Free Mystery in the Fortune Cookie by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

hometown — Keller’s Crossing! That’s the part that seemed familiar to me. I just couldn’t remember why.”
    All eyes turned to Dottie. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out right away. For a long time, she didn’t say a word. Finally, she smiled. “I guess you’ve found me out,” she said. She looked around at all the faces staring at her. Then she took a deep breath and continued, “I wrote The Fortune Cookie Mystery series when I was living in Keller’s Crossing. My publishers wanted to keep my identity a secret. They thought it would be a good — ”
    “Sales gimmick?” put in Benny
    “Exactly, Benny.” Dottie patted his hand. “They thought it would be a good sales gimmick to make Drum Keller very mysterious. The whole idea suited me just fine. You see, I was never interested in fame. It was always the writing I loved.”
    Violet looked confused. “Then why did you suddenly stop, Dottie?”
    “My husband became very ill.” Dottie looked at the children sadly. “After he died, I decided to stop writing the Drum Keller mysteries. My heart just wasn’t in it, anymore.”
    “Dottie packed her bags,” said Martin, picking up where his partner had left off, “and came to Elmford to make a fresh start.”
    “Martin and Auntie Two were the only ones who knew about my secret identity,” Dottie continued. “The publishing company simply announced that Drum Keller had disappeared.”
    Jessie shot Henry a glance. No wonder Dottie wouldn’t part with those books in the cabinet. She was the author! That would explain Martin’s behavior, too. He was upset to hear the customer insulting Dottie’s books.
    “When Benny found that strange message in his fortune cookie,” Dottie went on, “everything came rushing back to me. I remembered how much fun I used to have making up codes and clues.”
    “Is that why you wanted to sniff out some clues with us?” asked Benny.
    “Yes, Benny.” Dottie nodded. “I was also very curious. You see, I knew that first fortune cookie was meant for me. But I couldn’t figure out why someone had made it.”
    “This is all my fault, Dottie,” said Martin. He looked troubled. “I never meant to betray your secret. But how could I know the Aldens would come along and figure everything out?”
    Dottie waved this away. “I’m glad the truth is out, Martin. I’m tired of keeping the past a secret.” Turning to Lucy, she added, “I’d love to read some of your stories, Lucy. And who knows? Maybe I can even give you a few pointers.”
    “Thank you.” Lucy sounded pleased. “I would love that!”
    “I might even try writing another Drum Keller mystery,” added Dottie. “How would you feel about that, Martin?”
    “It would make me very proud,” Martin replied, his voice filled with emotion.
    “Will it be another mystery in a fortune cookie, Dottie?” Benny asked hopefully.
    “You bet, Benny,” said the famous author. “You bet!”

About the Author
    G ERTRUDE C HANDLER W ARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.
    Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.
    When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.
    While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and