Mystery Bookstore Read Free Page A

Grandfather is wearing blue today,” Henry said to a disappointed Benny. “Look, he’s getting in his taxi to go to the airport. He has on his blue blazer.”
    “Even I’m wearing a blue shirt,” Benny said. “Today must be Wear-Something-Blue Day.” Then Benny had to laugh.
    The Aldens walked back into the courtyard to begin cleaning up. There was plenty to do before the big book sale.
    “Any luck with the mystery person?” Miss Chase asked when she came down to see how the Aldens were getting on.
    “No,” Benny answered, “but somebody was here all right. And they left in a big, big hurry when they heard us.”
    Miss Chase stopped to look at something under the sleeping porch. “I think Benny’s right. Come here and tell me what you see.”
    The Aldens stared down at the patch of dirt and weeds under the porch.
    “Look! There are clumps of dirt from here to the courtyard door,” Violet said. “And some of the weeds are squished. But couldn’t that be from yesterday? There were a lot of people walking around the courtyard during the auction. Maybe some of them tracked the dirt out.”
    “Good detective work, Violet,” Miss Chase said. “But think some more.”
    Violet’s blue eyes lit up. “Wait! It rained a little bit this morning. If somebody walked through the dirt yesterday, the clumps would have washed away!”
    “Very good,” Miss Chase said.
    “Shh,” Benny whispered when a few people wandered into the courtyard to look around. “There’s that lady again.”
    “Why, hello, Miss Deckle,” Olivia Chase said to the young woman. “What brings you here so early?”
    “I still can’t get over missing out on the auction yesterday,” Sarah Deckle told Miss Chase. “I would just love to look through your bookshop. Couldn’t I take a peek now, please?”
    Miss Chase finally gave in. “I guess you can look around. But I can’t sell a thing until our book sale on Saturday.”
    “Thank you! Thank you!” Sarah Deckle said. As soon as Miss Chase opened the bookstore door, the young woman disappeared inside the store without another word.

Chapter 3
Violet Gets a Present
    T he hours flew by. Miss Chase spent her time making business calls. The Aldens carried books from the shop out to the tables in the courtyard where the book sale would be held. And Sarah Deckle spent the morning buried in the children’s book section where she seemed to be reading every book from cover to cover.
    “This is practically the hardest job I’ve ever done,” Jessie said.
    “Harder than cleaning up a boxcar or working in a pizza restaurant?” Henry asked in amazement.
    “These books are just so tempting,” Jessie said. “I keep wanting to stop work so I can read them. I wish we were living in the bookshop instead of above it.”
    “Me, too,” Violet confessed. “Here’s a neat old book on needlepoint. It’s full of patterns I’ve never seen before.” Then Violet showed the others something else she had found. “This beautiful boxed set of fairy tales was mixed in with some stamp collecting books in the hobby box. There are four stories in the set, Tom Thumb , Goose Girl, Briar Rose , and, my favorite of all, The Little Mermaid. I’m going to show it to Miss Chase.”
    Violet found Miss Chase working in the bookstore. “Look at this pretty set of fairy tales, Miss Chase. Should I put it aside? It’s got beautiful illustrations.”
    Miss Chase came over and put her arm around Violet. “The books are lovely. I never noticed them in Mabel Post’s shop before, but I guess it’s because they were jumbled up with the hobby books. That Mabel. She liked to just throw everything together! Anyway, you found the set, so I’d like you to keep it, Violet.”

    Violet shook her head. “No, I couldn’t, Miss Chase. What if the set is valuable? You need every penny to buy new books for the Mystery Bookstore.” Violet handed the boxed set back to Miss Chase.
    “It couldn’t be that valuable if Mabel just