Mystery on Stage by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

you?” she added winking at them.
    â€œI’ll help with dinner, too,” Henry said as he stamped his feet a little on the pavement to keep warm. He took the poster from Violet to carry.
    It took Jessie and Benny longer than they thought to walk backstage because they met some cast members in the lobby.
    â€œHave you seen Sarah?” they asked.
    â€œNo,” Mrs. Adams answered. “But she did say something a while ago about wanting to stay late for practice.”
    Once Jessie and Benny reached the auditorium, it was completely dark. “All the actors must have left,” Benny said.
    The Aldens looked in the costume room, the dressing rooms, and on the stage. Jessie even turned on the house lights so she could see the whole auditorium, but Sarah was nowhere to be found.
    â€œShe must have gone home,” Jessie said finally as she turned off the lights. “Maybe she didn’t know she was getting picked up.”
    â€œIt’s funny Jim’s gone, too,” Benny said. “He usually likes to stay late!”
    â€œWe seem to be the only ones here,” Jessie said, looking out at the darkened auditorium.
    Benny nodded. “Let’s go out and tell that man we can’t find Sarah,” he said. “Do you think he’s her father?” he added.
    Jessie shrugged. “He might be. He does look a little bit like her.”
    â€œHe has dark hair and blue eyes,” said Benny. “Sarah does, too.”
    Before they left, Jessie made sure all the lights controlled by the lighting board were turned off. She took the red flashlight near the board so Benny and she could find their way to the door.
    â€œIt’s dark back here,” Benny said as he sidestepped a pile of lumber stacked near the wall. “I’m glad you found a flashlight.”
    â€œYes,” Jessie agreed. “I don’t know why they turned the night-light off.”
    â€œJessie!” Benny whispered loudly. He grabbed his sister’s arm. “I hear voices!”
    Jessie moved closer to the backstage door. “Don’t worry, they’re just talking outside,” she whispered. “No one’s backstage.”
    â€œI won’t let you do this!” a man’s voice said angrily.
    â€œDo you think that’s Jim?” Benny whispered. “Who’s he talking to?”
    Jessie put her finger to her lips and shook her head. “I can’t tell,” she said after a moment.
    â€œYou have to stop!” the man kept saying. The girl answered in low muffled tones.
    â€œThat’s Sarah’s voice!” Benny whispered. “But I can’t hear what she’s saying.”
    Benny and Jessie looked at each other. Benny’s big eyes grew even rounder. “Do you think Sarah’s been the one doing all those things to the props and costumes … ?”
    â€œAnd Jim’s telling her to stop?” Jessie finished the sentence for her brother. She shook her head. “It sounds that way, but we don’t know for sure.”
    Jessie beamed the flashlight on the doorknob. “Why don’t we go outside and see what’s going on?” she suggested.
    Suddenly the girl outside the stage door burst into tears. Jessie hesitated with her hand on the doorknob. “I don’t think we should interrupt their conversation,” she said finally.
    Benny nodded. “Okay. We can go out the side door,” he said.
    Jessie turned, but something caught her eye.
    â€œLook, Benny,” she called in a low voice.
    â€œWhat is it?” Benny asked.
    Jessie pointed the flashlight at the backdrop of the wizard’s palace. “Somebody moved it,” Jessie whispered. “When we were working this afternoon on the Yellow Brick Road, I’m sure the Wizard’s palace was facing the wall near those boards.”
    When Jessie shone the light on the Wizard’s palace, the Aldens could see it was splattered with big