Free Great Detective Race by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

speaking for them all.
    “It’s my job to get more people to listen to this station,” Debra explained.

    “The more listeners, the better.” She handed each of the children a WGFD baseball cap.
    “Cool!” said Henry.
    “Just fill out an entry form,” Debra went on. “Then I’ll give you the first clue. All the other clues are hidden somewhere in town. Oh, by the way,” she added, “you might need to use the magic words—‘I listen to the Big G.’”
    “How dare you stick me on your Late Night show!” A woman stepped up to the table, waving a letter in the air. “I was expecting an interview with Mike Devlin.”
    The Aldens looked at each other in surprise. It was Amber Madison—the author of The Art of Good Manners.
    “I’m afraid that’s not possible, Miss Madison,” Debra explained, as nicely as possible. “We never do interviews during the daytime.”
    “Oh?” Amber looked cross. “Won’t Mike Devlin be interviewing the winner of this … this silly race on his program?”
    “Yes, but it’s just for the contest,” Debra told her.
    “I’m promoting my book!” Amber argued. “Nobody listens to the radio late at night. I want to talk about my book during the day. ”
    “I’m sorry, but it just can’t be done,” Debra said with a shrug. “We do interviews at night.”
    “I see.” Amber looked as if she wanted to argue, but she didn’t. Instead, she sat down on the edge of the fountain, shaking her head.
    Benny’s eyes were round. “That lady sure gets upset a lot.”
    “Some grown-ups are like that,” said Henry, putting an arm around his brother.
    On the other side of the table, a boy about Henry’s age suddenly called out, “Does spelling count?”
    Debra shook her head. “Don’t worry,” she said with a smile. “I’m not much of a speller myself. If you can figure out clues, that’s all that matters in this race.”
    “Guess what?” Benny piped up, as Jessie filled out an entry form. “We like tracking down clues—and we’re good at it, too!”
    “Oh, really?” Debra looked over in surprise.
    “We have solved quite a few mysteries,” Henry admitted.
    “Well, good luck with this one,” Debra said, holding out an envelope. “The first clue’s a real doozy!”
    As the Aldens walked away, they didn’t notice the boy on the other side of the table frowning—or Amber Madison watching them carefully.

CHAPTER 2
The Pied Piper
    “We were in the mall,” Benny was telling Grandfather at dinner that night, “and guess what we heard on the overhead speakers?”
    “I have a hunch it had something to do with a mystery,” answered Grandfather. “Am I right?”
    Benny’s jaw dropped. “How did you know?”
    Grandfather chuckled. “Because my grandchildren have a way of attracting mysteries.”
    “The Greenfield radio station is having a contest, Grandfather,” Henry said. “The Great Detective Race.”
    Jessie added, “There’s a code word hidden somewhere in town. The first person who finds it, wins the race.”
    “We’re hoping to win tickets to Swan Lake, ” Violet said. She looked to make sure their housekeeper wasn’t around. “For Mrs. McGregor’s birthday,” she whispered behind her hand.
    Grandfather nodded approvingly. “That’s a great idea.”
    “And that’s not all,” Benny added. “The winner gets a ride with Chopper Dan—in his helicopter!”
    “Well, it’s not Chopper Dan’s helicopter, Benny,” Henry corrected. “I’m pretty sure it belongs to the radio station.”
    “It won’t be an easy race to win,” Jessie said. “Lots of people were signing up for the contest.”
    “Unless I miss my guess,” Grandfather said, pushing back his chair, “my grandchildren will have this mystery wrapped up in no time.”
    The Aldens got up to clear the table as their grandfather left the room.
    “Debra was right,” Henry said, stacking the dinner plates. “That first clue really is a doozy!”
    “Why don’t you read it again,