Mystery of the Missing Cat Read Free

heard his name. He pricked up his ears and tipped his head to one side as if he were thinking about what Benny had said.
    â€œThat’s true, Benny,” said Grandfather. “More green peas?”
    â€œYes, thank you,” said Benny.
    â€œWhat we need is a picture of Spotzie,” said Jessie.
    â€œThat’s a good idea, Jessie,” Henry said. “Do you suppose Mr. Woods has a photograph of her?”
    â€œIf he did and we could get it, we could show it to people,” said Jessie.
    â€œYes,” said Violet. “And we could even make signs to put up. We could put them up at the animal shelter.”
    â€œAnd at Dr. Scott’s office,” said Benny. Dr. Scott was a Greenfield veterinarian who was Watch’s doctor. She also helped take care of the animals at the Greenfield Animal Shelter and she had helped the Aldens with two mysteries they’d solved, one involving the animal shelter and the other a dog show that had come to Greenfield.
    â€œThat’s a good idea, too, Benny. She might be able to give us some suggestions. And we need to talk to Mr. Woods,” said Henry.
    â€œWe can make some signs in the morning,” said Benny. “We have posterboard and markers out in the boxcar.”
    â€œWe’ll do that first,” agreed Jessie. “Then we can put them up at the shelter and at Dr. Scott’s and talk to her.”
    â€œAnd to Mr. Woods,” Henry reminded her.
    Grandfather Alden smiled at their enthusiasm. “Sounds like you have a busy day planned for tomorrow.”
    â€œYes,” said Benny. He smiled back at his grandfather. “What’s for dessert?”
    The four Aldens went out to their boxcar right after breakfast the next morning and began working on the signs about the missing cat.
    â€œI don’t know what Spotzie looks like, so I’m just drawing a cat with spots on her,” said Violet. “Someone should be able to recognize her from that.”
    â€œThat’s good, Violet.” Jessie looked at her sister’s picture. “The important thing is to let people know to look for a lost cat.”
    â€œAnd who to call about her,” added Henry, writing their phone number on his poster.
    The Aldens were good at making signs and posters. They soon had enough for the animal shelter and the veterinarian’s office and for the neighborhood where Spotzie was lost.
    They put the signs in their backpacks and got ready to go look for Spotzie.
    â€œYou stay here, Watch,” said Violet. “I don’t think you want to go to Dr. Scott’s office.”
    â€œWatch can keep me company in the kitchen,” said Mrs. McGregor. “I may even have a dog biscuit for him.”
    Hearing the word “biscuit,” Watch trotted happily after Mrs. McGregor to the kitchen, wagging his tail.
    The Aldens set off on their bicycles to put the signs up around Greenfield, heading first for the Greenfield Animal Shelter.
    â€œHas anyone brought in a calico cat?” asked Henry when they got to the animal shelter.
    The shelter attendant behind the desk looked surprised. “A calico cat? That’s funny,” she said. “There was a man just here, describing a cat that he’d lost that sounded a lot like yours.” The attendant leaned over the counter and looked around, as if she expected the man to still be there. But the Aldens were the only ones in the waiting room.
    â€œI wonder if that was Mr. Woods,” Jessie said.
    â€œHe didn’t tell me his name,” the attendant said.
    â€œDid you have his cat?” asked Violet carefully.
    The attendant shook her head. “No, and I’m sorry, we don’t have yours, either. No one has brought in a calico cat.”
    â€œOh. Then, may we put this up on your bulletin board?” asked Jessie, showing the woman one of the signs they’d made.
    The woman nodded approvingly. “Of course you