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back inside the station. He heard a phone ringing. Both Avery and Frances were already tied up on other calls.
    Benny spied an extension in the break-room and picked up the receiver. Before he could say anything, he heard a man saying, “I must have an answer.”
    Benny’s mouth dropped open in surprise. The gravelly voice sounded like Earl Biggs! Was he on another phone in the station?
    Then another person spoke. “I need more time,” she said.
    Benny recognized the other voice, too. It was Jocelyn Hawley. She sounded upset.
    What was Earl Biggs demanding from her?

CHAPTER 5
The Face in the Photograph
    Before Benny could hear any more, Frances St. Clair swept into the breakroom.
    “What are you doing?” she said sharply. “The station phones are not toys.”
    Benny quickly hung up the receiver. “It kept ringing, so I answered it.”
    “From now on,” Frances said frostily, “let the grown-ups answer the phones.”
    She fetched a bottle of water from the refrigerator, then left without another word.
    Why is she always so grouchy? Benny wondered.
    Violet stuck her head in the door. “We’re ready to go, Benny. How come you look so funny? Did something happen?”
    Before Benny could reply Frances came back in with Gwen. Gwen tidied the counter while they talked about the next day’s show.
    “Tell you later when we’re alone,” Benny whispered to Violet.
    Gwen walked back to Jocelyn’s house with them. She seemed distant. When they reached Jocelyn’s, Gwen went straight to her bedroom and shut the door.
    Grandfather and Jocelyn were in the office, studying a chart on the computer screen.
    Henry, Jessie, Benny, and Violet settled on the couches in a small study upstairs. They were eager to discuss the mystery.
    “Does anybody have anything to report?” Henry asked. “Suspicious behavior, clues …”
    “Frances St. Clair might be a suspect,” Violet said. “She doesn’t like kids very much.”
    “A lot of people don’t like children,” Jessie pointed out. “That doesn’t make them thieves.”
    “I think Frances is kind of strange, too,” Henry said. “But why would she take the microphones and the records? What’s her motive?”
    “She doesn’t seem to like writing the mystery show,” Violet said. “Remember, she wanted to quit, too, when the cast left yesterday.”
    “I think Frances is just grumpy,” Benny said. “My top suspect is Earl Biggs. And I have a clue!”
    “Earl Biggs?” Jessie said. “We’ve never even seen him!”
    “I have,” Benny said. Benny told the others about meeting Earl by the Dumpster and the overheard phone call. “The woman was definitely Jocelyn. And I think the man was Earl Biggs!”
    “Wow,” said Henry. “This is major. What kind of answer do you think he needs from her?”
    “Maybe Earl Biggs is trying to get Jocelyn to sell the station,” Violet suggested.
    Jessie nodded. “That would make Earl a strong suspect. And his auto shop is right next door to the station. He could easily sneak in and out during the day.”
    “He wasn’t very nice, either,” Benny said. “And he said we won’t be doing the mystery show anymore! It sounded like a threat.”
    “We’ll watch out for Earl Biggs,” said Henry. “We could have this mystery wrapped up by tomorrow!”
    After breakfast the next morning, Jessie, Violet, Henry, Benny, and Gwen left for the station.
    “I have a feeling the ‘ghost’ will pay us a visit today,” Gwen predicted as they walked down the street.
    Henry patted his backpack. “I brought flashlights, just in case.”
    When they got to the station, Gwen and the Aldens waved hello to Avery, who was busy in the control booth, then went to the breakroom to wait for Frances to arrive with the script.
    Gwen handed them each a paper cup filled with water. “Sipping water will help your voices,” she advised.
    Violet examined the framed photographs in the display case. “Do you know who these people are?” she asked