Free The Mystery at the Fair by Gertrude Chandler Warner

no!” cried Mrs. Stephens.
    Violet touched the paint. It was still wet.
    â€œWe may be able to remove most of the paint streaks if we rinse it under cold water right away,” Violet said.
    â€œI’ll take care of that,” Jessie said. “Go with Mrs. Stephens and see if you can find Kristie. I’ll clean this up and put it back on the easel at the art tent.”

    â€œThank you,” Mrs. Stephens said. “I appreciate your help.”
    â€œYou’re welcome,” Jessie said. “I’m sure everything will be just fine.”
    â€œI hope so,” Mrs. Stephens said nervously. “I certainly hope so.”
    Violet and Mrs. Stephens searched the fairgrounds for severatminutes but there was no sign of Kristie.
    â€œDo you think she might be waiting for you at your car?” Violet said. “Maybe someone gave her a phony note, too.”
    â€œThat’s a good idea,” Mrs. Stephens said. “We’ve checked every where except the parking lot.”
    As they neared the parking lot, Violet saw Kristie.
    â€œKristie,” Violet said as she ran toward her friend. “How are you feeling?”
    â€œI’m just fine,” Kristie said. She looked puzzled. “I was in the art tent when I got a note that said for me to meet my mother at the parking lot immediately.”
    â€œWhat?” Mrs. Stephens said. “I never sent you a note. I got a note a few minutes ago that said you were ill.”
    â€œI’m fine, Mother,” Kristie said. “Someone must be playing some kind of awful joke on us.”
    â€œDo you still have that note, Kristie?” Violet asked.
    â€œYes,” Kristie said. She pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket. Violet compared the two notes.
    â€œThese notes were written by the same person,” Violet said. “Come on. Let’s go back to the art tent.”
    â€œWhat happened to your painting, Kristie?” Violet asked, as they hurried back to the competition. “Someone painted yellow streaks all over it.”
    â€œIt was on the display easel when I left the tent this morning,” Kristie said. “I can’t believe all this is happening. I never wanted to enter this contest in the first place.”
    â€œI’m sorry, dear,” Mrs. Stephens said. “I never should have made you do it.”
    â€œThat’s all right, Mother,” Kristie said. “The next time I paint something, it will be because I really want to.”
    â€œI think that’s a good idea,” Mrs. Stephens said as she hugged her daughter.
    The contest had already begun by the time they returned to the tent. Jessie waved when she saw them. She had saved seats for them.
    â€œI got most of that paint off,” Jessie said to Kristie. “I put it back on the easel for you.”
    Kristie’s painting still had a few streaks of yellow paint on it. The judges were examining it carefully.
    â€œI hate to admit it,” Kristie whispered to Violet. “But my painting looks even better! Those shiny yellow streaks look just like sunlight.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Violet said. “It looks beautiful.”
    Violet pulled the notes out of her pocket and handed them to Jessie. “Someone sent these notes to Kristie and her mother,” she whispered to her sister.
    Jessie looked at both notes carefully. “I’ve seen this handwriting somewhere before. But I can’t remember where.”
    Before Violet could ask her anything else, Kristie tapped her on the arm.
    â€œThe judges are getting ready to announce their decision,” Kristie said.
    â€œGood luck,” Violet whispered.
    â€œGood luck to you, too,” Kristie whispered back.
    â€œLadies, gentlemen, boys, and girls,” the judge said. “It is time to announce the winner of the Greenfield County Fair Art Competition.”
    Kristie and Violet held hands tightly.
    â€œThe winner is contestant