Ghost at the Drive-In Movie by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Brinker!” he said as he marched into the kitchen where the Aldens were clearing the table.
    “Yes, we’re discussing it,” said Uncle Flick.
    Mr. Duke shook his head. “Are you crazy? Are you sure he’s not planning to shut it down and turn it into another sales lot? He’s just across the street! How do you know he’s going to keep it open?”
    “Well, because he said so,” Uncle Flick replied. “He knows I wouldn’t sell it to him unless he swore that the movie screen would stay standing. And that’s just what he promised.”
    Mr. Duke scratched his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “I just don’t quite trust him. Maybe you should think about this.”
    “I’m not going to rush into this, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He patted Mr. Duke on the back.
    “That’s good to know,” said Mr. Duke. “Because if you change your mind about selling the theater to Dan Brinker, you can always sell it to me.”
    Uncle Flick’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, Duke?” His voice sounded cold.
    Mr. Duke tried to explain. “Nothing! I … I mean … I wish you weren’t selling the theater in the first place. But if you need someone trustworthy to buy it, someone who will keep it going … I could buy it. That’s all I’m saying.” He stepped back. The children could see he hadn’t meant to make Uncle Flick angry.
    “Oh, is that what you want?” said Uncle Flick. “To take this place over? Is that why you’ve been playing all those pranks? You’ve been trying to drive me to sell the place, haven’t you?!”
    Now it was Mr. Duke’s turn to get angry. “Now, Flick, you know that wasn’t me. I would never do that! We’ve been working next door to each other for thirty years! We haven’t always gotten along, but how dare you think I’d play tricks!” Mr. Duke turned around and walked out of the kitchen. A moment later everyone heard the door slam.
    Uncle Flick’s face was red. He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I guess we lost our tempers.”
    Grandfather put his hand on his old friend’s shoulder. “Flick, do you want to go for a walk?”
    “We can finish cleaning up here,” Jessie offered.
    Finally Uncle Flick managed a smile. “Thanks, folks. Yes, perhaps I need to take a walk. And think.” He left the room with Grandfather. After a moment the children saw them walking down the road towards the drive-in.
    “We may have solved the mystery of the ghost at the drive-in,” Henry said, “but we still haven’t figured out who’s behind the pranks.”
    The oldest Alden was right. They still hadn’t found out who had switched the movie sound the other night, or broken the Duke’s Dogs sign, or vandalized the snack bar.
    “Someone’s trying to ruin everything,” Benny said.
    “We’ll just have to stop that someone,” Jessie replied.

CHAPTER 9
The Truth Unfolds
    Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny sat around the kitchen table. Jessie had her notebook open to a new page. On it was a list of names she’d written:
AMY
    JOEY
    DAN BRINKER
    MR. DUKE
    One of these people, the children were sure, had been causing the trouble at the Diamond Drive-in Theater.
    Violet pointed to Amy’s and Joey’s names. “I don’t think they did it. I think they want to save the theater.”
    Everyone else agreed. So Jessie crossed Amy and Joey off the list.
    “What about that argument we heard today?” Henry asked. “Do you think that Mr. Duke is really trying to force Uncle Flick to sell him the theater?”
    “No,” Jessie said. She tapped her pen, because she was thinking hard.
    “I don’t think so, either,” said Violet. Benny nodded, too.
    Jessie kept tapping her pen. “But … but what if Dan Brinker is? What if he’s the one who’s doing all the pranks?”
    Henry shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense, Jessie. Uncle Flick already likes Dan and wants to sell the theater to him. Dan doesn’t have to make him do anything.”
    “That’s true,” said Jessie. “But