Free Midnight Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

tinkering to do before it ... works.”
    “Well, I must say, working or not working, this clock is charming,” Isabel told Brad.
    The second judge nodded in agreement. “I haven’t seen anything like it since ... well, since Alice Putter.”
    Jessie stepped in front of Brad. “Where did you get the idea?”
    “I guess you could say the inspiration struck at midnight,” he answered smugly.
    Suddenly, Benny had the answer. “So that’s why you needed the plan book!” Benny said, putting the pieces together.
    Brad’s face went white. “What are you talking about?” he said.
    Jessie’s eyes widened as she realized what Benny was saying. She stared at Brad. “Your clock is as great as an Alice Putter clock because it is an Alice Putter clock!” she said.
    Henry glanced at his watch. “And in three minutes we can prove it.”
    “Just follow us to the house,” Benny told the crowd, then took off running. The confused bystanders followed behind.
    As everyone crammed into the entryway of the house, the clocks struck noon. A symphony of clock sounds surrounded them.

    Benny bent down and carefully pulled on the grandfather clock’s wooden panel. It sprang open immediately. Isabel gasped.
    Benny switched on his flashlight hat, then looked inside the clock. He pulled out a notebook with a black leather cover and handed it to Isabel. “This is where Brad got the idea for the clock.”
    “Grandma Alice’s plan book!” Isabel said. She opened the inside cover. “It’s number nine!” She turned to Brad. “How did you know my grandmother hid the plan book in there?”
    Everyone stared at Brad, waiting for his answer.
    He turned away from all the curious faces. “From Martha,” he mumbled. “I overheard her reading a riddle from a book. I’ve worked in this house for a few years now. Some of the old-timers who did work around here, too, told me stories about finding all kinds of crazy things hidden behind paintings, inside statues. One worker discovered a riddle under a windowsill he was painting. When he figured it out, it led him to a toy fire truck hidden in the broom closet.”
    “That sounds exactly like something Grandma Alice would do,” Isabel said with a faint smile on her face. “And probably Martha’s grandfather, too. I remember so many times the two of them sent us off on treasure hunts with just a riddle or puzzle to go by.”
    Martha stepped forward. “Take a look at it, Mr. Marshall.”
    Mr. Marshall took the plan book. No one spoke while he slowly flipped through the pages. At last, he shut the book. “This is Alice Putter’s plan book all right,” he finally declared. “But it’s not hers alone. Many of the inventions in this plan book, including Brad’s birdhouse clock and this grandfather clock, were planned by Alice Putter with Otis Carver. That’s his handwriting detailing all the colors to use on nearly every single object. It looks like Alice designed the clocks and Otis painted them. The silly riddles written in the margins appear to have been invented by both of them. Of course, most of the clocks in this plan book were never actually made. I guess that’s why you thought you could get away with this, Brad.”
    Brad looked away.
    “So Grandma Alice and Otis created the inventions and artworks together,” Isabel said, letting out a deep breath. She turned to Martha. “Is that what you were trying to prove?”
    “Not exactly” Martha said. “I heard my grandfather tell stories about all the fantastic clocks and other inventions he came up with in this house. I just thought Alice Putter took credit for them. And I thought you hid the missing plan book so there would be no proof. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you, Isabel.” Martha looked sad. “We used to be such good friends and here I’ve been, sneaking around and trying to prove you had something to hide. I’m sorry.”
    “No, I’m sorry, Martha,” Isabel said, hugging her. “If we had worked together like the