Free Copycat Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Right?”
    Even Mr. Mason looked puzzled. “What’s going on? Surely you’re not hinting that Jake North had anything to do with these practical jokes?”
    Benny nodded vigorously “Jake had plenty to do with them!”
    “He sure did,” added Jessie, watching Jake closely.
    Violet started to say, “And we can prove—”
    But Jake interrupted. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” His eyes shifted. “You kids are getting all worked up about nothing.”
    Violet stepped forward. “You said you left your sunglasses at the farmhouse the day of the laundry demonstration. Remember?”
    “Of course I remember. They were on the windowsill. What’s that got to do with anything?”
    “If that’s true,” finished Violet, “then why aren’t they on the windowsill in this snapshot?” And she held the photograph up for Jake to see. “This was taken just before the farmhouse closed that day.”
    Jake shrugged. “That doesn’t mean a thing. The photo was probably taken some other time.”

    “I remember this snapshot.” Gwen was studying it closely. “I took it myself, and it was the day of the laundry demonstration. You’d left hours before this picture was taken, Jake. And yet . . . your sunglasses were on the windowsill the next morning. How do you explain that?”
    Draper Mills looked at his nephew. “Jake, what’s this all about?”
    Carl Mason examined the photograph, then passed it on to Jake. “I would certainly like to hear what you have to say, Mr. North. And remember, a picture’s worth a thousand words.”
    Jake stared at the photo for what seemed like ages. He opened his mouth several times, then closed it again. Finally his shoulders slumped. “Yes, I admit it,” he said. “I copied Horace Wagner’s practical jokes. I . . . I wanted everyone to think the farmhouse was haunted.”
    Miss Pennink’s mouth dropped open. Gwen and Sharon both stared wide-eyed.
    “But why?” Draper Mills demanded, looking completely bewildered. “Why would you do such a thing, Jake?”
    Henry knew the answer to that one. “You wanted something interesting to write about, didn’t you?”
    Jake nodded. “We’re supposed to submit a few newspaper articles when we go back to college. I knew what I’d written so far would put my teachers to sleep. I just wanted a scoop, and there certainly wasn’t much chance of getting that in Elmford.” Jake paused. “I got the idea for a haunted house story when the farmhouse sign disappeared. In fact, I was planning to write a whole series of articles on the ghostly practical jokes. I asked my uncle about Horace Wagner, and he told me everything I needed to know.”
    “You said it was for background information,” protested Draper. “I had no idea. . . .”
    Jessie looked accusingly at Jake. “The truth is, you wanted to find out about the practical jokes so you could copy them.”
    Jake didn’t deny it. “I knew there was going to be a laundry demonstration, and when I heard about Horace hiding a gift in the laundry tub, I couldn’t resist. I drove out of town, bought a canary, then came back to the farm to have dinner with Uncle Draper.” Jake avoided looking his uncle in the eye. “I knew my uncle was in the habit of nodding off for a while after supper. I just waited for my chance and—”
    “You took the keys,” finished Violet. “Then you slipped into the farmhouse, put the canary in the antique birdcage, and hid the cage in the empty laundry tub.”
    “The next night, you shortened our pants,” concluded Henry.
    “I’m not handy with a needle and thread,” admitted Jake, “but I figured Horace probably wasn’t, either.”
    “Only you made a mistake,” offered Violet. “You left your sunglasses behind.”
    Jake corrected her. “No, I did that on purpose. My sunglasses gave me an excuse to come back the next morning. That way, I could get a snapshot of Henry and Benny wearing those pants.” Jake sighed. “I can’t believe the