Windy City Mystery Read Free Page A

Tower!” Benny said. “We saw a picture of it in Grandfather’s workbook. It looks like a castle.”
    â€œThat’s the one,” Chad said.
    Henry remembered something else about the building. He caught Jessie’s eye. They dropped back behind Chad.
    â€œWhat is it, Henry?” Jessie asked.
    â€œThe Water Tower — it survived the fire!” he whispered.
    Jessie nodded. “‘A structure/ Straight and tall.’”
    â€œâ€˜Standing there/ Through fire and all,’” Henry completed.
    Was the Water Tower the answer to the riddle?
    â€œIt can’t be the place,” Jessie decided.
    â€œWhy?” Henry asked. “It fits the clue.”
    â€œBut if Chad wrote the clue, he wouldn’t just take us there, would he?” Jessie said. “He’d want us to figure it out for ourselves.”
    That was true, Henry agreed. Why would Chad lead them to this place after he had gone to the trouble of writing the clue? He couldn’t think of a single reason.
    Finally he said, “Maybe he didn’t write it.”
    â€œThen who did?”
    â€œJessie! Henry!” Benny called excitedly. “Hurry up!”
    â€œWe’ll talk about this later,” Henry said, and he and Jessie caught up to the others.
    Just ahead, looking like some kind of fairy castle, was the Water Tower.
    â€œNo wonder it survived the fire,” Henry said. “It’s made of stone.”
    They went inside.
    â€œOh, look at the floor!” Violet exclaimed.
    Blues, greens, purples, and yellows in flowing patterns glittered beneath their feet.
    â€œBeautiful, isn’t it?” Chad said.
    â€œWhat’s it made of?” Henry asked.
    â€œBroken glass and stones and shells.”
    â€œI guess you can make art out of anything,” Benny said.
    Chad laughed. “If you know what you’re doing.”
    They gathered information from the racks along the walls.
    â€œHenry,” Jessie whispered. “Look for another clue.”
    Henry didn’t need to be told. He was already looking.

CHAPTER 3
    No Clue
    â€œT hat should be enough,” Chad said. He led them outside and found a bench. “Let’s sit here and look through the brochures.”
    Jessie and Violet studied the leaflets. Benny looked at the colorful pictures. But Henry couldn’t concentrate. He kept wondering about the clue. He was sure they had come to the right place: The Water Tower was certainly the solution to the puzzle. But where was the next clue? He stared up at the stone building. What secret was it keeping? He stood up and walked toward it.
    â€œWhere’re you going, Henry?” Benny asked.
    â€œTo look at the building close up,” he said. He ran his hand along the rough stone walls and glanced down at the ground. Seeing something, he picked it up. But it was only a paper scrap. He went back inside the Water Tower.
    â€œDid you find anything, Henry?” It was Jessie. She had come inside after him.
    He shook his head. “If this is the place, there has to be another clue.”
    But there was nothing out of place — nothing there to get the Aldens’ attention.
    â€œMaybe we’re wrong,” Jessie continued. “Maybe this isn’t the place.”
    Violet was at the door. “Grandfather’s here!”
    They went back outside. Sure enough, Grandfather Alden was sitting beside Benny on the bench.
    â€œGrandfather!” Jessie said. “What are you doing here?”
    â€œCob and I finished our business for the day,” Mr. Alden answered, “so I thought I’d join you.”
    â€œHow did you know we’d be here?” Henry asked.
    â€œWell, I … uh …” Grandfather didn’t seem to have an answer. Finally he said, “Chad told me. Didn’t you, Chad?”
    Chad looked confused. “Did I? I don’t remember telling you.”
    â€œYou did say we’d pick up