Ice Cream Mystery (6 page)

Mr. Smithers glanced up from the papers when the Aldens walked in. Jessie said, “Mr. Smithers, I called you this morning— ”

“Oh, no, no,” he said. “You’re too young for a job with us. You have to be at least fourteen.”

“I’m fourteen,” said Henry. “But—”

“Here, fill out this application,” said Mr. Smithers, snatching up a piece of paper from the packing crate.

“But I don’t want a job, thank you,” said Henry, handing the application back.

That got Mr. Smithers’s attention. “What do you want, then?” he said. “I’m a very busy man. I have to hire counter help, managers...and who knows where I’m going to find a good manager, someone with experience. I’ve seen people with interesting ideas”—he tapped one finger on the papers—“but not enough experience. Well? Well?”

“How long have you known you were opening a Sugar Shop in Silver City?” asked Jessie.

“A few months now,” said Mr. Smithers.

“Then why did you try to buy the Ice Cream Barn?” asked Benny.

“It’s a good business. Buy the shop, buy the customers. When that didn’t work, we thought about putting a shop in Greenfield. But we decided that the Ice Cream Barn customers were, er, too loyal. So we settled on Silver City,” explained Mr. Smithers.

A phone began ringing in the back of the half-finished shop.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said. He jumped up and was gone.

“Thank you,” Violet said to his back.

Outside on the sidewalk, Jessie said, “A Sugar Shop in Silver City. I wonder if Brianna and Katy know about it.”

“If they don’t, we should tell them,” Benny said.

“Do you think Mr. Smithers is a suspect?” Henry asked.

“No,” said Jessie. “I did for a minute, but I don’t think someone who works for a big company like that would do such petty dishonest things to a small business like the Ice Cream Barn.”

“I don’t know about that,” said Henry.

“I wonder if Preston knows about the Sugar Shop,” said Violet. “He has experience. He could get a job there.”

“If we see him, we’ll tell him,” said Jessie.

But they forgot about telling Preston anything when they reached the Ice Cream Barn. A big sign on the door of the shop said,
CLOSED
.

“Oh, no,” groaned Henry. “Not again.”

But Benny was peering through the glass. He tapped on the window. “Katy is inside,” he explained.

A moment later, Katy opened the door. “Come in, come in,” she said urgently, her expression grave. “Did you see Brianna? Have you found Butterscotch?”

“Found Butterscotch? What are you talking about?” Violet said in shock.

“You don’t know, then? Butterscotch is missing. Brianna went into the barn this morning to let her out of her stall into the paddock and she was gone,” said Katy.

“Gone! How did she get out?” asked Jessie.

“Someone took her, that’s how.” Katy sank down into a chair. “There’s no way Butterscotch could have gotten her stall door open and the barn door as well. And I don’t think she would have closed those doors behind her, either.”

“Someone
stole
Butterscotch?” Benny cried. “A horse thief?”

“A horse thief,” said Katy. “Poor Butterscotch. I wonder if we’ll ever see her again.”

“Don’t worry, you will,” said Jessie stoutly. “We’ll find her.”

“I wish you could,” said Katy hopelessly. “I wish you could.”

“Let’s go to the barn. We can start looking for clues there,” said Violet. She patted Katy’s hand. “It will be all right,” she promised.

“No lock on either the barn door or the paddock door,” said Henry. “But no way Butterscotch could have gotten either of those open herself, even if she did get out of her stall.”

“The ice-cream wagon is still here,” noted Jessie.

“It would be hard to hide an ice-cream wagon,” said Benny. “But I guess you could, if you can hide a boxcar.” Benny was remembering the time their boxcar had gotten stolen.

“No footprints we can use,” said Violet, bending over to examine the hard-packed earth outside the barn door. “Just scuffs in the dirt.”

“Whoever took her either had to lead her away, ride her away, or drive her away in a horse van,” said Henry. “If they drove her, they could be anywhere.”

“And anybody,” said Violet in a discouraged voice.

“No!” said Jessie. “Not just anybody. I think whoever took Butterscotch is the same person who phoned in that fake delivery order, who stole the posters, who complained about Butterscotch, and who made those horrible suggestions.”

“And put up the ‘Out of Business’ signs,” added Benny.

“Preston—” began Jessie.

As if Jessie had made him appear by saying his name, Preston came running toward the barn. He stopped, looking wildly around. “She’s gone,” he said. “She’s really gone.”

“Yes, Butterscotch is missing,” said Henry.

Preston’s face was pale. He looked as if he might be about to cry. “Who would do a rotten thing like that?” he said.

“Someone who wanted to put the Ice Cream Barn out of business,” said Henry. They all watched Preston closely.

Preston didn’t seem to notice. “That’s one of the reasons I was so upset when Katy laid me off,” he said, almost to himself. “I wanted to help with Butterscotch. I thought it would be cool to learn about horses and how to drive the wagon. Poor Katy. She must be really upset.”

Preston straightened his shoulders. “Katy said you were looking for Butterscotch. I will, too. And if I can do anything else to help, let me know.”

“We will,” said Violet.

Preston turned and walked slowly back to the store.

The Aldens stared after him. Then Violet said, “He
could
be pretending to be upset so we wouldn’t suspect him.”

“He could, but he’d have to be an awfully good actor,” said Jessie.

“Preston didn’t steal Butterscotch or do any of those other things?” asked Benny.

“I don’t think so, Benny. He seems to really care about Katy and Butterscotch and the Ice Cream Barn. I think Katy is right to trust him,” Henry told his little brother.

“Okay. That leaves Marcos and Mr. Bush,” said Violet. “One of them is a horse thief.”

“It’s Mr. Bush,” Benny said triumphantly. “I told you so. Let’s go arrest him and get Butterscotch back!”

“Hold on, Benny. Just because you think Mr. Bush did it doesn’t mean we can go arrest him. We have to have proof,” Violet said.

“If we got Butterscotch, wouldn’t that be proof?” asked Benny

“It would. But I don’t think Mr. Bush is keeping Butterscotch in his backyard. It would be very hard to hide a horse in our neighborhood, at least for very long.”

“So he has Butterscotch at a farm or a stable,” said Benny. “Maybe he owns a farm,” he added.

“Maybe.” Jessie thought hard for a moment. “There is only one stable nearby just outside Silver City.”

“But there are lots of farms,” said Violet, feeling discouraged.

“If Butterscotch is at a farm—or the stables—she’d have to get there in a truck or van,” Jessie said. “It’s too far to ride her or lead her.”

“Marcos has a van for deliveries,” Violet said.

“Maybe Mr. Bush has a van or truck, too,” said Henry. “We need to check that out.”

“And we need to check on the stables, to see if Butterscotch is there,” said Benny.

“Let’s see when Katy expects Marcos again,” suggested Violet.

Nodding, Jessie said, “And after that, let’s make a few phone calls.”

Henry hung up the pay phone. “Nope, no new horses at the Silver City Stables,” he reported.

“I didn’t think there would be,” Jessie said. “It would be one of the first places the police would look, just like we did.”

“Let’s go get Mr. Bush,” Benny urged.

“Let’s go
talk
to Mr. Bush, you mean,” said Violet.

“Okay. Let’s go,” said Benny. He tugged on Violet’s sleeve.

“Not right now,” Henry said. “We have to get home. It’s almost time for dinner.”

“We’ll talk to Mr. Bush first thing tomorrow,” Jessie told Benny.

The Aldens rode their bicycles slowly home. They were tired and sad. Benny kept remembering how awful he had felt once when Watch had disappeared.

Watch came bounding up to greet them when they got home. That made them all feel a little better as they wheeled their bikes into the garage.

Then, suddenly, Watch ran toward the street. He ran up to a bicyclist who was pedaling by on the sidewalk. He barked.

“Watch, no!” said Benny, hurrying after him.

The bicyclist stopped. Watch stopped.

“Sit, Watch!” Jessie called. Watch sat.

“You know you’re not supposed to chase bicycles,” Benny scolded. Then he looked up at the bicyclist. “Oh!” he said in surprise.

The others had reached the sidewalk by then and had seen who the bicyclist was, too.

“Hello, Mr. Bush,” said Violet politely.

“Uh-oh,” Jessie said very softly to Henry. She was sure Mr. Bush was going to be very angry about Watch barking at him.

But Mr. Bush surprised them all. “Well,” he said to Watch. “At least you’re a dog who knows how to mind his manners when he is told.”

“Watch is very smart,” Benny said.

Mr. Bush looked up. “Smart enough,” he said. He bent and gave Watch one quick pat on the head.

“Do you like to ride bicycles?” Jessie asked.

“I wouldn’t be riding one if I didn’t,” Mr. Bush said. “I think it makes more sense than driving. Besides, I don’t have a driver’s license. Don’t want one. If I can’t get someplace by bike, a bus is good enough for me.” He stopped, as if he was surprised at how much he’d said.

“I like riding in the ice-cream wagon,” Jessie said boldly. “A horse is a good way to travel, too.”

Mr. Bush gave Jessie a sharp look. Then he said, “Well, a horse might be better than a car. But I don’t like horses. Never have. One stepped on my foot when I was ten years old. Broke two toes.” He winced as if he could still feel the broken toes.

“I’m sorry,” said Violet.

“What for? It was a long time ago,” said Mr. Bush. With that, he got on his bicycle and pedaled away.

The Aldens stood for a moment in amazed silence.

“Mr. Bush didn’t do it,” Benny said at last.

“I guess not,” said Violet. “It doesn’t sound like he’d get close enough to Butterscotch to steal her. And if he did, he wouldn’t be able to drive her away.”

“That leaves Marcos, then.” Henry looked at his wristwatch. “We should go back to the Ice Cream Barn tomorrow at lunchtime. Katy said he’d be by then for next week’s orders.”

“I can’t believe it’s Marcos,” said Violet. “I hope it isn’t.”

“If it’s not,” said Benny, “then who is it?”

The next day, Marcos was just getting out of his familiar white truck with the blue stripe when the Aldens pedaled up to the front of the Ice Cream Barn.

“Let’s help him unload,” whispered Jessie. “Then we can check out the back of the truck and look for clues. Maybe there will be pieces of hay or a few horse hairs inside.”

They hurried over to meet Marcos just as he swung open the double back doors of the truck. They stopped and stared.

The truck was lined with shelves. There was no room for a horse the size of Butterscotch. Not only that, but it was refrigerated and very cold.

“Hey, there,” said Marcos. “Cold enough for you?” He laughed heartily at his bad joke. Then he said, “It’s a traveling freezer, you see? No melted ice cream for me.”

Jessie couldn’t give up. “Have you talked to Katy yet?” she asked. “Or Brianna?”

“No. What’s wrong?” Marcos suddenly looked worried. “Is Brianna okay?”

“They’re both fine,” said Violet. “It’s Butterscotch.”

Marcos looked puzzled.

“The horse who pulls the ice-cream wagon,” Benny said. “She’s been stolen!”

“Stolen! When? What happened?” Marcos said.

“Someone took her out of the barn last night,” Violet told him. “We don’t know who.”

“That’s terrible,” said Marcos. “Just terrible!” Shaking his head he took a small box out of the back of the truck and closed the doors. “Samples of new ice-cream products,” he explained. “I thought Katy and Brianna might like to try them before they place their next order. Maybe it will cheer them up a little, too. I know how they liked that horse.”

The Aldens walked with him into the store. Brianna was at the ice-cream counter serving customers.

She smiled when she saw them, but it wasn’t much of a smile. “I’ll get Katy,” she told Marcos.

A moment later, Katy came into the store.

“I heard about your horse,” said Marcos. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you will find her.”

“I’m sure we will, too,” said Katy, but she didn’t sound sure.

Marcos handed her the small box of frozen treats. “New treats from my company for you to try,” he said.

“Thank you,” said Katy. She looked down at the box as if she didn’t know what to do with it.

“Thanks, Marcos,” Brianna said. “Give it to me, Granna. I’ll put it in the freezer behind the counter for now.”

Katy handed the box over, then sat down at one of the tables.

“How is business?” Marcos asked.

“Business is good,” Brianna said, then turned to wait on a family that had come in for ice cream.