Free Midnight Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

“We can always do it at noon. At least it’s a bright sunny day for the convention.”
    Henry groaned. “Don’t remind me. I’m submitting the rainy-day backpack on the sunniest day of the year!”
    “I’m glad we finished our chores yesterday,” Jessie said as she went from clock to clock and wound them up again. “Now we can go searching for Alice Putter’s plan book before the convention opens.”
    “And figure out what Brad is up to,” added Benny. “Hey maybe he’s keeping his invention in the clock.”
    The Aldens never dawdled when something important was about to happen. They dressed, rolled up their sleeping bags, walked the dogs, prepared breakfast, and ate it, all before the clocks chimed seven.
    After washing and drying the breakfast dishes, they went over to the canopy tent for a last-minute look at the displays. There was Benny’s flashlight hat along with a photograph of him wearing it. Violet wound up her jewelry arm. It played a tune as it turned, displaying the sparkling bracelets and rings Mrs. McGregor and Isabel had lent her. Jessie’s recycling wagon was neatly organized and ready to roll.
    “At least it was raining in the photo you took of me wearing my rainy-day backpack,” Henry said to Violet. “Hey, it looks as if Martha put out a few more inventions that arrived yesterday afternoon. No sign of Brad’s, though.”
    Benny tried on his cap one last time. He switched the flashlight on and off to make sure the new batteries were working. He put it back on the display table with the other children’s inventions. He was ready!
    The Aldens combed the house from top to bottom for two hours looking for the plan book.
    “Whew!” Henry said. “It’s got to be what’s in the clock. But what would Brad be doing with the plan book? Martha’s the one who acts so weird about it.”
    “If it is in there, then we need to keep a watch out for Brad and Martha when it gets close to noon,” Jessie said. “Right now, we have to get outside. People are starting to arrive.”
    By eleven-thirty, Isabel’s driveway was packed with cars. Henry kept busy directing drivers to the parking area. He directed the driver of a shiny black car to a special reserved parking space. “Know who’s in that car?” Henry asked when Benny, Jessie, and Violet came over. “It’s Mr. Marshall, the invention lawyer we tried to see yesterday. He showed me his judge’s badge. If we hurry, maybe we can catch him before Martha does.”
    Benny raced back to get his hat and put it on. “Do you think it’s okay to ask him about it?”
    But Martha had found Mr. Marshall first. The Aldens watched him hand her back the big envelope she had given him at the diner.
    “He’s shaking his head,” Jessie noted. “Martha looks disappointed. The riddle book must not have proved what she thought it would.”
    Isabel and Grandfather walked over to the children. “Before the judging, I’d like to go over some final instructions with all of you and with Martha. Oh, she’s talking with Robert Marshall,” Isabel said. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to him. He knows all about inventions. In fact, he’s one of our judges.”
    The Aldens followed Isabel over to Martha and Mr. Marshall.
    Mr. Marshall shook all of their hands as Isabel made introductions. “Alden? Alden? Where have I heard that name?” he asked. “Oh, yes, from my assistant, Mrs. Page. Would you be the children who came to my office yesterday with an invention?”
    Benny nodded. “I’m one of those kids, and this is the hat I invented.”
    Mr. Marshall smiled. “Mrs. Page said you almost blinded her.”
    Is that good or bad? Benny wondered. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
    Mr. Marshall clapped Benny on the back. “No need to be sorry. Your flashlight baseball hat looks mighty useful to me. What good would it be without a bright light on it?”
    Benny was beaming — and not just from his flashlight.
    Martha was the only person who wasn’t beaming.