Windy City Mystery (2 page)

A few blocks east, the lake sparkled.

“It's beautiful,” Violet said.

Henry came up beside them. “It sure is,” he agreed.

Jessie came into the room. “There are three big bedrooms,” she told them. “Grandfather can have one. Henry, you and Benny can have another, and Violet and I will take the third.”

The other Aldens took their suitcases and followed her. Jessie was good at organizing things.

They were in their separate bedrooms when Chad came into the apartment and called, “Where is everyone?”

The Aldens returned to the living room.

“This is a nice place,” Jessie said.

Chad grinned. “I'm glad you like it. I helped decorate it. It's a challenge — an old place like this.”

“Are you a decorator?” Violet asked.

Chad shook his head. “Actually, I work part-time for my father,” he said, “but I am going to school. I want to be an artist.”

“Violet's an artist.” There was pride in Benny's voice.

“Are you?” Chad said. “That's great!”

Violet blushed. “I'm not really an artist,” she objected. “I just like to sketch.”

“That's how I started,” Chad told her. “I'd like to see your work.”

“You brought your sketchbook, didn't you?” Henry asked.

Violet nodded. She always packed her sketchbook.

“Good,” Chad said. “We'll make time to do some drawing.” He turned to the others. “If everything's all right here, I'll let you get settled.”

“Are we going to meet your father?” Henry asked.

Chad frowned. “I don't know. He's always busy with some new plan for his business. Thank goodness he has his hobby or he would never relax!”

Jessie wanted to ask what his father's hobby was, but Mr. Alden said, “I know you're busy. You run along. Tell your father I'll see him in the morning.”

“And I'll be back bright and early to show you the city,” Chad said to the children. He started out. At the door, he said, “Are there any questions about the apartment or anything?”

“I have a question,” Benny piped up. “Can we eat anything we find?”

Chad laughed. “Anything,” he said. “Just don't eat it all at once.”

After Chad left, the Aldens unpacked.

When they had finished, Jessie said, “I have a surprise.” She showed them a book about Chicago.

Grandfather Alden was more surprised than anyone. “That's my old school workbook. Where did you find it, Jessie?”

“In the bookcase at home,” she answered.

“You used that book in
school
?” Benny said. He thought it must be very old, but he didn't say so.

“We were studying American cities,” Grandfather said. He took the book from Jessie and glanced through it. “Soon after we finished our study, your great-grandfather brought me here on the train. Very few people traveled by airplane then.”

“A train is still the best way to travel,” Henry said, thinking of the boxcar he and his brother and sisters had lived in after their parents had died. When their grandfather found them, he brought the children and their boxcar to his home.

The others agreed with Henry. “You see so much more,” Jessie concluded.

Grandfather closed the book. “This is a very old book,” he said. “You will find things have changed.”

The children sat down to study the book.

“Chicago's a terrific city,” Mr. Alden put in. “It was a good city before the fire and a great one after.”

“Fire?” Violet repeated.

Henry held up the workbook. “It tells about it in here,” he told his sister. “It's called the Great Chicago Fire. It nearly destroyed the whole city way back in 1871.” He showed the other Aldens a picture of a building. “That's the Water Tower — one of the few buildings that wasn't burned.”

“How did the fire start?” Violet asked.

Henry studied the book. Then he said, “No one knows.”

“The most popular explanation concerns a cow and a lantern,” Grandfather said.

“That story is here in the book,” Henry said. “People thought Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern and started the fire. High winds spread it.”

“Is that why they call it the Windy City?” Benny asked. “Because of the winds?”

“Could be,” Grandfather answered. “But most say it's because residents bragged so much about their city. People said they were windy — full of hot air.”

Jessie said, “This city is full of mysteries!”

Grandfather agreed. “Those mysteries will never be solved,” he said. “But here's one you can solve: Shall we eat supper here or go out?”

“Here!” the younger Aldens all said.

Grandfather started for the kitchen. “I'll be the cook tonight.”

The children looked at one another. Grandfather seldom did the cooking.

“Do you want some help?” Jessie asked.

“You can set the table,” Grandfather answered.

They decided to move the table nearer to the windows. Then Jessie and Violet poked through drawers until they found a tablecloth and silverware. Henry and Benny found the dishes.

“Oh, look,” Benny said. “A pink mug!” It reminded him of the cracked pink cup he had used when they lived in the boxcar. “That'll be my cup,” he said.

Before long, Grandfather announced, “Dinner's ready.”

He brought five omelettes to the table.

“They look delicious,” Violet said.

Benny took a taste. “Ummm. It
is
delicious!”

“You didn't know your old grandfather was such a good cook, did you?”

“All the Aldens are good cooks,” Henry said.

“But how did you do it so fast?” Jessie asked.

“Ahh,” Mr. Alden answered. “There's a mystery for you.”

Benny poured milk into the pink mug. “That's our mystery for this trip,” he said. “There won't be any more.”

Grandfather tilted his head to one side. His eyes twinkled. “Don't be too sure of that, Benny. You children seem to attract mysteries.”

CHAPTER 2

A New Mystery

H
enry was the first one up in the morning. He made bacon and eggs and poured orange juice.

Benny came into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. “I smell bacon,” he said.

Soon the others were up, too. Violet made toast. Jessie made coffee for Grandfather.

When he joined them in the living room, Mr. Alden said, “That's what I like to see: teamwork.”

They sat before the large windows where they watched the early sun trace golden paths across the lake.

“I wonder what we'll do today,” Jessie said.

“Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes,” Grandfather told them. “I'm sure you'll do a lot of walking.”

The telephone rang. “Chad will be late,” Grandfather said as he hung up.

“That's all right, Grandfather,” Jessie said. “We aren't ready anyway.”

Mr. Alden looked at his watch. “I have a meeting at Piper's office. I don't like to keep everyone waiting.”

“You can go, Grandfather,” Henry said. “We'll be fine.”

“I'm sure you will be,” Mr. Alden said. “I sometimes forget how responsible you are.” He looked at his watch again. “Chad said he'd meet you downstairs in the lobby. We'll go downstairs together.”

“Hurry up and get ready,” Jessie directed. “We'll do the dishes later.”

They were dressed and ready in a flash.

In the elevator, Mr. Alden gave Henry the apartment key. “In case you get back before I do,” he explained. “I'm sure Cob has another key. I'll get one from him.”

“Who's Cob?” Benny asked.

“Mr. Piper. His real name is
Jacob
, but everyone calls him
Cob.”

“Cob Piper,” Benny said. He liked the sound of it.

Downstairs, the doorman was talking to someone — a balding man with a bushy mustache. Wearing bib overalls and carrying a striped cap, he looked out of place. When he saw the Aldens, he hurried away. The doorman followed him out of the building.

Grandfather looked at his watch. “I have to go,” he said. “Are you sure you'll be all right?”

“Of course, Grandfather,” Henry said. “We'll be fine.”

“Well, then, I'll be on my way,” Mr. Alden said. “Have fun, and don't wander off without Chad. This is a big city.”

The Aldens sat down on a marble bench.

“Did Grandfather seem like he was acting a little strange to you?” Jessie asked.

Henry nodded.

“He was probably just afraid he was going to be late for his meeting,” Violet said.

Henry nodded. “Grandfather likes to be on time.”

They fell silent, watching the people hurrying through the lobby. Outside, the doorman smiled at everyone who passed through the doors.

After a while Violet said, “I wonder where all these people are going.”

“Most of them are probably headed to work,” Henry said.

“What about that man with the big mustache?” Benny asked.

“He was dressed in overalls,” Violet said. “I'll bet he doesn't work in an office.”

“The city is full of all kinds of jobs,” Jessie said.

“He looked like a railroad engineer,” Henry added.

Just then they saw Chad outside. He stopped to talk to the doorman.

“Let's go.” Henry stood up and started for the door.

“He's going away!” Benny observed as Chad hurried out of sight.

The doorman came in. “You must be the Aldens,” he said, smiling. “I'm Willard. I have a message for you.”

“From Chad?” Henry asked.

Willard nodded. “He says he'll be with you shortly. He had an errand down the street.” He started away. “Oh, I almost forgot,” he said, turning back. “This is for you, too.” He handed Henry an envelope and went back outside.

“Who's that from?” Benny asked.

Henry studied the envelope. “It doesn't say.”

“It's probably from Chad,” Violet decided.

Henry opened the envelope and took out a piece of paper. “This is odd,” he said, and he began to read the note aloud.

In this city

There's lots to do.

Follow my lead

To each new clue
.

And when you've seen

All the rest
,

You'll find the treasure

That is best
.

NOTE WELL: DON'T TELL!

“Don't tell
what
, Henry?” Benny asked.

Henry shrugged. “I don't know. About the note, maybe, or … There's a clue on the bottom. Maybe that's it.”

“A clue? What kind of clue?” Jessie said.

Henry read on:

CLUE #1

Find a structure

Straight and tall

Standing there

Through fire and all
.

They drifted back to the bench and sat down. They were full of questions.
What did this note mean? Who had written it? Why was it given to them? What was the special treasure the note mentioned?

“Chad wrote the note,” Jessie decided.

“But why?” Henry wondered.

“Let's ask him,” Benny said.

“The note says, ‘Don't tell,'” Violet reminded him.

Benny was puzzled. “But if Chad wrote it, he already knows about it.”

“You're right, Benny,” Henry said, “but if he
did
write it, he doesn't want us to know he did.”

“It's some kind of game — a treasure hunt,” Jessie said. “We should just go along with it.”

“Then we'd better figure out the clue,” Henry concluded. He reread it.

“A
structure
— is that a
building?”
Benny asked.

Henry nodded. “It could be a building. But there are other kinds of structures.”

“Let's say it's a building, Henry,” Jessie suggested.

“Okay. A building — straight and tall —”

“There's Chad!” Benny said.

This time Chad came inside. “Sorry I'm late,” he said. “I hope you weren't bored.”

Henry stuffed the note into his pocket. “Actually, we were busy … figuring things out,” he said.

The Aldens all watched Chad. If he had written the note, he would know they had been trying to figure out the clue. His reaction would give him away.

Chad did not react. Instead, he said, “Let's get moving!” and sailed through the doors with the Aldens at his heels.

Chad led the way along the broad sidewalks. “I hope you like to walk,” he said.

Benny looked at the tall buildings and the busy streets. “Where are we going?” he asked.

“To the Water Tower,” Chad answered. “It's not far.”

“What's at the Water Tower?” Violet asked.

“Long ago it contained instruments to measure water pumped from Lake Michigan. Now it's a visitors' center,” Chad said. “We can get information and maps there.”

“The Water Tower!” Benny said. “We saw a picture of it in Grandfather's workbook. It looks like a castle.”

“That's the one,” Chad said.

Henry remembered something else about the building. He caught Jessie's eye. They dropped back behind Chad.

“What is it, Henry?” Jessie asked.

“The Water Tower — it survived the fire!” he whispered.

Jessie nodded. “‘A structure/ Straight and tall.'”

“‘Standing there/ Through fire and all,'” Henry completed.

Was the Water Tower the answer to the riddle?

“It can't be the place,” Jessie decided.

“Why?” Henry asked. “It fits the clue.”

“But if Chad wrote the clue, he wouldn't just take us there, would he?” Jessie said. “He'd want us to figure it out for ourselves.”

That was true, Henry agreed. Why would Chad lead them to this place after he had gone to the trouble of writing the clue? He couldn't think of a single reason.