“Here’s a monster nose ring,” Nancy heard one of the twins say. She looked up.
One of the boys put something on the snow monster’s stick nose.
Nancy’s eyes widened. “Where did you get George’s necklace?” she shouted.
“Hey!” George cried. She ran to grab her necklace.
But Tom grabbed it first. “Hey, Tim! Catch!” He threw it to his brother.
“Oh, no! Not again,” Bess said.
Tim caught the necklace. When George tried to get it, he threw it back to Tom.
But Kelly jumped in and caught it before Tom.
“Good catch, Kelly,” George said.
“I’ll tie it on for you,” Kelly said.
“Tie it tight,” George said. “I don’t want to lose it again.” She touched the silver charm.
As Kelly tied the ribbon around George’s neck, Jennifer giggled. “Better not tie a slip knot, Kelly.”
Nancy turned to the twins. “You said you didn’t have George’s necklace.”
“They took it!” Bess shouted.
“We did not,” Tom said. “We found it.”
Tim pointed to the ground by the side of the lodge. “It was lying in the snow.”
Nancy looked where Tim was pointing. There were lots of footprints in the snow—too many to tell who had made them.
How had George’s necklace gotten there? she wondered. Someone must have dropped it. Kelly and Jennifer’s snowman was nearby. So was the twins’ snow monster. And Will had just stomped through there.
Nancy sighed. She had found George’s necklace. But the mystery was more mysterious than ever.
7
No Clues
That night after dinner Nancy curled up on her bunk and opened her notebook.
Bess sat down next to Nancy. “I bet the twins moved George’s skis today.”
George sat down on Nancy’s other side. “It couldn’t have been the twins,” she said. “They had lunch at the Mountaintop Café.”
“Maybe they moved them on theirway out of the building,” Bess argued.
Nancy shook her head. “They were with their mother, remember?”
“Well, they probably took George’s necklace,” Bess said. “They keep taking my hat.”
“Maybe,” Nancy said slowly. “But three bad-luck things have happened to George. I bet one person did all three.” She crossed the twins’ names off her suspect list. “That means Tim and Tom couldn’t be the ones.”
George looked at Nancy’s suspect list. “Kelly, Jennifer, and Will were all near me when I was pushed.”
Nancy studied her notebook. “Kelly and Jennifer had gone out to practice before the next class,” she said. “They could have moved George’s skis.”
“Will was already waiting for class to begin when we got outside,” Bess remembered. “He could have come out early and done it, too.”
Nancy looked at the names on her list. Jenifer didn’t want to be in the Bunny class. Could she have moved George’s skis? Would she have pushed George down the hill just to get into the Jackrabbit class?
Maybe, Nancy thought. But Kelly could have moved the skis and pushed George, too. Maybe she had done it to help her sister.
“But why would Will move your skis, George?” Nancy wondered aloud.
“I don’t know,” George said. “Maybe he hates skiing so much that he doesn’t want anyone else to have fun doing it.”
Nancy sighed and closed her notebook. “We still haven’t solved the mystery.”
George touched her necklace. “But you found my silver skis,” she told Nancy. “At least my bad luck is over.”
“I hope so,” Nancy said. But deep down inside, Nancy had a feeling more bad luck was coming.
• • •
Bess looked down at her feet dangling over the edge of the ski lift chair. She quickly leaned back. “Oh, boy. It’s a long way down.”
The Bunnies had practiced all morning. Now they were riding on the ski lift for the first time.
“This isn’t so bad,” Nancy heard Will say to Jennifer. They were in the chair behind Nancy and Bess.
“It’s just a chair lift,” Jennifer said.
Wow, Nancy thought. Jennifer is cranky about everything.
When they reached the top, Nancy and Bess raised the safety bar, stood up on their skis, and slid off the lift. They made a wedge and stopped by Alexandra.
“Everybody ready?” Alexandra said when the whole class was there. “Good. Let’s ski!”
“Um, can I walk down?” Bess asked.
“You can do it, Bess,” Nancy said.
“Just remember not to cross your skis,” Will added.
Jennifer pushed her way to the front of the line. “I’ll go first. I don’t want any of you falling in front of me and making me fall.”
Alexandra shrugged. “Fine, go ahead.”
Jennifer smiled and pushed off down the hill.
When it was her turn, Nancy took a deep breath and pushed off. She was going so fast! For a moment she was almost afraid. But she had learned a lot this weekend. She turned her skis into a wedge and slowed down. This is fun, she thought.
They practiced skiing down the slope for the rest of the afternoon.
“You all did really well,” Alexandra told them when class was over. “Tomorrow morning is the skiing contest. After that there will be an awards ceremony at the Mountaintop Café.”
“Thanks for the lessons,” Nancy told Alexandra. “They were fun.”
“Yeah,” Will added. “Skiing isn’t as dumb as I thought.”
Alexandra smiled. “My pleasure. See you at the skating party by the pond tonight.” She pointed to the pond in the distance. “And good luck tomorrow!”
Jennifer dug her poles into the snow and pushed off. “I don’t need luck,” she said over her shoulder. “Because I’m going to win. And that makes you all losers!”
• • •
That night when the girls arrived at the skating party, George quickly put on her skates and hurried off to play ice hockey. Nancy and Bess took their time lacing up their skates.
Nancy noticed Jennifer standing alone by a table with drinks and snacks on it. “Let’s set a trap for Jennifer,” she whispered to Bess,
“How?” Bess asked.
“If she moved George’s skis, that means she knows what they look like, right?” Nancy said.
“That makes sense,” Bess agreed.
Nancy stood up. “Come on. I’ve got a plan.” She skated toward Jennifer.
“What plan?” Bess whispered, trying to catch up with her. “What do we do?”
“Just play along,” Nancy whispered back. She stopped by the table. “Hi, Jennifer!”
Jennifer had just finished drinking a cup of hot cocoa. “I’m glad you’re here,” Jennifer said. “Kelly’s playing ice hockey, and I’m bored. Come skate with me.”
“Hey, Jennifer, Bess was thinking about buying some skis,” Nancy said as the three girls slowly skated around the pond.
“I was?” Bess said. Nancy elbowed her. “I mean, yes, I was.”
“She wants some like the first pair of skis George rented,” Nancy continued. “They’re good skis. Don’t you think so?”
Jennifer shrugged. “I guess. I really didn’t notice them.”
Nancy studied Jennifer’s face. She looked as if she was telling the truth.
The trap hadn’t worked very well. Nancy decided to try something else.
“Do you still wish you’d been in the Jackrabbit class?” she asked.
Jennifer laughed. “I was so silly,” she said. “If I was in Kelly’s class, I’d have to ski against her tomorrow. Kelly’s a better skier than I am. But this way, I can win in my class and Kelly can win in hers.”
“Someone else might win, you know,” Bess said.
Jennifer laughed again. “Now you’re being silly,” she told Bess.
“Jen!” Nancy heard Kelly shout. “Come on. We need another player to win.”
“Okay,” Jennifer called. “See you later,” she said to Nancy and Bess.
Bess glared after her. “That Jennifer thinks she’s so great,” she said.
“Yes,” Nancy said. “And she’s still a suspect—even if our trap didn’t work.”
• • •
After breakfast the next morning, Mr. Drew, Nancy, George, and Bess headed for the ski lodge. All three girls were excited about the skiing contest.
They had just reached the front steps when Jennifer came hurrying out. “Hi,” she said breathlessly. “We’re supposed to meet by the pond this morning instead of the usual place.” Then she ran off.
“We’d better hurry,” George said. “It’s a long walk to the pond.”
“I’m going to go find a good place to watch the action,” Mr. Drew said. “Good luck, girls!”
The three friends changed into their ski boots. They carried their skis as fast as they could down the path toward the pond.
“I wonder where everyone is,” George said when they arrived.
A woman polishing a snowmobile near an equipment shed looked up. “Are you girls lost?” she asked.
“Isn’t this where we’re supposed to meet for the skiing contest?” Nancy asked.
The woman shook her head. “The contest is back there.” She pointed toward the bottom of the beginners’ slope. “It looks as if it’s about to start.”
George’s eyes flashed angrily. “Wait until I find that Jennifer!”
“Come on,” Nancy said quickly. “If we run, we might make it.”
“We can’t run in ski boots!” Bess cried. “We’ll never make it in time. It’s hopeless!”
8
Winners and Losers
Sounds as if someone played a dirty trick on you,” the woman said. “I’ll take you over on my snowmobile.”
Nancy, Bess, and George put their skis in the sled behind the snowmobile. Then they climbed onto the snowmobile seat. A moment later they were zooming back toward the slope.
“Thanks,” Nancy said when the snowmobile came to a stop. She jumped off, grabbed her skis, and raced toward Alexandra. Bess was right behind her.
George rushed past them to the lift. The rest of the Jackrabbit class was already riding up the hill.
“You’re late,” Alexandra said. She was frowning.
“It wasn’t our fault,” Bess said. “Someone told us to go to the pond.” She glared at Jennifer. But Jennifer wouldn’t look at her.
Nancy and Bess put on their skis and got on the ski lift. As they rode to the top of the hill, they saw George skiing down. Nancy thought she skied well.
Kelly skied down a moment later. She’s good, too, Nancy thought. Almost as good as those skiers in the videos.
Finally they reached the top, and it was time for the Bunny class to ski.
Will fell halfway down the hill, then slid the rest of the way to the bottom. But when he got up, he was laughing.
Then Jennifer dug her ski poles into the snow and pushed off hard—so hard she fell right over the front of her skis! She stood up and pushed off again. This time she finished the course perfectly.
“That was brave of her,” Nancy said. “She didn’t quit just because she fell.”
“She’s still a sneak,” Bess said.
Nancy was next. She took a deep breath and pushed off. The wind rushed past her. She pointed her skis into a wedge and zigzagged down the snowy trail.
“That was great!” George said when Nancy reached the bottom of the hill.
“Thanks,” Nancy said. “You were great, too.” She glanced over at the people watching and saw her father waving at her and grinning proudly.
Nancy and George watched as Bess skied down the hill. Bess went very, very slowly. But she didn’t fall once.
Nancy and George cheered as Bess crossed the finish line.
• • •
“I knew it was Jennifer!” Bess crowed at lunch. “Her mean trick almost made us miss the contest. That proves it!”
Nancy reached for her notebook. She crossed off Will’s name. He liked skiing now, so he wasn’t a suspect anymore.
That left Jennifer and Kelly. And Jennifer had lied to them about meeting at the pond. That meant she must be the one.
Something isn’t right, Nancy thought, putting her notebook away. But she wasn’t sure what was bothering her.
Nancy was still thinking about the mystery that afternoon as they got ready to go to the awards ceremony.
“Why would she do it?” Nancy muttered under her breath on the way to the gondola lift.
“What?” George asked.
“We thought Jennifer did everything because she wanted to be a Jackrabbit,” Nancy said. “But then she decided she didn’t. So why would she keep doing mean things to you, George? It doesn’t make sense. Unless …”
Nancy saw George reknot the velvet ribbon of her necklace. The silver skis caught the late-afternoon sun and flashed brightly.
Just then Nancy remembered that Kelly knew how to tie a slip knot. And Jennifer had told a joke about Kelly tying George’s necklace on with a slip knot, too.
“That’s it!” Nancy said. She looked ahead at the gondola line, then turned to her father. “Can we ride the gondola with our friends?”
When he nodded, Nancy grabbed George and Bess. She pushed through the line until they were standing with Kelly, Jennifer, and their parents.
When the next gondola came, Nancy led George and Bess onto it, right behind the sisters. The gondola was full.
“You’ll have to catch the next one,” the gondola operator told Kelly and Jennifer’s parents.
The gondola lifted them higher and higher up the side of the mountain.
Nancy faced Kelly and Jennifer. “Kelly, I know you’re the one who’s been doing mean things to George.”
Kelly shrugged and stared out the window. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Nancy looked at Jennifer. “Kelly made you tell us to go to the pond, didn’t she?”
Jennifer glanced at Kelly. “No,” she said. “I really thought we were meeting there.”
Nancy wasn’t going to give up. She moved closer to Jennifer. “Kelly told you that, right? We know, because we know it was Kelly who stole George’s good-luck charm and pushed her down the hill.”
“You can’t prove that,” Kelly burst out. “Anyway, what makes you think I took her stupid necklace?”
“The slip knot,” Nancy said. “You used that kind of knot on George’s necklace. Am I right?”
For a minute it looked as though Kelly was going to deny it. Then she glanced at her sister and sighed. “Yes,” she told Nancy quietly. “I tied the ribbon with a very loose slip knot so it would come off. I saw it fall outside the lodge and I picked it up.”
“Then you dropped it by accident and the twins found it,” Nancy said.
Kelly nodded. “That’s right. I did all the other things, too.”
“Why?” George demanded.
Kelly met George’s eyes. “Last year at the contest I fell and didn’t finish. Everyone laughed at me. I wanted to win this year. No one laughs at a winner.”
The gondola bumped to a stop at the top of the mountain. Kelly jumped out and started running.
Jennifer got out, too. “I’m sorry,” she said. Then she ran after her sister.
• • •
The Mountaintop Café was buzzing with excitement as Alexandra announced the award winners in the Bunny class.
Bess won an award for being the skier with the most style. Will won for having the most improved attitude.
Even Jennifer won an award. It was for being the bravest skier—because she finished the contest after she had fallen.
“Finally, the award you’ve all been waiting for,” Alexandra announced. “For the best overall skier in the Bunny group, our award goes to Nancy Drew.”
Nancy smiled proudly as she shook Alexandra’s hand.
Nancy noticed that everyo
ne in the class had received an award. No one was a loser.
But she couldn’t help holding her breath when it was time to announce the awards for the Jackrabbit class.
“Everyone worked hard,” Hector said. “But we think the most promising skier is Georgia Fayne.”
George made a face at hearing her whole name. But she grinned as she went to get her award.
Tim and Tom got awards for being the fastest twins on skis. They ran up to get their awards and ran back to their seats.
“And the best all-around skier in the Jackrabbit class is Kelly Allen.”
Nancy clapped politely as Kelly got her award. Bess didn’t clap.
As Kelly walked by their table back to her own, George jumped up and stuck out her hand. “Congratulations, Kelly.”
“You mean it?” Kelly said.
“Sure,” George said. “Even though you tried to cheat, you won the contest fair and square. You were the best skier.”
Kelly shook George’s hand. Then, in a low voice, she said, “I’m really sorry, George.”
“It’s okay,” George said. She grinned. “Just don’t try anything like that next year!”
That evening Nancy finished packing before Bess and George. She took out her notebook and sat on her bunk.
She turned to the page headed “The Silver Skis Mystery.” At the bottom she wrote:
I learned to ski this weekend, and I won a prize for it. I solved a mystery, too. When I solved the mystery, I learned something important. Winning is fun, but not if all you care about is winning. And if you have to cheat to win, you haven’t really won at all.
Case closed.
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
First Aladdin Paperbacks edition May 2002
First Minstrel Books edition January 1997
Copyright © 1997 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Produced by Mega-Books, Inc.
The Ski Slope Mystery Page 3