Free Mystery in the Fortune Cookie by Gertrude Chandler Warner

too, Martin?”
    He shook his head. “Noooo ... but I can guess who did.”
    Lucy laughed. “It was teamwork. Auntie Two did the baking, and I did the decorating.”
    Dottie smiled over at Lucy and Auntie Two. “So you were both in on this, were you?”
    “From the beginning,” confessed Auntie Two. “Martin gave me his rhyming proposal yesterday, and I made a very special fortune cookie to put it in. I could hardly stand the suspense waiting for Martin’s okay to bring that fortune cookie over. I just knew you’d say yes!” she added.
    The Aldens looked at one another. Now they knew what was in the envelope Martin had given Auntie Two — it was the fortune cookie proposal.
    “I’ve been holding my breath, too,” Lucy confided. “I was just waiting for my cue to bring out the cake.”
    “I can’t help wondering who else was in on this,” Dottie said, smiling happily.
    Jessie knew the answer to that one. “Angela helped, too, right?”
    “Right,” responded Martin. “She played a very important part in my little game.”
    “She sure did,” Henry realized. “Angela invented Fortune Cookie Delight!”
    “Right again,” said Martin, gesturing for the four Aldens to sit down. “Please join the celebration.”
    Benny didn’t need to be coaxed. “This explains what you were doing in the jewelry store, Martin,” he said as everyone pulled up a chair.
    Violet added, “You seemed so eager to get away from us.”
    “I’m sorry about that, Violet,” apologized Martin. “I was afraid you’d find out I was looking at engagement rings. I knew if Dottie smelled anything fishy going on, it would ruin the surprise.”
    “We didn’t figure it out for a while,” admitted Benny. “At first, we thought you were trying to steal Dottie’s half of the bookstore.”
    “You thought I was a thief?” Martin asked in surprise.
    Dottie laughed a little. “Martin did steal my heart. But that was his only crime.”
    “I bet I can solve a mystery, too,” Lucy said as she dished up the cake.
    “What mystery?” Benny wanted to know.
    “The mystery of why you’re here,” she said. Her lips curled into a little smile. “You children don’t give up. You’ve been following the fortune cookie clues, haven’t you?”
    “You should know,” answered Henry, watching the waitress closely. “After all, they were your invention. Right, Lucy?”
    “How did you know?” the waitress asked in surprise.
    Henry pointed to the cake. “You dotted the i ’s on the cake with candy hearts,” he pointed out. “The i ’s in the fortune cookie messages were dotted with hearts, too.”
    “Oh, dear!” Lucy laughed a little. “I certainly gave myself away, didn’t I?”
    “The messages really were meant for Dottie,” said Violet. “Weren’t they? That’s why you added the romantic hearts.”
    Lucy didn’t deny it. “I overheard Martin telling Auntie Two about the special way he wanted to propose to Dottie — by taking her on a fortune cookie adventure.” She paused as she handed Benny his slice of cake. “I happen to be pretty good at making up codes and clues, so I offered my services. It’s my dream to become a mystery writer, you know. Just like my favorite author — Drum Keller. I just love The Fortune Cookie Mysteries! Anyway,” she said, smiling a little, “that’s how I got involved in this whole fortune cookie business. Unfortunately it didn’t go as smoothly as I’d planned. The cookies kept ending up with the four of you instead.”
    Violet nodded in understanding. Lucy was the one Martin had been blaming for ruining everything.
    “Now, don’t feel badly, Lucy,” Dottie said kindly. “I was the one who insisted Benny open the first fortune cookie. And I wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
    “That’s true,” said Martin. “Why, Auntie Two even accused me of botching things up that night. She thought I might be getting cold feet.”
    Jessie and Henry exchanged glances. That must have been