Free Mystery of the Mummy's Curse by Gertrude Chandler Warner

open the lid. See you tomorrow at seven. Lock up when you go.” She headed off down the hall.
    The Aldens picked up their backpacks. “Well, tomorrow’s the day,” Jessie said, “and the exhibit’s all ready.”
    â€œLooks like we beat the mummy’s curse!” Henry said, giving Benny a playful punch on the shoulder.
    Before he left, Benny took one last look around the prep room. At the back of the room was the brightly painted coffin. Benny walked over and gently placed his fingers on the edge of the lid, which was shut tight.
    â€œGood night, mummy,” Benny whispered. “Tomorrow’s your big day.”
    The next day, the Aldens were at home eating lunch when Benny said, “I can’t wait until tonight to see the opening of the exhibit.”
    â€œI just hope nothing else goes wrong,” said Violet.
    â€œMaybe we could just stop in and see if they need any last-minute help,” Jessie said.
    The Aldens hiked over to the museum. When they arrived, they found Pete and Dr. Snood in the lobby. Pete was standing beside a pair of signs that read:
    Enter the Mummy’s Tomb
    Upstairs Exhibit Hall
    Opening at 7:00 This Evening
    By Invitation Only
    The signs were mounted on sturdy metal stands. With them was a pair of metal poles linked by a red velvet rope.
    â€œHello!” Pete said when he saw the children. Dr. Snood said nothing.
    â€œAny last-minute jobs you need done?” Henry asked.
    â€œNone that I can think of,” said Pete. He looked at Dr. Snood, who shook his head. “Sam isn’t coming in until later, and we haven’t even gone upstairs yet.” Pete placed one of the signs in the center of the lobby, next to the main desk. He stood back to see how it looked.
    Then he turned to the Aldens. “Actually, there is something. Can you put these up in front of the entrance upstairs so no one will go in until tonight?” He motioned to the sign and velvet rope.
    â€œWe’d be happy to,” Henry said, picking up the sign.
    Jessie and Violet each took one of the metal poles. They walked slowly upstairs.
    As they came down the hall, they could see that both the prep room and the exhibit hall were dark and deserted.
    But when they reached the prep room, they stopped short.
    Something was wrong.
    The door of the prep room was open. The children had locked the door before they’d left the night before. Who would have opened it? Pete had said Sam wasn’t in yet, and he and Dr. Snood hadn’t been upstairs that morning. The only other person who would have a key was the security guard, and she had no reason to go in there.
    Had someone broken into the prep room?
    The children looked at each other silently. “What’s going on?” Henry said quietly.
    Jessie shrugged her shoulders.
    â€œHello?” Henry called, slowly pushing the door open farther. The door creaked as it slowly swung open.
    The Aldens peered into the dark room. Everything looked just as they had left it the evening before. Sam’s papers were stacked neatly on her desk. Her chair was pushed in underneath. The coffin was still at the back of the room.
    Jessie bent down and studied the lock on the door.
    At last Violet asked what they were all wondering. “Did someone break in?”
    â€œLooks that way,” Henry said. “We locked the door last night, so whoever it was must have picked the lock.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Jessie said suddenly. “If someone was trying to get in, they’d pick the lock from the outside , right?” she asked.

    â€œThey’d have to,” said Henry.
    â€œWell, look at these scratch marks.” The children bent and looked where Jessie was pointing.
    â€œSo?” Benny asked.
    â€œIf someone was trying to get in, he or she would be on the outside of the door, right?” Jessie asked. “But the scratches are on the inside .”
    â€œSo this lock was picked from