Ghost in the First Row Read Free

up in lights.”
    “I think you made a great choice,” Violet said.
    “Thank you, Violet,” said Fern. “Lots of people in show business change their names, you know. Even the winner of the play-writing contest changed her name. Isn’t that true, Ray?”
    Ray wiped some mustard from the corner of his mouth. “Well, she changed her nickname, at least.”
    “I was hoping to see my name first on the billboard,” Fern went on. “Above the title of the play, I mean.” She shot the director a look. “But I suppose that was hoping for too much.”
    Ray rolled his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he dished up another helping of potato salad.
    Jessie couldn’t help noticing that the Fern had hardly eaten a bite. She was only poking at her food with a fork.
    The actress caught Jessie’s look. “I’m afraid I have a nervous stomach,” she said. “I can’t stop thinking about all the strange things that have been happening at the theater.”
    Aunt Jane looked up in surprise. “What’s been happening?”
    Fern leaned forward and whispered, “The ghosts have been acting up.”
    “This isn’t the time or the place—” Ray began.
    Fern waved that away. “They’ve been using it for years, you know. It gives me goose bumps just to think about it!”
    “What do you mean?” Benny’s big eyes were round.
    “I’m talking about the ghosts.” Fern replied. “They’ve been using the theater to perform their plays.”
    The Aldens looked at one another. They were too stunned to speak.
    “The ghosts aren’t happy about the theater opening up again,” Fern went on. “They don’t want to share it with the public.”
    “You don’t really believe that,” said Henry. “Do you, Fern?”
    “Take a look at the facts,” Fern said.
    Jessie stared at the actress. “What facts?”
    “Well, for starters, things keep disappearing.” Fern looked slowly around the table. “Then they show up in the oddest places.”
    “That’s weird,” said Benny. He was so interested in the conversation that he still hadn’t taken a bite of his hamburger.
    “Remember Lady Chadwick’s hat?” Fern turned to look at Ray. “The one with the yellow marigolds on it?”
    “I remember,” said Ray. “We found it hanging from the chandelier in the lobby.”
    “What’s a chandelier?” Benny wanted to know.
    “It’s a fancy ceiling light,” Henry explained.
    Violet giggled. She couldn’t help it—it seemed so funny. “Well, if it’s a ghost,” she said, “it’s a ghost with a sense of humor.”
    Everyone laughed—except Fern. “This isn’t a laughing matter,” she said with a frown. “The ghosts aren’t happy.”
    “Now, Fern—” Ray started to say.
    “It’s no use shaking your head, Ray. You know it’s true. And now Alice Duncan has joined the ghostly audience.”
    “What?” Aunt Jane almost choked on her lemonade.
    “What makes you say that?” Jessie asked.
    Fern leaned forward again. “One morning, we found a ball of yarn and some knitting needles on a seat in the first row.”
    Ray added, “We even found some popcorn on the floor.”
    “And as everybody knows,” Fern said, “Alice always brought her knitting and a bag of popcorn to the theater with her. It was mentioned in all the newspaper articles after she died.”
    “But Alice wanted the theater opened up to the public again,” Jessie pointed out. “Didn’t she?”
    Violet nodded. “That’s why she left her money to the town.”
    “I guess she changed her mind.” Fern suddenly pushed her plate away. “My stomach is too upset to eat. I’d better go home and lie down.”
    “Why don’t you take the morning off tomorrow, Fern,” Ray suggested. “We’ll postpone the rehearsal until after lunch.”
    “I just might take you up on that,” Fern said. “I need my beauty sleep.” With that, she said good-bye and left.
    Ray apologized for Fern’s behavior. “She can be a handful sometimes. But she really is a wonderful