The Pizza Mystery Read Online Free PDF

folks.”
    â€œI’m one of the hungry folks!” Benny joked.
    The Piccolos and Aldens barely had time to talk once the lunchtime customers came in. Henry had handed out a huge pile of flyers and coupons that morning. It seemed that every person who got one decided to come in at the same time. There were so many customers, people had to wait for tables. It took a while for Jessie to notice Tom Morgan standing in line right behind The Lady in the Red Hat.
    â€œI guess I’ll just have to get a take-out pizza,” Tom said when Jessie finally spotted him in the crowd.
    She gave Tom a big smile. “Well, we just ordered a good supply of take-out boxes. Big ones and little ones. What size would you like, Tom?”
    â€œPlenty big,” Tom answered. “I’m bringing back some lunch for my helpers.”
    â€œHelpers,” Jessie said, out of breath. “That’s what we could use right now. For once, four Aldens aren’t enough.”
    Tom looked around the dining room. “Isn’t Nick back yet? I haven’t seen him around since he got sick. He must be better by now.”
    â€œI wish,” Jessie sighed. She handed Tom a take-out menu. “Mrs. Piccolo called him yesterday, but he wouldn’t say when he was coming back. If things stay as busy as they are today, we’ll definitely need an extra pair of hands around here.”
    â€œNot to mention your delivery service,” Tom reminded Jessie. “Henry came by the station for bike parts. He said he wanted to build a delivery box on top of the bike so he could take pizzas to people’s homes.”
    Tom pointed to the large Pizza Supreme listed on the take-out menu. “Here’s what I’d like. My mouth has been watering for one of these for weeks now,” Tom told Jessie. “Well, it looks as if you kids have already made a difference with your good ideas.”
    Jessie wanted to keep chatting with Tom, but there were onions to be chopped, cheese to be grated, and sausage to be fried. There weren’t enough Aldens and Piccolos to get everything done.
    â€œBoy, did that go by fast,” Benny said after the last customer had finally left two hours later.
    â€œEverything was a blur, but a nice blur,” Violet said with a smile.
    She and the other children sat down with the Piccolos to take a welcome break.
    Henry checked the restaurant clock. “I guess we’d better get the dining room set up for the dinner crowd.”
    â€œYou mean we have to do this all over again tonight?” Benny said in amazement.
    Everyone laughed so hard, they didn’t hear the bell on the front door jingle. When they finally looked up, they saw their steadiest customer, The Lady in the Red Hat, standing in the restaurant.
    Only this time, she was The Lady with No Hat. “Excuse me,” the young woman called out nervously. “Did I leave my hat here?”
    Benny ran to the Lost and Found box under the cash register! “Here it is!” he cried when he held up the woman’s red knit hat. “Now you’re The Lady in the Red Hat again!”
    This made the young woman smile. “I’m also Laurie Baker,” she told Benny. “Thank you for finding my hat.”
    â€œI wish I could find the menu that was at your table yesterday,” Benny said. “It’s lost.”
    The young woman’s smile instantly disappeared. She turned to leave.
    â€œCome back,” Mrs. Piccolo called out. “Share a cup of tea with us.”
    The woman looked pale and nervous. She didn’t seem too interested in staying.
    â€œPlease, Miss Baker,” Mrs. Piccolo said. “It’s cold out. We’d like to thank you. You’re one of the few customers who came to the restaurant in the last few weeks when everything was so slow.”
    â€œSit,” Mr. Piccolo insisted, and the young woman finally did.
    While Mr. Piccolo got up to put on the kettle, Mrs.