Chapter 1

The Empty Envelope

Chapter 1 "I got it! I got it!" Josh yelled as he raced across Dink's backyard. He leaped into the air, missed the volleyball, and fell in a heap. Dink laughed. "You got it, all right!" "Way to go, Natie!" Ruth Rose cried. She gave her four-year-old brother, Nate, a high five. "You just scored us another point!" Nate blushed and smiled shyly at his big sister. Josh got up and grinned. "Okay, I'm through foolin' around! From now on, Josh and Dink will

rule!" Just then they heard a beep. "It's Ruby with the mail," Ruth Rose said. Josh dropped the volleyball. "I wonder if you'll get another blue envelope," he said to Dink. "I can't wait to read what Mother has to say today!" Dink ran to the front just as Ruby waved from her truck and drove away. He opened the mailbox and reached in. He pulled out two bills for his parents and a letter in a blue envelope for him. In the past week, Dink had received four other letters in blue envelopes. This was the fifth. Each envelope was addressed to D. Duncan, Green Lawn, CO 06040. But the notes inside were to someone named Doris—from her mother! Dink returned to his backyard. He held the letter up. 'Another one," he said. "Well, open it," Josh said. Dink ripped open the envelope and felt inside for the note. "There's nothing in here," he said. "It's empty." Ruth Rose peered into the envelope. "Why would Mother send an empty envelope?" she asked.

Dink shrugged. "Let's go in the house. I want to check out the other letters again." The kids trooped into Dink's kitchen. A covered plate sat on the counter. "My mom made us some sandwiches," Dink said. Nate reached for the plate, but his sister stopped him. "Look at those hands! Let's wash up at the sink, Nate." Dink pulled the other four envelopes from a drawer and laid them on the table side by side. They all looked the same. "Can I get some juice?" Josh opened the fridge before Dink could answer. Dink just nodded as he sat and stared at the envelopes. The return address on each was O. Bird, 10 Carroll St., Brooklyn, NY 11234. "I don't know anyone in Brooklyn," he said, "let alone someone named O. Bird." Dink dropped his eyes to the middle of one of the envelopes. "Hey, look at this!" he said suddenly. He pointed to the CO in his address. "Isn't CO the abbreviation for Colorado?"

Josh and Ruth Rose each grabbed an envelope. "Yeah, you're right," Josh said. "Connecticut is CT, not CO." Dink looked at his friends. "The zip code is right, but the state is wrong!" "Or maybe it's the state that's right and the zip code that's wrong," Ruth Rose suggested. "What do you mean?" Josh asked. "Maybe these letters were supposed to go to some D. Duncan in Green Lawn, Colorado," Ruth Rose said. "Whoever O. Bird is just wrote down the wrong zip code." "I know how to find out," Dink said. He walked over to the phone and dialed information. He asked the long-distance operator for O. Bird's number. "There isn't?" he said. "Okay, thanks anyway." Dink hung up. "There's no O. Bird listed in

Brooklyn." "Well," Josh said, grabbing a sandwich, "you're the only D. Duncan in Green Lawn." "In Green Lawn, Connecticut," Dink said. Josh sighed. "Anyway, let's eat." They wolfed down the peanut butter and grape jam sandwiches. "Read the notes again, Dink," Ruth Rose said after a few minutes. "Maybe there's a clue about who they're really meant for." Dink opened the envelopes, pulled out the four notes, and laid them side by side. Josh picked up the fifth envelope. He turned it upside down and shook it. "Maybe someone stole the last letter," he whispered. He made mysterious eyes at Dink.