The Pizza Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Author:Gertrude Chandler Warner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: 2010-08-06T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

Everything Goes Dark

The day began with Mr. Piccolo’s cheery whistling downstairs. Upstairs, the Alden children were all asleep, all but Benny, that is. Mr. Piccolo’s whistling meant it was time for him to get up.

It was early morning. Benny wanted to get to the kitchen early. That way he could help Mr. and Mrs. Piccolo get the dough started before Laurie Baker got there and scooted him out.

“Tomatoes, potatoes, burritos!” Mr. Piccolo sang out as he took jars and bundles from the big refrigerator. “Pull up a stool, Benny. I need a smart boy like you to measure out some salt, some flour, and some yeast. Do you know what to do?”

“I sure do, Mr. Piccolo,” Benny said with a smile.

“Today my old waiter, Nick Marra, comes back. There’s nobody to touch Nick when it comes to waiting on tables,” Mr. Piccolo said. “Unless it’s the Aldens, of course!”

“I can’t wait to see Nick,” Benny said as he sprinkled yeast over a big bowl of warm water.

A half hour later, Benny noticed Laurie Baker’s red hat go by the kitchen window. He jumped off his stool. “You don’t have to leave, Benny,” Mrs. Piccolo told him.

Benny disappeared upstairs anyway. He knew Laurie would find some way to get him out of the kitchen. He’d rather leave on his own.

It turned out the Aldens weren’t the only ones Laurie Baker didn’t want near the kitchen. When the children came downstairs later on, the Piccolos were out doing the day’s shopping for the restaurant.

Laurie was in charge, and she was arguing with Nick Marra. This surprised the Aldens. They remembered how easygoing Nick was. Nothing ever bothered this young man. No matter how busy the restaurant got, Nick always had a smile for everyone.

But that day, Nick Marra wasn’t smiling. His face was red and his bright blue eyes glittered angrily.

“If you hadn’t been away so long, the Piccolos wouldn’t have put me in charge!” Laurie Baker said to Nick.

“Well, they asked me to come back, so I’m . . . .” Nick stopped talking when he saw all four Aldens staring at him.

Jessie went over to Nick first. “Hi, Nick. Remember us? We’re visiting the Piccolos and helping them out for a while.”

The children were disappointed when they didn’t get one of Nick’s big smiles or even a friendly greeting. He mumbled a hello and that was it. Violet felt especially hurt that he was so unfriendly.

“Boy, she gets everybody mad, even Nick,” Benny whispered when the children slipped out to the dining room.

For the rest of the morning, the Aldens heard cross words between Nick and Laurie. Nick had his way of doing things, and Laurie had hers. But Violet couldn’t help wondering if there was something else bothering Nick.

After lunch, the Piccolos went home to rest. The Aldens were busy with the only job Laurie let them do in the kitchen, washing dishes. Right in front of the children, Nick and Laurie started fighting again.

“It would be easier to box up the take-out pizzas in the kitchen,” Nick argued.

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