The Spy in the Bleachers Read online

“It’s not your fault,” said Henry, “unless you were telling Cody which pitch was coming.”

  Emma stopped crying and looked at Henry. “Huh?” she said. “You mean like in sign stealing?”

  “Yes,” said Jessie, “that’s what we mean.”

  Emma looked at the Aldens without saying anything. She seemed to be thinking. “Do you mean somebody is stealing signs and giving them to Cody?” she asked.

  “Yes,” said Henry, “that’s what somebody is doing.”

  Suddenly Emma’s eyes grew wide. “So you think I’ve been stealing signs?”

  “Are you?” asked Jessie.

  “No!” shouted Emma, who was now angry. “Why do you think it’s me?”

  “You wear a lot of different hats,” said Benny. “And you wave them around when Cody comes to bat. Then he gets a big hit.”

  Emma became silent. The children waited for her to speak, but she didn’t say anything. Finally Henry asked, “Why do you stand up and wave your hat whenever Cody is at bat?”

  “I want to explain,” said Emma, “but I can’t.”

  “Why not?” asked Henry.

  “Because it involves another person,” said Emma. “Somebody I shouldn’t be talking about.”

  “That’s okay,” said Violet. “I know what you mean.”

  Emma stared at Violet. “You do?”

  Violet smiled shyly. “Yes,” she said. “The other person is Simon Brock.”

  All sadness vanished from Emma Larke’s face. Her eyes lit up. She smiled happily. “Do the four of you know Simon Brock? I saw you sitting right next to him two games ago!”

  “Yes, we know Mr. Brock,” Jessie replied. “We know that he’s a movie producer.”

  “Shhhh!” warned Emma, putting her finger to her lips. “Mr. Brock doesn’t want anybody to know who he is. He wants to watch the games without being bothered.”

  “That’s true,” said Henry, “but how do you know that?”

  “Oh,” said Emma, twirling a lock of her hair around a finger, “I read film magazines all the time. I’ve seen photos of Simon Brock, so I recognized him in line one day. And,” she said, “I could tell by how he dresses that he doesn’t want people to know who he is. You know, the baseball cap pulled low, and the dark sunglasses.”

  “I know why you wear different clothes every day,” Violet told Emma. “I know why you stand up and wave your hat.”

  Emma looked at Violet and smiled. “I believe you do know,” she said.

  “You want Mr. Brock to notice you,” Violet said. “You want to be a movie star.”

  “Yes!” shouted Emma, clapping her hands together. “I want Simon Brock to see that I can act many different roles. One day I was an average fan. The next day I was a Southern lady. Yesterday I was a gangster! And today I’m a diehard Cogs fan.”

  Emma changed from happy to worried.” Do you think that Mr. Brock has noticed me?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Henry answered. “He has definitely noticed you.” Henry did not tell Emma that Simon Brock suspected her of being the sign stealer.

  “Oh!” shouted Emma. “That’s wonderful!” She became quiet and looked at Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. “Do you think … do you think that you could introduce me to Mr. Brock?” she begged.

  “Sure,” said Jessie, “if you answer one question for us.”

  “Okay,” Emma said. “What question?”

  “We saw Carlos Garcia slip an envelope into your purse two days ago,” Jessie explained. “What was in the envelope?”

  Emma Larke blushed. “Oh, that,” she said. “That was a note from Carlos asking me for a date.”

  “Thank you,” said Henry. “We’ll introduce you to Mr. Brock, but first we have a meeting with Mr. Tanaka.”

  “Emma Larke looked guilty,” said Jessie as the four of them walked to the owner’s office. “But she isn’t guilty. So now we’re down to two suspects.”

  “But if Carlos wrote a letter asking Emma for a date, maybe he’s innocent, too,” said Violet.

  “Maybe,” Henry replied. “But remember that Carlos also gives envelopes to Wheelie. We don’t know what’s in those envelopes.”

  When the children entered Mr. Tanaka’s office, they found him walking back and forth, back and forth.

  “At last!” he said when he saw them. “Who’s the spy?”

  “It’s not Simon Brock,” Jessie told him. “And it’s not Emma Larke.”

  “So,” said Mr. Tanaka. “Is it Carlos Garcia? Or is it Wheelie?”

  “We can’t prove which of them is the spy,” said Henry.

  Mr. Tanaka sat in his chair and put his head in his hands. “Then it’s all over,” he moaned. “The Hatters will win.”

  Henry shook his head. “No. We have a plan to prove whether the spy is Carlos or Wheelie.”

  Mr. Tanaka looked up. “You do?” he asked, studying the children.

  “Yes,” said Jessie. “In order to prove which one is the spy, we have to separate them. We have to stop either Carlos or Wheelie from being where they can see the signs.”

  “And where Cody can see the spy,” added Violet.

  Mr. Tanaka thought about this a while. “It’s a good plan,” he said. “Which one should we take out of the bleachers?” he asked.

  “We’ve talked about this,” said Henry, “and we think Wheelie should leave the bleachers.”

  “Hmmm,” said Mr. Tanaka, rubbing his chin. “I will invite Winn Winchell to sit with me in the owner’s box today. In fact, I will insist that he sit with me.”

  “That’s good,” said Henry. “Do you have another person to play Wheelie?”

  Mr. Tanaka looked at him. “Yes,” he said,” I certainly do.”

  “Good,” said Jessie. “But if Cody Howard hits a home run the first time he comes to bat, you must act fast.”

  Mr. Tanaka nodded. “Excellent plan,” he said. “If Cody hits a home run, then the spy is Carlos. I will have Carlos removed from the bleachers immediately, so that he won’t be able to signal to Cody for the rest of the game.”

  Mr. Tanaka picked up his telephone and spoke to his assistant. “Have Winn Winchell come to my office,” he said. “Immediately!”

  In less than five minutes, Winn Winchell walked into the owner’s office. As he walked in, the Aldens walked out.

  CHAPTER 9

  The World Looks Orange

  Violet and Benny hurried to their seats in the bleachers. They sat behind Emma once again.

  “Hi,” said Emma, turning around. “Where are Henry and Jessie?”

  “Jessie is getting an autograph,” said Benny. “I’m going to get one, too.”

  “It’s fun to get autographs,” said Emma. “Whose autograph do you want?”

  Benny looked all around. “I want Carlos’s autograph,” he said.

  Emma laughed. “Carlos will be thrilled that you want his autograph, Benny!” She looked around. “Is Henry getting an autograph, too?”

  “No,” said Violet. “Henry is sitting in a different seat today.”

  “Oh,” said Emma. “Well, I hope it’s a good seat. I wouldn’t want him to miss this game. The Cogs must win.” She pounded the arms of her chair.

  Violet and Benny looked all around, taking in the sights and smelling the hot dogs. Soon Jessie arrived.

  “Got it!” she said, showing them a score card. Jessie tucked the scorecard into her pocket. “I’m hungry,” she said, looking around. “And here comes Carlos.”

  Jessie bought hot dogs for Violet, Benny, and herself. She paid Carlos and gave him a tip. “Thanks,” said Carlos. “Where’s Henry?”

  “Oh, he’s around here somewhere,” said Jessie. She didn’t want to say where he was.

  Suddenly Benny jumped up. “It’s Wheelie!” he shouted, pointing down to the field. The big, fuzzy, orange mascot ran across the field, tossing rolled-up T-shirts to the fans.

  “Wheelie!” shouted Benny. “Up here!”

  Emma smiled at Benny. “I didn’t know
you liked Wheelie so much,” she said.

  “I love Wheelie,” replied Benny.

  Just then the mascot threw a rolled-up T-shirt toward their seats. The large cotton bundle came right at Emma. But Emma ducked at the last minute, and Benny caught the T-shirt.

  All the fans applauded Benny. “Nice catch!” they shouted.

  Benny was very excited. He unwrapped the T-shirt and held it up. Wheelie’s picture was on the front.

  “I’m going to ask Wheelie to autograph my shirt,” said Benny.

  Jessie and Violet smiled.

  Emma frowned. “I don’t know,” she said. “Wheelie doesn’t seem to like to autograph things.”

  Down on the field, Wheelie was jumping up and down. He pumped both arms into the air. He spread his fingers in a V for victory. And then Wheelie did cartwheels all the way back to his special door.

  The Cogs fans went wild. They applauded long and loud. “Go, Cogs, go!” they shouted. “Cogs will win! Cogs will win!” Of all the fans, Emma Larke shouted the loudest.

  Benny kept looking back, to the top of the aisle. He waited for Wheelie. And then he saw the mascot at the top of the stairs.

  Wheelie stopped to slap hands with fans. Whenever a fan handed him something to sign, Wheelie autographed it.

  “Well, look at that,” said Emma. “Wheelie is autographing everything!”

  It took Wheelie a long time to reach the bottom of the aisle. Finally he reached the row where Jessie, Violet, and Benny were. He autographed Benny’s T-shirt.

  “Thank you,” said Benny.

  Carlos patted Wheelie on an orange shoulder. “Way to go, Wheelie. That’s the right thing to do.”

  Wheelie climbed over the railing to his special platform and special seat. The game began!

  From inside the mascot’s costume, Henry thought the world looked orange. That was because one of Wheelie’s orange eyelashes was drooping in front of the eye opening. Everything Henry saw from that eye looked a bit orange-y.

  Mr. Tanaka had asked Henry to take Winn Winchell’s place inside the mascot costume.

  “But I’ve never been a mascot before,” Henry had said. “I’m not sure I’d know what to do.”

  “You will do a great job,” Mr. Tanaka had said. “And you will be helping the team.”

  So Henry had gone to Wheelie’s dressing room and taken off his shirt and shoes. Just as he finished putting on the mascot’s costume, there was a knock on the door.

  Henry had opened the door. A boy about his age was there. He wore a Hatter’s uniform. He handed Wheelie an envelope.

  Henry took the envelope, but he didn’t say anything. He knew Wheelie did not talk.

  The boy turned and walked away quickly. Henry saw the words Hatters Batboy written across the back of the boy’s uniform.

  The envelope that Henry was holding was full of something papery. The handwriting on it said Wheelie. The handwriting slanted to the left! Henry put the envelope in one of the pockets of his shorts. Then he went out onto the field to throw T-shirts to the fans.

  It’s fun playing Wheelie, thought Henry, as he settled into his special chair.

  The Cogs pitcher struck out the first Hatter, walked the second, and got the third to hit into a double play. In the bottom of the first inning, Reese Dawkins hit a home run with a runner on base. Henry stood up and did five cartwheels across the platform. Then he jumped up and down and pumped his arms in the air. The Cogs were leading, 2-0!

  In the top of the second inning, Cody Howard was the first Hatter to bat.

  Henry sat in the special chair. He put both feet flat on the platform. He crossed his arms and sat very, very still. Henry knew that if Cody Howard hit a home run, it meant that Carlos was stealing the signs.

  Henry stared at Cody. It seemed like Cody Howard was staring right back at him! Of course Cody didn’t know he was looking at Henry, since Henry was dressed as Wheelie. Cody hit a foul ball on the first pitch. He looked out toward the bleachers. He pointed his bat at the bleachers, then pounded it on home plate.

  Henry heard a clang-clang-clang behind him. Carlos was banging the lid of his hot dog box up and down.

  Now Henry realized what Carlos was doing. Carlos wanted to upset Cody Howard and make him miss! Carlos is a true Cogs fan, thought Henry.

  Cody swung at the second pitch and missed.

  The Cogs fans cheered loudly.

  Cody stepped out of the batter’s box and walked around. Finally the umpire made him step back into the box. Cody pointed his bat toward the bleachers.

  Henry did not move a muscle. He sat as still as a statue. He knew Cody wanted Wheelie to tell him what pitch was coming.

  Cody swung and missed.

  “You’re out!” shouted the umpire. Cody walked back to the Hatters dugout. He glared toward the bleachers.

  Carlos tapped Wheelie on the shoulder and handed him a hot dog and soft drink. “I love your new style, Wheelie! The fans love the jumps!” Carlos bent low so only Wheelie could hear him, “I’m glad to see you’re signing autographs for free. That’s what a mascot should do.”

  Henry nodded. He looked at his hot dog. How am I going to eat this with a costume on? he wondered.

  The Cogs didn’t score in the second or third innings. Neither did the Hatters. The score stood at 2-0. In the top of the fifth, Cody Howard came to bat again.

  Once again Henry sat very still. His feet were flat on the platform. His arms were folded against his chest.

  Once again Cody Howard seemed to be looking straight at him. Cody pointed his bat and pounded the plate. Henry could see Reese Dawkins hold down two fingers: curve ball. Henry watched the pitcher release the ball. He watched it zoom toward the plate, then curve. He saw Cody Howard swing and miss.

  Cody pounded his bat on the plate. He pointed his bat at the bleachers. He scowled.

  Wow, thought Henry. Cody is so angry that even if I signaled what pitch was coming, he would swing and miss.

  Swing and miss is what Cody did. Strike two.

  Cody tried to blast the next pitch out of the park—but his bat hit only air.

  “You’re out!” shouted the umpire.

  Wheelie jumped up and down. He pumped his arms. The fans roared their approval.

  “I love the Cogs!” shouted Emma Larke.

  “Go, Cogs!” shouted Carlos. “Go for the pennant!”

  “Yay, Cogs!” shouted Benny. “Yay, Wheelie!”

  Cody Howard did not get a hit at all. The Cogs won the game, 4-0.

  When Henry climbed back over the rail and stood in the aisles, he was mobbed by fans. Some wanted his autograph, which he gave. Others just wanted to pat him on the back.

  Wheelie waited until all the fans had left. Then he and Jessie and Violet and Benny walked to the owner’s box.

  Mr. Tanaka, Grandfather, and Winn Winchell all sat in the owner’s box.

  Jessie saw how happy Mr. Tanaka looked. Grandfather looked happy, too. Winn Winchell did not look happy.

  “Henry!” said Mr. Tanaka, jumping up. “You were wonderful!” He helped Henry take off the top half of the Wheelie costume.

  “I caught a Wheelie T-shirt!” said Benny, pulling the shirt over his head. “And I got Wheelie’s autograph, too,” he said, pointing to where Henry had signed the shirt Wheelie.

  “Yeah, yeah,” growled Winn Winchell. “So the kids all had fun.” He pointed at Henry and said, “But this kid can’t play Wheelie like I can.”

  Winn jumped up and clenched his fists. “Tomorrow I’m the mascot again,” he said.

  “No,” said Mr. Tanaka, “you’re not.”

  “What?!” Winn shouted. “I’m the mascot! This kid isn’t the mascot!”

  “The Cogs won today,” Mr. Tanaka said to Winn. “The Cogs and Hatters are tied for first place. Whoever wins tomorrow wins the pennant.”

  “What’s that got to do with the mascot?” demanded Winn.

  Mr. Tanaka pointed at a chair. “Sit down,” he told Winn.

  Win
n glared at the owner, but finally Winn sat down.

  “The Cogs have lost games they should have won,” said Mr. Tanaka, his voice stern.

  “The Cogs have lost because somebody was stealing signs.”

  “Stealing signs isn’t a fair way to win,” said Benny.

  Winn waved his hand at them. “It’s got nothing to do with me.”

  “Yes, it does,” said Henry. “You’re the sign stealer.”

  “You’re crazy,” answered Winn.

  Henry reached into a pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Today the Hatters batboy came to Wheelie’s dressing room. When I was in costume, he handed me this envelope.”

  “That’s mine!” shouted Winn, jumping up.

  But before Winn could grab the envelope, Mr. Tanaka stepped forward and took it from Henry’s hand.

  CHAPTER 10

  The Spy Is Out

  “Give me that!” shouted Winn. “It’s mine!”

  Mr. Tanaka ignored the shouts. He opened the envelope and pulled out what was inside.

  “Money,” said Mr. Tanaka. “One-hundred dollar bills.” He counted the bills. “Ten of them!” Mr. Tanaka glared at Winn. “What is this money for?” he demanded.

  “The money is from Carlos Garcia,” said Winn. “Carlos wanted me to steal the signs and give them to Cody Howard. I refused.”

  “That’s not true,” said Benny.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” growled Winn.

  Henry spoke up. “The writing on the envelope isn’t Carlos’s handwriting.”

  “Yes, it is!” Winn insisted. “Carlos is the sign stealer.”

  “Mr. Tanaka,” said Benny, “we can prove that isn’t Carlos’s handwriting.” Benny reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean napkin. “Today I asked Carlos for his autograph. I watched him sign this napkin. This is his handwriting.”

  Mr. Tanaka held the envelope in one hand and the napkin in the other. “Carlos Garcia’s handwriting does not match the handwriting on the envelope,” he said.

  Jessie spoke. “I also got an autograph today,” she said, handing Mr. Tanaka a score card. “I asked Cody Howard to sign my scorecard,” she said. “And he did.”

  Mr. Tanaka held the scorecard in one hand and the envelope in the other. “The handwriting is the same,” he said.