Free Haunted Clock Tower Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page A

the letters?” Violet said.
    “Yes,” the professor said. “I had been wondering where the family wealth had gone.”
    “But if you weren’t the one who had the letter in the first place,” Henry said, “then who did?”
    “And who was up here in the middle of the night?” asked Jessie.
    Just then the door burst open and Andi came rushing in. She seemed surprised by the crowd of people in the tower. She looked even more surprised when she saw the silver and gold objects laid out on the desk.
    “Look at the treasure we found!” Benny said.
    “You found this?” Andi asked. “Where? How?”
    “We found two letters with clues in them—” Benny began, but before he could explain, Andi burst out crying. She dropped her bag and sank down in a chair, her face in her hands.
    “Miss Barton!” Ezra said. “What is the matter?”
    Andi took a deep breath and tried to collect herself. She looked around at all the faces staring at her.
    “I’m sorry, it’s nothing …” she began.
    Jessie whispered to Henry, “Do you think she’s upset because she was the one looking for the treasure?”
    Henry shrugged his shoulders.
    “Oh, Ezra,” Andi was saying. “I’m upset because I came here to quit. I can’t be your assistant anymore.”
    “But whyever not?” Ezra asked.
    “Because I’m no good,” Andi said. “I keep losing things, like the new music I bought. And I don’t play well enough. I’ve been sneaking in here for extra practice, but I didn’t want you to know.”
    “Don’t play well enough?” Ezra said. “You’re great! In fact, you’re so good, I’m afraid they’re going to give you my job when you graduate! I’m getting old, and you’re bringing in that exciting newfangled music.”
    “I thought you didn’t like the new music,” Andi said.
    Ezra looked at her sheepishly. “I admit it took me a little while to get used to the idea. But now I really enjoy it.” He paused. “In fact, the reason you couldn’t find your music is because I borrowed it.” He looked at the Aldens. “I may be the one you’ve seen up here at night. I came up here once to try out Miss Barton’s new music, but I didn’t want anyone to know.”
    Andi beamed. “I’m so relieved. I thought you were disappointed with me.”
    “Well, you could try to be a little more organized,” Ezra said. “But you’re an excellent carillon player.”
    “I’ll try harder,” Andi said. “And I’ll help you with the new music. I’m just so honored to be working with a gifted carillon player like you.”
    “Now we know who was up in the tower those nights,” Henry said.
    “Actually, I only came up here one night,” Ezra said.
    The children looked at one another, confused. “But we saw a light up here on two different nights.”
    At that moment Don came forward and cleared his throat. “I think I have some explaining to do,” he said. “I was the one you saw up here in the tower the other night.”

CHAPTER 10
A Reward for the Children
    “You were the one?” Joel asked in disbelief.
    “Yes, I was the one who found the letter—and then left it up here,” Don said.
    “Where did you find it?” Benny wanted to know.
    “It was tucked inside that antique book my father gave me,” Don said.
    “So that’s why you didn’t want us looking at the book,” Jessie said.
    “That’s right—I kept the letter in the book,” he said. “Until I brought it up here. I didn’t want you looking in the book because I was afraid you might see it.”
    “That day we saw you on the Quad and you started to ask us about the book—” Jessie recalled.
    “By then I’d realized I’d lost the letter,” Don said. “I was going to ask if you had seen it. But then I decided I’d better not mention it, or I’d have a lot of explaining to do.”
    Then Joel spoke up. “So that’s why you were so eager to come up here to visit. You wanted to find the treasure.”
    “Yes,” Don said. “I went up into the tower in the