The Mystery at the Fair (8 page)

“We found it inside one of the boxes that were stacked behind the crafts tent,” Jessie explained.

“What was it doing there?” Kristie asked. She opened up the bag and looked inside.

Violet watched Kristie's face carefully. Kristie looked very shocked when she saw the trophy and prize money inside her bag.

“Young lady,” the contest official said. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“I don't know how that trophy or that envelope got inside my bag,” Kristie said.

“This is outrageous,” Mrs. Stephens complained loudly.

“Did you misplace your bag somewhere?” Violet asked.

“Maybe someone found it and used it to hide the trophy and envelope inside. That way, it would look like you were the one who took them,” Courtney said.

“I left my bag in the art competition tent this morning,” Kristie said. “I had my paint supplies in it.”

Kristie dug inside the bag.

“See,” she said as she held up several tubes of paint and a brush, “my supplies are still inside.” Kristie looked close to tears.

“Well,” the contest official said, “the fact remains that someone stole the trophy and prize money.”

“It wasn't me,” Kristie said. “I would never do anything like that.”

“Did you see anyone else around the tent while you were there?” Jessie asked.

“Yes,” Kristie said. “Two people were there. A girl I didn't know, and a man with a baseball cap.”

“What did the girl look like?” Violet asked.

“No more questions!” Mrs. Stephens interrupted. “We've been through quite enough for one day. We're going home!”

Mrs. Stephens took Kristie by the arm and hurried off.

CHAPTER 8

The Man with the Baseball Cap

T
hat evening, the Aldens gathered in the boxcar to talk. The Jenkins children had divided the prize money evenly with the Aldens. Courtney and Michael took a trophy and a blue ribbon home with them. The other trophy and blue ribbon were on the shelf that Jessie and Violet had made in the boxcar.

“I'm glad we won the prize money,” Henry said. “But we still don't have enough to buy Grandfather's birthday present at the Greenfield Bookshop.”

“We'll have enough money when we figure out who has been trying to ruin the fair,” Benny said.

“We'll have enough left over to buy balloons and party hats, too. There's a $50 reward for solving the mystery,” Violet said.

“If
we can solve the mystery,” Jessie said.

“It's still hard to believe all the things that have happened since we first saw that fair poster,” Violet said.

“What we need to do now is figure out why anyone would want to ruin the fair contests,” Henry said.

“Maybe they wanted the trophy and the money,” Benny suggested.

“Or maybe someone wanted to get even with the people who were competing,” Jessie said.

“Mrs. Stephens has been at every event and she's never won anything,” Benny said.

“Susie has been at every event, too,” Jessie pointed out.

“Also,” Henry said, “Susie's pie and Mrs. Stephens's cake were the only ones not ruined today.”

“It could just be a coincidence,” Jessie said.

“Maybe,” Henry said.

“We found the trophy and the prize money in Kristie's bag,” Benny reminded everyone.

“Kristie does seem like the most likely suspect,” Henry said.

“But Kristie looked very surprised when she found out the things were in her bag,” Violet said.

“True,” Jessie said, “but Kristie has been acting very strange lately.”

“Kristie
has
been acting kind of strange,” Violet agreed, “but I think it's because she didn't really want to enter the contest in the first place.”

“What about the man in the baseball cap?” Benny said. “He always seems to be around when something has gone wrong.”

“Yes,” Violet said, “but he hasn't been entered in any of the contests.”

“But he sure acts suspiciously,” Jessie said.

“Maybe if we see him tomorrow we can follow him,” Henry said.

“I can help you follow him,” Benny offered. “I'll be very quiet so he won't know I'm around.”

“This I'd like to see,” Jessie said as she smiled at her noisy younger brother.

“I sure wish I knew who that girl was Kris-tie saw in the art tent,” Violet said.

“When we see Kristie tomorrow maybe we can ask her again,” Henry said.

“Speaking of tomorrow,” Jessie said, “we'd better go to bed now. The livestock show starts early in the morning. And we've got a mystery to solve.”

The next morning, as the children were getting ready to leave for the fair, the phone rang.

“Alden residence,” Jessie said. She listened quietly for a moment, then she said, “Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Courtney. Tell Michael I hope he feels better soon. I'll call you after the fair and tell you everything that happened.”

“Is something wrong?” Violet asked.

“Michael isn't feeling well this morning,” Jessie said. “Courtney says they won't be able to go to the fair with us today because she has to baby-sit Michael.”

“That's too bad,” Henry said. “We were all having so much fun.”

“We sure were,” Violet agreed. “I hope Michael feels well enough to come to Grandfather's birthday party tomorrow.”

“Courtney said that she's going to make sure Michael stays in bed all day today,” Jessie said. “He should feel better by tomorrow.”

“I hope so,” Benny said. “Why don't we make him a get-well card when we get home?”

“That's a wonderful idea, Benny,” Violet said. “We can make a card for Grandfather's birthday, too.”

“Well, we'd better hurry if we're going to get to the fair before it starts,” Jessie said.

“And get back in time to buy Grandfather's birthday gift,” Henry said.

The children ran as fast as they could to the fairgrounds. The livestock show was just starting when they arrived.

“I love the livestock show!” Benny said.

“I love this show, too,” Violet said. “The animals are so beautiful.”

“The parade is about to begin,” Henry said.

“Ladies, gentlemen, boys, and girls,” the announcer said. “Welcome to the Greenfield County Livestock Show! Now we will begin the animal promenade, after which the animals will be on display in the livestock tent. See if you can pick the winner of the Best of Show ribbon and the $25 cash prize! Good luck, everyone!”

The crowd began to cheer as the parade began. Children and adults marched into the arena with their animals beside them. Horses, sheep, goats, cows, and pigs, some with bright ribbons tied around their necks, walked alongside their owners. They mooed, baaed, and squealed noisily as they paraded around and around the ring.

“Look at that little horse,” Benny said. “I could ride that one.”

“That's a pony, Benny,” Violet said. “Look at all the pretty ribbons tied in its mane.”

“It's beautiful,” Jessie said. “And so well trained.”

The pony obediently pranced beside its owner, a little girl who wore matching yellow ribbons in her hair. The judges made notes as each contestant passed. They smiled at the little girl and her pony when they stopped in front of their booth. The pony bowed to the judges.

“The judges liked that,” Henry said as the contestants marched around the tent. “I'll bet the pony will win.”

The judges talked together for a few moments and rose to make their announcement.

“The winner of the Greenfield County Livestock Show is Cindy Morgan and her pony, Dancer!”

“I knew they were going to win,” Henry said. The little girl smiled as the judges presented her with the trophy and the prize money. She took the Best of Show ribbon and tied it to Dancer's mane. The crowd cheered and applauded.

The Boxcar Children walked down the bleachers and headed toward the exits with the rest of the crowd.

“Did you notice that nothing unusual happened during this contest?” Jessie said.

“What do you mean?” Henry asked.

“Well,” Jessie continued. “In all the other events something went wrong. But this one went smoothly.”

“Maybe it's because the person who is causing all the trouble at the fair didn't enter the livestock show,” Violet said.

“I think you're right,” Henry said.

“We'd better go over to the arts competition tent,” Violet said. “I want to make sure nothing goes wrong during that event.”

Suddenly Benny grabbed Violet's arm.

“Look over there,” Benny said. “It's the man in the baseball cap.”

The man in the baseball cap stood near the judges' booth. He held a pen and a notebook. From time to time, he looked suspiciously around the crowded tent. Then he wrote something down in his notebook.

“Now's our chance to follow him, Benny,” Henry said.

“Good luck,” Jessie said. “We'll be in the art tent. Meet us there as soon as you can.”

“Okay,” Benny said. The boys moved quickly through the crowd toward the man in the baseball cap. They were only a few feet from him when he turned to leave the tent.

“I hope they can keep up with him,” Violet said.

“We'd better hurry,” Jessie said. “The arts competition will be starting soon.”

As the girls headed toward the art tent, Jessie spotted Susie Martinilli.

“Hi, Susie,” Jessie called. “Wait for us.”

“Hello,” Susie said, smiling. “Are you going to the art tent?”

“Yes,” Violet said. “Are you?”

“I am in just a minute,” Susie said. “By the way, how did things go at the crafts exhibit yesterday?”

“It was pretty exciting there for a while,” Jessie said. “Someone took the prize money, the trophy, and the blue ribbon.”

“Really?” Susie said. “How awful! What happened?”

“It appears someone took the prizes while the judges were gone,” Violet said. “Luckily, we found them in a bag behind the crafts tent.”

“Goodness,” Susie said. “There's been one problem after another at this fair.”

“There sure has,” Jessie agreed.

“Oh, Susie,” Violet said. “There's a yellow stain on your pretty pink blouse.”

“Oh, no,” Susie said. She rubbed at the spot for a moment. “I was in such a hurry I didn't even notice it.”

“It's still damp,” Violet said. “That looks like Shimmery Yellow No. 7. Is it?”

“Why, yes,” Susie said. “I just touched up my painting with it. I must have gotten some of it on my blouse.”

“I've spilled that paint on my clothes before,” Violet said. “All you have to do is rinse it out with water to remove the stain.”

“Well, I don't have time to worry about it now,” Susie said. “The art competition starts in a few minutes, and I've got something I need to do first. I'll see you later.”

“Good-bye,” Violet said as Susie hurried away.

“That's odd,” Jessie said. “I thought the only colors in Susie's painting of the horse were browns and greens.”

“Maybe she mixed blue with yellow to make green,” Violet said. “But her painting looked finished to me.”

“Let's take a look at it when we get inside,” Jessie said.

The art tent was rapidly getting more and more crowded. The girls looked around for Henry and Benny.

“I guess they're still following that man in the baseball cap,” Jessie said. “Maybe they'll be here later.”

“Let's look at Susie's painting while we're waiting,” Violet said.

The two girls carefully examined Susie's painting.

“This painting is perfectly dry,” Violet said. “She didn't add any yellow paint to it at all.”

“Why did she tell us she did?” Jessie said.

“I don't know,” Violet said. “But I'm sure going to find out.”

“Where is Kristie's painting?” Jessie said as she looked at the display. “It was on that easel over there yesterday.”

“There's Mrs. Stephens,” Violet said. “Let's ask her.”

“Hello, Mrs. Stephens,” Violet said as the woman approached them.

“Girls,” Mrs. Stephens said worriedly. “Have either one of you seen Kristie?”

“No, we haven't seen her today,” Violet said.

“What's wrong?” Jessie asked.

“Kristie sent me a note,” Mrs. Stephens said. “It said that she didn't feel well and that she wanted me to meet her at the registration tent. But when I went to the tent she wasn't there and no one had seen her.”

“Was her painting withdrawn from the competition?” Violet asked.

“Of course not,” Mrs. Stephens said.

“Mrs. Stephens,” Violet said. “Kristie's painting isn't here.”

“Oh, no,” Mrs. Stephens said as she stared at the empty easel. “Someone must have moved it while I was looking for Kristie. I have to find Kristie right away! The contest is getting ready to start.”

“We'll help you look for her,” Jessie said. “I'm sure she's not far away.”

“She worked so hard on her painting,” Mrs. Stephens said. “I don't know why she'd take it off the easel.”

“Maybe she didn't,” Jessie said. “May I see the note Kristie wrote to you?”

“Of course,” Mrs. Stephens said. She looked puzzled but she handed the note to Jessie. Jessie slowly read the note. Then something caught her eye.

“Mrs. Stephens,” Jessie said. “Is this Kris-tie's handwriting?”

“Why, no,” Mrs. Stephens said as she read the note again. “It's not her handwriting! I was so upset when I got it that I didn't even notice.”

“I'm going to ask the judges if they can delay the contest for a few moments,” Jessie said. “Something's not right here.” Jessie walked over to the contest table. She whispered softly to the judges for a moment. They nodded their heads.