Vampire Mystery Read Free Page B

shortly. He asked if you children could stop by the house later today to cut the lawn and make sure everything is neat and in order. A young couple from out of town will be stopping by to look at the house this afternoon. Mr. Hudson is hoping that they will be interested in buying it.”
    “Are you sure Mr. Hudson called this morning?” asked Henry. “We thought he might have left for his trip last night.”
    “No,” Grandfather said. “It was this morning. He said he was packing his bags as he spoke to me.”
    “We’ll go to Mr. Hudson’s after the library,” Henry said.
    “It’s such a beautiful house,” Violet added. “We’ll make sure it is in good shape when that couple arrives. I’m sure they’ll love it.”
    Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny helped Mrs. McGregor with the dishes and then carefully placed the baked goods in the car.
    “The car smells so good!” Benny exclaimed as Mrs. McGregor drove into town.
    Violet laughed. “You’re right, Benny. It smells like a bakery in here.”
    Mrs. McGregor parked the car by the curb across the street from the library. Henry carried the apple pie and Jessie took the lemon cake.
    Balloons were everywhere. They were tied to the tables and the street lamps and to the backs of chairs. Colorful streamers hung from the library windows and rippled in the wind. On one side of the lawn, a man with a beard played a guitar while children sang along. A storyteller in a long dress sat in a circle and used puppets to tell her tale.
    “Hello!” Mrs. Skylar called. I’m so glad you could come to the library fair.”
    “We wouldn’t think of missing it,” Mrs. McGregor said.
    “Mrs. McGregor made this cake and the pie,” Jessie explained. “They’re for the bake sale table.”
    “They look beautiful!” Mrs. Skylar exclaimed. “I’m sure we’ll get a very large donation for them.”
    Mrs. McGregor beamed.
    “Do you think this is a big enough donation for Mrs. McGregor’s lemon cake?” Benny pulled a fist from his pocket. He opened his hand to show three nickels, a dime, two quarters, a rubber band, a gum wrapper, and a small rock.
    Mrs. McGregor laughed. “Oh, Benny,” she said. “I can make another lemon cake for you at home.”
    Henry plucked the rock and the gum wrapper from Benny’s hand. He chuckled. “I don’t think these are worth very much, Benny,” he said.
    “The rock does have pretty colors in it, though.” Violet smiled at her little brother.
    “Why don’t we take the pie and the cake over to the bake-sale table for Mrs. McGregor,” Jessie suggested. “Maybe you can buy some cookies or a cupcake with your coins.”
    “Okay. Let’s go!” Benny darted off through the crowd.
    “Benny! Wait for us!” Henry called. But it was too late. Thinking only of cookies, Benny had run far ahead.
    Henry, Jessie, and Violet said goodbye to Mrs. McGregor and thanked her for the ride to the library fair. Then they headed toward the bake sale. They set Mrs. McGregor’s pie and cake on the table.
    “Where’s Benny?” asked Jessie.
    “I don’t know,” Henry replied. “I thought for sure we would see him here picking out some cookies.”
    “Excuse me,” Violet said to the lady behind the table. “Was there a six-year-old boy with dark-brown hair here a few moments ago?”
    “The table has been crowded,” the lady said. “I’m not sure. Is that him over there?” She pointed through the crowd.
    Violet ran toward the little boy, but it was not Benny.
    Henry and Jessie looked worried.
    “Maybe he couldn’t find the bake-sale table,” Violet said. “He’s probably wandering nearby.”
    “Let’s split up,” Henry said. “We’ll each go a different way and meet back here in ten minutes.”
    “Benny! Benny!” Henry, Jessie, and Violet ran through the crowd calling their brother’s name. But he was nowhere in sight.

CHAPTER 5
A Vial of Blood?
    Jessie found Benny walking down the sidewalk. There was a scrape on his knee and a