Rock 'n' Roll Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

beginning to fall, and crickets were chirping in the bushes. The Aldens and Raymond glanced around the parking lot, looking for the white van. There were several other cars and trucks parked in front of the rooms where people were staying, but no sign of the van.
    â€œWhat do we do now?” Benny asked.
    â€œWe’ll wait for Officer Weiss,” Jessie reminded him. They had called him to tell him what they’d discovered about the man with the glasses and beret. Now, as they stood and waited behind Raymond’s car, they wondered what would happen next.
    â€œI think the thief is staying in Room 12,” Raymond said, pointing to a door at the very end of the long motel building. “That’s where he was going when I saw him earlier today.”
    A light was still on in the window of Room 12, but the shades had been pulled down.
    Suddenly, the door opened, and Jon Emmott stepped out. He was still wearing his black beret, but he no longer had his glasses on. He looked around, but he didn’t notice the children watching him from across the parking lot. He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked to the corner of the building, then turned and headed towards the back.
    â€œWhere’s he going?” Violet whispered. Her heart was racing. Was he going to get away?
    â€œLet’s go see,” Henry said.
    â€œYes, but let’s try to keep our distance,” Raymond said.
    They followed Jon Emmott as he turned another corner and disappeared. They turned the corner, too, and at last they saw the white van with the blue stripe.
    â€œHe parked it where no one would see it,” Jessie whispered.
    They could see Jon Emmott grinning to himself as he started the van and waited for the engine to warm up. “Excuse me,” Henry called out. “Aren’t you Jon Emmott?”
    The man’s smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. “How do you know that?” he demanded.
    Raymond spoke up. “That’s not important right now,” he said. “What’s important is that you give back all those instruments you stole from the Greenfield Four.”
    â€œForget it,” Emmott said in a nasty voice. “Now get out of my way.”
    â€œI don’t think you’re going anywhere,” said a voice behind the Aldens. The children turned around. It was Officer Weiss.
    Jon Emmott turned off the engine of the van. His shoulders sagged, and he put his head down.
    It was over.

CHAPTER 10
It’s Not Over Till It’s Over
    At the police station, Jon Emmott confessed everything.
    â€œI had to do it,” he said. “I had to get even with them. I didn’t want them to be so successful without me. Then, when I heard about the festival and the man from the record company, I wanted to ruin it for them.”
    â€œSo you broke into their rehearsal studio,” Henry said. “You guessed the security code.”
    Jon Emmott smiled bitterly. “You figured out I did that, didn’t you? Yes, I was lucky that the new code wasn’t very different from the old code.
    â€œAt first I wasn’t going to sell the stolen instruments,” Jon went on. “My only plan was to ruin the show.”
    â€œWell, you didn’t ruin it,” Jessie said. “They’re still going to do their best and play tonight.”
    Jon’s eyes narrowed. “I knew it wouldn’t be enough to stop them.” He chuckled.
    The children looked at each other. They couldn’t help but think there was something Jon Emmott wasn’t telling them.
    â€œWait a minute,” Henry spoke up. “What were you working on at the festival yesterday?”
    Jon paused for a moment, then said stiffly, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
    â€œYou were working on something while the stage was being built.” Jessie insisted. “Something with wires and cables.”
    â€œAren’t you an electrician?” Violet