“What do we do now?” asked Benny.
Henry looked at the closed door of Mr. Woods’s house and then at Benny. He shook his head. “We’d better take this cat back to Professor Madison. But first, let’s look at the photograph.” The children looked closely at the picture of Spotzie.
“She has more black spots than this cat does,” Jessie noticed.
“Yes, she does,” Violet agreed.
The Aldens got back on their bicycles and began to make the long bike trip back to Professor Madison’s house.
“Soo Lee is lucky she had a dentist appointment today,” said Benny. “We’re working hard.”
“I’d rather be doing this than be at the dentist,” said Violet.
They rode on. They were almost to Professor Madison’s house when Violet pointed. “Look!”
A jogger was coming toward them. She was wearing shorts and a big T-shirt, and her curly red hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
“It’s Whitney,” said Henry in surprise. He waved.
Whitney saw the Aldens and waved back. She ran up to them and they pulled their bikes to the side of the road to wait for her.
“What are you doing all the way over here?” asked Jessie.
“My aunt lives in this neighborhood,” said Whitney. Just then, the little cat in the cat carrier meowed.
Whitney looked down. “Still working on your mystery?” she asked. “Or did you solve it?”
“Not yet,” said Benny. “This is the wrong cat.”
Whitney seemed amused. “What’s been going on? I didn’t know detectives made mistakes like that.”
“Well,” said Jessie, “we won’t make it again. Now we have a picture of Spotzie that Mr. Woods gave us.”
Violet pulled the picture out of her pocket and showed it to Whitney, while the others told Whitney about the odd phone call from Mr. Jones and the mysterious stranger who had followed them.
Whitney examined the photograph, then looked at the cat in the cat carrier. “That’s a cute cat. She does look a lot like Spotzie.”
“Mr. Woods doesn’t think so. He said Spotzie is much prettier,” Benny told Whitney. “And see? She has more black spots.”
Whitney handed the photograph back to Violet. “Well, good luck with your mystery, children. I’ve got to keep jogging so I can stay in shape!”
“So you don’t want to help us?” cried Benny.
Shaking her head, Whitney jogged quickly away.
“She doesn’t believe us, does she,” said Violet. “She doesn’t believe we’ll find Spotzie. But we will!”
More determined than ever, the Aldens continued on their way to Professor Madison’s.
This time, they had to wait and wait before the professor finally opened her front door. She frowned when she saw them.
“What are you doing here?” she asked impatiently.
“We’re bringing your cat back,” Henry explained. “This isn’t Spotzie.”
The professor stepped back as if she might close the door. But Henry put his hand on the door and stopped her.
“There must be some mistake,” said Professor Madison.
“No, look. We have a picture of Spotzie now.” Violet held the picture out, but Professor Madison didn’t even glance at it.
“Even if it isn’t your cat, you can keep her in place of Spotzie,” said Professor Madison.
“But Mr. Woods doesn’t want her. He wants his own cat. He wants Spotzie,” Violet said.
“Do you have any other lost cats?” asked Benny.
“No! And I especially don’t have a cat that looks like your cat. Go away! Now!” And with that, Professor Madison slammed the door!
For the second time that day, the four Alden children were left staring at a closed door.
“What’s wrong with Professor Madison?” asked Benny. “Why doesn’t she want this cat?”
“I don’t know,” said Jessie. “And how does she know she doesn’t have a cat that looks like Spotzie when she wouldn’t even look at the picture?”
“I don’t know,” said Henry. “I guess we’ll have to take this cat home with us.” Carrying the cat, he led the way back to the bicycles and the Aldens headed slowly home.
“It’s a good thing it’s not as hot today as it was the day that man followed us,” said Violet as they rode their bicycles through town.
Jessie nodded. But she was thinking of something else. Suddenly she said, “Who was that man who followed us, anyway? Do you think it was Mr. Jones, the man who called about the lost cat?”
“It could be,” said Henry. “But why? Why is he so interested in a lost cat? And what has that got to do with Spotzie?”
“Could he have had something to do with Spotzie’s disappearing?” asked Violet.
“Do you think he stole her?” asked Benny.
“I don’t know.” Jessie shook her head. “But even if he did, why is he looking for her now? And why was he following us?”
“And what about Professor Madison? Why is she acting so weird?” wondered Henry. “And how does she know what Spotzie looks like?”
The Aldens thought and thought, but they still hadn’t come up with any answers by the time they’d reached home.
When the Aldens brought the little cat home, Watch was very interested. He tried to get close to her, but she arched her back and hissed at him. That made Watch bark. The cat jumped up on a bookcase, turned her back on Watch, and began to wash her paw.
“Oh, Watch,” said Benny. “She doesn’t want to be your friend.”
But in spite of what Benny said, Watch stayed and watched the little cat for a long time. Violet put a bowl of food and water on top of the refrigerator where Watch couldn’t reach it. Watch was very surprised when the cat jumped up there easily and began to eat her food. That made Watch bark again.
“Here, Watch,” said Benny, and gave him a dog biscuit. Watch took it, gave the little cat one last curious look, and then trotted away.
“Tomorrow let’s go over and talk to Dr. Scott again. Maybe she can help us,” suggested Jessie.
“Good idea,” said Henry.
Just then the phone rang. “Maybe someone has found Spotzie!” cried Violet.
But no one had. It was Soo Lee, calling to say she could help the Aldens look for Spotzie the next day. Violet told Soo Lee everything that had happened and of their plan to visit Dr. Scott again. Soo Lee said she would meet them there.
The cat finished her meal. She jumped down off the refrigerator. She walked to a chair and hopped up on it. After washing her ears, she curled up and went to sleep.
“Should we give her a name?” asked Violet.
Jessie shook her head. “I think we should wait. What if she belongs to someone else and already has a name?”
“But we can be thinking of names,” said Henry.
“Oh, good,” said Benny. Then he said, “Isn’t it kind of strange — now we have a cat, but Mr. Woods still doesn’t.”
“Yes, Benny, it’s still a mystery,” said Violet with a sigh.
“Maybe we’ll solve it tomorrow,” said Benny.
“Maybe we will,” said Henry, smiling at his little brother. “Maybe we will.” |