Zombie Project (8 page)

“No, they don’t,” said Sheriff Briggs. “That’s why we’re here.” Then Sheriff Briggs and his deputies took Matthew Donovan away.

Madison took out her cell phone and called her editor. “I have your front page story for tomorrow,” said Madison. Then she turned and looked at Violet. “And some news footage, too.”

That night, Violet’s film was on the news, and the next morning, Madison’s story was on the front page of the
Greenfield Gazette
with one of Violet’s photos. Even the teens woke up early that morning. They were huddled over a copy of the newspaper at the end of the table.

“So there isn’t really a zombie,” said Benny.

“No,” said Jake. “It’s just an old story.”

Ring! Ring!

“There it goes again,” said Maude. She stood up and walked into the lobby to answer the phone.

“The phone has been ringing all morning,” said Jessie.

“Everyone wants to come and see where the missing millionaire was hiding out,” said Jake. “Thanks to you, it looks like business is picking up.”

“Glad we could help,” said Henry.

“Can we see your zombie movie?” asked Jessie.

“Sure,” said Jake. “We call it
The Zombie Project.
I posted it online last night.”

“You put it online?” said Violet.

“Then everyone can see it,” said Jake. “We made the movie to help Grandma. We wanted more people to know about the lodge.”

“That’s right,” said Abby. She put her arm around Jake.

Jake gave Abby a kiss. “Let me go get my laptop,” said Jake. “It’s in my room.” He walked out of the dining room.

“I’ll make the popcorn,” said Abby, and she went into the kitchen.

“Popcorn!” said Benny. “Yum!”

“For breakfast?” said Jessie.

“It’s a special occasion,” said Violet.

“It’s not every day that you catch a zombie,” said Henry.

Caleb stood up and put his hands out in front of him. Then he grimaced and began walking slowly across the dining room floor. “Uh-uh-uh!” he said.

Benny ran over and grabbed Caleb by the waist.

“You got me!” said Caleb.

The Aldens laughed.

G
ERTRUDE
C
HANDLER
W
ARNER
discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book,
The Boxcar Children,
quickly proved she had succeeded.

Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.

When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.

While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.

Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

The Boxcar Children Mysteries

T
HE
B
OXCAR
C
HILDREN

S
URPRISE
I
SLAND

T
HE
Y
ELLOW
H
OUSE
M
YSTERY

M
YSTERY
R
ANCH

M
IKE’S
M
YSTERY

B
LUE
B
AY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
W
OODSHED
M
YSTERY

T
HE
L
IGHTHOUSE
M
YSTERY

M
OUNTAIN
T
OP
M
YSTERY

S
CHOOLHOUSE
M
YSTERY

C
ABOOSE
M
YSTERY

H
OUSEBOAT
M
YSTERY

S
NOWBOUND
M
YSTERY

T
REE
H
OUSE
M
YSTERY

B
ICYCLE
M
YSTERY

M
YSTERY IN THE
S
AND

M
YSTERY
B
EHIND
THE
W
ALL

B
US
S
TATION
M
YSTERY

B
ENNY
U
NCOVERS
A
M
YSTERY

T
HE
H
AUNTED
C
ABIN
M
YSTERY

T
HE
D
ESERTED
L
IBRARY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
A
NIMAL
S
HELTER
M
YSTERY

T
HE
O
LD
M
OTEL
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
H
IDDEN
P
AINTING

T
HE
A
MUSEMENT
P
ARK
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
M
IXED
-U
P
Z
OO

T
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C
AMP
-O
UT
M
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T
HE
M
YSTERY
G
IRL

T
HE
M
YSTERY
C
RUISE

T
HE
D
ISAPPEARING
F
RIEND
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
S
INGING
G
HOST

M
YSTERY IN THE
S
NOW

T
HE
P
IZZA
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
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H
ORSE

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT THE
D
OG
S
HOW

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C
ASTLE
M
YSTERY

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HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
L
OST
V
ILLAGE

T
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M
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I
CE

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M
YSTERY OF THE
P
URPLE
P
OOL

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HE
G
HOST
S
HIP
M
YSTERY

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M
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W
ASHINGTON
, DC

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ANOE
T
RIP
M
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M
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H
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B
EACH

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ISSING
C
AT

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M
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S
NOWFLAKE
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NN

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M
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TAGE

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INOSAUR
M
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M
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TOLEN
M
USIC

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M
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ALL
P
ARK

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C
HOCOLATE
S
UNDAE
M
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M
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OT
A
IR
B
ALLOON

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M
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B
OOKSTORE

T
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P
ILGRIM
V
ILLAGE
M
YSTERY

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M
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S
TOLEN
B
OXCAR

T
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M
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C
AVE

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M
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T
RAIN

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M
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F
AIR

T
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M
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L
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INE

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UIDE
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OG
M
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H
URRICANE
M
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ET
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HOP
M
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ESSAGE

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IREHOUSE
M
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AN
F
RANCISCO

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IAGARA
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ALLS
M
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A
LAMO

T
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UTER
S
PACE
M
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T
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S
OCCER
M
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T
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M
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LD
A
TTIC

T
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G
ROWLING
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EAR
M
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M
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L
AKE
M
ONSTER

T
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M
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ALL

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W
INDY
C
ITY
M
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LACK
P
EARL
M
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T
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C
EREAL
B
OX
M
YSTERY

T
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P
ANTHER
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
Q
UEEN’S
J
EWELS

T
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S
TOLEN
S
WORD
M
YSTERY

T
HE
B
ASKETBALL
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
OVIE
S
TAR
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
P
IRATE’S
M
AP

T
HE
G
HOST
T
OWN
M
YSTERY

T
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M
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B
LACK
R
AVEN

T
HE
M
YSTERY IN THE
M
ALL

T
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M
YSTERY IN
N
EW
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ORK

T
HE
G
YMNASTICS
M
YSTERY

T
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P
OISON
F
ROG
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
E
MPTY
S
AFE

T
HE
H
OME
R
UN
M
YSTERY

T
HE
G
REAT
B
ICYCLE
R
ACE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
W
ILD
P
ONIES

T
HE
M
YSTERY IN THE
C
OMPUTER
G
AME

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT THE
C
ROOKED
H
OUSE

T
HE
H
OCKEY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
M
IDNIGHT
D
OG

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
S
CREECH
O
WL