Ghost at the Drive-In Movie Read Online Free PDF Page B

have to wash your hands first,” said Henry. “What on Earth did you get on them?”
    Benny looked down at his palms, which were covered with gritty red-brown dust. “I don’t know!” he said.
    Jessie took Benny’s hand and looked closer. “It looks like rust. I bet you got it when you were playing on that old metal ladder behind the movie screen.”
    “Oops,” said Benny. “I’ll wash up!”
    At the restaurant table a few minutes later, Jessie smiled as Benny reached for a basket of rolls with clean hands. It reminded her of something she’d noticed the day before, but she couldn’t remember what.
    The waiter brought out bowls of macaroni and cheese, bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches, and salads with big croutons. Everything was so good, they forgot about the strange things that had been happening at the drive-in theater. It wasn’t until lunch was nearly over that Uncle Flick even mentioned the theater at all.
    “I’ve got some news to share,” he said. He put down his napkin. “This afternoon I’m visiting the bank. I’m going to talk to my banker about selling the Diamond Drive-in.”
    Benny stopped with his fork in the air. Violet, Jessie, and Henry fell silent, too.
    “Is there someone who wants to buy it, Flick?” Grandfather asked.
    “As a matter of fact, there is,” Uncle Flick answered. “Dan Brinker.”
    Grandfather raised an eyebrow. “That car salesman? He wants to run the movie theater?”
    “That’s what he told the banker,” said Uncle Flick.
    “He told us he loves movies!” Benny said.
    Uncle Flick nodded. “I know it seems a bit odd that Dan would want to run the theater. But he seems to love the place. And he’s a good businessman, too. I trust him.”
    “Yes, but—” Jessie spoke up. “What about Joey? Couldn’t he run the theater? He’s almost old enough.”
    Uncle Flick looked thoughtful. “I would be so happy if Joey took over the business. But I don’t think he wants to. He works hard, but he’s always disappearing on the job. I think it means he doesn’t want to be there. But Dan, on the other hand—he comes to the theater because he likes it. Of course, I haven’t made my final decision. That will take time. This is only the first meeting with my banker.”
    “It’s a big decision,” Grandfather said.
    The children agreed.
    While Uncle Flick met with the banker, the Aldens went shopping along the main street of the little town. Then they all drove back to the drive-in theater in the afternoon.
    As the minivan drove up along the road at the edge of the theater, they saw something was very wrong. There was a police car parked by the snack bar! Grandfather drove straight across the lot to the little building.
    Joey and Amy were standing near the police car taking with the policewoman. Uncle Flick rushed over to join them. The Aldens could see that Joey looked very upset.
    “There’s been another prank! It’s the worst yet,” he cried.
    The Aldens, Uncle Flick, Joey, and Amy walked with the police officer around the kitchen of the snack bar. It was a mess! The refrigerators had been unplugged and left open for hours, and the food inside was spoiled. Someone had dumped oil all over the popcorn bags and ruined them. Worst of all, the cord to the popcorn machine had been cut.
    “Joey! Why weren’t you keeping an eye on things?” Uncle Flick shouted.
    “Now, Mr. Fletcher,” the policewoman said. “Your nephew tells me he came in here at the same time he always does, and he found it this way. Whoever did this broke in here hours ago.”
    “They must have done it when we left to go to lunch,” Jessie said.
    “Sometimes I come in here early,” Joey said. “I wish I’d done that today! Maybe if I had, I could’ve stopped the person who did this! But I was off working on … something else. I wish I’d been here earlier!”
    The children saw that Joey felt just awful. Maybe he really did care about the movie theater, more than Uncle Flick