儿童英语读物 The Great Detective Race CHAPTER 6 A Big Question Mark

“Let’s pack a lunch and take it to Potter’s Creek 1 with us,” Violet suggested the next morning.



“That’s an awesome 2 idea!” cried Benny. He got out the peanut butter and jelly.



Jessie reached the thermos 3 down from the cupboard. “It’s a beautiful day for a picnic in the country.”



“Let’s pack lots of sandwiches,” Benny suggested. “Detective work always makes me hungry.”



This made Henry laugh. “Everything makes you hungry, Benny!” He put a loaf of bread, some cold cuts, lettuce 4, and mustard on the counter.



“We’re supposed to find something weird 5 at Potter’s Creek,” Violet said, as she washed the lettuce. “I wonder what we’ll find.”



Henry shrugged 6. “Could be anything.”



“It’s strange how we figured out the last clue,” Violet added.



“What do you mean, Violet?” Jessie wondered.



“Well, we never did make sense of those alphabet letters.”



“Now that you mention it, Violet,” said Henry, “I guess we didn’t.” He took some apples from the refrigerator.



“We found the hopscotch 7 clue without them,” Benny said proudly. “And that means we’re very good detectives.”



Violet frowned. She wasn’t so sure that’s what it meant. She didn’t like leaving any loose ends.



After cleaning up the kitchen, the children loaded their picnic lunch into Jessie’s backpack and set off for Potter’s Creek on their bicycles.



“I’m glad I brought my camera,” Violet said as she rode along. “It’s so beautiful out here in the country.” Photography was one of Violet’s hobbies. She often took her camera along when the Aldens went on trips.



Jessie nodded. “I love the smell of the wildflowers.”



Benny, who was riding in front with Henry, suddenly called back, “There’s Potter’s Creek!”



Sure enough, they soon came to a creek winding 8 its way across a clover meadow and under a narrow bridge. Henry propped 9 his bike against a tree. So did the others.



Benny glanced all around. “I think Amber 10 was right,” he said with a grin.



“About what?” Jessie asked him.



“About us leading the pack,” said Benny. “I don’t see anybody else looking for clues.”



“That’s true.” Jessie looked off into the distance. “We seem to be the only ones here.”



“So where do we start?” Violet asked, as they scrambled 11 down to the creek.



“Let’s split up,” Jessie suggested in her practical way. “We can cover more ground that way.”



“Good idea,” said Henry. “If anybody sees anything, shout.”



Jessie and Benny checked along one side of the creek. Henry and Violet searched along the other. When they reached the woods, Jessie noticed Benny eyeing her backpack. She guessed what was coming next.



“You want something to eat,” she said. “Right, Benny?”



“Well, I am kind of hungry,” Benny said with a nod. Then he called out, “Anybody else ready to eat?”



“Count me in,” Henry shouted, giving his little brother the thumbs-up sign.



Violet snapped a few photos as they made themselves comfortable on the grassy 12 bank. Jessie handed out the sandwiches while Henry opened the thermos.



“Uh-oh,” said Benny. “I think somebody’s watching us.” He was holding out his special cup as Henry poured the lemonade. It was the cracked pink cup he had found when they were living in the boxcar.



Benny was right. Somebody was standing 13 on the bridge in the distance—watching them through binoculars 14! Then, as if realizing the Aldens were looking that way, the figure suddenly hurried away.



“I wonder who that was,” said Violet.



“I bet it was somebody else looking for a clue,” Henry said, as he unwrapped a ham sandwich.



“I’m sure you’re right, Henry,” said Jessie. She wasn’t really sure, but she didn’t want to alarm the younger children. She still couldn’t shake the feeling they were being followed.



“I guess we’re not ahead after all,” said Benny. He didn’t sound very happy.



“We still have the other side of the bridge to check out,” Violet said, trying to sound positive. “I have a feeling we’ll find a clue before too long.”



“Maybe,” Henry said. “But we might be on a wild-goose chase.”



Jessie agreed. “I’m been thinking the same thing, Henry.”



Violet had to admit it was possible. “This is a funny place to hide a clue,” she said. “In the middle of nowhere.”



“It’s not just that,” said Henry. “Potter’s Creek is outside of town.” He paused for a moment to let them think about it. “Debra Belmont said all the clues were hidden around Greenfield.”



“But the riddle 15 said we’d find something weird at Potter’s Creek,” Benny reminded them.



Jessie frowned. “I have a hunch 16 somebody planted a fake clue.”



“And we fell for it,” added Henry. “That’s the kicker.”



“You mean, somebody played a trick on us?” A frown crossed Benny’s round face as the idea began to sink in. “But … why?”



Jessie had an opinion about this. “To throw us off the track.”



“I guess somebody was afraid we’d beat them to the code word,” Henry concluded.



“Who would do something like that?” Benny wondered.



“You know,” said Violet, “I keep thinking about that boy on the skateboard.”



Jessie nodded. “It does seem like an awfully 17 strange coincidence that he was at the Morningside playground.”



“Maybe he was tracking down clues,” Benny suggested. “Just like us.”



“I wish I could believe that,” Violet said. “But I don’t.”



“Neither do I,” said Henry. “I have a hunch he was the one who tore the page from Jessie’s notebook.”



“If he did,” Violet reasoned, “then he knew we were headed for the Morningside playground.”



Jessie bit her lip. “And when we went back to get my notebook—” she began.



“He had time to get to the playground and plant the fake clue,” finished Henry.



Jessie nodded as she poured lemonade into her cup. “Remember what he said when he was signing up for the race?”



“‘Does spelling count?’” Henry replied. “Those were his exact words.”



“That would explain the spelling mistake in the message,” said Jessie.



“That’s true,” said Henry. “But we shouldn’t jump to any conclusions until we have more evidence.”



Jessie had another thought. “The boy on the skateboard isn’t the only suspect.”



The others turned to her, puzzled.



“I think we should include Amber Madison on our list.”



Benny looked confused. “But Jessie, Amber isn’t even in the race.”



“That’s right,” Violet said with a nod. “She’s only in town to promote her book.”



“But she wants an radio interview so she can promote it,” Jessie pointed 18 out. “She wasn’t very happy to be stuck on the Late Night show—but Mike Devlin will be interviewing the winner of the race on his daytime show.”



“So, if Amber wins,” said Violet, “she’ll get an interview with Mike. Is that what you’re saying, Jessie?”



“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”



“You might be on to something, Jessie,” Henry said thoughtfully. “She could’ve heard us telling Debra about all the mysteries we’ve solved.”



“That would explain why she keeps pumping us for information,” Violet realized.



Benny crunched 19 into an apple. “You think Amber planted the fake clue?”



“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Jessie tossed the sandwich wrappers into her backpack. “I bet she was afraid we were close to finding the code word.”



Henry had something to add. “There’s one other person we should add to our list of suspects—Debra Belmont.”



“Debra Belmont?” said Jessie.



“You think Debra sent us on a wild-goose chase, Henry?” asked Violet.



“I don’t want to think she’d do something like that, Violet,” he told her. “But we have to consider everyone. And Mike Devlin told her to make sure a kid doesn’t win the race.”



Benny frowned. “But Debra was so nice to us.”



“I hear you, Benny,” said Henry. “But I don’t think we can rule her out as a suspect.”



“What are we going to do now?” Benny asked.



“I know what we’re not going to do,” said Henry. “We’re not going to give up.”



“No, we’re not,” Jessie agreed. “And if the hopscotch clue was a fake, then we’re back to figuring out what the alphabet letters mean.”



Benny scratched his head. “I’m not sure I remember the letters,” he said. “Oh, yes, I do!” He began to tick each one off on his fingers. “H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O.”



“What could it mean?” Jessie wondered.



Nobody had an answer.