Mystery of the Missing Cat by Charles Tang

giving up.”
    â€œWhat can we do?” asked Soo Lee.
    â€œWe’ll just have to watch the post office again tomorrow,” answered Jessie. “And the next day. And the next. For as many days as it takes.”
    Benny made a face. Then he said, “But what about the envelope?”
    â€œThe envelope?” asked Violet.
    â€œThe envelope Mr. Jones threw on the floor. Maybe it has a return address on it,” said Benny. “Maybe that’s where Mr. Jones was going!”
    â€œBenny, you’re a genius!” cried Jessie happily.
    Benny blushed and grinned. “Thank you,” he said.
    Jumping back on their bicycles, the Aldens raced back to the post office. Sure enough, the envelope that Mr. Jones had wadded up and thrown on the floor was still there.
    Benny bent over and picked it up and smoothed it out.
    They all crowded around and read the return address on the wrinkled envelope that Benny was holding.
    â€œIt’s from Mr. Allen!” said Jessie in amazement.
    â€œAnd Mr. Jones drove off in that direction,” added Henry.
    â€œI bet I know what we do now,” said Benny. “We go to Mr. Allen’s!”
    â€œYou’re right,” said Jessie. “Mr. Allen, here we come!”
    Without wasting another moment, the children got on their bicycles and pedalled as fast as they could to Mr. Allen’s house. In a short time, they were turning up the long gravel driveway.
    â€œThere’s Mr. Jones’s car,” said Violet. Sure enough, the same big, dark car that they’d watched Mr. Jones leave the post office in was parked by the front door of the house.
    The Aldens left their bicycles out of sight by the side of the house, and Benny tied Watch to a nearby tree.
    â€œWait here,” he said, holding a finger to his lips. “And don’t bark. We’re about to solve a mystery!”

CHAPTER 11
    A Rare Cat Indeed
    T he butler answered the door just as he had before.
    â€œMay I help you?” he asked as if he had never met them.
    â€œWe’re here to see Mr. Allen,” said Jessie politely.
    â€œIs he expecting you?” asked the butler haughtily.
    â€œNo, but it’s very important,” Jessie told the butler.
    The butler looked down his long nose at the five children. At last he nodded his head slightly. “Very well. If you will step this way.”
    This time, he didn’t take them to the library. He took them to a small room just off the front part of the hall.
    â€œIf you will wait here, I will see if Mr. Allen can see you. It may be a few minutes. He is in a meeting and does not wish to be disturbed.”
    â€œThank you, we can wait,” said Jessie.
    The butler gave a disapproving sniff and closed the door firmly behind him.
    â€œDo you think Mr. Allen is meeting with Mr. Jones?” asked Violet as soon as the butler had closed the door.
    â€œI’m sure he is,” said Jessie.
    â€œI bet I know where, too,” said Henry. “Remember that room that the butler took us to the last time we were here? The one with the desk and the books in it?”
    â€œYes!” Jessie gave Henry a thumbs-up sign. “I bet you’re right, Henry. Come on, everybody.”
    â€œAre we going to be spies now?” asked Benny.
    â€œYes, we are,” said Violet, taking Benny’s hand. Quickly and quietly, the five children crept out of the room and down the long hall to the library door. Jessie looked both ways. Then, very slowly, she turned the handle of the door. She did it so carefully that no one would have noticed it turning from the other side. At last she was able to push the door open a crack. The sound of voices came through the crack. The children all leaned forward and began to listen.
    â€œGimme the money like you promised,” growled a voice. “I got you your cat.”
    â€œVery well,” said the soft voice of Mr. Allen. “Although why I should pay you