Free The Castle Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page A

window?” Henry asked. “Benny and I thought we saw someone looking at us from the window over the front door.”
    Sandy dried her tears. She wasn’t crying now. She just looked plain confused. “What stained glass window?”
    â€œThe one with the knight’s face in the middle that you can take out to see who’s coming and going,” Violet explained. “Wasn’t that you?”
    The Aldens could see Sandy Munson had no idea what they were talking about.
    Tom Brady suddenly stood up. “Well, this story doesn’t sound like it’s ever going to end. I have work to do. In fact, I have an appointment with a dealer in half an hour. So if you’ll all excuse me.”
    Tom made a move toward the door. He didn’t get that far because Henry and Jessie blocked his way.
    â€œYou will have to cancel that appointment,” Henry told Tom in a clear, strong voice. “Tell the dealer you do not have a violin to sell.”
    â€œThat violin belongs to Drummond Castle,” Jessie added.
    Tom clutched the violin case to his chest like a baby. “It belongs to the Drummond family, not Drummond Castle. And I’m the last of the Drummonds. My mother was Mr. Drummond’s niece, and that violin was supposed to be left to me. Then old Drummond got it into his head to turn this wreck of a place into a museum and put a priceless violin on display! On display, can you imagine?”
    â€œYou’re a Drummond?” Henry asked.
    â€œYes,” said Tom.
    â€œWell,” Jessie said. “Drummond Castle is not a wreck. It’s a beautiful place that your great-uncle wanted other people to share.”
    Violet spoke up too. “He wanted to share the violin, too, so many people could admire it. Please give it back.”
    Tom Brady did nothing of the kind. “What a bunch of kids want with a priceless instrument, I can’t figure out. But I knew I had to find it before you did. I tried to keep an eye on you from that stained glass window. I even hid in that suit of armor and watched you. I sent you on a wild goose chase with that treasure map just to keep you out of the way! And you’re still trying to ruin my plans!”
    â€œI bet you tried to get us lost in the cave,” Benny added. “But we didn’t stay lost.”
    Tom Brady was furious. In one last burst of energy, he shoved his way past Jessie and Henry and raced out the door toward the stairs. The children, Sandy, and Mr. Tooner followed behind.
    â€œLook, I see some other hands on the railing — and they’re coming up!” Benny cried out.
    Grandfather was right about Benny Alden’s sharp eyes. The stairs were crowded with people coming up and people going down. Soon there was a traffic jam in the middle. Grandfather, Carrie, and two police officers were on the lower stairs. Tom Brady was in the middle. Everyone else blocked Tom from the upper stairs.
    â€œHand over that violin,” one of the police officers said to Tom. “There’s no way down, and no way up. So just give it to us.”
    Tom lost some of his hard, angry look. “I want to look at it one more time.”
    â€œLet’s all go downstairs and straighten this out,” the other officer said.
    Everyone walked down the tower stairs quietly. At the bottom, Tom handed over the violin. “Take it. But for heavens’ sake, don’t carry it like a sack of potatoes. That is a priceless instrument.”
    The policeman opened the case. The violin gleamed in the soft light.
    â€œCan I at least look at it one last time?” Tom asked.
    The Aldens tried not to feel sorry for him.
    â€œI don’t know the difference between this and a guitar,” one of the police officers said.
    â€œMay I show you the difference?” Mr. Tooner asked the two officers.
    Carrie stepped forward. “Please, give it to Mr. Tooner.”
    Mr. Tooner picked up the precious instrument. He