Boardwalk Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page A

outstretched.
    Mr. Hanson set his box on the floor. “It is a good display, isn’t it? I made it myself. Watch this.” He flipped another switch. The zombies’ legs began to move back and forth and the room was filled with a moaning sound. It looked like the zombies were marching straight at the Aldens!
    Benny held on to Jessie’s hand. “I don’t like it in here,” he whispered. “It’s all pretend,” Jessie said. “Don’t worry.”
    Benny stayed very close to Jessie as Mr. Hanson led the children through the haunted house. There was a room with a huge green-faced Frankenstein and a room with a cackling witch on a broom. In the last room, scary jack-o’-lanterns blinked orange. But the rest of the room was empty.
    “The ghosts used to be right here.” Mr. Hanson pointed to an empty side of the room. There were dark posts lined up next to the wall. But there was nothing else. Mr. Hanson opened the box and everyone carefully removed the ghosts. Mr. Hanson showed the children how to fit the ghosts onto the posts. After the ghosts were screwed on, Violet fluffed out the long white material.
    Mr. Hanson turned to Violet. “You did a wonderful job. These ghosts are even better than the ones that were stolen. Why don’t you turn on this switch and I will show you what your ghosts can do?”
    Violet hit the switch. The posts moved up and down and so did the ghosts! A hidden fan blew air across the ghosts and they seemed to be floating and shimmering in the air.
    “Oh my!” Violet cried. “That is very clever! Your machine makes my ghosts move. It really looks like they are flying!”
    “Thank you, Violet,” said Mr. Hanson. Suddenly, a loud banging came from the zombie room.
    “What could that be?” Mr. Hanson hurried toward the sound. The children followed.
    They found Will. He was kicking the wall with his shoe.
    “Will! What are you doing?” asked Mr. Hanson.
    “I called you, but you didn’t answer,” Will said. “Linda and Jake are not showing up for work tonight. Mr. Cooke hired them for his pier and he promised to pay them more money. I can’t do everything by myself. And I am hungry. I’m leaving to go get some food.” Will kicked the wall again.
    “Will, can’t you just wait until later? I need your help.”
    Will shrugged. “Sorry, Dad. This whole amusement pier thing is your dream, not mine. It’s not my fault that you can’t make it work.” Will turned and left.
    Mr. Hanson sighed. He put his hands deep into his pockets. “Maybe Will is right,” he said. “Maybe I just can’t make it work. I’ve worked so hard, but nothing seems to be turning out right. Maybe I should sell the pier and go back to my old job in Colorado.” “But it’s not your fault that everything is going wrong,” Benny said.
    Mr. Hanson looked up, surprised. “What do you mean?”
    “Benny is right, Mr. Hanson,” Henry said. “You have a wonderful amusement pier. But someone wants you to fail. Someone is trying to ruin you.”
    Mr. Hanson rubbed his forehead. “Ruin me? But who would do such a thing?” he asked.
    “We’re not sure yet,” Jessie said.
    “But whoever it is, is playing a lot of very mean tricks on you,” Henry said.
    “And you have a truly wonderful amusement pier,” Violet added. “You have created some amazing rides.”
    Mr. Hanson smiled. “Thanks, kids. You are very kind. I guess I shouldn’t give up just yet.” He sighed. “Looks like I will be short on help again tonight, though.”
    “What jobs did Linda and Jake have?” Henry asked.
    “Jake runs this haunted house ride,” Mr. Hanson said. “And Linda is in charge of the Big Slide. I’ll have to close a few of the rides tonight. It’s always so hard to choose.”
    “You don’t need to close anything,” Henry said. “Benny and I can run the haunted house ride.”
    “And I would be happy to help out with the Big Slide,” Violet said.
    “I’ll go straight to the ticket booth,” Jessie added.
    Mr. Hanson