The Seattle Puzzle

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  “I like the Emerald City best,” said Violet. “Don’t you, Jessie?”

  But Jessie wasn’t listening. She was watching their waitress lead a young couple to the table by the window. “That’s funny,” she remarked. “I thought that section was closed.”

  The others glanced over. “Our waitress asked us to move over here,” Violet explained to Reena.

  “It probably just opened up,” guessed Reena. “The lunch crowd’s trickling in.”

  Jessie nodded. But she couldn’t help noticing that there were still some empty booths.

  “I’m hoping the rain will let up,” said Reena, quickly changing the subject. “I want to show you a very special place.”

  Benny’s eyes lit up. “Is it the underground city?”

  “No, Benny,” Reena told him. “We’ll be going up, not down.” Seeing their puzzled faces, she added, “I’m taking you to the top of the Space Needle!”

  Jessie and Henry looked at each other. Was it just a coincidence that the strange note had mentioned a needle?

  “I was reading about the Space Needle in one of the brochures,” Violet said. “Wasn’t it built in 1962 for the World’s Fair?”

  “Yes—exactly,” said Reena. “The view from the observation deck is amazing. At least, it is on a clear day.”

  “I bet the sun comes out soon,” said Benny.

  Sure enough, by the time they had finished lunch, the rain had stopped.

  “Will it take us very long to get there?” Benny asked, as Reena led the way along the busy sidewalks. “To the Space Needle, I mean.”

  “Not if we take the Monorail,” Reena told him with a grin.

  Benny scrunched up his face. “The Monorail?”

  “It’s an elevated train, Benny,” Henry explained. “It rides along one rail above the ground.”

  “Oh, I like trains!” chirped Benny.

  Jessie laughed. “We all do!”

  “The Monorail was also built for the World’s Fair,” Reena told them. “It takes people to the Space Needle.”

  They were soon on the Monorail speeding above the streets and past the buildings. In no time at all, they arrived at the Seattle Center. The Aldens could hardly believe their eyes when they caught sight of the Space Needle. Craning their necks, they stared up at the slender steel beams reaching into the sky, topped by a round observation deck. Henry gave a low whistle.

  “Wow!” he said, astonished. “Are we really going all the way to the top?”

  “We sure are,” said Reena. “Just as soon as I get the tickets.”

  “No wonder it’s called the Space Needle,” Benny remarked, while Reena went over to the box office. “It goes right up into space!”

  Henry nodded. “It’s pretty cool.”

  “I’m glad you brought your camera along, Violet,” said Jessie. “I bet you’ll get some great shots up there.”

  But Violet was only half-listening. She had spotted someone coming out of the elevator. Jessie saw her, too.

  “Isn’t that the woman who bumped into you outside the diner?” she asked Violet in surprise.

  “I’m sure of it,” said Violet. Then she added, “She still has her umbrella up. I guess she doesn’t know it stopped raining.”

  Jessie nodded. “No wonder she reminds you of Aunt Jane.”

  “What do you mean, Jessie?”

  “It’s the umbrella,” Jessie pointed out. “Aunt Jane has one just like it. It’s always hanging from a hook in her front hall. Remember?”

  Violet snapped her fingers. “Of course! A blue umbrella with yellow ducks around the rim.”

  “That’s one mystery solved,” said Jessie.

  Violet soon put all thoughts of Aunt Jane aside when Reena returned with their tickets.

  “Next stop—outer space!” Benny said, as they headed towards the elevator.

  The elevator zipped up towards the sky. When they stepped out onto the observation deck, the four Aldens all cried out at once, “Ohhhh!”

  Reena smiled. “This is the first place I bring out-of-town guests. It’s a great place to get a bird’s-eye view of the city.”

  For a moment, the children were too amazed to speak.

  “The view takes my breath away,” Violet said at last.

  “I had a feeling you’d enjoy it.” Reena sounded pleased.

  “The buildings look like Legos,” Benny said.

  “You’re right, Benny.” Henry gazed through the safety grid around the outside of the deck. “Seattle looks like a miniature city from up here.”

  As they made their way around the circular deck, Reena stopped to point out the sights. “Seattle’s surrounded by water and mountains,” she told them. “Look over there. That’s Mount Rainier in the distance.”

  Jessie nodded. “It’s like a big snow cone.”

  “That’s a good way to describe it, Jessie.

  Everything looks small from up here. See that boat heading out on the water? It’s a giant car ferry,” Reena told them. “It’s on its way to that island out there.”

  “Wow,” said Henry. “Look at all those big ships out there.”

  “Yes, there’s everything from cargo ships to fishing boats on Puget Sound,” said Reena. “Back in 1897, miners came to Seattle to board ships that were headed for the Klondike gold fields up north. Nowadays, tourists travel here to take cruise ships up to Alaska.”

  “You can really see for miles and miles,” Henry remarked.

  All around them, people were pointing to the sights, some peering through telescopes set up on the deck.

  “Can we look through a telescope?” Benny asked Reena.

  “Go right ahead, Benny,” said Reena. “That telescope over there has the best view of the city,” Reena said, pointing to an open telescope on the other side of the deck. The children walked towards the telescope as Reena walked to the other side of the deck.

  “If it has the best view of the city, I wonder why no one else is using it,” said Jessie.

  “I have an idea,” said Violet. “Why don’t I take a photo of everybody?”

  “Sure!” Benny was quick to agree. “Mrs. McGregor asked us to take lots of pictures.”

  Jessie, Henry, and Benny posed in front of the telescope, and Violet snapped a picture.

  “Mrs. McGregor will think we’re in a flying saucer,” Benny said.

  Saucer. The word reminded Jessie of the mysterious riddle. “Wait a minute!” she exclaimed. “I think that’s it.”

  Benny blinked in surprise. “It is?”

  “What are you thinking, Jessie?” Henry could tell by the look on his sister’s face that she was onto something.

  Jessie tugged a piece of paper from her pocket. It was the riddle they’d found in the menu. She read it aloud once again:

  “Through the eye of a needle / a clue can be found / where a saucer is resting / high off the ground.” She looked around at the others. “When Benny said ‘flying saucer,’ it suddenly clicked. This observation deck is the answer to the riddle.”

  “The saucer resting high off the ground!” Violet exclaimed. “That’s good detective work, Jessie!”

  Henry added, “The riddle did mention a needle.”

  “And this is the Space Needle!” cried Benny, his voice rising with excitement. Then he frowned. “But what’s the eye of the needle?”

  Henry had an answer. “The telescope!”

  “Of course!” said Jessie. “It’s like an eye looking out at the city.”

  “Do you see anything?” Benny asked as Henry peered through the telescope. The youngest Alden was hopping from one foot to the other with excitement.

  Henry shook his head. “No wonder no one was around this telescope,” he said. “I can’t see anything at all.”

  “Wait a minute!” Jessie heard something fluttering in the breeze. “There’s a piece of paper taped over the end of the telescope.” She pulled it off.

  “That’s better!” said Henry. “I’ve got a good view of the c
ity now.”

  Jessie caught her breath as she glanced down at the paper.

  “What is it, Jessie?” Violet wanted to know.

  Before Jessie could answer, she spotted Reena coming back. She quickly tucked the note into her pocket.

  CHAPTER 4

  Sniffing Out Clues

  “Hurry, Jessie!” said Benny, who never liked to be kept waiting in suspense. “Read the note, okay?” The four Alden children had just stepped into their hotel suite after saying good-bye to Reena.

  “Don’t worry, Benny!” Jessie laughed. “I’ve been itching to get a good look at it.” As they sat together on the couch, she read the latest message aloud.

  Beneath all the traffic

  seek out the troll

  guarding a message

  way down below.

  “A … a troll?” Benny looked scared. “I heard a story about a troll—and guess what? A troll is a monster!”

  “It’s also just make-believe, Benny,” Violet assured him. “Trolls are only in fairy tales.”

  “Let’s talk about it while we get dinner started,” Jessie suggested, glancing at her watch.

  “Grandfather mentioned getting a pizza tonight,” Benny reminded her.

  “Oh, that’s right,” Jessie recalled. “I’d forgotten all about it.”

  Violet had a thought. “Why don’t we surprise Grandfather with a homemade pizza?”

  “Homemade?” Benny frowned. “But we’re not at home, Violet.”

  “That’s just an expression, Benny,” Henry explained. “It means we’ll make it ourselves.”

  “Can we make an extra-large pizza?” Benny asked hopefully.

  “Sure,” said Jessie. “We’ll make the pizza now, then pop it into the oven when Grandfather gets back from his meeting.”

  After washing their hands, the four Alden children set to work. They discussed the mystery while they chopped and shredded and stirred.

  “Where in the world will we find a troll?” Violet wondered.

  “Beneath all the traffic,” Jessie answered, as she stirred the sauce at the stove. “At least, that’s what the riddle says.”

  “Wait a minute,” cried Benny, rolling out the dough. “I know what’s beneath all the traffic!” The youngest Alden was up to his elbows in flour.

  “What’s that, Benny?” asked Henry.

  “The underground city.”

  “Oh!” Violet put a hand over her mouth is surprise. “You’re right, Benny! An underground city is way down below.”

  Benny beamed. It was always fun figuring out clues.

  Henry sounded doubtful. “A troll in an underground city?” He paused as he grated mozzarella cheese. “It seems a bit far-fetched, don’t you think?”

  “It’s worth checking out,” Benny insisted.

  Violet, who was chopping onions and green peppers, looked over. “I agree.”

  “It was on our list of places to see,” Jessie admitted, as she tasted the sauce.

  “Okay, Benny,” Henry said. “We’ll take the underground tour tomorrow.”

  Benny’s face lit up. “Really?”

  “We promise,” Jessie said, turning to her little brother. Then she giggled. “Oh, Benny! You look like you’re going out trick-or-treating.”

  “I do?” Benny went to look at himself in the hall mirror. He had flour on the tip of his nose, on his chin, and in his hair. “Oops! How did that happen?” Benny couldn’t help grinning. “I look like I just saw a ghost,” he said, as he went back to rolling out the pizza dough.

  The others burst out laughing. “You look like you are a ghost, Benny,” corrected Violet.

  “A ghost looking for a troll!” said Benny.

  “Keep looking, Benny,” Henry shot back.

  Jessie turned down the heat under the pan. The sauce was bubbling nicely. “What I can’t figure out,” she said, “is who would leave such a weird note.”

  “One thing’s for sure,” said Benny, “somebody knows we’re detectives.”

  Violet looked over at her younger brother. “What makes you say that, Benny?”

  “Well, why else would there be a mysterious message under our table?”

  “Good point,” said Violet. “But who knows us in Seattle?”

  “Only Finn and Reena,” said Henry. “And I don’t think they know we’re detectives.”

  “Besides,” Violet added, “we can’t be sure that note was meant for us. Don’t forget, we weren’t even sitting at that booth at first.”

  This got Jessie thinking. “That’s true, Violet,” she said, spooning tomato sauce evenly over the dough. “That waitress—I think her name was Gwen—insisted we move over there.”

  “That’s because we were at the wrong table,” Benny pointed out. “That section was closed, remember?”

  Jessie put the empty pan in the sink. “But she let somebody else sit there.”

  “You think the waitress wanted us to find the riddle?” Violet questioned. “Is that what you’re saying, Jessie?” She topped the sauce with layers of mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, and onions.

  “It’s possible,” said Jessie.

  Henry looked over at her. “That doesn’t add up, Jessie. Why would she do that?”

  “She’d never even met us before today,” put in Benny.

  “True enough,” said Jessie. Then after a moment’s thought, she added, “Unless …”

  “Unless what?” Benny asked.

  “Unless she was working with somebody else.” Jessie spoke slowly as if trying to sort out her thoughts. “Somebody who made sure we’d be there. At the Hungry Heart Diner, I mean.”

  “You don’t really believe Reena was behind this, do you, Jessie?” Violet asked.

  “Well, she did suggest eating at the Hungry Heart Diner,” Jessie pointed out.

  Violet shrugged. “The diner’s just down the street from the hotel.”

  “But Violet,” said Jessie, “Reena also took us to the Space Needle.”

  Henry nodded as he sprinkled cheese over the pizza. “And that’s where we found the second note.”

  “You think it’s more than just a coincidence, Henry?” Benny wondered.

  “I’m not sure what to think,” Henry answered. “But it is a bit suspicious.”

  But Violet wasn’t convinced. “Anybody could’ve put that note under our table. Even that look-alike.”

  Benny frowned. “Who … ?”

  “You’re thinking about that woman with the blue umbrella. Right, Violet?” said Jessie. “The one who reminds you of Aunt Jane.”

  “She was coming out of the diner,” Violet said. “Then we saw her getting off the elevator at the Space Needle.”

  “You think there’s someone—who reminds you of Aunt Jane—going around the city planting clues, Violet?” It didn’t make sense to Henry.

  “Maybe she wasn’t planting them, Henry,” Violet said. “Maybe she was looking for clues.”

  The others had to admit it was possible. “Well, if she was looking for clues, she didn’t find them,” said Benny. “We did!”

  “Now, if only we could find some answers,” said Henry.

  “What now?” Benny asked when the pizza was ready for the oven.

  “Toby mentioned an indoor pool,” said Henry. “Why don’t we go for a swim before Grandfather gets back for dinner?”

  Everyone thought that was a great idea. As Jessie tucked the notes into a drawer, she couldn’t help wondering if they would ever be able to solve such a strange mystery.

  CHAPTER 5

  The Underground Tour

  At breakfast the next morning, James Alden had a surprise for his grandchildren. “I’ll be finished early today,” he told them. “I thought it might be fun to take a ferry ride across Puget Sound. Anybody interested?”

  “That sounds great!” said Benny.

  “I can’t wait to take pictures,” added Violet.

  “Why don’t we meet back here after lunch?” said Grandfather.


  Jessie nodded as she poured syrup onto her pancakes. “That’ll give us lots of time to visit Pioneer Square.”

  “Pioneer Square?” Benny asked.

  “That’s where the underground city is, Benny,” Henry explained.

  Grandfather helped himself to a few strips of bacon. “That whole area burned to the ground during the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.”

  The children turned to their grandfather in surprise. “There was a fire?” questioned Henry.

  Grandfather nodded. “Apparently, a pot of glue boiled over and caught fire.”

  “Oh, no!” cried Violet. “Couldn’t they put it out?”

  “They tried, Violet,” said Grandfather, passing the muffins to Jessie. “They even formed a human chain of seawater buckets, but it was no use. Back then, most of the buildings were made of wood, so—”

  Henry cut in, “The flames spread quickly.”

  Grandfather put down his fork. “Twenty-nine city blocks were destroyed in no time, Henry. They decided to rebuild the city using brick and stone.”

  Jessie nodded in understanding. “They didn’t want to risk another fire.”

  “Exactly,” said Grandfather.

  “Does anybody live in the underground city, Grandfather?” Violet asked, as she got up to clear the table.

  Grandfather shook his head. “No, it’s only open for tours, Violet.” He poured himself a cup of coffee, then sat down on the couch to read the morning paper.

  After the breakfast dishes were washed, Violet remembered her camera. When she opened the closet door, she stepped back in surprise. “What in the world … ?”

  “What is it?” Henry asked.

  They all looked in the direction Violet was gazing. Propped up in a corner of the closet was an umbrella—a blue umbrella with yellow ducks around the rim!

  “Hey, that lady had an umbrella just like that,” said Benny. “The lady who bumped into you, Violet.”

  Henry frowned. “What’s it doing here?”

  “Grandfather?” Violet held the umbrella up for him to see. “Do you know where this umbrella came from?”

  James Alden looked up from his newspaper. “We’ll, I … uh …” He didn’t seem to have an answer. Finally, he said, “It’s probably a hotel umbrella. You know, for the guests to use.”