Kudo Kids--The Mystery in Manhattan by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2021-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Half an hour later, Andy was pretty sure this visit was a bust. Not that he wasn’t enjoying himself—their guide, a kind older man with thick glasses that magnified his eyes—had begun the tour by taking them backstage. It had been really interesting to hear about the history of the performance hall and all of the concerts and events that had taken place there over the decades.

But as Jenny had predicted, Alisa was nowhere to be seen. Andy pushed aside his disappointment as they entered the concert hall.

“Whoa,” Mika exclaimed. “This is so pretty! Excuse me, sir?”

The tour guide smiled down at her. “Yes, miss?”

“Are we allowed to take pictures here?”

He looked pleased. “Yes, and thank you so much for asking! As long as there are no performances going on, you’re welcome to take as many photos as you want.”

Andy watched as Mika hurried down the aisle with her phone out and at the ready. He and Jenny followed at a slower pace, tilting their heads upward to look around. Both the stage and house lights were dimly lit. The combination of the dark wood-paneled walls and soft golden lights gave the enormous auditorium an almost ethereal feeling. Andy moved as quietly as possible; there was an anticipation to the silence that hung in the air, as if an invisible audience was waiting for the performance to begin.

“Ghosts,” Jenny whispered, and Andy glanced at her, startled.

“Wh-what?”

“Empty theaters always feel haunted to me,” Jenny explained softly. “Like all the seats are actually filled with spirits or something.”

Andy grinned. “I was just thinking the same thing!”

After a few minutes, the tour guide took them up to one of the balconies. While Mika took photos of the stage, Andy gazed at the balconies on the opposite side of the hall. All of the doors were propped open, and in the distance, Andy heard footsteps—a rhythmic click-click-click so faint, he couldn’t tell if the person was coming closer or getting farther away.

A blur of movement caught his eye just as Jenny’s arm flew upward.

“What?” Andy said, turning to look at her. Jenny’s eyes were wide as she pointed to the highest balcony closest to the stage on the other side of the hall. Mika lowered her phone and looked, too.

“I know this is going to sound ridiculous,” Jenny whispered slowly, “and it’s probably because we were just talking about how this place feels kind of haunted, but . . .”

At that exact moment, Andy saw it—in the doorway to the second balcony, a flash of white.

Mika let out a nervous giggle. “Okay, that really did look like a ghost. But ghosts aren’t real.”

“Listen,” Andy said. “Footsteps.”

“Ghosts don’t have footsteps. Or do they?” Mika said, less sure of herself this time.

The click-click-click had grown louder now, as if someone or something was moving down the hall, passing every balcony entrance. Andy and Jenny stared at the third balcony, and Mika raised her phone. A moment later—

“There!”

This time, Andy could tell it definitely wasn’t a ghost, but a woman with short dark hair wearing a cream-colored dress.

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