Behind the bench,” said Jessie, without asking questions. She took Greta’s leash as Tate dove behind a bench in front of the ice-cream parlor. The Aldens all sat down on the bench and faced the street.
Without moving his lips, Henry said, “Who are you hiding from, Tate?”
“You’ll see,” Tate hissed back.
A moment later, a woman with red hair strode toward them. She was wearing a big white hat. A large red plume curled over one side of the hat and bobbed gently as she walked. Before reaching them, she stopped and peered into the ice-cream shop. Then she turned and looked across the street.
“Are you lost?” Jessie spoke up.
The woman turned back around and stared hard at the four Boxcar Children sitting on the bench. She looked at Greta and Watch, who were sitting in front of the bench. Her green eyes were sharp. Then she smiled.
“What cute dogs!” she said. “What are their names?”
Violet’s eyebrows drew together in a frown.
“This is Watch,” said Henry. “And this is—” Just then, he felt a finger poke him in the back. Henry paused. He knew that it was Tate who poked him. But why?
Then he realized what Tate wanted. Henry cleared his throat and said, “And this is Sally.” He put his hand on Greta’s head.
“Sally!” exclaimed Benny. “But—”
Jessie put a hand on Benny’s arm and gave it a little squeeze.
The woman said, “Watch and . . . Sally? Hmmm. I know a dog that looks a lot like Sally, but her name is Greta.”
“You have a dog named Greta?” asked Jessie.
“No,” said the woman. “I don’t have a dog. I travel too much.” Her smile faded and her eyes narrowed a little. “In fact, that’s why I’m here in . . . Greenfield . . . now. I traveled all the way here from California to find a friend of mine.”
“Does your friend live in Greenfield?” asked Violet.
“He doesn’t live here, exactly. But maybe you’ve seen him. He’s got blue eyes and black hair and he looks a lot like Tate Radison, the movie star.”
Henry said, “No one who looks like that is around here now.” It was true. With his glasses and his hat, Tate didn’t look like himself.
The woman didn’t look entirely convinced, but after a moment she nodded and stepped back. “Well, I have to be going. It’s nice to meet you and your two lovely dogs.” She strode off down the street.
The Aldens watched as she turned the corner.
“Don’t move yet,” Tate hissed. “She’s very sneaky.”
“Who is she?” asked Violet.
“I’ll tell you in a minute,” Tate whispered.
At that moment, the woman popped back around the corner. When she saw the Aldens still watching her, she waved and went back around the corner again.
“I think she’s gone now,” said Jessie.
Cautiously, Tate got up from his hiding place. He pushed his glasses into place on his nose and said, “Whew! That was a close call.”
“Why don’t you go down the alley behind the bank,” Jessie suggested to Tate. “We’ll get the bikes and meet you at the other end of it.”
“Good idea,” said Henry.
“I’ll see you there,” Tate said. He slipped out from behind the bench and almost ran to the alley.
A few minutes later, the Aldens and Tate were on their way out of Greenfield back to Tate’s house.
“Who was that lady?” asked Benny.
“That was Monica Tripe,” Tate said. “She’s a reporter for True Star Stories.”
“She’s the one who wrote that story about the bad luck jinx on your last movie,” Jessie exclaimed.
“That’s right. If it hadn’t been for Monica, nobody would have paid any attention to what had happened,” Tate said. “But she was always lurking around the movie set. That’s how she found out about everything.”
“She’s looking for you now,” Benny said. “And she knew Greta’s real name. But we didn’t tell her.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. That would have given me away for sure. But what I don’t understand is how Monica knew to look for me in Greenfield. Hardly anyone knows where I am,” Tate said.
“Stefan and Harpo know,” said Violet.
“And your mother and your bodyguard,” added Jessie.
“And your agent,” Henry said. “Anybody else?”
Tate thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No. Even if there are other people working on the film who know where we are going to shoot it, they don’t know I’m here yet. In fact, we told everyone that I was going to France for a vacation.”
“Someone must have told her,” said Violet.
“But who?” Tate said. “We were so careful not to let anyone know.”
When they reached Tate’s house, the Aldens said good-bye to Tate and Greta. As they pedaled up to the gates, they saw Courtney standing by one of the gateposts. She had her arms folded and her mouth set in a thin line.
“Uh-oh,” said Benny. “She looks mad!”
Courtney said, “Well, there you are! Are you trying to make me lose my job?”
Tate looked startled. “No,” he said.
“Well, I will, if anything happens to you,” she said crossly. “Come inside. We’ve all been out looking everywhere for you.”
“But I left a note,” Tate protested.
“I didn’t see any note,” Courtney snapped. “We thought you might have been kidnapped. It wasn’t until I noticed that the bike and Greta and her leash were gone that I was able to convince your mother to stop worrying.”
Tate shrugged. “Okay, okay,” he said. “I’m sorry. But I did leave a note. And nothing happened.” He said to the Aldens, “Thanks. Greta and I had a great time.”
As Tate and Greta walked in the gate, Violet said impulsively, “Why don’t you come to dinner at our house tonight?”
“That’s impossible,” Courtney snapped. “The security risk is too high.”
“I’d love to,” Tate said, ignoring Courtney. “What time should I be there?”
“Seven o’clock. And you can come, too,” Violet said, smiling shyly at Courtney.
“See you then,” Tate said.
Courtney closed the gate and locked it. Tate took Courtney’s arm as they walked up the driveway. “Don’t worry,” the Aldens heard him say to her. “If you’re with me, what can happen?”
“What a good idea, Violet,” said Jessie.
“Let’s hurry home so we can tell Mrs. McGregor,” Henry said.
“Yes. And we can ask her to make an extra-special dessert,” Benny put in.
“Tate will be safe at our house, won’t he?” asked Violet anxiously.
“Sure he will. We have Watch to stand guard,” Benny said.
“A movie star for dinner!” exclaimed Mrs. McGregor. “Goodness gracious.” Her eyes twinkled. “I’d better make a special dessert. What do you think, Benny?”
“Yes!” cried Benny. “Cake and ice cream and pie and—”
“I’ll make a cake,” Mrs. McGregor said. “Chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.”
“Chocolate cake is my favorite,” said Benny.
“Every cake is your favorite, Benny,” teased Henry, smiling at his younger brother.
“Today it is chocolate cake,” said Benny “Mrs. McGregor’s chocolate cake.”
“Let’s go pick some flowers,” Violet suggested. “We can fill a vase with flowers to go on the table for dinner.”
“That sounds great,” said Jessie.
The Aldens went out into the yard to gather flowers for a bouquet for the dinner table. They gathered roses and the long stalks of a lacy fern.
Benny found the feather of a blue jay. “Let’s put this in the flower arrangement, too,” he suggested. “It’s a pretty color.”
“It will look nice with the pink roses,” Violet said.
Jessie looked over at Henry. Henry’s mouth had suddenly dropped open. “What is it, Henry?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
“The feather!” said Henry. “I’d forgotten about the feather. It’s still in my pocket from yesterday.”
Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out the piece of red feather that the Aldens had found the day before near the car tracks by Old Farm Road.
Violet gasped. “The red feather. It’s the same color as the one on Monica Tripe’s hat!”
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