Mystery in the Fortune Cookie (9 page)

“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 the phone conversation they’d overheard at the coffee shop!

“Cold feet?” Benny was wrinkling his face. “What does that mean?”

“That means having second thoughts about proposing to Dottie,” explained Martin. “Of course, I wasn’t having second thoughts at all. But after all the mix-ups, I
did
give up on the mystery idea.”

Violet smiled as she took the cake the waitress handed her. “You know, Lucy, it wasn’t your fault at the ice cream parlor, either,” she pointed out. “You’re not the one who got the cones mixed up.”

“True,” Martin agreed.

Lucy managed a weak smile. “I’ve been a nervous wreck all week,” she said. “I wanted so much to impress you, Martin.”

“Me?” Martin pointed to himself. Then he began to laugh. “Why would you want to impress me?”

Violet was fairly sure she knew the answer. “Because you figured out that Martin is Drum Keller. Right, Lucy?”

The waitress looked questioningly at Martin. “Is it true? Are you the famous author?”

It was obvious by the look on Martin’s face that he was shocked. “Why, no!”

Lucy looked surprised — and disappointed.

The Aldens were every bit as surprised as Lucy. They were so sure Drum Keller was someone they knew. And their hunches were usually right.

Benny was wondering about something else. He hesitated for a minute, then blurted out, “Why did you run away from us at the ice cream parlor, Lucy?”

After a brief silence, Lucy said, “The truth is, I was afraid you’d ask me a lot of questions about that fortune cookie. So I kept my distance.”

“Only you changed your mind and followed us, didn’t you?” said Henry.

Lucy looked embarrassed. “Yes, I did follow you,” she acknowledged. “I wanted to find out if you got Dottie’s fortune cookie by mistake again.”

Jessie nodded. “I
felt
someone watching us.”

“I’m sorry if I frightened you,” Lucy apologized. “I guess I wasn’t thinking straight.”

Henry turned to Martin. “Something puzzles me, too.”

“What is it?” Martin took a sip of water.

“If you gave up on the mystery idea,” said Henry, “then why did you leave the last fortune cookie in The Underground?”

“I simply forgot all about it, Henry.” Martin shrugged a little. “I’m afraid I wasn’t thinking straight, either.”

Aunt Jane, who had just come up behind them, said, “What’s this? A celebration of some kind?” As Aunt Jane pulled up a chair, Dottie held up her hand to show off the beautiful ring. “I just can’t believe it,” said Aunt Jane, smiling over at Dottie and Martin’s beaming faces. “This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”

Martin raised his water glass. “I’d like everyone to join me in a toast,” he said. “Fifteen years ago today this fine lady left her hometown of Keller’s Crossing and arrived in Elmford. Let’s drink a toast to my future bride — Dorothy Ruth Ursela May!”

Jessie’s jaw dropped. Everything suddenly clicked into place. “Oh, my goodness!” she cried, putting her hands to her mouth.

The others turned to look at her. “What’s the matter, Jessie?”

“I know the answer to another mystery,” she told them in an awestruck voice.

“
Another
mystery?” Martin asked.

“I know who Drum Keller is,” Jessie said. She looked right at Dottie Shallum.

Dottie lowered her eyes.

Benny looked confused. “But, Jessie, Drum Keller’s a man. Remember?”

“That’s just what we thought,” Jessie told him.

Again Dottie seemed to be pretending not to hear. Even Martin was strangely quiet.

“It all fits,” Jessie went on. “You came to Elmford fifteen years ago, Dottie. That’s when Drum Keller disappeared.”

“But Jessie — ” began Violet.

“That’s not all,” Jessie cut in. “The first letters in Dorothy Ruth Ursela May spell — ”

“DRUM!” Henry cried out, his voice rising with excitement.

Jessie nodded slowly. “And Keller is from the name of Dottie’s 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!”

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 resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.

Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

The Boxcar Children Mysteries

The Boxcar Children

Surprise Island

The Yellow House Mystery

Mystery Ranch

Mike’s Mystery

Blue Bay Mystery

The Woodshed Mystery

The Lighthouse Mystery

Mountain Top Mystery

Schoolhouse Mystery

Caboose Mystery

Houseboat Mystery

Snowbound Mystery

Tree House Mystery

Bicycle Mystery

Mystery in the Sand

Mystery Behind the Wall

Bus Station Mystery

Benny Uncovers a Mystery

The Haunted Cabin Mystery

The Deserted Library Mystery

The Animal Shelter Mystery

The Old Motel Mystery

The Mystery of the Hidden Painting

The Amusement Park Mystery

The Mystery of the Mixed-Up Zoo

The Camp-Out Mystery

The Mystery Girl

The Mystery Cruise

The Disappearing Friend Mystery

The Mystery of the Singing Ghost

Mystery in the Snow

The Pizza Mystery

The Mystery Horse

The Mystery at the Dog Show

The Castle Mystery

The Mystery of the Lost Village

The Mystery on the Ice

The Mystery of the Purple Pool

The Ghost Ship Mystery

The Mystery in Washington, DC

The Canoe Trip Mystery

The Mystery of the Hidden Beach

The Mystery of the Missing Cat

The Mystery at Snowflake Inn

The Mystery on Stage

The Dinosaur Mystery

The Mystery of the Stolen Music

The Mystery at the Ball Park

The Chocolate Sundae Mystery

The Mystery of the Hot Air Balloon

The Mystery Bookstore

The Pilgrim Village Mystery

The Mystery of the Stolen Boxcar

Mystery in the Cave

The Mystery on the Train

The Mystery at the Fair

The Mystery of the Lost Mine

The Guide Dog Mystery

The Hurricane Mystery

The Pet Shop Mystery

The Mystery of the Secret Message

The Firehouse Mystery

The Mystery in San Francisco

The Niagara Falls Mystery

The Mystery at the Alamo

The Outer Space Mystery

The Soccer Mystery

The Mystery in the Old Attic

The Growling Bear Mystery

The Mystery of the Lake Monster

The Mystery at Peacock Hall

The Windy City Mystery

The Black Pearl Mystery

The Cereal Box Mystery

The Panther Mystery

The Mystery of the Queen’s Jewels

The Stolen Sword Mystery

The Basketball Mystery

The Movie Star Mystery

The Mystery of the Black Raven

The Mystery of the Pirate’s Map

The Mystery in the Mall

The Mystery in New York

The Gymnastics Mystery

The Poison Frog Mystery

The Mystery of the Empty Safe

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

copyright © 2003 by Albert Whitman & Company

978-1-4532-2886-9

This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

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