Mystery at the Crooked House Read Online Free Page B

like our dog, Watch! His bark is worse than his bite.”
    “That’s because Watch doesn’t bite at all!” said Jessie, and everyone laughed.
    Mrs. McGregor folded the note again. “I think teamwork is needed to answer this riddle and uncover the treasure. If anyone can do it, the Aldens can!”
    “But Mrs. McGregor,” Benny said doubtfully, “are you sure there is a treasure?”
    “Oh, yes!” declared Mrs. McGregor. “I’m quite certain of it!”
    Benny still looked worried. “But ... what if it’s just a coin or an old toy?”
    Mrs. McGregor stared into the fire again. “I’ve always had a feeling the treasure had great importance to the Mystery Lady. But even a rare coin or an old toy would be special to me because it came from the Mystery Lady. When the Crooked House is sold, I’ll always wonder what she left behind.”
    “I know what you mean,” Jessie said thoughtfully. “We’ll try very hard to find the treasure, Mrs. McGregor. Whatever it is!”
    “We promise to do our best!” added Violet.
    Mrs. McGregor smiled. “No one can ask more than that!”
    Jessie thought of something. “Mrs. McGregor, do you mind if I make a copy of the riddle? That way we can take a quick look at it whenever we want, and the note can be tucked safely away.”
    “Good thinking!” said Henry, and Violet nodded. They could always count on Jessie to be organized.
    Mrs. McGregor took a small pad of paper and a pen from her purse. She handed it to Jessie, along with the note. With her head bent, Jessie set to work copying the riddle by the light of the fire.
    Nobody said anything for a moment, then Henry asked, “Mrs. McGregor, are there any photographs of the Mystery Lady?”
    Mrs. McGregor began rummaging through the shoe box. “She never liked having her picture taken, but ... I think there is one snapshot. Not an especially good one. Her face is hidden under a big straw hat.”
    Finally, Mrs. McGregor let out her breath. “Well, it’s not here. But it must be around somewhere. I’ll take a good look tomorrow.”
    When Jessie had finished scribbling out the riddle, she commented, “The Mystery Lady’s handwriting has very high loops.”
    Mrs. McGregor looked surprised. “I guess I never noticed.”
    Jessie said, “That’s usually a sign of someone who has a good imagination.”
    Mrs. McGregor broke into a wide smile. “Yes, the Mystery Lady had a wonderful imagination! We would often sit for hours under a tree. Oh, she would make up the most wonderful stories to entertain me!”
    “I think Grandfather was right,” said Henry as Mrs. McGregor put the yellowed note safely away in the shoe box. “We will need our wits about us to solve this riddle!”
    “Please enjoy yourselves, too, while you’re here,” urged Mrs. McGregor. “I wouldn’t want you to spend all your time trying to find the treasure. After all, there’ll be a fresh blanket of snow for tobogganing tomorrow!”
    Benny shot to his feet. “I wonder if it’s still snowing.”
    As everyone rushed over to the window, Violet thought she caught a glimpse of movement in the hall. Was it just the flickering shadows of the fire? Or had someone been eavesdropping?

CHAPTER 6
Who in the World Is Rebecca Flagg?
    Benny held out his cracked pink cup while Violet poured hot chocolate from a big thermos. “This’ll sure warm me up!” he said.
    The Aldens were sitting together on a snowy bank by the lake after a busy morning. Their day had started with a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, toast, and pancakes with maple syrup. After breakfast, they had shoveled the snow from the long driveway. Then they’d carried the shovels down to the lake to clear a patch of ice for skating. Now they were taking a break from a friendly game of hockey.
    “If something grows dragon teeth every year,” Jessie was saying, “then it only makes sense that it must lose them every year, too.”
    “That’s true,” stated Violet. “But what loses its