The Mystery at Mead's Mountain

would come, so she could keep an eye on him. But he looked so tired. He really must be lonely, she thought. Then something startling occurred to her.
    Maybe he was coming so he could keep an eye on her!

An Evening to Remember • 10

    DUSK WAS ALREADY FALLING as the group pulled into the charming little village of Groverville. Quiet streets and cozy homes encircled the parklike town square as if it were a magnet. At one end of the square was a picturesque New England church, its steeple silhouetted like a white spear against the darkening sky. Opposite the church was the old town meeting house, with the date 1799 over the doorway. Linda explained that it was still used for town meetings.
    Trixie was most impressed by the huge old maples lining the streets. When those trees leafed in the spring, they would form a honeycomb of tunnels throughout the town.
    Wanda pointed out a particularly gnarled old tree in the center of the town square. “They say that’s where Thomas Mead was hanged,” she told them. “There’s a statue nearby of the two men who captured him, but the hanging tree gets a lot more attention.”
    “Don’t you think we should take them by the restaurant now while it’s still light?” asked Linda. “Then we can go back and see Jenny.”
    Wanda agreed and steered the Tan Van along the river until they were out of town. They turned a corner and came to an old covered bridge. As the van rumbled over the wooden structure, Di sighed, “Isn’t this romantic?” No one disagreed with her.
    On the other side of the bridge were an old sawmill and barn. Both were blanketed with snow. “Everything looks just like a scene from a Christmas card!” exclaimed Trixie.
    Wanda explained that the sawmill was no longer in use, but that it had been the one that provided the boards for the bridge. To the Bob-Whites’ surprise, they discovered that the old barn was the Purple Turnip restaurant.
    It was all but dark by the time they reached the Fleming home, though just light enough to see a white picket fence and snowman in the front yard, and a little girl running down the front walk toward the van, blond pigtails flying behind her. She was wearing blue jeans and a turquoise T-shirt. Her gait was awkward, but her smile was one of pure delight. She gave giant bear hugs to her sisters and sunny greetings to the rest of them.
    “Come inside,” she begged, tugging on Wanda’s hand. “Come on, the tea party’s all ready!”
    The inside of the house was simply furnished, although, like the Belden home, it was overflowing with years of accumulated Christmas decorations. On one wall were several neatly framed crayon scribblings. Trixie went over to look. Each picture was a combination of brilliant colors signed with a careful, though not always accurately spelled, “Jenny.”
    Jenny had them sit on the floor around a long low coffee table in the living room. In front of each of them was a doll-sized plate and teacup and a Christmas napkin.
    The door from the kitchen opened, and a largeboned woman came out. She had short black hair that was turning steel gray at the temples and eyes that crinkled at the corners. Moving with the grace of a ballet dancer, she set her tray down near Jenny.
    As the boys started to stand to greet her, she said, “No, please keep on sitting. I know how difficult it is to get up from that table! I’m Mrs. Fleming. I told Jenny that you were going to eat dinner right away and that it was too late for a tea party, but she insisted. I hope you don’t mind.”
    “Not at all,” Mart spoke up quickly. “We’re in favor of eating any time.”
    “We’re going to take them to the Purple Turnip, Mom,” Linda said.
    “Oh, good, then we aren’t spoiling your dinner. Service is very slow there,” Mrs. Fleming said, her eyes twinkling with laughter. “This tea party is special for Jenny. She has learned something very difficult, and when she found out you were coming, she chose this as her reward. Jenny, why don’t you show off what you learned?”
    Jenny ran back to the entry way, where all the boots and shoes were lined up, and grabbed a pair of tennis shoes. She came back and sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace. She put them on and slowly tied the lace on the right shoe into a bow.
    “Oh, Jenny,” Wanda breathed.
    “Not done yet,” Jenny cut her off. Then, with the same concentration, she tied her left shoelace.
    Linda and Wanda jumped up and hugged their sister