Hockey Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

CHAPTER 1
A Hockey Star in Greenfield
    “He shoots—he scores!” Benny Alden shouted, racing down the ice. Although only six, he was a strong skater. When he reached the end of the rink, he threw his arms above his head and glided around in a circle, a victorious smile on his face. But a moment later he lost his balance and ended up sitting on the ice. “Ouch!” he said, getting slowly to his feet.
    Benny’s fourteen-year-old brother, Henry, skated up next to him.
    “You okay?” he asked.
    “Yeah,” Benny said. “I guess I need to practice a little more.”
    It was open skating time at the Greenfield Rink, and the children were having a great time racing around the ice.
    “I’ll help you,” Henry said, skating beside Benny. After the boys had circled the ice a few times, they decided to take a break. As they stepped off the ice, their twelve-year-old sister, Jessie, skated over. She’d been out in the center of the rink, practicing some turns. Their sister Violet, who was ten, joined them a moment later.
    “Benny, I saw you zooming up the ice before,” Jessie said. “Who were you pretending to be, Kevin Reynolds?” she asked, naming her little brother’s favorite hockey star.
    Benny’s face broke into a big smile. “I wish! He’s only the greatest hockey player ever!”
    “I’m glad you think so,” said a deep voice next to them. The children turned to see a broad-shouldered blond man standing be- side them. When they realized who he was, their eyes grew wide.
    “No way!” Benny said in amazement. “You’re—you’re—”
    “Kevin Reynolds,” the man said with a smile. He had friendly brown eyes and was wearing his Scouts jersey with the number fifteen on the back. Until he retired the year before, Kevin Reynolds had been one of the biggest stars in professional hockey. He had helped his team win the Stanley Cup five years in a row. He had been one of the leading goal scorers in the National Hockey League for ten years. And he had been chosen by the fans to play in the All-Star game twelve times.
    “I don’t believe it!” said Henry.
    “And you are ...?” Mr. Reynolds prompted them.
    “We’re the Aldens,” Jessie said. “I’m Jessie and this is Benny, Henry, and Violet.”
    Kevin Reynolds put out his hand and shook each child’s hand firmly.
    “What are you doing here, Mr. Reynolds?” Benny asked.
    “Call me Kevin,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “I’m doing the same thing you are—skating.”
    Benny looked confused. What was Kevin Reynolds doing at their little town rink? He was usually out on the ice with hockey greats like Wayne Gretzky—not regular people like the Aldens. “But why here? ” Benny asked.
    Mr. Reynolds laughed a deep hearty laugh. “I grew up in Greenfield,” he explained. “I learned to skate right here in this rink when I was just about your age.”
    “That’s right,” Jessie recalled. “There are pictures of you and the whole Scouts team on the wall over there.” She pointed.
    “We were pretty sad when you retired last spring,” Henry said.
    “I’ve gotten too old to play professional hockey. Time to let some of the younger guys take over,” Mr. Reynolds said. “You kids look like pretty good skaters. Are you going to play in the hockey mini-league?”
    “What mini-league?” Benny wanted to know.
    “I saw a poster about that in the lobby—it starts next week and goes for about a month, doesn’t it?” Henry said.
    “Yes,” said Kevin Reynolds. “I’m coaching one of the teams—for twelve-year-old girls. My daughter, Catherine, is on it.”
    “Hey, I could play on that team,” Jessie said.
    “I thought you only liked figure skating,” Benny said to Jessie.
    “It’s never too late to try something new,” said Jessie.
    “That’s right!” said Mr. Reynolds. “Many of the kids in this league haven’t played before. And I’m looking for an assistant coach. Henry, I saw how well you worked with Benny—how about helping