The Pinstripe Ghost Read Online Free PDF Page B

were
soooo
close!” he said. “If only that Seattle batter hadn’t hit a grand slam.”
    “I know,” Kate said. “There’s always tomorrow’s game. And if we hurry, we can stop by the souvenir stand to buy a shirt before we meet my mother.”
    A few minutes later, they were standing in line at the souvenir shop near the food court. Kate had a dark blue New York Yankees shirt in her hand.
    WHOOSH!
The air vent above them came on full blast. A rush of cool air blew through the shop.
    Mike jumped. “Wow, that’s cold,” he said. “Maybe you should buy a Yankees jacket instead of a shirt! Those vents come on fast.”
    Kate grabbed Mike’s arm. “That’s it! The air conditioner vent!” she said. “It’s just like the subway grates on the sidewalk. Remember how the subway train pushed all that air up through the sidewalk vents?”
    “Yes, so it looked funny when I jumped a little bit,” Mike said. “But it was a whole lot funnier when you dropped that package of eggs at my house because my father scared you.”
    “You’re missing the point, Mike,” Kate said. “The ghostly chill. Remember? What if the cold air in the air-conditioning vent near Bud’s hot dog stand got pushed out all at once? It would be just the same as when the subway train went by!”
    “It would feel like a ghost!” Mike said.“But why would that happen? Do you think the subway next to the stadium is doing it somehow?”
    “No, but what if the other end of that vent was outside? It’s still spring, so it’s colder outside the stadium,” Kate said. “Maybe someone opened up the other end of the vent. That would let in a rush of cold air all at once, like a ghost!”
    “So that’s why Bud always feels the chill and
then
hears the noise,” Mike said. “But who is opening the air-conditioning vent?”
    “I’m not sure. But there’s one way to find out,” Kate said. “Let’s get here early before tomorrow’s game. I think I know how to solve the mystery!”

The Red Stain
    In the morning, Kate and Mike could hardly wait to get to the ballpark. They sat impatiently through a late breakfast. They fidgeted while Mrs. Hopkins talked to her boss on the phone. Finally, they left the hotel. The game started at one o’clock.
    When they got to the ballpark it was noon. Kate was nervous. What if they missed their chance?
    “I’ll see you later,” Mrs. Hopkins said.“Enjoy the game. If you need me, I’ll be in the pressroom.” She turned and walked to the elevator.
    “Mike, hurry!” Kate said. “Race you to the hot dog stand!”
    She tagged Mike and took off. They tore down the stairs and past crowds of fans going to their seats. Kate touched the counter of the hot dog stand seconds before her cousin.
    “Beat you,” Kate panted.
    “No fair,” Mike said. “You had a head start.” He bent over to catch his breath. “I’m thirsty. Wait up while I get a PowerPunch.”
    A long line of customers snaked back from the stand. Bud was working quickly to keep up with the orders for hot dogs, pretzels, and sodas.
    “Skip the drink,” Kate said to Mike. “There’s no time to waste.”
    “Okay,” Mike said. “But you owe me one.”
    They slipped past the customers and into the service hallway. Near the end, Mike and Kate crouched behind the large black trash cart. No one could see them there. And it gave them a perfect view of the storeroom.
    But after fifteen minutes, Mike started rubbing his legs. “I’m getting sore,” he said. “Can we stand up for a minute?”

    “No, we need to stay hidden,” whispered Kate. “It’s a good thing you’re not a catcher. You wouldn’t last more than a few batters!”
    Kate peeked around the edge of the trash cart. Suddenly, she grabbed Mike’s arm. “It’s him! It’s him! Here comes Mr. Williams,” she hissed.
    Mr. Williams was walking toward them with big strides. His eyes darted from side to side.
    “He saw us!” Mike whispered. “What do we do now?”
    “Shh!”