The Radio Mystery Read online

  “Gwen acts like we’re the enemy,” Jessie whispered to Henry as they left the break-room. “I’d like to know why.”

  The spiky-haired woman who had been setting up microphones frowned when the Aldens came through the soundstage door with Gwen.

  “I’m not crazy about extra kids on the set,” she said.

  Gwen ignored her. “These are the Aldens,” she announced to everyone in the room. “They’re visiting.”

  The actors smiled in the Aldens’ direction. The spiky-haired woman kept frowning.

  “This is Frances St. Clair,” said Gwen, introducing the woman. “She writes the mystery show script and the commercials.”

  “But I don’t plan to stick around Deer Crossing forever writing jingles,” Frances said.

  “Where are you going?” Benny asked.

  “Hollywood,” she said. “Just as soon as I finish my movie script. It’ll be made into a big movie, and I’ll be rich and famous.”

  “Wow!” Benny was impressed.

  “But until then, I have to write these silly radio plays.” She handed Henry a yellow-covered notebook. “This is today’s show. It’s the first episode of a story that will run twenty minutes a day for the rest of the week.” Frances lowered her voice so the other people in the room wouldn’t hear. “I just hope the actors have all studied their lines. Of course, for amateurs, they aren’t half bad, especially the new lady over there.” She nodded toward an older woman with iron-gray hair and a pink apron.

  “That’s DeeDee,” Gwen told the Aldens. “She just moved to town and started working at the diner and on our show.”

  “Why is she wearing an apron?” Benny asked. “Is that part of a costume?”

  Gwen smiled. “The actors don’t wear costumes for radio plays, Benny. Nobody can see them, remember? DeeDee probably has on that apron because she came directly from her shift at the diner, or she’ll go right to work when this is over.”

  Frances clapped her hands. “All right, people, the run-through went fine. We’re on the air in two minutes. Places, please. Gwen, are you ready?”

  Gwen stood behind her own microphone, which was set back from the actors. A tape recorder and a box were propped on a stool beside her. She smiled. “Ready!”

  “Then let’s do it,” said Frances. She left the soundstage. Just then, Grandfather and Jocelyn entered the station. They stood in the hall with Frances.

  The kids heard the fading notes of a commercial. Then Frances counted down and brought down her arm in a signal. In the hall, a red light that said ON AIR flashed on.

  The older woman named DeeDee turned to a young brown-haired actress and said, in a British accent, “Muriel, my dear. Would you like a spot of tea?”

  The woman playing Muriel opened her mouth to reply.

  But before she spoke, the lights went out.

  The ON AIR sign glowed like an eerie red eye as a horrible scream filled the station.

  CHAPTER 3

  Starring — The Alden Kids!

  Violet clapped her hands over her ears. The screaming sound was awful! It sounded as if it came from every direction at once and it seemed to go on forever. Worst of all, it was painfully loud.

  Sean clicked on a flashlight. The wavering light flashed across the pale, frightened faces of the other actors huddled in the darkened soundstage.

  Suddenly the screeching noise stopped. Avery pushed buttons on the console and music came from the speakers. The lights flickered back on.

  DeeDee yelled, “The ghost is back!”

  The other actors nodded grimly.

  Frances rushed into the soundstage. “Thank heavens I got the lights back on. It wasn’t a power outage — some joker just turned them off. And then the ghost came.”

  Henry said, “That was no ghost. It was obviously a tape of someone screaming.”

  Avery tapped on the window of his booth, pointing toward the clock.

  “We need to get back on the air,” Frances said. “Everything’s all right now. Actors — Gwen — take your places. Let’s start again.”

  “I can’t,” said Gwen from her corner.

  “What’s wrong?” Henry asked, twisting around. Like the actors, the Alden children had frozen in their spots when the lights went out.

  Gwen’s hand passed through the empty air in front of her. “My microphone is gone. Somebody stole it!”

  Jocelyn had just stepped into the room. She put her hand to her forehead. “Not another one!”

  The Aldens ran over to Gwen.

  “Did you hear anything?” Benny asked.

  Gwen shook her head. “Who could hear anything over that racket?”

  “Did you see anything when Sean turned on the flashlight?” Jessie said.

  Gwen shook her head. “The thief must have slipped in while the lights were off,” she said.

  “He — or she — was really quick,” Henry concluded.

  “Ghosts are quick,” DeeDee said.

  Gwen checked the items in her box. “At least none of my props are missing. But this is the second standing mike that’s been stolen.” She looked up at her grandmother. “What will we do, Gran?”

  Jocelyn stood straighter. Her face looked determined. “We covered the delay with some music,” she said. “Now we must go on with the show. For today, you can share a microphone with DeeDee.”

  “You can have the whole thing,” said DeeDee. “I quit. I’m not working in a haunted radio station!”

  “All right, we’ll recast DeeDee’s role,” said Frances. “Gayle, could you read both your part and DeeDee’s today?”

  “I don’t think so, Frances,” said Gayle. She turned to Jocelyn and smiled apologetically. “I don’t want to work at a haunted radio station, either.”

  “It’s not worth the trouble,” Sean added. “We do the radio show because it’s fun. But it’s not fun anymore with everything going wrong. I’m sorry, Jocelyn.”

  Jocelyn threw up her hands. “Are you all quitting?”

  “Yes,” said DeeDee, speaking for the group. “As long as strange things keep happening in this station, we won’t be back.”

  With that, the entire cast walked out of the soundstage.

  Jaunty music poured from the speakers. Avery Drake came in. “Where is everyone going?”

  “They quit,” said Frances. “Which is what I ought to do, too.”

  “Earl Biggs of Earl’s Auto Sales just called,” said Avery. “He’s furious. He said he’s not paying top advertising dollars for us to play music during the Mystery Theater time slot.”

  “You’ll have to cancel the show,” Frances said, turning to Jocelyn. “We can’t put on a radio drama without a cast. And you can’t afford to hire actors.”

  Henry said, “If we find the fake ghost, do you think the cast will come back?”

  Jocelyn nodded. “I think they will. They really like doing the show. If we can keep the program going somehow until then.”

  Violet had an idea. She whispered something to her sister and brothers. They nodded.

  “What about us?” Violet said.

  Jocelyn stared at her. “What do you mean?”

  “We’ll act in a play,” Violet explained. “Frances could write a mystery show with us in it this week.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Frances snorted. “You’re kids.”

  “I think it’s a good idea,” Grandfather said. “You could do a mystery program for kids!”

  They all looked at Jocelyn. “Violet, that’s a terrific idea, thank you. I’m all for it — it might save the station.”

  “Well you can get another writer,” Frances said. “I only write adult scripts.”

  “Please? This will be fun,” Benny said.

  “I’m not writing a kids’ program!” Frances insisted.

  Jessie and Henry glanced at each other and she knew they were thinking the same thing. Why didn’t Frances want to write a kids’ show? Was she hoping this would be the end of the station?

  �
�Your contract says you must write five programs a week,” Jocelyn reminded Frances firmly. Then she turned to the Aldens. “Looks like you children are going to be radio stars!”

  That afternoon, Gwen told the Aldens everything they’d need to know about the live radio show.

  “First you read your scripts. Then we do a rehearsal,” she explained. “While you’re learning your lines, I come up with ideas for sound effects. Then we’re ready for the live broadcast.”

  “What do you do with all this stuff?” Benny asked, looking through Gwen’s box. Inside there were spoons, aluminum foil, rocks, paper, wooden blocks, a hammer, and even a pair of men’s shoes.

  “That’s the stuff I use to make sound effects,” Gwen replied. “I use tapes for sounds like creaking doors and barking dogs. But a lot of the noises, I make myself, just like they used to on the old radio shows, before they had tape players. It’s fun.”

  “Make one for us,” Jessie said.

  “Okay. Close your eyes.” The Aldens shut their eyes and listened. Gwen picked up a sheet of paper and rattled it around.

  Henry opened his eyes. “It sounds like a crackling fire.”

  “Exactly!” Gwen put down the paper. “My favorite sound effects are the simple ones.”

  “That’s so cool! Show us another one,” Benny said.

  Gwen thought for a second, then began walking in place. At first her footsteps were heavy. Then they got lighter and lighter.

  Benny scratched his head. “A march?”

  “Fading footsteps,” Gwen said. “Like somebody is walking out of the room.”

  “What a cool job!” Violet said admiringly.

  Gwen smiled shyly. “A lot of the sound effects I learned from my grandfather. He was teaching me to be a DJ, too. He loved this station.” Gwen’s face looked sad. “It would be too bad if Gran had to give it up or change it.”

  “We’ll catch that ghost,” Benny promised.

  They all stood quietly for a minute. Then Gwen glanced at her watch. “It’s nearly supper time. We’d better go meet Gran and your grandfather at the diner.”

  “Good idea!” said Benny.

  The Aldens followed Gwen down the station’s narrow hallway. As they passed the control booth, they met Avery getting ready for his dinner break. A pet expert program played from the speakers. Avery had changed into shorts, a T-shirt, and well-worn running shoes. His office shirt and slacks hung in the curtained cubby.

  “Are you going to eat at the diner, too?” Benny asked him.

  Avery held up his sports duffel. “I’m going running like I do every evening. I’ll eat later. See you all tomorrow morning. Don’t worry about Frances — she’ll write a great script for you.”

  The Aldens and Gwen said good-bye to Avery, then walked out of the station toward the diner. The Route 11 Diner was just down the block from the radio station.

  “Somebody in the station is playing tricks,” Henry said as they walked down Main Street.

  “But who?” asked Benny. “We were right there when the ghost came, and I didn’t see anything.”

  “Gwen, you’ve been there before when the ghost has struck,” Violet said. “Have you ever noticed anything strange?”

  “I do notice things,” Gwen snapped. “Just not when the lights go out.”

  The Aldens exchanged glances. Why was Gwen so touchy?

  When the children entered the diner, Grandfather and Jocelyn waved from a large table by the window.

  “I was wondering something,” Jessie said to Jocelyn. “Avery told us he thought he saw someone go out the side door after the records were stolen. Is that door locked?”

  “Not from the inside,” Jocelyn replied. “But you need a key to get in from the outside. The door automatically locks behind you.”

  “Who has keys?” Henry asked.

  “I do,” Gwen said. “Avery, Frances, and Gran, of course. And Earl Biggs.”

  “Who’s he?” asked Benny.

  “Earl is the owner of Earl’s Auto Sales,” said Jocelyn. “The car lot is right next door to the station.”

  “I think we heard his commercial playing on the radio,” Violet said.

  Jocelyn nodded. “You probably did. He sponsors the live mystery show and some of our other programs, too.”

  “Didn’t you and Luther and Earl go to school together?” Grandfather asked.

  Jocelyn smiled. “Yes. We were all good friends. Right before we graduated, Earl asked me to marry him. But I married Luther instead.”

  Just then, DeeDee walked over with menus. The red ribbon above her name tag matched the red paper place mats.

  “Hello, everyone,” DeeDee greeted them. Jocelyn introduced her to Grandfather.

  “DeeDee, I was surprised you and the others quit the show today,” said Grandfather.

  “Well,” DeeDee said defensively, “we can’t work in a place that’s haunted.”

  “You know perfectly well the station is not haunted,” Jocelyn said.

  “Everybody in town knows the story of Daphne Owens,” the waitress said. “If Daphne’s ghost isn’t haunting the station, then who is doing those things?”

  “Ghosts aren’t real,” Violet told her. “There has to be a logical explanation.”

  “And we’ll find it,” Henry added.

  Suddenly businesslike, DeeDee pulled out her pad and pencil and reeled off the daily specials. When she had taken their orders, she left to fetch their drinks.

  “Let’s go wash our hands,” Jessie suggested.

  The rest rooms were near the kitchen.

  As Violet was coming out of the ladies’ room, DeeDee walked toward her hefting a tray of soft drinks and coffee cups.

  “You know,” DeeDee said, her voice low. “The station really is haunted. You can look for logical explanations all you want, but I’m telling you now, it’s Daphne Owens’s ghost. You and your sister and brothers better watch out!”

  Before Violet could respond, DeeDee left to carry the tray to their table.

  Violet waited for Jessie to come out of the rest room, then told her about DeeDee’s warning. “Why would she say that?” Violet finished.

  “Maybe she just wants to stir things up,” Jessie suggested. “Telling ghost stories gives her something to talk about. Maybe she thinks it’s funny.”

  “Maybe.” Violet wasn’t so sure.

  Despite their worries about the trouble at the station, the Aldens, Gwen, and Jocelyn enjoyed their supper.

  When it was time to leave, Grandfather drove everyone back to Jocelyn’s in the Aldens’ minivan.

  Jessie, who was sitting by a window, noticed a man jogging on one of the paths in the park. She leaned closer. Was that Avery Drake? Jessie recognized his blue duffel bag.

  Strange, Jessie thought. Why would Avery be running with his bag?

  CHAPTER 4

  A Mysterious Phone Call

  “Your first day on the radio!” Jocelyn said, setting platters of eggs, sausage, and toast on the table. “Eat hearty!”

  “Mmmm!” Benny said, heaping his plate with food.

  Jessie nibbled at her eggs. She was so excited, she had hardly slept the night before. Everyone except Gwen was sitting around the breakfast table. Jessie wondered why Gwen was late. This was an important day!

  “I want to thank you children for doing the show this week,” Jocelyn said. “If you hadn’t volunteered, we would have had to cancel the program. The station would have lost a lot of money — and our listeners would be very disappointed!”

  “Doing the show will be fun,” Henry said.

  “And it gives us a good excuse to hang around the station looking for clues,” Violet added.

  Jocelyn gave a ring with two keys on it to Henry. “You should have your own keys. The big one is for the front door of the station. The small one goes to this house.”

  Gwen breezed into the dining room, her red hair streaming down her back. “I bet you guys never had a mystery like this before,” she said. “The g
host hasn’t left behind a single clue.”

  “We’ve had some pretty tough mysteries,” Violet said. “But sooner or later, we always find clues.”

  Sometimes Gwen acts like she doesn’t want us to solve the mystery, she thought.

  “Good luck today. We’ll be listening to your program,” Grandfather said as the kids got ready to leave.

  “It’ll be the best radio show ever!” Benny declared.

  The Aldens and Gwen walked the short distance to the station. Inside, Avery waved hello from the control booth.

  Frances St. Clair was in the breakroom, working at the table.

  “Is that the script?” Gwen asked.

  “I wrote half the night,” Frances said grumpily, “but it’s finished.” She passed out yellow-covered copies to Henry, Violet, Jessie, and Gwen.

  Henry read the title on the front cover. “‘The Ghost Dog.’ Sounds great.”

  “Since you can’t read that well,” Frances told Benny, “I’ve given you the part of the ghost dog.”

  Benny was delighted. “Oh, boy! Is it a big dog or a little dog?” He yipped like Watch, their dog back home.

  “The script says it’s a Labrador retriever,” Jessie said. “That’s a big dog.”

  “Woof!” Benny deepened his voice.

  “It looks like there are lots more sound effects in this play,” Gwen said, “so you can also be my assistant.”

  Everyone read the play silently. The story was about three children who move into a house haunted by the ghost of a dog that had lived there long ago. Violet played the youngest sister. Jessie and Henry played thirteen-year-old twins.

  When they had finished reading the script, Frances said, “We’ll do a run-through first. You’ll read from the scripts during the broadcast, but you’ll also be acting.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Jessie.

  “I mean, I want you to read the lines without sounding like you’re reading them,” Frances answered. “Put lots of expression into your voice. Like this.” After clearing her throat, she read one of Violet’s lines. “‘What was that? It sounded like — a dog howling. But there is no dog!’”