Old Motel Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page A

said. “The painters should finish soon. Yesterday I placed an ad about my motel in several northern papers. In a few months it will soon be time for my ‘Snowbirds’ to fly south.”
    â€œSnowbirds?” Violet asked quietly.
    Kay smiled. “Yes, that’s what we Floridians call tourists from the north who fly south for the winter. I’m hopeful that I’ll soon be receiving reservations to fill my motel.” Her eyes began to sparkle and once again she seemed full of hope. “In the meantime, how would you like to pick oranges?”
    â€œYes!” Benny shouted. “That will be fun.”
    â€œGood,” Kay said. “If we’re to serve orange juice every morning to tourists, I’ll have to squeeze the juice and freeze it.” She reached over and touched Benny’s hand. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re all as sweet and helpful as your Aunt Jane.”
    â€œAw,” Benny murmured. “It’s nothing.”
    Jessie moved to the door. “The oranges are waiting for us.”
    They all laughed and followed her out to the backyard. They stood beneath the trees that were drooping with oranges ripe for the picking.
    Leaning against the house was a ladder that Henry carried to the first tree. Jessie and Violet brought six bushel baskets from the same spot. They began to pull big oranges off the branches and drop them in the baskets.
    The Aldens worked for an hour in the morning and came back in the afternoon. Catherine Wilson climbed the hill.
    â€œWhy are you picking all these oranges?” the attractive tall girl asked, glancing at the two full baskets.
    â€œKay intends to freeze juice for her winter tourists,” Violet said.
    â€œI hope her motel is better occupied than it is now,” Catherine said.
    â€œIt will be!” Benny answered positively.
    â€œI hope so,” Catherine said, wiping her forehead with a handkerchief. “It’s hot today,” she said. “I just returned from the Seminole camp, and I think I need a swim.

    Why don’t you stop picking oranges and join me,” she urged.
    â€œWe want to finish filling these baskets,” Jessie said. “We will later.”
    â€œPlease come,” Catherine coaxed. “I don’t want to swim alone.”
    â€œWe’d like to,” Henry said, placing several oranges in the basket, “but we’d better finish.”
    â€œThe oranges will be there tomorrow,” Catherine urged.
    â€œSorry,” Violet said. “We’ll join you later.”
    â€œOh, all right,” Catherine said in a disappointed voice. With a wave Catherine headed down the hill. How gracefully she moves, Jessie thought. She picked a big orange and tossed it down to Violet, still thinking about Catherine. Why did she want them to quit working? She had been so insistent.
    When Kay came out, Jessie forgot her suspicions of Catherine. “Hi, Kay,” she said, stepping down from the ladder.
    â€œWhy, you have six baskets brimming with oranges!” Kay exclaimed. “How wonderful!” Thoughtfully, she tapped a finger on her chin. “Let’s see, we’ll put three baskets in the kitchen, and we’ll leave the rest by the back door. I’ll deal with those in the morning.”
    The children were pleased that they had helped Kay. “Now,” Benny said, “you’ll have lots and lots of orange juice.”
    Kay laughed. “You’re right, Benny.”
    â€œCan we go for a swim now?” Benny asked, squinting up at Henry.
    â€œYou bet,” Henry said.
    They raced down the hill to change into their swimsuits.
    When they got to the pool, Catherine had already left, but they had a splashing good swim.
    After a supper of hamburgers, baked beans, and chocolate cake, they almost fell into bed. They were tired from a day of hard work and their long swim.
    As they slept, a soft rain fell, but