Tattletale Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

work. It seemed odd to Violet. If Margaret was from a wealthy family, wouldn’t she have enough money to buy new canvas? Why would she paint over another one of her paintings?
    Violet was still wondering about it when she climbed into bed. But soon enough, she put it out of her mind as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
    Leaving Watch with Mrs. McGregor, the Aldens rode their bikes over to Mrs. Spencer’s the next morning. It wasn’t long before their good friend was flipping through the pages of her photograph album.
    “It’s ... it’s gone!” cried Benny, as they all stared down at the empty space where the snapshot used to be. “The photograph has disappeared.”
    To their surprise, Mrs. Spencer did not seem at all shocked. “I’m sure it’s around the house somewhere,” she said matter-of-factly. “I must’ve taken it out for some reason.” Brushing back wisps of her snowy white hair, she frowned a little. “I do hope I didn’t misplace it. With everything that’s been happening, I haven’t been thinking clearly these days.”
    When the Aldens walked outside again, Violet said, “Poor Mrs. Spencer! I hope she finds her photograph.”
    “She won’t find it, because Rachel stole it.”
    “Benny!” Jessie exclaimed. “You shouldn’t say things like that!”
    “But it’s true,” insisted Benny “That day we met Rachel, I caught her looking through her mother’s album. And I could tell by the look on her face that she was up to no good.”
    This made Henry smile a little. “Why would Rachel steal her mother’s photo, Benny?”
    “I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure she did.”
    “I know Rachel wasn’t very nice to us, Benny,” said Violet, “but that doesn’t make her a thief.”
    After a moment’s thought, Jessie said, “It does seem odd, though, that the photograph suddenly disappeared.”
    Henry grinned over at his sister. “Remember what you said, Jessie? One mystery at a time.”
    At that, they voted to take another look around the gallery for clues. Hopping on their bikes, they headed for Town Square. When they arrived, they were surprised to find the gallery doing a brisk business even early in the day.
    “Hi, kids!” Edmund called out as Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny came into the gallery. “What brings you here again today?”
    “We were hoping to take another look at Margaret’s paintings,” Henry told the gallery owner. “If that’s okay.”
    “Take all the time you want.” As Edmund hurried away to greet a customer, he called back, “Hope you find what you’re looking for.”
    Jessie and Henry exchanged glances. Did Edmund know they were looking for clues? Or was it just a coincidence he’d said that?
    The Aldens kept their eyes peeled for anything unusual as they walked around the gallery ... once ... twice ... three times. Sharp-eyed Benny was the first to notice something, and he was soon dashing from painting to painting.
    Benny looked around to make sure no one would overhear him. Then he whispered to his brother and sisters what he’d discovered. “Margaret Longford put a snapdragon in all of her paintings, just like Milly!”

    Henry looked puzzled. So did Jessie and Violet.
    “What do you mean, Benny?” asked Henry.
    It wasn’t long before they were staring wide-eyed as their little brother led them from painting to painting. Sure enough, there was a bright pink snapdragon in every one!
    Benny swallowed a bite of his toasted tomato sandwich. “So Margaret knew Milly after all.”
    The Aldens were sitting on cushions on the floor of the boxcar. They were talking about the mystery while they ate their lunch, with Watch curled up on his rug nearby.
    “No doubt about it,” said Henry. He wiped some mayonnaise from the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “It’s not just a coincidence Margaret put snapdragons in her paintings.”
    “That means she copied Milly,” Benny said indignantly.
    Henry nodded. “That’s exactly what it