Mystery of the Secret Message by Charles Tang Read Free Book Online Page B

your model, Violet,” Benny volunteered.
    Dawn patted Violet’s arm. “You’ll do just fine. Now I’d better get into my darkroom and develop this film.”
    Violet watched the young woman disappear into her studio. “I can’t believe she’s the phantom of Greenfield Square. She’s just too nice.”
    “I know,” Henry agreed. “But if Dawn was in the square last night, why didn’t she say anything about seeing us? We can’t rule out anyone as a suspect.”
    “Let’s get started looking for clues,” Jessie said. “Why don’t we each take a corner of the square? We’ll meet at the statue.”
    Henry nodded. “Good plan, Jessie. We can always count on you to keep us organized.”
    Jessie blushed as she passed out small trash bags. “I’ll take the corner by the town hall. Pick up trash and anything that looks suspicious.”
    Benny combed the ground near the parking lot. He found bottle caps and straw wrappers, which he threw into the garbage bag. But nothing else.
    Too many people had walked around that morning, he concluded. Any clues the phantom had left behind would have been destroyed.
    He had almost reached the statue when he saw something red between two bricks in the pavement.
    A scrap of red silk.
    He pulled it out. It was a ribbon, like the kind Dawn Wellington used around her ponytail.
    “It’s lunchtime!” Grandfather’s voice boomed across the square.
    Stuffing the ribbon in his pocket, Benny ran to Cooke’s Drugstore.

    “I never thought you’d be last to a meal!” Grandfather teased Benny as they all went inside.
    They each chose a stool and ordered. Mrs. Turner assured them that apple pie with warm cinnamon sauce was on the menu.
    Violet sat next to Benny. She had been taking practice pictures while she searched for clues in the square.
    “I saw you pick something up,” she said, putting her camera in her lap. “What did you find?”
    Benny pulled the ribbon from his pocket. “This looks like Dawn’s.”
    “It does,” Violet agreed with a sinking heart. “But she could have lost it anytime.” She was sure her special friend was not the phantom.
    Sylvia Pepper came in while the Aldens were eating. She went over to Grandfather and said, “How do you like the construction crew I hired?”
    “They seem to be just fine,” James Alden replied. “Won’t you join us for a bite to eat?”
    “No, thanks,” Sylvia replied. “I just wanted to see how things were going.” Then she added, “I hope when the town votes to move the statue, you’ll remember who helped you with this festival.”
    “A lot of people have helped,” Grandfather said evenly. “But I do appreciate your efforts, Miss Pepper.”
    “The town won’t want to move the statue anyway,” Henry said when Sylvia had left. “I’m positive of that.”
    “We won’t know until the votes are tallied,” said Grandfather. “Rick Bass offered to help count the ballots tonight.”
    The young museum director also wanted the statue moved, thought Henry. He hadn’t seen Rick that day and wondered where he was.
    After lunch, they all went back outside. Two workmen were tying a tarpaulin over the blue truck bed. The stands and booths were finished. The scaffolding had been removed from the statue, but the canvas remained.
    “That’s our booth,” Jessie said, checking a chart in her notebook. “It’s right next to the refreshment booth.”
    “Yummy!” Benny liked the idea of being next to the cookie booth.
    Violet took out her camera. “Benny, why don’t you go over by the statue now? I want to check the light.”
    Benny ran over to the statue. As he leaned against the crumbling base, he wondered why the statue was still covered.
    Lifting one corner, he peered under the cloth.
    He couldn’t believe his eyes.
    The statue was gone!

CHAPTER 9
Vanished into Thin Air!
    V iolet was trying to focus through the viewfinder. But Benny kept moving the canvas that covered the statue.
    “Look!” he cried. He grabbed a