The Pizza Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

themselves on the kitchen window-sill.
    As the inspector checked over and under the cabinets, the Piccolos explained everything from how far ahead they made their sauces to how long they let their pizza dough rise. By this time, the inspector had calmed down. He even looked a little hungry!
    All this talk didn’t interest Benny much. He went out to the dining room. He was surprised to see Laurie Baker sitting at her usual table, right by the kitchen. She seemed to be listening in on the conversation coming from the kitchen, then writing things down in her notebook.
    Before Laurie even saw Benny, he went back to get Jessie.
    Right after the inspector left, Jessie came out to the dining room. “What are you writing down, Laurie?”
    The young woman was so startled she slammed her notebook shut and dropped her pen. “Nothing—nothing important,” she answered. “Isn’t there something you two should be doing besides spying on people?”
    â€œWe weren’t spying,” Benny said. “I just came out to do my jobs.” As Laurie handed Benny the silverware tray, he brushed against her notebook. A piece of paper that was sticking out floated to the floor.
    Jessie picked up the paper and read it out loud. “Two tablespoons of olive oil. Six cloves of garlic. Two jars of tomatoes. Four teaspoons of bay leaves.”
    â€œIt’s four teaspoons of basil ,” Mrs. Piccolo said when she came into the dining room. “Not bay leaves. Why are you reading my recipe for tomato sauce, Jessie?”
    Jessie stared at Laurie. “It was in Laurie’s notebook,” she said, puzzled.
    Laurie took the paper from Jessie. “I didn’t. It’s . . . it’s something else.”
    â€œMay I see that, Laurie?” Mrs. Piccolo asked softly.
    â€œIt’s . . . I had a reason,” Laurie said when she finally handed Mrs. Piccolo the piece of paper.
    Mrs. Piccolo looked hurt and confused. “Why? Why did you write this down? What are you hiding from us?”
    Laurie sank back into her chair. Her voice trembled. “I needed the recipe for your sauce, Mrs. Piccolo.”
    Mrs. Piccolo put her hand on Laurie’s shoulder. “My recipe? Why would you need such a thing?”
    Laurie didn’t look up when she answered. “I wanted to help my parents reopen their restaurant in Maytown. It went out of business last year. I thought if they knew how to make your good pizza and how to run a restaurant like yours, they could make a go of it.”
    â€œSo you came to get experience here?” Mr. Piccolo said in a hurt voice. “Why didn’t you tell us when you started coming here for lunch? We would have offered you a job. Why have you lied to us?”
    Laurie looked up and tried to explain. “I was afraid you wouldn’t hire me if you knew my parents had a restaurant, so I waited until you really needed someone. I know that was a terrible thing to do. I realize that, now that it’s too late.”
    Everyone was silent.
    Finally, Mr. Piccolo took a deep breath and spoke to Laurie. “If you had told us the truth, we would have taught you all our business. We’re not worried about a restaurant all the way out in Maytown competing with us! You didn’t have to sneak around trying to figure out Nina’s recipes.”
    Mrs. Piccolo took Laurie’s hand. “My recipes are not a secret. That is just our joke.”
    â€œI’m so sorry for the way I acted. You trusted me so much, and I didn’t deserve it,” Laurie said, looking up at Benny. “I’m sorry for the way I treated these wonderful children. I was afraid they would find out what I was doing.”
    â€œYou were trying to help your parents,” Mrs. Piccolo said. “I can understand that.”
    â€œThey only have one more month on their lease,” Laurie said. “I thought if I could reopen their restaurant in time, I would make