Copycat Mystery (3 page)

“I
am
sorry we wasted your time today,” Gwen said when Jake checked his watch. “But we’re having an old-fashioned laundry demonstration tomorrow afternoon. If you could come back, I’m sure you’ll be able to take some interesting pictures.”

“I’ll make a note of it,” Jake told her. Then he waved good-bye.

As they watched Jake North drive away in his red sports car, Aunt Jane said, “Would you like to share a picnic lunch with us, Gwen? We’d certainly enjoy your company.”

The young woman looked pleased. “Actually, I packed a sandwich today,” she said. “But I’d love to join you. I’ll just bring my lunch along.”

When they were sitting around a picnic table by the creek, Gwen thanked Benny again for finding the missing sign. “You really came to the rescue!” she said.

Benny beamed. “No problem,” he said with a grin.

“I love this job,” Gwen went on, “but opening week hasn’t been easy.”

“Has anything else gone wrong?” Violet asked as she helped herself to one of Aunt Jane’s delicious egg salad sandwiches.

Gwen took a bite of her sandwich while she thought about the question. “The truth is,” she said at last, “there aren’t enough tour guides this week. Too many people went away on family vacations. I’m just grateful for my sister Sharon. And, of course, for Miss Pennink.”

Jessie poured some lemonade into Benny’s cracked pink cup. He often traveled with the pink cup he’d found while they were living in the boxcar. “What do the volunteers do?” she asked.

Gwen explained, “The museum doesn’t have enough money to hire guides, so we rely on volunteers to give the tours. They dress up in Victorian costumes and take visitors through the house, telling them about life in the olden days. It’s part of
my
job,” she told them, “to train the volunteers and to organize special events at the farmhouse. And, of course, to let people know the museum is open. It certainly doesn’t help,” she added, “when the farmhouse sign disappears.”

Benny looked a bit troubled as he took a bite of his pickle. “There’s no such thing as ghosts, right?” he asked, thinking of what Jake had said.

“Don’t worry, Benny.” Henry put an arm around his brother. “A ghost didn’t move that sign.”

“But somebody
did
play a practical joke,” Benny insisted. “If it wasn’t the ghost of Horace Wagner, then who was it?”

Gwen took a sip of lemonade, then she shook her head. “I must admit, it’s a mystery.”

After lunch, Jessie was anxious to talk to her brothers and sister. “I have an idea,” she told them as they tossed paper napkins and watermelon rinds into a nearby trash can. “Can anybody guess what it is?”

Henry said, “You’re thinking we could help out at the farmhouse, right?”

“Exactly!” cried Jessie.

Violet seemed surprised. “You mean, as volunteer tour guides?”

“Yes,” said Jessie. “It would be fun!”

“It sure would!” agreed Benny.

Henry nodded. “I think that’s a terrific idea.”

“And we could solve a mystery,” added Benny. “The copycat mystery!”

Later, when Gwen heard their offer, her green eyes lit up. “Do you mean it?” she asked as they made their way back to the farmhouse. “I must warn you, it can be hard work.”

“Oh, you don’t know these children! There’s nothing they like better than hard work,” said Aunt Jane. “I had a hunch they’d want to help.”

“When do we start?” asked Benny, who always got straight to the point.

Gwen laughed. “How does tomorrow sound? I can take you on a tour of the farmhouse right now, if you like.”

“We’d like that very much!” replied Jessie, speaking for them all.

As they followed a path through a field of clover, Jessie noticed a small white cottage near the orchard. “That must be where Draper Mills lives,” she said to Henry.

Henry nodded. “There he is now, looking out the front window. I think he sees us.” When Henry put a hand up to wave, the custodian yanked the curtains closed.

“He isn’t very friendly,” said Jessie.

“That’s for sure,” agreed Henry. “I guess we’d better keep out of his way while we’re working here.”

“Oh, dear!” said Gwen as they came out of the orchard. “It looks like the farmhouse is a lot busier now.”

Everyone followed her gaze to where a number of cars were parked.

“Why don’t we leave your tour until the morning,” she suggested. “That way I can spend more time with you and we can get started on your training.”

“We’ll be here bright and early,” promised Jessie.

As they rounded the farmhouse, Gwen waved to a girl of about fifteen who was standing on the porch talking to an older couple. The young girl looked very much like Gwen. She had the same fair hair and slim build, only she was much taller.

“Oh, it looks like Sharon’s back from the dentist,” said Gwen. And she waved for her to come over.

When Gwen’s sister raised her long skirts above her ankles to come down the porch steps, Violet noticed her socks. They were covered in burrs—just like Benny’s.

Sharon gave the Aldens a friendly smile. “Are you here for a tour?” she asked.

“Actually, I’ll be taking them on a special tour in the morning,” Gwen told her. “You see, the Aldens have offered to help us out this week. Isn’t that wonderful? As a matter of fact,” she added, “they’ve already been a help. Benny found the farmhouse sign! The Aldens happen to be first-class detectives.”

Sharon’s smiled faded. Suddenly she didn’t look so friendly. “We don’t have time to train new volunteers,” she said rather sharply. “Aren’t we busy enough as it is?”

The children stared at her in disbelief. Why was Sharon getting upset?

Even Gwen seemed surprised by her sister. “We need all the help we can get. I thought you’d be pleased with such a kind offer.”

But Sharon did not look pleased at all.

“They won’t even know what to do!” she shot back. “It’s just going to be a waste of everybody’s time. I mean, what’s the point in—”

“Sharon!” Gwen broke in. “What’s gotten into you?”

“We’ll do a good job,” Benny promised. “Just wait and see!”

“And what happened to that reporter?” Sharon asked her sister, changing the subject. “I thought he was going to take pictures of the farmhouse.”

“There weren’t any visitors,” explained Gwen. “Mr. Mason didn’t want pictures of an empty farmhouse in the paper.”

Sharon frowned, then stormed away.

Gwen apologized for her sister’s behavior. “Sharon can be a bit difficult sometimes. But she really has a good heart.”

When the Aldens were walking back to the car with Aunt Jane, Henry let out a low whistle. “Gwen’s sister sure doesn’t want us helping out,” he said.

A frown crossed Benny’s round face. “It’s kind of funny she got so upset.”

Jessie didn’t think it was funny at all. “Can you believe how rude she was?”

“We
will
do a good job,” declared Benny. “Won’t we?”

“Sure we will,” said Henry. Then he added honestly, “At least, we’ll do our best. Nobody can ask more than that.”

Violet sighed. She was having second thoughts about working at the farmhouse. What if they had to talk in front of large tour groups?

As if reading her thoughts, Jessie said, “Don’t worry, Violet.” She knew that her sister was often shy and nervous around strangers. “I’ll ask Gwen if we can work together until you feel comfortable.”

Violet gave her sister a grateful smile. Jessie always knew just what to say to make her feel better. “Are you sure Gwen won’t mind?”

“Gwen will want you to feel comfortable,” Aunt Jane assured them.

Benny grinned. “I guess we really
will
find out what it was like in the olden days.”

“I think it will be a great experience,” said Aunt Jane. “And the farmhouse can really use your help,”

On the drive to their aunt’s, Benny said, “I wonder why Sharon was acting so weird.”

Aunt Jane thought about this for a moment. Then she said, “I’m afraid Gwen and her sister don’t always see eye to eye.”

Benny made a face. “What does
that
mean?”

“It means they don’t always get along,” Henry told him.

“Oh,” said Benny.

“Gwen’s been like a mother to Sharon ever since their parents died a few years ago,” Aunt Jane explained. “But Sharon’s getting older. She wants to do things by herself. I think that causes problems between them sometimes.”

The Aldens looked at one another. They were each thinking how lucky they were to get along so well.

Aunt Jane sighed. “It’s a shame. Opening week is hard enough for Gwen without Sharon getting upset.”

“Well, we can’t do anything about Sharon,” Benny put in. “But if that copycat plays any more practical jokes, we’ll get to the bottom of it.”

“I’m sure you will, Benny,” said Aunt Jane. “I’m sure you will.”

The next morning, as soon as they had finished breakfast, the Alden children took the bikes that Aunt Jane kept for them and set off along the quiet country road. A gentle breeze was stirring the long grass and the birds were singing up a storm when they turned off the road onto the tree-lined driveway that led to the Historic Wagner Farmhouse.

“Look!” Benny shouted, pointing to the sign hanging from its post. “It’s still right where it belongs.”

Henry nodded. “So far, so good.”

“I’ve never been a tour guide before,” Benny said excitedly as he walked his bike beside Henry’s to the back of the farmhouse.

“It
will
be fun to dress up in Victorian costumes,” admitted Violet. She sounded as excited as Benny.

Leaving their bikes behind the old woodshed, they made their way around to the front of the house. When Benny knocked on the door, Jessie looked over at Henry. “Do you think Sharon will be any friendlier today?”

Henry shrugged. “I don’t know what to think. But I guess we’ll soon find out.”

They waited for a moment, then Benny knocked on the door again. “I hope Gwen didn’t forget about us,” he said, sounding worried.

“Not a chance!” said a voice behind them.

The children whirled around and saw Gwen coming up the porch steps. They hardly recognized her. She was wearing blue track pants and a white T-shirt, and her blond hair was pulled back into a pony-tail.

“You haven’t been waiting long, have you?” she asked.

“Oh, no,” Violet assured her. “We just got here.”

Gwen led them along the wraparound porch to the far side of the house. “Let me show you the office first.” Unlocking the door, she said, “This is the only room in the house that doesn’t look the way it did during the Victorian era. Back then, it was a mudroom—just a place to leave muddy boots and coats. But now it’s used as an office and lunchroom.”

The children glanced around at what appeared to be a modern kitchen, complete with a refrigerator and stove. In the corner was a desk with a computer, and beside it, a filing cabinet and a bulletin board full of notices.

“As you can see,” Gwen went on, “the room’s a bit cramped, but it gives me a place to do my paperwork. And it’s a quiet spot for the volunteers to come and put their feet up and maybe have a cup of tea. There’s a washroom, too, and a little changing room.”

Jessie slipped her backpack from her shoulders. “Is it okay if I put our sandwiches in the refrigerator?”

“Sure thing,” said Gwen. “I always keep a jug of cold lemonade in there, too. Feel free to help yourselves anytime.”

As Jessie put their lunches away, Gwen pointed to the far end of the room. “That door leads directly into the Victorian kitchen,” she told them. “But I’d like to take you in the front way. That’s where the visitors come in, so you might as well have the same tour you’ll be giving them. How does that sound?”

It sounded wonderful. Without wasting another second, the Aldens filed out of the office. As they headed back along the porch, Benny’s smile disappeared for a second.

“Do we have to remember everything you tell us?” he asked Gwen.

She shook her head. “All the information’s kept in folders in the filing cabinet. You can always brush up on anything you forget.”

Benny looked relieved.

“The Victorians liked to impress their visitors,” Gwen said as they stepped through the front door. “Especially when they first entered the house.”

“It
is
impressive,” admitted Jessie, and the others agreed as they gazed around a huge entrance hall with a winding staircase.

Violet, who had brought her camera along, snapped a picture.

“On your right is the parlor,” Gwen went on, stepping aside so they could see through the doorway. “It was used on important occasions.”

The shadowy room was overflowing with old-fashioned furniture. Portraits in fancy frames covered the walls and the top of the piano, while faded red curtains kept out the morning sun.

“Wow!” said Benny. “There’s hardly room to move in there.”

Gwen laughed. “To the Victorians, there was no such thing as
too
much furniture.”