Mystery of the Traveling Tomatoes (7 page)

He ran to the drinking fountain. For a long time he stood there, letting the water cool his tongue. “Yuck!” he said at last.

Violet picked up the red Chili-Billy bar Benny dropped. She recognized it at once. “This is the same red wrapper Fenster threw on the ground at the park,” she said.

“That candy is hard to find,” said the vending machine man. “Most places don’t carry it. Last week, some guy bought my entire supply. He was going on a trip and wanted to take some with him.”

Benny still had the yucky taste in his mouth when the children stopped at the police station. They told Chief Morgan about the wigs and uniform rented by a Mr. Malfrat. “Malfrat?” said the chief. His thick eyebrows came together. “That’s an interesting name. French, I think.”

“May I please have some water?” asked Benny.

Chief Morgan brought him a nice big cup. “Here you go, Benny.” He looked at the others. “Anyone else need some watering?”

“Watering?” gasped Jessie. “Oh my gosh! This is Tuesday. This is the day we water the garden.”

Watering was one of the most important garden chores. It was also the most fun. And the work would keep the children busy. Maybe, by the time they finished, they’d find out what the detectives had found in the robber’s van.

The Aldens finished watering the plants and turned off their hoses. Mrs. Shea carried a pitcher of lemonade out to the garden. The children joined her and the twins in the shade of a large oak tree. Henry leaned back on his elbows and looked at their garden. Spooky the Scarecrow smiled his crooked smile.

“What do you use those green bags for?” asked Henry.

“Green bags?” said Mrs. Shea.

Henry pointed at the scarecrow. “Like the one we used to make Spooky’s head.”

“I thought you found that bag in the alley,” said Mrs. Shea.

“We did,” Benny explained. “But the metal detector man had bags just like that. He found them in your garbage cans, too.”

Mrs. Shea shrugged. “David and I don’t use them. I have no idea where they’re from.” The twins began fussing, and she took them inside for their naps.

Henry went over and walked slowly around the scarecrow, staring at its head. Suddenly, he reached up and ripped the head right off Spooky’s body.

“Henry!” cried Violet. “I worked hard stitching that head to Grandfather’s shirt.”

“Sorry,” said Henry, bringing them the scarecrow head. He set it on the ground. “Don’t these look like letters?” asked Henry.

Behind the mouth and eyes that Benny had drawn, they could make out faint letters:

r enf eld B n

Violet ran to her bike bag and brought back a black marker. The others watched as the young artist slowly traced over the letters. Then she filled in the faded letters:

Greenfield Bank

“This is the bank’s money bag!” said Jessie.” The thief must have buried the money right here after the robbery.”

Benny jumped up. “We’ve been gardening on top of bags of stolen money?”

“That’s explains why your tomatoes were moving,” said Henry. “The thief hid the money under our plants. Then he dug them up when he needed the money. He put your plants back so no one would know.”

“
I
knew,” said Benny.

Henry smiled. “That’s because you kept a measuring chart.”

Violet capped her pen. “After he dug up a bag, the thief took the cash out and tossed the bag into the garbage.”

“Why didn’t he take
all
the money with him after the robbery?” asked Jessie. “Why did he hide it here and just dig up a little at a time?”

“Maybe it’s like our bank accounts,” said Benny. “We put our money in the bank to keep it safe until there’s something special we want to buy.”

Jessie hugged her little brother. “Benny, you’re a genius! That’s exactly what our garden is. It’s the robber’s bank! For some reason, he can’t take the loot home.”

Benny laughed. “Maybe he’s afraid someone will steal it. Get it? Steal from the stealer?”

“Or,” said Henry, a knowing smile on his lips, “maybe he’s afraid someone
will find
it. Maybe he lives with someone who is very nosey. Someone who goes through his drawers and his closet and—”

“Fenster!” the others shouted.

“He is big,” said Benny, “like the thief.”

“And he seems too lazy to work,” said Jessie, “but he has money to buy expensive watches.”

“You’re wrong,” said Violet. “It can’t be him. Remember, we saw his photo in the newspaper. The day of the robbery, Fenster was at the circus train with the other Special Events Committee members. It was noon on the city hall clock.”

“That was at the
beginning
of the parade,” said Henry. “The robbery was twenty minutes later. Fenster could have left right after the picture was taken. He could have robbed the bank.”

“I’m not sure,” said Violet. “He would have to rob the bank, drive back to Duffy’s, tear the panels off his van, and nail them upon the windows. Then he would have to bury the money in our garden. And he’d have to do all that and still make it back to the park by the time the March of the Elephants got there.”

“Maybe he didn’t make it back in time,” said Jessie. “Does anyone remember seeing Fenster’s picture at the end of the parade?” No one did.

“We need to look at those newspaper photos again,” said Violet. “Let’s go back to the library.”

The Aldens spread the newspapers out on a library table and studied the pictures in the special circus section.

“Look for the people in the yellow shirts,” Jessie said. “Let’s see if Fenster’s with them.”

“Here’s a photo taken at noon,” said Violet. “I can see the City Hall clock in the background!” In the photo, five people in yellow shirts greeted the circus parade. Fenster stood right in front, grinning at the camera.

“But I can’t find him in any of the photos taken later on, in the park,” Jessie pointed out. In those pictures, the children could find only four people in yellow shirts.

“I think Fenster is using the circus as his alibi,” said Henry. “He made sure the newspaper photographer took his picture. If people think he was at the circus all day, then they won’t think he robbed the bank.”

“But can we prove that he wasn’t at the circus later?” asked Jessie. “He wasn’t in the other photos, but the police will need more proof than that.”

“What about the day of the 5K race?” asked Violet. “The Events Committee was in charge of that. Everyone in town was there, including the Sheas. Was Fenster at the race, or was he at The Applewood Café digging up money he hid under Benny’s green peppers?”

The children clicked to the
Greenfield Gazette
website and typed
5K race.
Hundreds of photos were posted. They couldn’t find Fenster in any of them. “This still isn’t real proof,” said Jessie.

The children grew quiet. It wasn’t enough to suspect someone. Maybe the detectives would find Fenster’s fingerprints in the van.

“Oh, dear,” said Violet. “What if he’s getting ready to make his getaway?”

“What makes you think that?” Henry asked.

“Benny’s onions,” said Violet. “They were dug up, just like the tomatoes and peppers. But the onions were left scattered all around. At first, Fenster was trying to put things back, and hide the fact that he was digging up the garden. But now he doesn’t care … because he’s taking off.”

“He wasn’t at the park to help his committee take down the tents,” agreed Jessie.

“And he talked about France,” said Benny. “How he liked French restaurants.”

“Fenster bought that watch with two faces,” said Henry. “The one he could set for Greenfield and for Paris.”

“And the vending machine man said someone bought all the Chili-Billy Bars,” said Benny. “Someone going on a trip.”

“Do you think he’s already escaped?” asked Violet.

Henry looked at his watch. It was nearly three. “Mr. Witlin told Fenster to pick up his new watch at three o’clock today. Maybe it’s not too late. Maybe we can still stop him!”

As they rushed out, Violet told the librarian to call the police. “Tell them to go to Witlin’s Watch Works on Main Street.”

“And,” shouted Benny running after the others, “tell them to
hurry
!”

The children’s hearts pounded as they pulled up alongside Witlin’s Watch Works. Careful to stay out of view, they climbed off their bikes and quietly leaned them against the jungle of tomatoes growing on the side of the shop. They peeked into the store window. Fenster stood at the counter. “He’s trying on his new watch,” whispered Jessie.

“He’s all dressed up,” said Violet, “the way Grandfather dresses when he’s going on a trip.”

“We have to stall him until the police arrive,” Henry said.

Jessie noticed a taxi waiting at the curb. She noticed the splattered tomatoes all along the sidewalk. She had an idea.

She ran around to the driver’s side. “Are you waiting for a big man in the watch shop?” she asked the driver.

“Yup,” the cabbie said.

“Are you taking him to the airport?”

“Yup. His suitcases are in the trunk,” the cabbie replied.

“Well,” Jessie said, “if you bring those suitcases to the police station right now, you will receive a very large reward. A reward for helping lead to the arrest of a bank robber.”

The taxi driver peered at Jessie and then at the other children. “You’re James Alden’s grandchildren, aren’t you?”

“We are,” said Jessie.

“Well, there’s not a more honest man in town,” he said. “I reckon you are every bit as honest as your grandfather.” He held up his cell phone. “Want me to call the police?”

“They’re already on their way” said Jessie. “But, if you really want to help, please start your car and pull away. And honk your horn nice and loud.”

“Will do.” The man started the taxi and, as he drove off, honked his horn over and over.

Just as Jessie hoped, Fenster heard the honking. He raced to the window in time to see the taxi driving away. “Wait,” he shouted, running out of the store. “My suitcases. Stop! Come back! Come—”

His fancy dress shoes hit the slippery tomatoes. His feet flew into the air. “Yikes!” he shouted, as he landed with a crash. Fenster tried to stand but his feet flew out again. Finally, Fenster got on his hands and knees and began to crawl away. But by then, the sound of sirens filled the air as police cars squealed around the corner and screeched to a stop.

“Careful of the tomatoes,” warned Benny. The police handcuffed Fenster and led him to the squad car.

As he climbed in, Fenster glowered at the children. “This is all your fault,” he snarled. “Who gave me away?”

“You can blame it on the scarecrow,” said Benny. But he didn’t think Fenster heard.

The Sheas threw a celebration at The Applewood Café to thank the children for finding the robber. “I remembered why the name Malfrat was so familiar,” said Chief Morgan. “You said Fenster rented the wigs and police uniform using the name Malfrat. Well, Malfrat isn’t a person. Malfrat is the French word for ‘crook.’”

Mr. Shea baked a tall cake in the shape of the Greenfield Bank.

The icing said:
HOORAY FOR OUR HEROES.

“We couldn’t have done it without Cesar’s tomatoes,” said Benny, eating a corner piece with lots of icing.

Jessie carried in an armful of tomatoes. “We just picked these from around the neighborhood,” she said. “Help yourselves!”

Cesar’s daughter stood and clapped her hands. “I have an announcement,” she said. “Thanks to all of you, I’ve learned how much it means to my father to grow things. Today, I bought Duffy’s Garage. I will help my father turn it into a greenhouse. Now he can grow plants all year around.”

Everyone cheered.

“Well,” said Benny, “you’d better plant plenty of tomatoes. You just never know when another bank robber might come along!”

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.