Free Candy Factory Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

don’t live very far away.”
    â€œMaybe we can be Mrs. Winkles’s nieces and nephews,” Violet said in her serious way.
    â€œAnd then we would have a candy-making aunt!” said Benny with a grin.
    â€œYes, I’m sure Rose would like that very much,” Grandfather said. “She’s like an aunt the way she remembers to send you children candy for all the holidays. I’ll give her a call right now.”
    â€œI’d like to take a look at the other candy boxes she sent,” Henry suggested. “There’s something very mysterious about those candy hearts in Benny’s box.”
    The children went off to the pantry to find the rest of the candy. They poured all the hearts onto the kitchen table.
    â€œLooks as if just a couple boxes have those strange messages,” Henry said after everyone checked all the candy hearts. “At least there weren’t too many bad ones.”
    Grandfather came back into the kitchen. “Well, we’ll be visiting Mrs. Winkles next week. She especially asked if you’d like to lend a hand with making her candies. What do you say?”
    Benny picked up a pink heart and read the message to everyone: “2 Good 2 B True.”

CHAPTER 2
    A Chocolate Mystery
    A week later, the Aldens were on their way to Winkles Candy Factory. Shortly after Grandfather turned off the busy highway, the children began to see smaller towns and green farms with white farm buildings, windmills, and barns full of hay.
    â€œWow!” Benny said. “I counted fifty-two cows so far.”
    â€œThis area is fall of cows, Benny,” Grandfather said, smiling. “Even you won’t be able to count them all.”
    â€œAnd all those cows are full of milk to make chocolate,” Benny said. “I hope I won’t be able to count all the chocolate candies, either, when we get to Winkles Candy Factory.”
    A few minutes later, Grandfather came to a stop in front of a tidy two-story brick building. Benny read aloud the pink lettering on the large hand-painted sign: “Winkles Candy Factory — Making Holiday Candy since 1922. Visitors Welcome.”
    Grandfather rolled down his window and took a deep breath. “Just follow your noses, children.”
    Violet sniffed the air. “Mmm. It’s like chocolate perfume.”
    The children headed straight to the small candy shop attached to the factory building. Through the window they saw a pink-cheeked, white-haired woman in a spotless white smock. She was cutting into a tray of fudge.
    A small bell over the door rang when Benny pushed it open. “The Aldens are here!”
    â€œAnd so is the candy!” the cheery woman said, offering them all some fudge. “I recognize you children from the family photos your grandfather sent me last year. Only you’ve all grown since then. I’m Mrs. Winkles. I’m so glad to finally meet you in person.”
    â€œThank you for always remembering to send us candy for all the holidays,” Jessie said after she introduced herself. “We always look forward to seeing Winkles’s packages on our front porch.”
    â€œSometimes we even open them on the front porch,” Benny announced.
    Mrs. Winkles chuckled. Soon she and Grandfather were busy catching up with each other while the children poked around the little shop.
    â€œWhat does that say, Benny?” Soo Lee whispered. She showed Benny a sign with hearts painted all over it.
    â€œAll Valentine’s Candy Half Price,” Benny said. “I guess they’re all sold out. There’s nothing on the shelf.”
    Mrs. Winkles overheard Benny. “I usually have some Valentine’s candy left over to sell,” she said. “This year, though, I had to throw out a lot of what was left over.”

    The children’s eyes grew bigger than the foil-covered, chocolate silver dollars on the counter.
    â€œThrow out candy?” Benny said, taken