CHAPTER 1
The Emerald City
“Is it true, Grandfather?” asked six-year-old Benny. “Is there really an underground city in Seattle?” He couldn’t believe his ears.
James Alden smiled at his youngest grandchild. “There sure is,” he said, looking around the airport. “In fact, you can take a tour and check it out for yourself.”
“We’ll put it at the top of our list of places to see, Benny,” promised Jessie, who was twelve. She often acted like a mother to her younger brother and sister.
“Don’t forget,” added ten-year-old Violet, “we’ll be here for a whole week. That’s plenty of time to see all the sights. Right, Henry?”
“Right,” said Henry. Then he quickly added, “At least we can see quite a few.” Henry was fourteen. He was the oldest of the Aldens.
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny had been invited along on their grandfather’s business trip to Seattle. Now they were waiting for his good friend Finn Evans to meet them.
“One thing’s for sure,” added Violet, “we’ll be too busy sightseeing to solve any mysteries on this trip.”
Grandfather chuckled. “You never know,” he said. “You might be able to solve a mystery and see the sights at the same time.”
Henry laughed. “We’re good detectives, Grandfather. But we’re not that good!” The Aldens loved mysteries, and together they’d managed to solve quite a few.
Just then, Grandfather waved as a tall man with a mustache hurried through the crowd towards them. A young woman followed quickly on his heels.
“James!” The tall man held out a hand. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I’m afraid we got stuck in traffic.”
“You couldn’t have timed it better,” Grandfather said, as he shook hands with Finn. “Our plane was a bit late getting in.”
“This is my daughter, Reena.” Finn beamed proudly as he introduced the young woman by his side. “She decided to come along for the ride.”
Grandfather shook hands with Reena. Then he introduced Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.
“Welcome to Seattle,” said Reena with a warm smile. She was wearing a pale yellow sundress and sandals. Her wavy brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
“It’s nice to meet you both,” said Jessie, speaking for them all.
“We can’t wait to see all the sights,” Henry added, as Finn and Reena led the way through the crowded airport.
Inside the parking garage, Reena remarked, “You’re going to love the Emerald City!”
“The Emerald City?” echoed Benny, his eyes wide. “Isn’t that where the Wizard of Oz lives?”
“It’s also the nickname for Seattle, Benny,” Henry told him.
Grandfather nodded. “Seattle gets so much rain that everything stays green,” he explained, while he helped Finn load the suitcases into the trunk of his car.
“Oh, I get it,” said Benny. “And emeralds are green. Right?”
“Right!” said Reena. “You catch on fast, Benny.”
“They say folks around here don’t tan,” said Finn. “They rust!” Everybody burst out laughing.
Jessie quickly added, “Besides, we brought along our umbrellas.”
When they were settled in the car, Jessie asked, “Do you work in your father’s office, Reena?”
“No, I’m afraid I don’t have a head for business, Jessie. I’m studying to become a veterinarian.”
The youngest Alden looked puzzled. “What’s that?”
“A veterinarian is an animal doctor,” Henry explained.
“Oh!” Benny nodded approvingly. “Well, guess what? We have an animal. He’s a dog. We found him when we were living in the boxcar.”
Reena smiled. “Oh, really? I didn’t know you had a dog. But I did hear all about your days in the boxcar. Sounds like quite an adventure.”
After their parents died, the four Alden children had run away. For a while, their home was an old boxcar in the woods. But then their grandfather, James Alden, had found them. He brought his grandchildren to live with him in his big white house in
The Emerald City
“Is it true, Grandfather?” asked six-year-old Benny. “Is there really an underground city in Seattle?” He couldn’t believe his ears.
James Alden smiled at his youngest grandchild. “There sure is,” he said, looking around the airport. “In fact, you can take a tour and check it out for yourself.”
“We’ll put it at the top of our list of places to see, Benny,” promised Jessie, who was twelve. She often acted like a mother to her younger brother and sister.
“Don’t forget,” added ten-year-old Violet, “we’ll be here for a whole week. That’s plenty of time to see all the sights. Right, Henry?”
“Right,” said Henry. Then he quickly added, “At least we can see quite a few.” Henry was fourteen. He was the oldest of the Aldens.
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny had been invited along on their grandfather’s business trip to Seattle. Now they were waiting for his good friend Finn Evans to meet them.
“One thing’s for sure,” added Violet, “we’ll be too busy sightseeing to solve any mysteries on this trip.”
Grandfather chuckled. “You never know,” he said. “You might be able to solve a mystery and see the sights at the same time.”
Henry laughed. “We’re good detectives, Grandfather. But we’re not that good!” The Aldens loved mysteries, and together they’d managed to solve quite a few.
Just then, Grandfather waved as a tall man with a mustache hurried through the crowd towards them. A young woman followed quickly on his heels.
“James!” The tall man held out a hand. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I’m afraid we got stuck in traffic.”
“You couldn’t have timed it better,” Grandfather said, as he shook hands with Finn. “Our plane was a bit late getting in.”
“This is my daughter, Reena.” Finn beamed proudly as he introduced the young woman by his side. “She decided to come along for the ride.”
Grandfather shook hands with Reena. Then he introduced Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.
“Welcome to Seattle,” said Reena with a warm smile. She was wearing a pale yellow sundress and sandals. Her wavy brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
“It’s nice to meet you both,” said Jessie, speaking for them all.
“We can’t wait to see all the sights,” Henry added, as Finn and Reena led the way through the crowded airport.
Inside the parking garage, Reena remarked, “You’re going to love the Emerald City!”
“The Emerald City?” echoed Benny, his eyes wide. “Isn’t that where the Wizard of Oz lives?”
“It’s also the nickname for Seattle, Benny,” Henry told him.
Grandfather nodded. “Seattle gets so much rain that everything stays green,” he explained, while he helped Finn load the suitcases into the trunk of his car.
“Oh, I get it,” said Benny. “And emeralds are green. Right?”
“Right!” said Reena. “You catch on fast, Benny.”
“They say folks around here don’t tan,” said Finn. “They rust!” Everybody burst out laughing.
Jessie quickly added, “Besides, we brought along our umbrellas.”
When they were settled in the car, Jessie asked, “Do you work in your father’s office, Reena?”
“No, I’m afraid I don’t have a head for business, Jessie. I’m studying to become a veterinarian.”
The youngest Alden looked puzzled. “What’s that?”
“A veterinarian is an animal doctor,” Henry explained.
“Oh!” Benny nodded approvingly. “Well, guess what? We have an animal. He’s a dog. We found him when we were living in the boxcar.”
Reena smiled. “Oh, really? I didn’t know you had a dog. But I did hear all about your days in the boxcar. Sounds like quite an adventure.”
After their parents died, the four Alden children had run away. For a while, their home was an old boxcar in the woods. But then their grandfather, James Alden, had found them. He brought his grandchildren to live with him in his big white house in
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