Jessie skated quickly over to Henry, who was standing beside the bench congratulating the players. Violet and Benny were with him. Grandfather was still up in the stands chatting with some of the parents.
“Henry, Violet, Benny!” Jessie called out.
“Hey Jessie! You finally got your goal!” Violet said.
“And it was a great one!” said Benny.
“There’s something I’ve got to show you,” said Jessie, her voice urgent.
Now the other Aldens realized Jessie didn’t look as happy and excited as everyone else.
“What is it?” Violet asked.
Jessie led them off to one side. “Look at this stick.” She pointed to the signature.
“That’s the missing stick, isn’t it?” said Benny.
“How did you end up with it?” asked Henry.
“You’re the one who gave it to me!” Jessie said. “Remember, when my stick broke?”
“I just picked it out of the bin with the extra sticks,” said Henry. “How could it have gotten in there?”
“Wait a minute,” Jessie said. “Beth went to get the extra sticks before the game.”
“How did she end up with this stick?” Henry asked.
“I don’t know,” said Jessie. “I’m afraid the same way she ended up with the missing jersey.”
“I think we’d better show Coach,” said Henry.
The children didn’t want to interrupt the celebration that was going on around Coach Reynolds. All around him, players and parents were talking, cheering, and patting him on the back.
The Aldens waited until most of the people had left, and then they went over. “Coach Reynolds, take a look at this stick,” said Jessie, holding it up for him to see.
Kevin took the stick from Jessie and looked at it. “This is my stick.” He looked confused. “Where did you get it?”
“When my stick broke, Henry grabbed another and handed it to me. This was it!” Jessie explained.
“I don’t understand—how did it get mixed in with the extra sticks?” Coach Reynolds asked. “Wasn’t it in that box of stuff I gave you?”
“I’d been trying to tell you,” Henry said, “but you’ve been so busy I didn’t get a chance. There were two things missing from the box. One was this stick. The other was a jersey.”
“The jersey I know about,” Kevin said.
“You do?” said Benny.
“Yes, I can explain that later,” said Kevin. “But the stick ...”
“Remember you sent Beth to get extra sticks, from Scott’s office?” Jessie said.
“That’s right,” Kevin said. “I think we’d better talk to Beth and Scott and see if we can figure out what happened.”
Just then, Beth came out of the locker room.
“Beth!” Kevin called.
“Yes?” Beth said, coming over.
“Where did you get this stick?” Kevin asked her.
Beth looked confused. “Is that one of the ones I picked up from Scott’s office?” she asked. “They were in the closet in his office. There were a couple together, and then one by itself. I just grabbed them all.”
“Okay, thanks,” Kevin said.
“No problem,” Beth said. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” Kevin said. “Nothing for you to worry about. You played a good game!”
“Thanks,” said Beth, turning to go.
Kevin turned back to the Aldens. “Let’s go talk to Scott and see if he knows how this stick got into his closet.”
As Kevin and the children walked to Scott’s office, they went past Tracey’s.
“Great game!” she said, stepping out from behind her desk.
“Thanks,” said Kevin.
Henry caught a glimpse of the orange cones in her office. He took a deep breath and decided to ask Tracey what they’d all been wondering. “Um, are those Kevin’s orange cones?”
Kevin looked where Henry was pointing. “Oh, that’s what I should have done,” Kevin said. “Borrowed Tracey’s cones.”
“So those aren’t yours?” Jessie asked.
“No, she has her own,” said Kevin.
“I use them for beginning skaters,” Tracey explained. “Why—did you think I’d taken Kevin’s?”
“Well, we did kind of wonder,” Violet said.
“Why would I do that?” Tracey asked.
“Because you don’t like hockey,” Benny said. “You said it’s too dangerous.”
Tracey blushed. “You know, after watching a few of your games, I may be changing my mind. It is a great game to watch.”
Kevin and the Aldens went on to Scott’s office. Henry and Jessie reached the doorway first. They heard him on the phone. “Yes, that’s right. I want the whole seating area around the rink refinished. And the lobby, too. The place will be as good as new—better than new.”
Kevin poked his head into the office. Scott waved and mouthed that he’d be off the phone soon.
Kevin motioned for the children to wait outside until Scott had finished his call and then started to walk away. They could hear Scott saying, “In a couple of months? Great—I can’t wait to see it! I can’t wait until everyone in Greenfield sees it!”
Suddenly Henry looked at Jessie, his eyes wide. “Do you think Scott could be—”
“The one who’s been causing all the trouble?” Jessie said, finishing her brother’s sentence.
Henry nodded and caught up with Kevin.
“Coach, before we talk to Scott, could we talk to you for a minute in your office?” Jessie said.
Kevin looked at the children for a moment, wondering what they needed to talk to him about. “Sure,” he said.
As soon as they were all in Kevin’s office, Henry shut the door behind them.
“Coach,” Jessie began, “we’ve noticed some strange things going on ever since you came to Greenfield. We think someone’s been trying to stop you from building the rink.”
“You mean by doing things like ruining the architect’s plans?” Kevin asked.
“Yes, and causing trouble for you so the town council would think you were disorganized—like stealing the orange cones and hockey stick,” Jessie added.
Kevin nodded slowly.
“We think it may be Mr. Kaplan,” said Violet.
“Scott?” Kevin said. “But why?”
“He’s probably worried about the new rink taking too much business away from this rink,” Henry said.
“But he’s not even going to be here,” said Kevin. “He’s moving to Florida.”
“Maybe that’s just what he wants us to think,” Jessie said. “But did you hear what he said on the phone just now? He’s planning on redoing the whole rink. He said it would take a few months.”
“That doesn’t sound like the kind of thing someone would do if they were moving away,” said Henry.
Kevin shook his head slowly. “No, it doesn’t.”
Just then, Scott came into Kevin’s office. “Congratulations! Great game!”
“Thanks,” said Kevin. “Er, Scott ... there’s something I want to ask you. Are you moving to Florida?”
“Yes, I am,” Scott said. “I’ll be out of here in a few weeks.”
“So you’re not worried about my building a new rink?” Kevin went on.
“No—no,” Scott said. He sounded tense.
“That will be someone else’s problem after I’m gone.” He laughed nervously.
“Then why are you planning on redoing the whole rink over the next few months?” Kevin asked.
Scott looked around at the Aldens. “So you heard what I was saying on the phone?”
“Yes,” Kevin said, his voice serious. “You’re the one who ruined the architect’s plans, aren’t you?”
Scott sank down in a chair, his head in his hands. After a moment he looked up and nodded slowly, his face pale and grim.
“And you took the cones, and the hockey stick, too?” Kevin went on.
“Yes,” Scott said quietly.
“But why?” Kevin asked.
Scott sighed. “I love this place—it’s my whole life. If you build that new rink, who’s going to want to come to this old place anymore? I’ll be forced to close.”
“But if you weren’t really planning on moving, how come we saw a brochure about Florida in your office?” asked Benny.
“I thought about moving, but I can’t do it.” Scott took a deep breath. “I know what I did was wrong, but I just couldn’t help it.”
Just then Tracey appeared in the doorway. “I have an idea that may help both rinks.”
“Tracey—” Scott said.
“Yes, I heard what you were talking about,” Tracey said. “I’m shocked at what you did, Scott, but I understand how you feel. With all this interest in hockey, I’ve been worried that there wouldn’t be as many people taking figure skating lessons. And if that happens, then I’ll lose my job.”
“I still want to take lessons with you,” said Jessie. She smiled at Kevin. “Hockey was fun, but I miss figure skating.”
“I’ve missed you, too,” said Tracey.
“So what’s your idea?” asked Jessie.
“Kevin can focus on hockey in his brand-new modern building, and we’ll focus on figure skating in this beautiful old building,” Tracey suggested.
Scott slowly began to smile. “You know, I like that idea.”
“If they let me build a brand-new modern building,” Kevin said. “I still haven’t heard from the town council.”
“Hello,” cried a loud cheery voice from the hallway. Mrs. Davidson pushed her way into the crowded office. She was wearing a Scouts jersey.
“Hey, wait a minute,” said Jessie. “Isn’t that ...” She motioned to the jersey.
“Yes,” Mrs. Davidson said. “It’s an autographed Kevin Reynolds jersey. Beth and my husband bought it for me as a surprise. Wasn’t that nice?”
“So that’s why Jessie saw it in Beth’s bag,” said Benny.
“And why Beth didn’t want me to tell anyone,” said Jessie.
“And that’s why you weren’t worried about it,” Henry said to Kevin.
“That’s right,” Coach Reynolds said. “I sold it to them. But I have others we can display.”
“I just came by to tell you,” Mrs. Davidson said, “the town council has agreed to let you build the rink.”
“They have?” Kevin asked excitedly.
“Yes, thanks to me,” she added. “They were worried about the traffic on Overlook Road, so I came up with a plan to add another lane on the highway and put in a stoplight.”
“So that’s what your plan was,” Jessie said.
“Hooray!” cried Henry. “Coach Reynolds can build his rink!”
“And the Polar Bears won!” added Kevin.
“And Jessie scored the winning goal!” Violet put in.
“Let’s go celebrate!” said Benny. “Hot chocolate for everyone!”
The next day was the big party to celebrate the new rink. The Aldens got dressed in their best clothes and drove to the Greenfield Rink. Kevin and his family were already there, greeting the mayor, members of the town council, and other people from Greenfield who were interested in the new rink. Tracey and the other skating instructors and all the Polar Bears were there with their families.
The Polar Bears had worked together with the Aldens to set up a beautiful display of Kevin’s hockey memorabilia in the party room at the rink. As soon as the celebration started, Scott was going to present the Polar Bears with a trophy and the mayor was going to make a speech.
But before the speech was made, Cathy pulled Jessie aside. Cathy’s face looked serious. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
“What is it?” Jessie asked.
“I’m going to be taking figure skating lessons with you,” she said.
“You are? That’s great!” Jessie said. “So why do you look so worried?”
“Well, there’s something else I have to tell you.” Cathy took a deep breath. “I was the one who took your figure skates.”
“It was you?” Jessie said.
“Yes. I’ve always wanted to try figure skating, but with a dad who’s a hockey player—well, you don’t really have much choice,” Cathy explained. “That’s why I wasn’t very nice some of the time—I think I was just jealous of you and tired of hockey.”
“I noticed that sometimes you really didn’t seem to care whether the team won or lost,” said Jessie.
“That’s true,” said Cathy. “Anyway I saw your skates in your bag, and I wasn’t really thinking. I just grabbed them so I could try them out, see what they felt like. I always intended to return them. I tried to return them that night I saw you in the locker room, but I couldn’t do it until the next day, when you left your bag open.”
“Is that what you were doing here so late that night?” Jessie asked.
“Yes,” said Cathy. “It was so much fun to try them—but I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“You should have just told me,” said Jessie. “I would have been happy to lend them to you.”
“Yes, I should have,” Cathy said. She looked down and poked at the floor with the toe of her sneaker. “Anyway, I finally got up the nerve and told my dad how I felt. And he said he’d love for me to take figure skating. So everything’s okay now. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Of course I can,” said Jessie. She smiled at Cathy. “Now let’s go back to the party, friend.”
Together, Jessie and Cathy walked back to the party room, where people were gathering to look at the display the children had set up. Henry, Violet, and Benny joined the two girls.
“I’m so glad you and your dad moved to Greenfield,” Benny said to Cathy, grinning.
“We all are,” added Henry, and Violet nodded.
Cathy looked at each of the Aldens. “You know,” she said, “I’m glad, too.” |