Pumpkin Head Mystery Read Free Page A

disappeared into the booth.
    Violet was so stunned she did not know what to say. She crossed her arms tightly and stared at the booth.
    Mrs. Beckett put her arm around Violet. “Don’t worry about Bessie, Violet,” she said. “She is just upset by the mess she found this morning. We know you did nothing wrong.”
    Violet was angry at first, but she noticed that Bessie had seemed quite upset. Her eyes were red and puffy and her short hair looked messy and uncombed.
    “What did happen here?” Henry asked.
    “We’re not sure, Henry,” Mr. Beckett said. “Bessie found things this way when she arrived this morning.”
    Jason kicked at a fallen flower pot. “Maybe it was that pumpkin head ghost.”
    Mr. Beckett glanced at the Aldens and shook his head. “Jason, you know that there is no such thing.”
    “That’s what you always say,” Jason said, “but I know what I saw. Anyway, we’d better cancel the Girl Scout hayride.”
    Mr. Beckett sighed. “I suppose you’re right. We can’t have them come with the farm looking like this. It’s a shame. We sure could have used the money.”
    “I will call them now,” Jason said. “You go rest your leg.”
    “Wait,” Jessie said. “When are the Girl Scouts coming?”
    Mrs. Beckett looked at her watch. “In about two hours.”
    “We could clean everything up by then,” Jessie said. “If we all work together, it shouldn’t take too long.”
    “Yes,” agreed Violet. “I can put all the flowers back on the stands and sweep up the spilled dirt.”
    “And Benny and I can pick up all these smashed pumpkin pieces,” Jessie said.
    Benny was already holding half of a pumpkin in his hand. “I’ve got the first piece!” he cried.
    “I could fix your sign out by the road, too,” Henry offered. “I noticed that it is crooked.”
    Mr. Beckett looked at his wife. “James was right,” he said. “His grandchildren are helpful!”
    Everyone got right to work. Henry borrowed the tools he needed. He carried them up the lane to fix the sign. Jessie found a wheelbarrow in the barn. She gave Benny a ride in it out to the farm stand.
    Then they began collecting all the broken pieces of pumpkin. Violet was already busy placing all the flower pots back onto the display stand. Some of the flowers were ruined and she had to throw them away in the wheelbarrow.
    “Hey, look at this!” Benny called. He held up a shiny necklace. “I found it in the grass.”
    “It’s very pretty,” Jessie said. “Maybe a customer lost it.”
    “You should give it to Bessie,” Violet said. “She can keep it in the booth. Maybe the customer will come back and ask for it.”
    “I’ll go show it to her,” Benny called. He ran back toward the booth.
    Benny was too small to see in the window. He went around to the side door. “Bessie?” he called. When there was no answer, he slowly opened the door. “I found a necklace!” he called.
    But Bessie didn’t answer. She was lying flat on the floor!

CHAPTER 3
A Haunted Farm?
    Denny called for help. Soon Bessie was resting under a tree in the soft grass. Violet placed a wet cloth on her forehead. Benny ran to get her a glass of water.
    “I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I guess I fainted.”
    “It gets hot in that booth,” Sally said. She and Jason had helped Bessie get up and walk outside. “It’s one more old thing around here that needs fixing up.”
    Bessie tried to sit up.
    “You rest,” Mrs. Beckett said. “George will call the doctor.”
    “No!” Bessie sat up against the trunk of the tree. “I can’t afford any more doctor bills. I am fine.”
    A big, black car drove up the lane and parked in the lot. A man in a dark suit got out.
    “Looks like there’s been some trouble here,” the man said.
    Jessie noticed that the man did not look concerned about the trouble. He seemed happy as he looked at the wheelbarrow full of broken pumpkins.
    Benny handed Bessie the glass of water. Her hand began to shake when the