Haunted Clock Tower Mystery (6 page)

“Maybe President Chambers wasn’t talking about a person’s face,” Henry explained to the others. “Maybe he was talking about the clock’s face.”

“You mean that somehow the ‘key’ is in the clock’s face?” Benny asked.

“I guess so,” Henry said.

“Ezra, is that possible?” asked Jessie. “Could there be something hidden in the clock’s face?”

“I don’t see how,” Ezra said. “I clean that clock once a month. I’d see anything hidden there.”

“Yes, you would,” Henry agreed.

“Could you open up the clock now?” Jessie asked. “Maybe there’s something in there you never noticed.”

“I love to show people how that big old clock works. It’s pretty amazing,” Ezra said. He went to a cabinet on the wall and took out a small key. Then he pulled a stepladder out from under his desk and placed it under the clock. He got up on the ladder and unlocked the back of the clock. The large round door swung open, revealing the inside of the giant clock.

“Wow, look at that,” Benny said, staring at all the gears turning inside the clock. “That’s cool.”

Ezra gave a quick explanation of how the old clock worked and how he took care of it. “If each of you would like to come up, one at a time, you can take a closer look.”

The children took turns stepping up on the ladder and studying the inside of the clock—first Benny then Violet, then Jessie, and finally Henry.

“Could something have been hidden inside the back here?” Henry asked when it was his turn.

“I can’t imagine—I’m sure I’d have seen it by now,” Ezra said. “I have to take apart all the machinery to clean it.”

“I was so sure there would be something in the clock,” Henry said. He was disappointed.

“Can I look again?” Benny asked. He didn’t want to give up the treasure hunt yet.

“Go ahead,” Ezra said. “But I’m
sure
there’s nothing hidden in there.”

Henry stepped down from the ladder and Benny stepped back up. He looked all around the clock, trying to think of a place Ezra might never have looked. He noticed a tiny crevice around the rim of the clock, where it attached to the wall. Benny slipped his small fingers in there and felt around. “Hey! There’s something in here!” he cried suddenly.

“There is?” Ezra asked.

“Yes, it feels like a little lump of crumbly stuff—paper, maybe,” Benny said. “I just can’t quite get my fingers around it.”

“Maybe there’s something in my toolbox that will help,” Ezra said.

“I’ll look,” Jessie offered, going to get Ezra’s toolbox from his desk. After a moment she said, “How about these needle-nosed pliers?”

“That ought to work,” Ezra said. Jessie handed them to him.

Ezra stepped up next to Benny. He poked the long, thin pliers down into the crevice where Benny had felt something. “I’ve got it—whatever it is,” he said. Slowly, he pulled out a small bundle of crumbling brown paper.

“It’s a little package,” Benny said. “And it looks really old.”

Ezra handed the package to Henry as Benny stepped back down the ladder. Ezra closed and locked the clock door. Then he joined the Aldens, who were clustered around his desk. Henry was carefully opening the flat brown package.

“There’s a key,” he said.

“The ‘key to the problem,’ ” Jessie said with a smile.

“And a note,” Henry added. He slowly unwrapped the note and read it aloud.

Aaron—

If you have found this key, then you must have figured out my first note. Good work.

On a warm summers morn when the clock strikes six, set yourself between North and South. The tower will point the way.

Your father

“Another clue!” Benny said.

“I wonder what it means,” Violet said.

“I can’t believe it!” Ezra said. “Well, this has certainly been excitement enough for one morning. I’m ready to go home and have my lunch.”

“Lunch—that’s right,” Jessie said. “We were supposed to meet Grandfather back at the suite at lunchtime, remember?”

“May we take this key and note with us, Ezra?” Henry asked.

Ezra paused. “Well, you did find them,” he said, “so I guess that would only be fair.”

“We’d better go, then,” Jessie said. “Thanks for opening the clock for us!”

“My pleasure,” Ezra said.

“We’ll see you later!” Benny called over his shoulder as he and the other Aldens hurried down the stairs.

Back at the suite, Grandfather was just putting his plate and cup in the sink. “Here you are!” he said. “I thought you weren’t coming. I went ahead and ate without you.”

“Sorry we’re so late—” Jessie began.

“But wait until you hear about our treasure hunt!” Benny cut in excitedly.

The Aldens told their grandfather all about what they’d found. When at last they’d finished their story, Grandfather sat looking at the two old letters and the key. “That’s amazing!” he said. “So there really is a treasure buried here.”

“But how do we find it?” Violet asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure you will,” Grandfather said.

“Can we eat first?” Benny asked. “I’m starving.”

“It is way past lunchtime,” Jessie said. “It’s nearly two o’clock.”

“Is it that late?” Grandfather asked. “I’m joining Joel for a concert. It starts at two. I told him I’d meet him in Rhodes Hall, where they’re giving the concert. I’d better get going. How about if we meet back here at dinnertime?”

“Sounds great!” Jessie said.

“Be careful with those letters,” Grandfather said. “If they’re really that old, they’re valuable historical documents.”

“We’ll be very careful,” Violet assured him.

“There’s ham and cheese in the refrigerator,” Grandfather reminded them. “And there’s fruit, too. See you later!”

The children waved as Grandfather left. Then they made themselves lunch. They had been so busy treasure hunting, they hadn’t realized how hungry they were.

After a few minutes Jessie said, “I’ve been wondering how that letter got into the tower in the first place.”

“Me, too,” said Violet.

“I think someone must have found it—somewhere—and figured out that it was talking about the clock tower, just like we did,” said Henry.

“Then that person must have gone up to the tower to look, just like we did. And dropped the note while he or she was there,” said Jessie.

“I bet it’s the same person who was up there at night,” said Violet, selecting a peach from the basket on the counter. “The person went up when he or she knew no one would be around.”

“But why?” Benny asked, biting into a plum.

“Probably to keep the treasure and not share it,” Jessie said. “But that would be wrong—the treasure belongs to the Chambers family.”

“Let’s take a look at that second note,” Henry said.

As the other children cleared away the lunch dishes, Violet went to get the letters and key. She had placed them on the counter away from the food so they wouldn’t get dirty.

When the table was cleared, Violet spread out the second letter. The children sat down to look at it.

“What’s a ‘morn’?” asked Benny.

“It means morning,” Jessie explained. “What do you think he means by ‘set yourself between North and South’?”

“I have no idea,” said Henry. “It sounds as if he’s talking about the Civil War again. That war pitted the North against the South.”

“But what does that have to do with the treasure?” Benny wanted to know.

“How do you think the tower will point the way?” Violet asked. “It points straight up in the air.”

The children all sat quietly for several minutes.

“I think we need help,” Jessie said.

“Who could help us?” Henry wondered. “This time it’s not as simple as going to the library.”

“Remember Grandfather said Professor Meyer knew everything about Goldwin?” Violet recalled. “Maybe she could help us.”

“That’s a good idea,” Henry said. “She must have an office here on campus. Let’s go find it.”

“I bet it’s in McGraw Hall,” said Jessie. “On our tour they said that was where the history classes were, and Professor Meyer is a history professor.”

The Aldens left their suite and headed up the hill to McGraw Hall. As they were cutting across the Quad, they saw Don Dixon heading toward them.

“Hi, Don!” Benny called out.

Don looked up, startled. He seemed lost in his own thoughts and very upset. “Oh, hello,” he said distractedly.

“Is something the matter?” Violet asked.

“Something the matter? No, no,” Don said. Then he paused. “Do you remember the other day when you were looking through that old book?”

“Yes,” Jessie said.

“By any chance, did you notice …” Don stopped talking, and seemed to change his mind. “Oh, never mind.”

“Are you sure—” Violet began, but Don cut her off.

“I’ve got to go.” He rushed off down the hill.

The Aldens watched him walk away.

Jessie shrugged. “I wonder what’s bugging him.”

“Who knows?” said Henry.

“Come on, let’s go find Professor Meyer,” Benny reminded them.

A few minutes later, the children were standing inside McGraw Hall, looking up at the directory on the wall.

“It says Professor Meyer’s office is on the first floor,” said Henry. “Room 106.”

The children passed a large lecture hall and found Room 106 at the back of the building. Jessie knocked on the door.

“Come in,” said a voice from inside.

Jessie opened the door and stepped in. Professor Meyer was standing next to a large, messy desk covered with papers. She was stuffing some of the papers into a large canvas bag that was already overflowing with papers and books. Again she was wearing a lively patterned dress with a brightly colored hat and matching sneakers.

“Well, if it isn’t the Aldens,” she said.

“Professor, we have a question for you,” said Jessie.

“I hope it’s a quick one,” Professor Meyer said. “I was just on my way out.”

“Actually, it’s not a quick one,” Jessie said. “Is there another time we could talk to you?”

“How about over dinner?” Henry suggested. “I’m sure our grandfather would enjoy chatting with you as well.”

“What a lovely idea,” the professor said. “I would invite you to my place, but I’m not much of a cook, I must confess. And my house is such a mess.”

Looking around the cluttered office, the children had no trouble believing that.

“We’ll make dinner for you at our suite,” Jessie offered.

“Now, that would be a treat,” Professor Meyer said. “What time shall I come?”

“What time did Grandfather say he’d be home?” Henry asked.

“I think the concert ends at five,” Jessie said. “How about six o’clock? We’re in Sage Hall, Suite B-8.”

“I will see you then,” the professor said, picking up her overstuffed bag and putting it on her shoulder. The children stepped into the hallway with her. She shut and locked her office door.

“Where are you going now?” Benny piped up.

“Now? Oh, I’m going to, um … now, where
am
I going?” She paused for a moment. “Where did you say your grandfather was?”

“He’s at a concert in Rhodes Hall,” said Henry.

“Oh, yes, that’s right. That’s where I’m headed, too,” Julia Meyer said.

“You know it started a while ago,” Jessie said.

“Did it?” asked Ms. Meyer. “That’s all right. I’ll just be a little late. Good-bye!”

The children watched her walk away.

“That was sort of strange, wasn’t it?” asked Henry. “It seemed as if she didn’t know where she was going.”

“She’s a very unusual woman,” said Jessie. “Now we’d better get to the store and figure out what we’re going to make her for dinner.”

A short while later, the Aldens were at the local grocery store, pushing their cart to the checkout counter. They had decided to make hamburgers, corn on the cob, and a green salad, and they had gotten ice cream for dessert. Just then, Jessie spotted Andrea Barton at the counter ahead of them. She was smiling and humming to herself.

“Hello again,” Jessie said.

“Hello!” Andi said. Almost instantly her happy face grew serious. “Oh, um, I’m glad I ran into you,” she said. Her voice sounded tense and nervous.

“So are we,” Benny said. “Your concert the other day was great.”