“You must be Henry, Jessie, and Violet.”
“And I’m Benny,” Benny piped up.
“Come on, let’s go get your luggage,” Emily suggested. As they headed down the walkway, she and Grandfather talked about her father and how he was doing.
At a pause in the conversation, Violet asked, “Emily, what do you do at the park?”
“I’m the head animal trainer. I help care for the animals, feed them, and teach them tricks for the shows,” Emily said.
“Wow, that sounds cool!” said Jessie.
“It is,” Emily said. “I love what I do. It’s the best job in the world.”
When they arrived at Ocean Adventure Park, the Aldens found it was not at all what they’d expected. They couldn’t help noticing how run-down and shabby everything was. The buildings needed fresh paint and the fences needed to be repaired. Weeds grew up over the edges of the cracked sidewalk.
“Looks like this place could use a little work,” Mr. Alden said.
“You’re right about that,” Emily said. “Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough money in the budget right now for that.”
“Really?” Grandfather asked. “Is the park having trouble?”
“We’ve had a hard time competing with all the fancy theme parks nearby,” Emily said.
“I bet you won’t have a problem getting people to come now that you’ve got a great white shark,” Henry said.
Emily frowned. “Yes, it’s nearly empty now, since the park has just closed for the day. But it was quite crowded earlier.”
Henry noticed Emily’s frown. “I would think you’d be happy about that.”
“It’s not that I don’t want the park to do well,” said Emily. “It’s just … that shark is a living, breathing animal. But to some people here, all that matters is how much money it’s going to make.”
Grandfather was silently studying Emily’s serious face.
“What do you mean?” Violet asked.
“Oh, I shouldn’t have said that. …” Emily shook her head as if to clear away whatever she’d been thinking about. “Come on, we’ll drop off your bags and then I’ll give you a tour.”
They were passing the main office building when someone called out, “Hello!”
The Aldens looked behind them to see a young man wearing a bright blue baseball cap coming up the path. He seemed to be calling out to them, but the Aldens didn’t recognize him.
“Is that someone you know?” Violet asked Emily. “He seems to be trying to get your attention.”
Emily glanced back at the man and frowned. “No one I know,” she said, turning to a gate with a sign that read EMPLOYEES ONLY. She pulled a white card key out of her pocket and slipped it in a slot beside the gate.
As Emily led them down the path on the other side of the gate, Violet stopped and looked back. The man was standing at the gate, which had closed and locked behind them. He was still watching them. Who was he, and why was he trying to get their attention?
CHAPTER 2
The Great White Shark
Violet hurried to catch up with the group. They had stopped in front of a small cabin. Emily was saying, “Here’s where you kids will be staying.”
“What about you, Grandfather?” asked Benny.
“I’ll be staying with Emily’s father,” Mr. Alden told them. “I’ll head over there after we see the shark.”
“My dad’s house is about an hour from here,” Emily said. “But if you kids need anything, my cabin is right next door. Your grandfather said you like to be on your own.”
“We do,” said Jessie.
“You live right here in the park?” Henry asked.
“Yes, it’s much easier, since I work long hours,” Emily explained. “I have no commute to work, and I don’t have to worry about paying rent.”
The Aldens entered their cabin and found themselves in a small sitting room with a couch, chairs, and a table. At one end was a kitchenette with a small refrigerator and stove. Off the sitting room were two bedrooms, each with a pair of beds.
“Violet and I will take this room,” said
“And I’m Benny,” Benny piped up.
“Come on, let’s go get your luggage,” Emily suggested. As they headed down the walkway, she and Grandfather talked about her father and how he was doing.
At a pause in the conversation, Violet asked, “Emily, what do you do at the park?”
“I’m the head animal trainer. I help care for the animals, feed them, and teach them tricks for the shows,” Emily said.
“Wow, that sounds cool!” said Jessie.
“It is,” Emily said. “I love what I do. It’s the best job in the world.”
When they arrived at Ocean Adventure Park, the Aldens found it was not at all what they’d expected. They couldn’t help noticing how run-down and shabby everything was. The buildings needed fresh paint and the fences needed to be repaired. Weeds grew up over the edges of the cracked sidewalk.
“Looks like this place could use a little work,” Mr. Alden said.
“You’re right about that,” Emily said. “Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough money in the budget right now for that.”
“Really?” Grandfather asked. “Is the park having trouble?”
“We’ve had a hard time competing with all the fancy theme parks nearby,” Emily said.
“I bet you won’t have a problem getting people to come now that you’ve got a great white shark,” Henry said.
Emily frowned. “Yes, it’s nearly empty now, since the park has just closed for the day. But it was quite crowded earlier.”
Henry noticed Emily’s frown. “I would think you’d be happy about that.”
“It’s not that I don’t want the park to do well,” said Emily. “It’s just … that shark is a living, breathing animal. But to some people here, all that matters is how much money it’s going to make.”
Grandfather was silently studying Emily’s serious face.
“What do you mean?” Violet asked.
“Oh, I shouldn’t have said that. …” Emily shook her head as if to clear away whatever she’d been thinking about. “Come on, we’ll drop off your bags and then I’ll give you a tour.”
They were passing the main office building when someone called out, “Hello!”
The Aldens looked behind them to see a young man wearing a bright blue baseball cap coming up the path. He seemed to be calling out to them, but the Aldens didn’t recognize him.
“Is that someone you know?” Violet asked Emily. “He seems to be trying to get your attention.”
Emily glanced back at the man and frowned. “No one I know,” she said, turning to a gate with a sign that read EMPLOYEES ONLY. She pulled a white card key out of her pocket and slipped it in a slot beside the gate.
As Emily led them down the path on the other side of the gate, Violet stopped and looked back. The man was standing at the gate, which had closed and locked behind them. He was still watching them. Who was he, and why was he trying to get their attention?
CHAPTER 2
The Great White Shark
Violet hurried to catch up with the group. They had stopped in front of a small cabin. Emily was saying, “Here’s where you kids will be staying.”
“What about you, Grandfather?” asked Benny.
“I’ll be staying with Emily’s father,” Mr. Alden told them. “I’ll head over there after we see the shark.”
“My dad’s house is about an hour from here,” Emily said. “But if you kids need anything, my cabin is right next door. Your grandfather said you like to be on your own.”
“We do,” said Jessie.
“You live right here in the park?” Henry asked.
“Yes, it’s much easier, since I work long hours,” Emily explained. “I have no commute to work, and I don’t have to worry about paying rent.”
The Aldens entered their cabin and found themselves in a small sitting room with a couch, chairs, and a table. At one end was a kitchenette with a small refrigerator and stove. Off the sitting room were two bedrooms, each with a pair of beds.
“Violet and I will take this room,” said
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