Old Motel Mystery (6 page)

“Okay, Benny,” Violet answered. “We can stop at the store and buy bread.”

They all helped to put the game back neatly.

Henry went outside and glanced up at Kay's house. Mr. Smiley's car was gone. Coming back in, he said, “Let's swing around by Kay's and see if she was given the bank loan.”

“Oh, yes,” Jessie said, holding up two crossed fingers for luck. “I hope.”

“And let's call Grandfather,” Benny said.

“Oh, good, Benny,” Violet said. “We will.”

Wheeling out the bikes from the nearby shed, they pedaled single file up the narrow path to Kay's house.

Kay and Aunt Jane were picking roses that grew near the house. The pink blossoms glistened with raindrops.

Aunt Jane turned and smiled. “Hi, children. Did you sleep well last night?”

“After Willie jumped off the roof,” Henry said, straddling his bike, “we were fine.”

Kay laughed. “My cat likes to roam at night.”

“Does he ever!” Jessie said. “Willie's yellow eyes gave us quite a scare.”

“We were wondering what Mr. Smiley had to say,” Violet asked shyly.

Kay said in a deep voice like Mr. Smiley's, “ ‘After much thought, I
will
recommend that you be granted a loan.' ”

“Hurrah!” Benny yelled. Jessie laughed in delight at Kay's imitation.

Now Kay's voice was lighthearted. “I've already phoned Rolf, and he's in Lyndale right now buying shingles to patch the roof. He's also bringing fuses. He thinks someone stole the fuses from the fuse box and that's what made the lights go out.”

“Good!” Benny said. “Now we can see, but who did it?”

“I wish we knew,” Kay said. “Too many things are happening!”

“Whoever it is, the person will be caught,” Violet said, trying to reassure Kay.

“When Rolf fixes the roof, no more rain will drip on my face,” Benny said, his face brightening.

Kay chuckled. “That's right, Benny. No more leaks in the roof.”

“May we call Grandfather?” Jessie asked.

“Please,” Kay answered, gesturing to the phone on the desk.

Jessie dialed the number and told Grandfather Alden what a good time they were having. Violet said hello and didn't mention any of the mysterious goings on, for fear that he'd worry. Benny eagerly told him about the orange trees and the swimming pool.

After each Alden had talked to Mr. Alden, Henry went over to Kay. “Could we bring you anything?” he offered. “We're biking to the store.”

Kay glanced at Jane, who shook her head. “I don't think we need a thing, but thanks,” Kay said.

Cheerfully waving good-bye, the children biked down the muddy lane.

At the store, Jessie bought a loaf of bread. That errand over, they biked to the edge of Lyndale and back.

When they returned, Kay called to them, “Rolf is back with the shingles and has already replaced the missing fuses. He needs a little help with the shingles.”

Benny shouted. “I'll help.”

“And so will I,” Henry volunteered.

“Wonderful,” Kay said. “I think he just needs someone to hand him the shingles.”

“What can we do?” Violet asked.

Kay smiled. “See all these geraniums? They need potting. I have window boxes stored in the bike shed.”

“Oh, what fun,” Jessie said. “We'll plant the flowers in the boxes and put them on the windowsills of each motel unit.”

“Right,” Kay said.

“Won't the red flowers be pretty against the white motel?” Violet said.

“I thought so,” Kay said. “If you'll do that, Jane and I have a sewing project. You know the small round table by each bed. We're going to make tablecloths to cover each one in all the units.”

“Aunt Jane is a beautiful seamstress,” Violet said.

Kay chuckled. “I know. She's already hemmed a skirt for me.”

Rolf climbed the hill. “Hi, kids,” he called. “It's good to see the sun again, isn't it?”

“Yes,” Benny said, looking up at the big man. “Henry and I will help you with the shingles!”

“Then let's get started,” Rolf said. “My Jeep is parked below, filled with shingles. Come on, kids.” He hoisted Benny up on his shoulders.

“I'm a roofer today,” Rolf said with a grin, setting Benny on the ground. Rolf wore a cap, jeans, and a navy shirt and looked quite handsome. “Do you want to bring me a bundle of shingles from the Jeep, Henry, while I get the ladder?”

“Sure thing,” Henry said, eager to start.

The girls hauled out eight window boxes and filled them with potting soil from the bags that were lined up against the shed. Then they took the crimson geraniums and planted the first window box.

Rolf placed the ladder against the motel.

Benny shaded his eyes as Rolf climbed halfway up the ladder. “Will you stop the rain from dripping in my eyes?”

“I'm going to patch that very spot,” Rolf promised.

Shingles were stacked high in the back of the jeep.

Henry reached in for a stack but quickly pulled his hand away. Puzzled, he stared at his sticky fingers.

Benny, coming up behind Henry, also tried to lift a shingle, but it was stuck fast.

“Ugh!” Benny said, wiping a thick black substance on the grass. “It won't come off,” he wailed. “What is it, Henry?”

“I think it's tar,” Henry said.

The shingles were ruined. Someone had poured tar all over them.

CHAPTER 10

Running Water

“R
olf!” Henry shouted. “Look at this!”

Rolf stepped off the ladder and walked over to Henry. “What is it?” Then he saw the black tar oozing over the new shingles. “For Pete's sake,” he muttered, planting his hands on his hips and shaking his head “Who did this?”

“I wish I knew.” Henry looked at Rolf with a stricken expression. Rolf seemed very calm. To Henry, Rolf didn't seem upset, nearly enough.

Benny's chin stuck out and he said in a loud voice. “I wish we could find this mean person!” He shook his fist in the air. “I'd like to give him a punch!”

Henry's hand dropped on Benny's shoulder. “I know, Benny. But don't worry, we'll find out who's behind this!”

“I'll just have to haul the whole mess to the dump,” said Rolf.

Violet and Jessie hurried over to see what all the fuss was about. Jessie stared at the ruined shingles. “Well, this tops it,” she said angrily. “I think Kay should hire a detective!”

Thoughtfully, Rolf smoothed his mustache. “Let's not be too hasty about hiring a detective. We'll talk to Kay first.”

Henry gave Rolf a sideways glance. Was Rolf
afraid
of a detective? He was always at the scene of trouble, and he knew Kay's motel like his own place. He was able to replace the fuses in a flash, knowing just which ones controlled which units.

“Come on, Henry and Benny. Let's go up to Kay's,” Rolf said.

All at once Millicent and Catherine appeared.

“We heard the commotion,” Catherine said, “and came out to take a look. Who spoiled the shingles?”

Jessie shrugged. “The same person who's upset Kay's plans for the motel.” Jessie was surprised to see Catherine. She thought she was with the Seminoles. You never knew where Catherine was. When you believed she was out in the Everglades, she was there at the motel. Hastily Jessie returned to her planting, afraid Catherine might see the doubt in her face.

“Oh, dear, oh, dear,” Millicent said, placing a palm against her round cheek. “I'm astonished Kay would stay here after this! She's had one problem after another.”

“Kay is a fighter,” Violet said quietly. “Maybe she'll hire a detective to find out who's doing these things.”

Millicent's eyes grew wide. “Oh, I wouldn't think that would be necessary,” she said. “Maybe the tar spill was an accident.”

Jessie stopped patting dirt around a red geranium to stare at Millicent. Was she serious? What a weird thing to say. Perhaps Millicent was the guilty one. Jessie hid a smile. It was hard to imagine that Millicent knew how to turn off the water and lights.

“I just don't know,” Millicent said. “I've just retired and want a little relaxation and”—she waved a plump hand in the air—“all these things happen. I said it before and I'll say it again—Kay's motel is jinxed.”

Jessie stood up and said as calmly as possible, “I don't think so, Millicent. Whoever the prowler is, he's as much alive as you and I.”

“Well,” Millicent announced, “I'm only staying until the end of the week. All this hullabaloo is hard on my nerves!”

“Meow,” went Willie, rubbing against Millicent's ankle.

“Heavens! The cat!” squealed Millicent. All at once she sneezed—three tiny sneezes in a row. “Why, oh, why, does that beast come near me!”

Catherine gathered Willie in her arms.

“Cats seem to know when someone doesn't like them,” she said. “Willie just wants to make friends with you.”

Millicent threw up her hands in despair. “I'm going inside before I break out.” Rapidly she breathed in and out. “My allergy, you know.” And off she went as fast as her short legs could carry her, sneezing all the way.

As soon as Millicent was gone, Willie leapt out of Catherine's arms and padded over to a tree where he clawed the bark.

Catherine said, “Time is running out for me. On Monday I return to the university.” Smiling, she said, “My money supply is running out, too. Renting a car and staying in a motel are expensive.” She paused. “Although Kay's motel is much more reasonable than the big hotels.”

“We'll be sorry to see you go,” Violet said sincerely. “We just get acquainted and then we're separated.”

Jessie nodded in agreement. “Your work with the Seminoles is fascinating, Catherine. We'd like to hear more.”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Catherine replied. “Today I'm hitting the books.”

“Don't work too hard,” Violet said.

“And that goes for you, too,” Catherine said as she turned and went into her unit.

Jessie couldn't help thinking that if Catherine were the guilty one, she'd be gone in a few days.

Rolf, Henry, and Benny came down the hill from Kay's. Benny ran ahead and bent down to see what the girls were planting in the window boxes.

“Kay's not going to hire a detective,” Henry said, standing over the kneeling girls. He leaned over and handed Violet a geranium plant. “Kay thinks we can find the person doing all this ourselves.”

“I hope she's right,” Violet said doubtfully.

“Besides,” Benny added, “Kay says a detective would cost too much.”

“She's right there,” Rolf said. “A detective would be expensive, and Kay has plenty of bills to pay already. The new shingles alone will cost enough.”

Jessie stood up. “Kay must be wondering if she should invest any more money in her motel. I know I'd begin to think about it.”

Rolf walked toward his Jeep.

“Are you leaving now?” Violet asked.

“Yes,” Henry said, moving to Rolf's side. “We're going to the dump and get rid of the shingles, and then drive to Lyndale to buy more.”

“Coming, Benny?” Rolf called, climbing in the driver's seat.

Benny dashed forward, got into the Jeep, and slid toward the middle while Henry got in on the other side.

The girls watched the Jeep roar down the lane.

“I have a feeling,” Violet said, “that the prowler has more plans for Kay's motel.”

Jessie laughed. “Is that just a feeling or do you know something I don't?”

Violet smiled, giving a slight shrug. “I guess it's a feeling 'cause I don't know anything for certain.”

“Well, maybe we'll find out soon,” Jessie said lightly.

After using up the bags of potting soil, the girls had filled eight window boxes. The red blooms, small now, would grow quickly.