 9
Ginger’s Been Kidnapped!
    G reenfield College was only a few blocks from downtown. Anna, Ginger, and Jason led the way, with the Aldens following. Jessie and Henry each carried a bag of groceries.
    When they reached the college, they saw several big stone buildings, covered in ivy, around a large green lawn. Students carrying books and notebooks walked from one building to another. Some students sat on the grass eating lunch and chatting. On one side of the lawn, a couple of people were throwing a football.
    Henry spotted a shady corner surrounded on two sides by tall bushes. “How about if we sit over there?” The others nodded and followed him across the lawn, being careful not to get in the way of the ball players.
    Jessie got out the checkered tablecloth and spread it on the grass. Everyone sat down, and Ginger lay on the grass next to Anna. Violet placed a paper plate and cup in front of each person, and Benny handed everyone a napkin.
    “What’s for lunch?” Jason asked as Henry began to reach into one of the bags.
    “Bread and cheese and fruit,” Henry said. He placed all the food in the center of the tablecloth where everyone could reach. Jason tore off a hunk of bread and handed the loaf to Anna, who did the same.
    Jessie cut the cheese into chunks and sliced the tomato with the knife she’d borrowed from the school’s kitchen. Violet filled all the cups with punch.
    For a moment everyone was silent, eating sandwiches of the bread and cheese and tomato. They scooped up handfuls of the dried fruit and nuts. At last, as they sat back enjoying the juicy peaches and plums, Anna asked the question that had been on all their minds. “Now, who was in the kennel last night?”
    “That’s just it — we don’t know,” Henry said. “Someone broke in — Benny spotted the person from our window. We went and woke up Jason, and then we all ran down to the kennel.”
    Jason picked up the story. “But when we got there, whoever was inside ran into the woods.”
    “What time did all this happen?” Anna asked.
    “Around midnight,” said Violet.
    “What were you doing looking out the window at midnight, Benny?” Anna wanted to know.
    “I was keeping watch. It was my shift,” Benny explained.
    “What do you mean, you were ‘keeping watch’?” asked Jason.
    The Aldens looked at one another. They hadn’t really planned on telling