The Dog-Gone Mystery Read online

  Mr. Smith and Mrs. Servus also helped search, but there was no sign of Boxcar. After a while Mr. Brooks said he would go back to his bakery to see if Boxcar went there.

  The children looked for another hour, but Boxcar seemed to have vanished.

  As they walked to the Bread Loaf Bakery Benny asked, “Do you think Boxcar went back to the bakery?”

  “I hope so,” said Violet. “I hate to think of a dog lost and all alone.”

  “If I were a dog, I’d go home to the bakery every day,” said Benny.

  But when the children entered the bakery, they could tell by the look on Mr. Brooks’s face that his dog had not returned.

  “Thank you for helping,” said Mr. Brooks. He gave them a loaf of bread. “Oh, no,” said Jessie, “you don’t have to do that. We’re always glad to help.”

  “Please take it,” said Mr. Brooks. “I want to show my thanks.”

  Jessie took the bread and thanked him for it.

  “We can keep on helping you,” said Henry. “If you have a picture of Boxcar, I can scan it into our computer. Then I can make flyers with Boxcar’s picture.”

  “Really?” asked Mr. Brooks. “You’d do that?”

  “Yes,” said Jessie. “We love to help. Tomorrow morning we can come back, and if Boxcar isn’t home yet, we can take flyers into all the stores around here.”

  Mr. Brooks gave Henry a picture of Boxcar. Jessie pulled out her notebook and asked him to describe Boxcar. She wrote down a description. Then she wrote Mr. Brooks’s phone numbers.

  “You are making me feel better,” Mr. Brooks said as they were leaving. “You are making me feel as if we’ll find Boxcar.”

  “We are good at finding things,” said Henry. “We’ll find Boxcar for you.”

  During dinner that night the children told Grandfather and Mrs. McGregor all about the dog training class. They also told about how Boxcar was missing at the end of the class, and how they were going to help Mr. Brooks by making flyers.

  “That is a kind thing to do,” said Grandfather. “Do you still want to go to Northport with me tomorrow?” he asked, “Or will you spend the whole morning helping Mr. Brooks?”

  “If we went to Northport, would we have time to visit the computer store?” asked Henry. The children’s favorite computer store was in Northport.

  “Yes,” said Grandfather.

  The children talked it over and decided they could help Mr. Brooks and still be back in time to go to Northport with Grandfather.

  “Let’s make that flyer for Mr. Brooks right now,” said Jessie.

  The children helped clear the table, then went to Henry and Benny’s room.

  Henry scanned the photo of Boxcar into the computer.

  Violet wrote a headline: Lost Dalmatian Dog. “We could print the headline in purple,” she said.

  Jessie typed a description of Boxcar. She also wrote information on when and where Boxcar was last seen, and who to call if he was found.

  Henry printed fifty leaflets and Benny put them in a large envelope for the next morning.

  “These are excellent flyers,” said Mr. Brooks the next morning.

  “Thanks,” said Henry. “Our plan is to go into stores for four blocks in every direction and ask if we could put them up.”

  Jessie and Benny went in one direction, and Henry and Violet went in another.

  Jessie was very happy that almost every store owner agreed to put a flyer in the store window.

  Benny carried the flyers. “Look,” he said, pointing to a large sign that hung from a store roof. “That sign is shaped like a French poodle.”

  “Yes,” said Jessie. “So that must be Clip and Yip.” But when Jessie tried the door, it was locked. “Oh,” she said, “that’s too bad. Ms. Wilson might have been able to give us ideas about where a lost dog would go.”

  Jessie looked around for a list of the store hours, but there wasn’t one in the window or on the door. That’s strange, she thought. She knew that most stores posted their business hours.

  Benny and Jessie continued going to stores and asking them to post flyers about Boxcar. By ten o’clock they were done. So were Henry and Violet.

  The Aldens rode their bikes home, and then Grandfather drove them all to Northport.

  He parked the van in front of the dentist’s office. “I’ll be done by noon,” said Grandfather. “We can meet at the diner.”

  Grandfather went into the dentist’s office. The children set off for the computer store.

  “Look,” said Benny as they waited at a street corner. “There goes Ms. Wilson in her van.”

  The others looked up in time to see the Clip and Yip van turn left.

  “Her store wasn’t open this morning,” said Jessie. “We couldn’t post a flyer there.”

  “I wonder what she’s doing in Northport,” said Violet.

  “Maybe she makes house calls,” said Jessie. “You know, somebody who has a dog that needs to be groomed calls Clip and Yip, and Ms. Wilson comes to the house.”

  “Maybe,” said Henry, “but most people take their dogs to the groomer’s.”

  “Let’s go see if we can find her van,” said Benny. “We could give her a flyer to post in her store.”

  The children crossed the street, then they turned left on the same street the van had gone down. They didn’t see it the street. But when they looked around, they saw the Clip and Yip van at last. It was parked in an alley.

  The Aldens stood there, wondering where Candy Wilson could be. Jessie looked at the stores around them.

  “Dogs,” said Benny. “What’s that other word?” He was pointing at the corner store. Benny was just learning to read.

  The other children looked at the store. “You can sound out the first three letters,” said Henry. “You’ve seen them before.”

  “Yip,” said Benny, reading. “The store is called Dogs—Yip something. I’ll get it,” he said. Benny tried again and read: “Dogs—Yippee!”

  “That’s very good!” said Jessie.

  “A lot of people must like the word yip,” said Benny. “There’s Clip and Yip and there’s Dogs—Yippee!”

  Henry chuckled. “Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe just one person likes the word. Let’s go in and find out.”

  The children looked into the store window, which was full of dog things. There were dog beds, dog biscuits, leashes, collars, dog toys of all kinds. They walked into the store. Candy Wilson was standing behind the counter writing something. She looked up. When she saw the Aldens, she frowned.

  “What are you four doing here?” she asked. “I thought you lived in Greenfield.”

  Jessie thought Ms. Wilson was not friendly. Jessie explained about Grandfather and the dentist. “This is a very nice store,” said Jessie, looking around.

  “Do you work here?”

  “Did you come to buy something for Watch?” asked Ms. Wilson.

  Jessie noticed that Ms. Wilson had not answered her question.

  The Aldens explained why they were there, and they gave Ms. Wilson a flyer with Boxcar’s picture on it. “Will you put this up in your Greenfield store?” asked Henry.

  Ms. Wilson took the flyer and read it. “Yes,” she said, “I’ll put this up in my Greenfield store. It’s very sad when a dog is lost.”

  Violet thought it was very nice of Ms. Wilson to help. Maybe she wasn’t so unfriendly after all.

  Barking sounds came from the back of the store. “I hear dogs,” said Benny.

  “I sell puppies and dogs,” said Ms. Wilson. “But I’m busy now.”

  Jessie felt like Ms. Wilson wanted them to leave. “We’ll go now,” she said. “Thank you for taking the flyer about Boxcar.”

  “Lost dogs are hard to find,” said Ms. Wilson. I’ll do all I can to help.”

  As the children were walking out the door, she called after them. “Don’t forget to bring your dog to Clip and Yip for a grooming.”

  After visiting the computer store, the Aldens met Grandfather for
lunch. They told him about Candy Wilson. “She must own two businesses, one in Greenfield and one in Northport,” said Grandfather. “That’s not uncommon.”

  “They’re both dog businesses,” said Benny as he finished his chicken pieces.

  “That’s good business sense,” said Grandfather. “That way, some customers might buy at both places.”

  “Yesterday Ms. Wilson gave us a twenty-percent-off coupon if we go have Watch groomed,” said Jessie.

  “Does Watch need grooming?” asked Grandfather.

  “Yes,” said Henry and Violet together.

  “Maybe,” said Jessie at the same time.

  “No! I don’t want Watch to look like a French poodle!” Benny joined in.

  Grandfather and the children all laughed together. “Well,” said Grandfather. “We have a difference of opinion here.”

  “Watch is looking a bit scruffy,” said Violet.

  Jessie frowned. “Maybe just a tiny bit,” she admitted.

  “But don’t worry,” said Henry to Benny. “Whatever we decide, we won’t let Watch look like a French poodle.”

  The children rode their bikes to the second dog training class at Dog Gone Good. Watch ran alongside them.

  Today there was a new dog and new owner in the class. The dog was reddish colored, with a droopy jaw and loose skin. The man had black hair cut very, very short. He stood straight and seemed to be studying all the windows and doors.

  “Wow!” said Benny. “That dog has even more wrinkles than Wrinkles!”

  “I heard that,” said the man as he walked up to them. “My name is Mike Kovack. My dog is named Christie. She’s a bloodhound.”

  Mr. Kovack shook hands with each of the children as they told him who they were. Then he looked at Watch. “Nice dog,” he said. He squatted down and looked at Watch very closely.

  Just then Roxanne walked into the large room. She wore a bright yellow shirt.

  Benny stared at her.

  Mr. Kovack noticed Benny. “What are you looking at?” he asked Benny.

  “Roxanne’s hair,” answered Benny. “I love how red it is.”

  “It’s dyed,” said Mr. Kovack.

  “How do you know?” asked Benny.

  “Look at the roots,” said Mr. Kovack. “You can always tell the true color by looking at the hair roots. Roxanne’s roots are dark brown.”

  “Oh,” said Benny. Then he added, “I still like it.”

  Mr. Kovack was about to say something, but just then Mr. Brooks walked in the door. All the other dog owners asked if Boxcar had been found. Mr. Brooks shook his head.

  “I’m so sorry your dog ran away,” said Roxanne.

  “Boxcar did not run away,” said Mr. Brooks in a loud voice. “My dog was stolen—right from your dog school.”

  “No,” shouted Roxanne. “That’s not true!”

  “Watch out!” Mr. Brooks warned. “Dogs have been stolen wherever Roxanne Sager works.” He looked at all the owners. “Your dog might be next.” Then he turned and walked out the door.

  CHAPTER 3

  Watch Is Groomed

  At dinner that night, the children talked about what Mr. Brooks had said. Had Boxcar run away, or had he been stolen? At breakfast the next morning, they were still talking about it.

  “Boxcar would not run away from all that good bread,” said Benny, eating a second piece of toast.

  “What did Mr. Brooks mean about Roxanne?” asked Violet. “Mr. Brooks said that dogs have been stolen wherever Roxanne worked.”

  Jessie started to help Mrs. McGregor clear the dishes. “Where else did she work?” asked Jessie.

  Grandfather smiled as he got up from the table. “I have a feeling this is all a mystery,” he said. “And I have an even stronger feeling that you four will solve it.”

  Henry helped clear the rest of the dishes. “Let’s go talk to Mr. Brooks,” he said.

  “Then to Roxanne,” said Violet. “We have to be fair.”

  “Wait,” said Jessie. She put her hands in her front pockets, then in her back pockets. “Ah, here it is.” She showed them the coupon for twenty percent off at Clip and Yip. “Let’s do it,” she said. “Let’s get Watch groomed while we’re in town.”

  Instead of taking their bikes, the children walked to town. They kept Watch on a leash. When they reached the Bread Loaf Bakery, Jessie didn’t want to tie him up outside the store. “I just don’t feel right leaving him alone,” she said. “Especially if somebody might be stealing dogs.” So Jessie stayed outside with Watch, and Henry, Violet, and Benny went into the bakery.

  Nobody was behind the counter. A small silver bell stood next to a sign that said, Ring for Service. Henry rang the bell. The children waited, but nobody came.

  “I hear voices,” said Benny.

  The children listened. They heard two male voices. One of the men talking was Mr. Brooks. “Selling stolen dogs is easy money,” he said.

  “That’s true,” said the other voice.

  “I could get almost a thousand dollars for Boxcar,” said Mr. Brooks.

  The children looked at each other. They knew it wasn’t polite to listen to other people’s conversations in secret.

  “I think there’s a patio outside,” said Henry. “Let’s go see if Mr. Brooks is there.”

  The three Aldens walked toward the back of the store and out an open door. A red brick wall enclosed a small eating area. A tree grew in the middle of the patio.

  “Oh,” whispered Violet. “How beautiful.”

  Mr. Brooks sat at a far table with Mr. Kovack. The two men did not see or hear the three children.

  “I would steal the malamute next,” said Mr. Kovack. “Grayson.”

  “Hello!” said Henry in a loud voice. He noticed that both Mr. Brooks and Mr. Kovack half-jumped out of their chairs.

  Mr. Brooks spoke first. “Hello,” he said. “We didn’t hear you come in.”

  “We rang the bell,” said Benny.

  Mr. Kovack stood up. “I must be going. I just came in to get my free coffee for buying a loaf of bread.”

  Henry saw that the table Mr. Brooks and Mr. Kovack were sitting at had papers and pens on it. But there was no bread or coffee.

  Mr. Kovack stopped in front of the Aldens. “I know all about you,” he said. “You’re the children who have solved some mysteries. But you were just lucky,” he told them.

  “We don’t solve mysteries by luck,” said Henry.

  Mr. Kovack looked at them. “Do you think you solve them because you’re smart?” he asked.

  “Yes,” said Jessie. “We think about things and we use logic to solve mysteries.”

  “We’ll see,” said Mr. Kovack. Then he left.

  “I didn’t know you knew Mr. Kovack,” Henry said to Mr. Brooks.

  “I didn’t know him,” answered Mr. Brooks. “He came in and somehow we started talking about dogs.”

  Benny wanted to say: You were talking about stealing dogs! But he kept quiet and listened.

  Mr. Brooks asked where Jessie was. When they told him, he went outside and invited her and Watch into the patio. “Nice dog,” he said, patting Watch on the head. “Terriers are very popular dogs.”

  “Mr. Brooks,” asked Henry, “why did you say that dogs have been stolen wherever Roxanne Sager works?”

  “Because it’s true,” Mr. Brooks answered. “Did you know that she used to work at a dog training school in Elmford? And did you know that in three months, three dogs were lost or stolen from that school?”

  “We didn’t know that,” said Henry, “but that doesn’t mean Roxanne stole the dogs.”

  “And after that, she worked for two months in Northport,” said Mr. Brooks. “And one dog was stolen from that school.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Jessie asked him.

  “I just know,” said Mr. Brooks. “If you don’t believe me, you can find out for yourselves. Now I have some bread to take out of the ovens.”

  Mr. Brooks went into the back
of his store. The Aldens could see him. He was using a long wooden paddle to take loaves of bread out of brick ovens. The Aldens looked at one another. “I guess Mr. Brooks won’t say any more,” said Henry.

  “Maybe we should buy some bread and get our free lemonades,” said Benny. “Then Mr. Brooks might talk to us some more.”

  His brother and sisters laughed. “Nice try, Benny,” said Henry. “But the bread and lemonade will have to wait.”

  “But we’ll use our other coupon now,” said Jessie. “The one for getting Watch groomed.”

  The children left Bread Loaf Bakery and walked down the street to Clip and Yip. The store was open, and Candy Wilson was grooming a dog and talking to its owner.

  The Aldens saw that the dog was the gray and white malamute, Grayson Majesty. Mrs. Servus watched as Ms. Wilson used a hair dryer on Grayson.

  Henry noticed that the hair dryer slid back and forth on an overhead rail. Candy Wilson finished drying Grayson and hooked the dryer to the rail over her head. Mrs. Servus walked all around her dog, looking at him from head to toe. “Hmmm,” she said. “Grayson Majesty looks good. I may decide to come here once a month.”

  Ms. Wilson unhooked Grayson’s leash from the overhead rail, then fed him a one-bite dog biscuit. When he finished eating it, she lowered the grooming table almost to the ground. “Come on, boy,” she said to Grayson, and he jumped off the low table.

  “I hope you do bring Grayson in once a month,” she said to Mrs. Servus. “Your dog deserves the best grooming.”

  Then the two women noticed the Aldens. The children said hello to everyone. Grayson and Watch touched noses, but Mrs. Servus pulled Grayson away. She walked to the counter to pay her bill.

  While they waited, the Aldens looked all around Clip and Yip. Henry had already noticed the electric clipper and dryers hooked to the overhead rail. Now he noticed the steel washing tubs. Henry liked everything he saw. He thought Ms. Wilson could do a very good job with all her tools.

  Jessie walked around the shop. She saw the flyer about Boxcar being lost. It was posted on a bulletin board, where everybody could see it.

  Violet and Benny looked at all the fun things for dogs. Benny looked at rubber balls and things that Watch could fetch. Violet looked at bandannas. She thought Watch would look good with a lavender colored bandanna around his neck.