The Secret at Jefferson's Mansion Read Online Free Page A

soon.”
    â€œThe others are in the kitchen,” Mrs. Peeps said.
    Lois and the kids left their luggage in the hall and followed Mrs. Peeps. KCglanced at the glass case, still empty. The cloth had been taken away.
    In the kitchen, a small group of people were gathered near a long table. Coffee, juice, and cookies had been set out on a red tablecloth. Dr. Spender and Mrs. Cross were talking with a tall stranger. They all held coffee mugs. The stranger was also eating a cookie.
    â€œAh, Mrs. Thornton, you’re here,” Dr. Spender said. “I wish I had some good news for you. The local police spent hours here last night, but with no luck. The Jefferson treasure has not turned up.”
    The stranger looked at KC, Marshall, and KC’s mom. He had pale skin, green eyes, and long reddish hair tied in a ponytail. A raincoat hung over his shoulders.
    â€œMay I introduce Mr. Randolph? Hetraveled all the way from Florida to see the horses,” Dr. Spender said. “William, this is Mrs. Zachary Thornton, the First Lady.” He nodded at KC and Marshall. “And her two children.”
    Marshall started to giggle, but KC nudged him.
    â€œHow do you do?” Lois said to Mr. Randolph. “Are you a relative of Thomas Jefferson?”
    The man made a small bow. “Yes, his youngest daughter was my father’s great-great-great-aunt.”
    â€œI’m sorry you came here for nothing, Mr. Randolph,” Lois said.
    â€œPlease call me William,” the man said. “It wasn’t for nothing. I always like to visit Monticello.”
    KC thought he looked like pictures ofJefferson she’d seen in her book. She wondered if the president’s eyes had been that green.
    Just then Mr. Tea walked into the room. His face was nearly the color of the tablecloth. “I’m s-sorry,” he stammered. “I’ve searched the basement again, like you asked. I really took the place apart, Dr. Spender. The key isn’t where I left it. I know it was in the drawer of my desk, but now it isn’t.”
    â€œMr. Tea keeps a small office in the basement,” Dr. Spender explained. “He and I had the only keys to that locked glass case.”
    â€œSo it was his key that the thief used?” Lois asked.
    â€œApparently,” Dr. Spender said, looking embarrassed.
    â€œBut how did the thief get the key?” KC asked.
    â€œThe lock on the basement door was old and rusted,” Mrs. Peeps put in. “Dr. Spender sent Mr. Tea to buy a new one yesterday. The thief must have gotten in that way and taken the key from Gil’s desk.”
    â€œBut how did the thief know there was a second key?” Lois asked. “Or where it was kept?”
    All the adults looked at each other.
    â€œPerhaps it was just some passing stranger after all,” Dr. Spender said. “If he prowled the grounds, he might have noticed the broken padlock and gone into the basement. He might have looked through the desk, found the key, then walked into the main room upstairs andseen the glass case. It would have taken only a moment to remove the horses.”
    KC thought about the figure she’d glimpsed outside the window yesterday. Had it been the thief peeking at them? Or was it just Mr. Tea going about his job?
    â€œWell, the FBI detectives should be here soon,” Lois said. “Perhaps they’ll have better luck sorting this out.”
    â€œDetectives?” Dr. Spender asked. “Coming here?”
    â€œYes, with a specially trained dog to sniff around,” Lois said.
    â€œWhat a great idea,” Mr. Randolph said. He reached for another cookie.
    â€œI’ll excuse myself and see to that new lock,” Mr. Tea said. He left the room quickly.
    â€œMom, can Marshall and I go exploring?” KC asked.
    â€œOkay, but come back in an hour,” Lois said.
    The kids grabbed a couple of cookies, then left the kitchen.
    â€œWhere are we going?”