bookshop is closed.”
Miss Chase led the children up ironwork stairs to the porch.
“Yippee,” Benny said. “We like sleeping outside.”
“I knew this would be just right for you,” Miss Chase said with a laugh. “Your grandfather will be in the guest room.”
“I like your cozy apartment,” Violet said as Miss Chase gave the children a tour. “The front of it is like a city apartment where we can watch all the people and cars. But the back is just as quiet as Grandfather’s house in Greenfield.”
“I was very lucky to rent this apartment from Mrs. Post when I came to New Orleans a few years ago,” Miss Chase said, as she handed sheets and towels to the Aldens. “To live above a bookstore is perfect for a writer. Now I can always keep an eye on the Mystery Bookstore, too.”
“There’s even a small night table for each of us,” Violet said, putting down her backpack and tote bag. “Thank you for letting us stay out here.”
“You’re welcome, Violet,” Miss Chase said. “Now, it’s been a long day. Good night.”
“Don’t let the bedbugs bite,” Benny said.
The next morning, the Aldens sat around the breakfast table making their plans for the day. From the kitchen in Olivia Chase’s apartment, they could look down at the courtyard. But the children were busy chatting and eating, not looking outside.
“These are the best doughnuts I ever tasted,” Benny said between bites of warm, powdered doughnuts.
“Those aren’t just ordinary doughnuts, Benny,” Miss Chase said. “They’re a special New Orleans kind called beignets. I picked them up at the French Market this morning. As for your coffee, James, that’s our New Orleans-style coffee. It has chicory in it.”
“Grandfather’s coffee has chickens in it?” Benny cried.
Everyone was laughing so hard, they didn’t hear the courtyard door open down below.
“Not chickens, Benny.” Miss Chase laughed. “It’s chicory , a special coffee flavoring.”
It was only later, when Benny and Henry were washing dishes, that Benny saw something move. “Is the bookshop open?” he asked Miss Chase. “I think somebody wearing a blue top is down in the courtyard.”
But when Benny and the other children ran to the sleeping porch to check, the person in the blue top had vanished.
“Hey, where did that person go?” Benny yelled. “Nobody went out that door.”
“Are you sure you saw someone?” Miss Chase asked Benny. “I’m sure I locked the courtyard door. Remember? Maybe what you saw was one of those boxes blowing around from the auction yesterday.”
“But boxes don’t wear blue tops,” Benny said. “We better go check it out.”
“Good for you, Benny,” Miss Chase said. “A careful detective follows every lead. You children can go downstairs. Let me know if anything seems disturbed. I’ll be right down. I’m just going to call in an ad to the newspaper. I need a book expert to help us price Mrs. Post’s old books for our book sale.”
“Then I’ll be off too, Olivia,” Mr. Alden said. “My taxi will be here any second. I’ll be back in a week.”
The children hugged their grandfather, then raced down to the courtyard. They had just reached the bottom step when they heard the courtyard door click shut.
“See!” Benny cried. “Somebody was here. They must have left when they heard us.” He pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t open.
“I guess it locks from both sides,” Henry said. “I’ll get Miss Chase’s key.”
When Henry returned, he unlocked the courtyard door. Benny raced out to the sidewalk. “See, there’s someone with a blue shirt going down the block! I told you.”
Violet put her arm around Benny, then pointed to another person on the busy street. “And there’s someone else with a blue top.”
“There’s that woman who came late to the auction,” Jessie said. She pointed to Sarah Deckle, who was staring into the bookstore window. “She has on a blue jacket.”
“Even