Mystery on the Ice (6 page)

“What a weird pen!” Benny exclaimed.

“It can write in different colors!”

“Here’s one for you!” Ollie said with a big wink, pulling a second pen from his wig and tossing it to Benny. Then the clown slipped and slid his way across the rink.

“What are you up to, Benny?” asked Violet. “I think you’re after
more
than skaters’ signatures!”

“You’ll see,” Benny said. He didn’t want to tell anyone his plans — not even Violet. Especially if it didn’t work.

Jessie and Henry set up tables for their cookie sale, while Violet hurried backstage. “I almost forgot to mend Carl’s shirt,” she murmured.

Once in the dressing room, Violet settled into a back nook, hidden by hanging costumes.

She wasn’t there long when someone entered. Violet peeked around the corner and drew in a sharp breath. Marcia propped her crutches against the wall, then hunched her shoulders and rotated her arms in a relaxing motion. “I’ll be glad to throw these things in the lake!” she muttered, glaring at her crutches.

Violet’s eyes grew big. Without her crutches, Marcia walked across the big room to her green costume that hung on the wall. She closely examined the glittering material, making sure the buttons were on tight. Then she held the costume up to her.

Violet, careful not to make a sound, sat very still. Marcia must not know she was here.

Finally, Marcia turned to leave. She tucked her crutches under her arms, and hobbled out to the rink.

Thoughtfully, Violet bit her lip. Didn’t Marcia need crutches?

She hurried to tell Benny, Jessie, and Henry. “I just saw Marcia walk without crutches!” Violet said breathlessly.

Jessie looked across the rink, “But look at Marcia now! She’s limping alongside Carl as innocently as you please. Maybe she’s just getting better. But if she’s the thief, I can understand why she pretends to need crutches. It’s the perfect alibi!”

“I’m going to get Marcia’s autograph!” Benny said, jumping up.

“Do you need to, Benny?” Henry said. “We should discuss Marcia and her crutches.”

“I need to!” Benny said in a firm voice, dashing out.

Marcia turned her back when she saw Benny rushing toward her.

“Marcia!” Benny yelled. “Wait!”

She half-turned, impatiently tossing her red curls. “I don’t have time to chat.”

“This won’t take long,” Benny said, thrusting the program under her nose. “Please. Won’t you sign this? I’ve got most of the other skaters’ autographs.”

“Oh,” Marcia said with a sudden smile. “If that’s all you want, I’d be glad to sign.” She held out her hand. “Give me a pen?”

Benny patted his pocket. “Ooops, I forgot mine. Don’t you have one?”

Marcia sighed. She hobbled over to her tote bag and fished out a pen.

Signing her name with a flourish, she said, “There! Marcia Westerly.” She swung away on her crutches.

Benny stared at Marcia’s green signature. He couldn’t ask for better than this! “Wait until you see what I’ve got!” he crowed to his brother and sisters, waving the program high over his head.

Henry looked at Marcia’s signature — written in green ink. “Benny! You’re a real detective!”

Benny glowed at the praise.

“Now we know Marcia doesn’t need crutches and could easily climb in a window!” Jessie stated, “and she also owns a green ink pen.” She smiled at Benny. “I’m proud of you!”

Benny stared at his feet. “But Alex and Ollie had green pens, too.”

“Alex had a green pen?” Jessie asked. “And Ollie, too?”

Benny nodded.

“Benny,” Violet said, “you had a good idea! All we need are more clues.”

“Yes,” Henry agreed, “we can’t accuse Marcia or Alex or Ollie unless we can prove one of them stole Mrs. Murray’s jewels.” He hated to hear that Alex used green ink!

For a moment the children sat, deep in thought.

“Just because Alex and Ollie and Marcia wrote with green ink,” Jessie said, “doesn’t prove they’re guilty.”

Benny frowned. “No, but it could.”

“And what about the mystery man?” Violet asked.

“And Janet O’Shea?” Henry added. “Did you get their signatures?”

Benny shook his head. “I guess you’re right, but I still think it helps to see who had green ink.”

“I have an idea, too!” Violet said, leaping up.

“Tell us,” Jessie coaxed.

Henry gave Violet a questioning look, waiting patiently for her plan. When she didn’t say anything, he said, “Well? What is it?”

Violet smiled mysteriously. “I’ll tell you later.”

“You don’t want to tell us in case it doesn’t work,” Benny said.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Violet said, hurrying toward Alex.

Jessie, Henry, and Benny watched as Violet whispered into Alex’s ear.

Alex listened intently, then a quick smile lit her face, and she nodded in agreement.

“What are they talking about?” Benny asked, frowning. “I wish I could hear.”

“We’ll find out sooner or later,” Henry said.

Whatever Violet had in mind, Jessie thought, Alex obviously thought it was a good idea. She watched them disappear inside the dressing room. She wished she were in on the secret.

Later that day at home, Jessie heated up some meatballs, while Henry boiled water, then dropped in spaghetti. Violet tossed a salad. Benny set the table, and got out some butter and Italian bread.

Grandfather had stayed in town to dine with the Murrays.

While the children ate, they discussed the newspaper article and map they’d found, plus the different suspects.

“I wonder if the police are any closer to finding the robber than we are,” Violet said.

“I’ll bet they don’t know about the green ink!” Benny said proudly. “Marcia and Alex and Ollie are the only ones who wrote their names in green.”

“Yes,” Henry said, “that’s an important clue, Benny, but we can’t be sure any one of them is guilty.” He buttered a slice of bread, then looked at Violet thoughtfully. “I know you have a plan. What is it?”

“I can’t say,” Violet said. “I just don’t know how it will work out.”

“When will we know?” Benny asked.

Violet laughed. “Before the performance, I promise.”

“Speaking of performance,” said Jessie, “we’d better clear the table and get dressed. We need to be at the Civic Center early so we can sell cookies.”

“I can’t wait to see the skaters!” said Benny. “They’ll look like stars skating across the ice.”

“They
are
stars,” Henry said.

After leaving the kitchen spic and span, the excited Aldens went upstairs to dress.

Each could hardly wait to see the show.

Jessie brushed her brown hair until it shone. Violet came into Jessie’s room to borrow a barrette.

“I see you’re wearing your favorite dress,” Jessie said, smiling.

Violet looked down at her lavender dress with a purple knit vest. “I want to look my best tonight,” she said.

“Me, too,” Jessie said, slipping an arm around Violet.

Downstairs, Henry winked at Violet. “We’d better leave, so Violet can try out her secret plan.”

When they got to the Civic Center, they arranged cookies on trays. It wasn’t long before people who arrived early had purchased a whole trayful of gingerbread men.

When Mr. and Mrs. Murray and James Alden came in, they went directly to the children. William Murray bought a dozen thumbprint cookies.

So did Grandfather. “For a snack later tonight,” he said.

“You look so shiny,” Benny said, gazing at Mrs. Murray.

“Why, thank you, Benny,” Sara Murray said. Her white silk dress matched her white hair.

“Did you find your stolen diamonds?” Benny asked, staring at Mrs. Murray’s sparking diamond earrings, necklace, bracelet, and rings.

Mrs. Murray laughed, touching one dangling earring. “No, no, my real diamonds and rubies are still missing. These are only paste.”

“You mean you pasted on all that jewelry?” Benny questioned.

William Murray laughed. “Paste jewelry means fake jewelry. The diamonds that Sara is wearing tonight aren’t real.” Still smiling, he added, “I wish they were.”

“Children, why don’t you run along? Let us sell the rest of your cookies,” Mrs. Murray said.

“Yes,” Grandfather said. “The gingerbread men have all been sold and there are only a few of the thumbprint cookies left. Besides, I know you would like to see the ice skaters backstage before they begin their performance.”

“Thanks,” Jessie said. “I would like to see Alex.”

The children left, knowing their cookie sale was in good hands.

“Mrs. Murray’s diamonds look real. They didn’t look like glue at all,” Benny said.

“The word is paste, Benny.” Henry chuckled. “Not glue!”

“Paste jewels,” Benny repeated. “I forgot.

In the dressing room Alex was still in her practice outfit — leotards and T-shirt.

Jessie wondered why Alex wasn’t dressed yet, but didn’t ask. “I wanted to wish you good luck,” she said.

Alex smiled, hugging Jessie. “Thanks, I think everything will be fine.” She glanced at Violet. “Don’t you think everything will work out, Violet?”

Violet replied, “I’m sure it will.”

Carl poked his head in. He was dressed in red trousers and a sequined shirt. “Aren’t you ready, Alex?”

“In a few minutes,” she answered.

“We’re on in fifteen minutes,” Carl said, leaving.

Suddenly, Alex exclaimed. “Oh, Violet. Look at my costume! It’s ripped!”

“You can’t possibly wear it like that,” Violet said, examining the short red dress.

Alex looked at Marcia, who sat in a corner reading a magazine. “Since you’re not skating, Marcia,” Alex said, “could I please wear your green dress?”

Marcia jumped up, forgetting her crutches. “No!” Then she added in a calmer voice, “It wouldn’t fit you. You’re smaller than I am.” She reached for the costume, but Violet quickly took it off the hanger.

“I can fix that,” Violet said. “A stitch here and there and it will be perfect.”

Marcia bit her lip, not knowing what to say. Finally she said in a weak tone, “Be careful of it!”

“Of course,” Alex answered, going behind a folding screen with Violet.

Marcia glared at Jessie, Henry, and Benny. “If anything happens to that dress,” she muttered, “I’ll … I’ll …”

Henry gave her a puzzled frown. “Why are you so nervous about a costume?”

“Yes, why are you, Marcia?” Alex asked, re-emerging from the screen with Violet. “I don’t think I’ll be wearing your dress, after all.”

Violet held up the green dress. In the light the rhinestones and other stones glittered and sparkled.

“Those diamonds and rubies don’t look like
paste
,” Benny said. “They look real!”

“I think they are,” Violet said in a quiet voice. “Aren’t they, Marcia?”

Marcia stood rooted to the spot, not speaking. Her hands trembled as she reached for her crutches.

“I don’t think you need these anymore,” Henry said, moving Marcia’s crutches away from her.

“Well, Marcia?” Alex said.

Just then Carl came in. “Are you ready, Alex? There’s not much time …” He stared at the bright stones on the green dress, then at Marcia without her crutches.

“I think we’ve caught our thief,” Violet said.

Marcia stood defiantly facing Violet and Alex. “Are you accusing me of the jewel robbery?” she asked. “You have no proof.”

“This is proof!” Violet said, holding up Marcia’s green costume.

Marcia stared at her costume. She said nothing.

“I’ll be right back,” Jessie whispered to Henry. In a few minutes she returned with Grandfather, Janet O’Shea, the Murrays — and the mystery man. They all crowded into the dressing room.

“The police have been called,” Jessie said. She glanced at Marcia, feeling sorry for her, yet angry, too. How could she have stolen Mrs. Murray’s jewels?

Marcia glared at Violet.

Puzzled, Mrs. Murray looked around. “Are my jewels here? I don’t see them.”

Without a word, Violet handed Mrs. Murray the green costume.

Mrs. Murray looked from the green dress to Violet, then back at the dress. Suddenly she gasped. “My diamonds and rubies! I’d recognize their sparkle and cut anywhere! William, look!”