The Basketball Mystery

  Seeing this, the cameraman stopped filming Buzz and aimed his camera at Tipper instead.

  “There,” the cameraman told Tipper. “Just hold it like that while I get more tape rolling.”

  Buzz tried to get his players back to playing basketball. No luck. They all wanted to be on television. While the cameraman taped, several children stood near Tipper and waved or made funny faces at the camera. They were going to be on television, too!

  “Buzz looks upset,” Violet whispered to Jessie when they came over to see what was going on. “It’s just like the day when we kept asking about Tipper’s award.”

  Buzz wasn’t the only person upset about Tipper’s award. By this time, Courtney Post and Frank Fowler had arrived to help with the clinic. But there was no coaching, no practicing, and no drills going when Courtney and Frank showed up. Instead everyone was watching the television crew filming Tipper and her award. Finally the cameraman waved Buzz into the picture, too.

  The reporter faced the camera. “And it looks as if the Nettleton twins are headed for victory again — not as Most Valuable Players, but as Most Valuable Coaches in Greenfield.”

  “Oh, no,” Henry whispered to Jessie. “Frank and Courtney won’t like that.” Henry went over to them before any more damage was done. “Thanks for showing up on such short notice. We really need your help. We didn’t expect so many kids to come.”

  Jessie tried to explain what happened. “The television people heard about the clinic when they went to the sports center. Then they came here. Buzz and Tipper didn’t invite them. All they wanted to do was make up for the practices they missed. When so many kids showed up, they thought you might want to help out.”

  “Great timing,” Courtney said. “We show up just in time to be in the audience for two coaches who don’t even live in Greenfield anymore. I’ve got better ways to spend my Saturdays.”

  “Me, too,” Frank said.

  At last the television people left. The children flocked around Tipper to get a close look at her famous trophy.

  “It’s real silver,” one girl from the Clipper team said.

  “Of course it’s real silver,” Patsy Cutter told the girl.

  “You should keep it in a safe place like a bank or something, with guards,” another girl said, touching the tall, heavy trophy.

  Buzz blew his whistle. “The interview is over. Everybody who wants to do some drills, line up near the backboard.”

  “Right,” Tipper said, sticking the trophy inside the boxcar. “Let’s play basketball. That’s what we’re all here for.”

  “Anybody who wants to learn how to do championship layups should go with Coach Fowler,” Buzz said. “He’s the best layup player Greenfield ever had.”

  “Except for Courtney Post,” Tipper said to the players who were trying to decide what to do next. “Her layups are amazing. Maybe Frank and Courtney can take over all the layup drills.”

  When they heard this, Frank Fowler and Courtney Post finally stopped looking so upset. Buzz and Tipper were famous for being famous. But Courtney and Frank were famous for their layups.

  Buzz and Tipper moved out of the way of the two coaches. For the next hour they stayed in the boxcar, showing some of the kids training tapes. They wanted to give Frank and Courtney a chance to be the star coaches now.

  By three o’clock, everyone was worn-out.

  “What a day!” Henry said. “We had more people than at the sports center — almost, anyway.”

  “Thanks for coming,” Tipper told Frank and Courtney. “We couldn’t have done it without you. Especially after those television people showed up. That was the last thing we needed. From now until the sports center opens, all I want to do is coach basketball.”

  “Me, too,” Buzz said.

  “Mind if we take a look at the training tapes before we leave?” Courtney asked Buzz. “Frank and I want to see how your coach teaches defense positions.”

  “Sure, the tapes are on a shelf in the boxcar,” Buzz said. “Just pop them into the machine.”

  “See you Monday,” Frank told everyone. “We’ll turn off the television after we’re done.”

  “So things worked out after all,” Henry said after the Aldens went inside the house. “The clinic was a good idea, Jessie.”

  “Not a good idea — a great idea,” Buzz said. “Except for all those TV people showing up, we taught everybody a whole lot of basketball.”

  The clinic had been a hit. The Aldens and the Nettleton twins decided to sit down and plan another one. They were so busy talking about what they would do next time, nobody paid any mind to Watch. He was barking and barking at the kitchen window.

  “It’s only Patsy out there, still practicing,” Jessie said. “She’s probably hoping you’ll come out and coach her some more, Tipper.”

  Tipper yawned. “I’m all coached out. All I can think of is a hot shower and a nap. I’m afraid Patsy’s on her own.”

  CHAPTER 6

  Double Trouble

  All the Aldens loved having the Nettleton twins as houseguests. But for Jessie, their visit was extra special. She was sharing her room with Tipper. Each night, after they turned out the lights, the two of them would talk in the dark until they drifted off to sleep. Jessie loved these cozy times.

  “I feel so much better after running the clinic today,” Tipper said. “I finally got to be the kind of coach my coaches have been to me. They taught me so much. Now it’s my turn to teach kids what I know about basketball.”

  “I learned a lot from you and Courtney today,” Jessie said. She stretched and yawned before curling up under the covers. “I’m tired, but it’s a good kind of tired. That chair drill you did with us was fun. Sitting in a chair and trying to make baskets taught me how to stretch my arm way out and follow through.”

  “Follow through,” Tipper said. “That’s the key to everything — passing, shooting, dribbling.”

  Jessie’s voice slowed down. “The key. I’m glad Mr. Fowler gave you that extra key for the gym today. Do you think Courtney ever gave you one in the first place?”

  Tipper thought about this. “I honestly can’t remember. I’m not going to bring it up with her again. All I want is for the two of us to work together. If only she would forget that we used to play on opposing teams.”

  “Courtney did seem a little jealous, seeing you with your trophy and all,” Jessie said.

  Tipper was practically asleep now. “That trophy. I can’t wait until it’s in a glass case at the sports center.”

  The room was almost silent now, except for Watch’s gentle snoring.

  Then Tipper sat up in bed. “Omigosh!” she said all of a sudden. “The trophy! I forgot all about it. Now, where did I put it after the TV people left?”

  Jessie turned on the bedside lamp. The girls blinked at the sudden light. Tipper and Jessie stared at the bookcase.

  “I forgot to put it back,” Tipper said, fully awake now. She checked under both beds, then in the closet. “Let me think. After the interview all the kids were fussing over it. I thought it might bother Courtney and Buzz.”

  “I know!” Jessie cried. “You put it in the boxcar right before Courtney and Mr. Fowler started the layup drills. Remember?”

  Tipper remembered. In no time, she put on her slippers. “I’m going out to the boxcar to get it now. Otherwise I’ll be up all night thinking about it.”

  Jessie stepped into her slippers, too. She grabbed the flashlight she kept by her bed. Watch followed the girls down through the dark house.

  The moon was shining. The backyard was all silvery. The girls tiptoed out to the boxcar.

  Jessie slid open the door. She waved her flashlight this way and that. “I don’t see it. Maybe somebody put it away for safekeeping,” Jessie told Tipper to make her friend feel better. “I bet that’s what happened.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Tipper said.

  The girls returned to the house and went back to bed.

  But Tipper did
n’t drift off to sleep easily. Her trophy seemed to have a curse on it. The curse wouldn’t go away until she gave the trophy away. And she couldn’t do that until she found it.

  The next morning Tipper and Jessie stumbled into the kitchen for breakfast. They were pale, and they were both tired.

  “My goodness, you girls look as if you haven’t slept a wink,” Mrs. McGregor said.

  Mr. Alden looked up from his morning paper. “Maybe you should go back to bed and sleep in a little longer,” he suggested. “Is anything the matter?”

  “Tipper’s trophy is missing,” Jessie announced. “She put it in the boxcar yesterday. We went out there last night, but it wasn’t there. It’s not in my room, either. We’re going to look around the house and outside now that it’s daytime.”

  “Soo Lee and I will help,” Benny said. “We’re good at finding things. We have sharp eyes.”

  Tipper smiled for the first time that morning. “If anyone can find my trophy, I know you Aldens can.”

  But the Aldens had no luck, either. Benny and Soo Lee checked under every piece of furniture indoors and every tree and bush outdoors. The older children searched the garage and the back porch. The trophy was nowhere to be found.

  “How did it wind up missing?” Henry wondered. “Everybody was around all afternoon yesterday. Unless . . . well, I mean, Frank and Courtney were the last ones in the boxcar. Remember? They were in there watching the training tapes.”

  Tipper twisted the corners of her napkin. She seemed about to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out.

  “Why don’t we just call them up?” Jessie asked. “It can’t hurt to ask.”

  Tipper was lost in thought. “It could hurt to ask, Jessie. If they didn’t take it, they’ll be upset that I suspect them. Buzz and I are just starting to get along with Courtney and Frank. Let’s just wait until Buzz gets back. He had a meeting at the sports center this morning. I’ll ask him if he’s seen it.”

  Mr. Alden put down his newspaper. “I wish I’d known the trophy was missing. I drove Buzz to the center, but he didn’t mention it. He should be back in a while. Tom Hooper is going to drop him off.”

  Tipper couldn’t touch the food on her plate. “You know what? I’ll just get restless waiting for him. I need to get out of the house. Jessie, why don’t I drive you to that sporting goods store. I know you wanted to exchange those sneakers you bought for a bigger size.”

  “Good idea. Violet and I need some crew socks, too.” Jessie ran upstairs to get her new sneakers. When she came back down, everyone was outside, standing by the twins’ car.

  “Here, put your shopping bag in the trunk,” Tipper said, lifting the lid. “When all of you Aldens are in the car, there’s not much room for anything else!”

  Tipper was about to slam down the trunk lid when Buzz came into the backyard. “Hey, you found my hiding place!” he said. “It’s not easy hiding things from you Aldens.”

  Tipper and the children stood in front of the empty trunk.

  “What are you talking about, Buzz?” Tipper asked.

  “Your MVP trophy,” Buzz answered. “Isn’t that what you’re looking for? I stuck it in there yesterday. Patsy was showing it off to other kids in the boxcar. I got worried it would get scratched or something. Whoa, what’s that look you’re giving me, Tip?”

  Tipper swallowed hard. “But why did you put it in the car? When the doors are unlocked anybody can pull the lever from under the front seat and open the trunk.”

  “I planned to go back and get it. But . . . well, I forgot. Sorry about that,” Buzz said. He looked at the Aldens. “Hey, were you guys spying on me? Is that how you figured out it was in there?”

  No one answered for a long time.

  Tipper stepped away from the car. She pointed to the empty trunk. “There’s no trophy in there, Buzz.”

  Buzz’s face went white. His smile disappeared from his face. “What do you mean, it’s not there? You’re kidding, right?”

  The Aldens moved away from the car, too.

  “Take a look, Buzz,” Tipper said. “The trunk is empty.”

  Buzz didn’t speak. He went around, opened the doors, and checked inside the car. Then he looked under the car and all around the garage.

  “Don’t bother. The Aldens and I already checked every inch of the garage, the boxcar, the whole yard, and the entire house,” Tipper told her brother. “We’ve looked everywhere.”

  Buzz stared at his sister. “Please don’t look at me like that, Tip. I was trying to keep your trophy safe. Honest. That’s why I put it in the trunk. It wasn’t the best place, but I was going to bring it up to your room first thing. Then I got so busy, I forgot.”

  Tipper couldn’t seem to look Buzz in the eye. She stood there and just stared down at her sneakers. “I guess it’s my fault. I should have put it away myself. And now it’s gone.”

  In a minute, Buzz was gone, too. He walked down the driveway and disappeared down the street.

  The children followed Tipper inside.

  “What happened to your shopping trip?” Mr. Alden asked when everyone came into the kitchen. “Is something wrong?”

  “Buzz took Tipper’s trophy yesterday,” Benny said. “But now he doesn’t know where it is.”

  “I see,” Mr. Alden said quietly.

  Tipper tried to explain to Mr. Alden what had happened. “Buzz told me he saw Patsy showing off the trophy during the clinic yesterday. So he put it in the trunk and forgot to tell me. I mean, it’s the most important thing I own. How could he forget? It’s almost as if he wants it to disappear. And now it has.”

  Mr. Alden spoke gently. “Do you think he’s done this on purpose?”

  Tipper swallowed hard. “If it was anything else but the trophy, I would say no. We’ve always known everything about each other. That’s the way twins are . . . until now. Ever since I got the award, Buzz has been different, not like his old self.”

  “He sure does act touchy about that trophy,” Henry said.

  “It’s impossible to talk to him about it,” Tipper agreed. “I don’t want to accuse him, but this is the second time he’s left the trophy in the car when it’s been unlocked.”

  “Come sit down and have some breakfast,” Mr. Alden said. “I’m sure we can help you figure this out.”

  Soo Lee patted Tipper’s hand. “Benny and I are good finders. We found Violet’s bracelet on the driveway.”

  “Once we found an old violin that was missing,” Benny said. “And lots of other stuff people were looking for.”

  “What if we put up some Lost and Found posters?” Violet asked Tipper. “I could draw a picture of the trophy. I remember what it looked like.”

  This helped Tipper feel better, but only a little. “That’s a good idea. Of course, if Buzz . . . Well, never mind. Besides, Buzz and I can’t let ourselves think about the trophy too much — not with your championship games coming up. I’ll just have to deal with it after the games are over. I’m going upstairs to rest.”

  Tipper left the kitchen. The Aldens could barely hear her footsteps. The children were quiet. Winning a big silver trophy sure didn’t seem like much fun anymore.

  CHAPTER 7

  One-on-One

  Over the next few days, Tipper and Buzz avoided the whole sore subject of the missing trophy. It was time to coach the Fast Breakers and the Blazers for the championships. The twins filled everyone’s days with practices, clinics, and drills. If they were upset with each other, they tried not to show it. Basketball came first.

  But the Aldens thought a lot about Tipper’s missing trophy. They put Violet’s Lost and Found posters all over Greenfield. Maybe somebody knew something about where it might be. They just couldn’t accept that Buzz had anything to do with its disappearance.

  “You know, Patsy was up in my room acting kind of funny the day she borrowed my shorts,” Jessie said one afternoon when the twins were out. “She got all upset when I asked her about it. I feel funny bringing the s
ubject up again, but maybe she had something to do with the trophy. After the other kids left, she was still outside playing basketball. Remember?”

  Violet had some thoughts, too. “Well, lots of other kids besides Patsy were holding and touching it.”

  “If you ask me, Courtney and Frank Fowler could have taken it if they saw Buzz put it in the car,” Henry suggested. “Look how bothered they are that the twins get so much attention. Too bad Tipper doesn’t want to ask them about the trophy. I guess she doesn’t want more problems with them.”

  “You’re right, Henry,” Jessie said. “Well, let’s just hope someone who knows something about the trophy will see our posters and give us a call.”

  But no one called about the missing trophy. And the Aldens had very little time to think about it until the championship games were over.

  More than anything, Buzz and Tipper wanted to help the Fast Breakers and the Blazers to win their own trophies. Every night before dinner they coached the Aldens for a few minutes.

  “I hope no one gets too upset that you give us extra help,” Henry told Buzz one evening when they were playing one-on-one in the backyard.

  “Only a little extra help,” Buzz said. “Besides, it gives Tipper and me some extra practice, too. No doubt about it, you Aldens give us a good workout. Don’t forget, we have to be in good shape for our fund-raising game on Opening Day.”

  Henry zoomed past Buzz. “And it’s . . . in!” he cried when his quick layup circled the rim then dropped through the net.

  “Good one, Henry!” Buzz said. “If you make shots like that against the Hot Shots tomorrow, the Blazers will win the championship.”

  Henry and Buzz went in to get a drink of water. It was the girls’ turn to practice.

  Jessie and Violet went outside to wait for Tipper. They were surprised to see Patsy Cutter in the backyard. She was practicing shots from the foul line.

  “Hi, Patsy,” Violet said. She gave her friend a big smile. “You’re just in time to practice with Jessie and me. Tipper will be out in a second.”

  Patsy didn’t look too happy to see Violet or Jessie. “Some of the Fast Breakers think it’s not fair that you get Tipper to yourselves all the time. I decided to come for extra help.”