The Best Detective

by Carolyn Keene

  “Stay in this part of the court,” Mrs. Marvin said. “Then you can walk around the fair by yourselves.”

  The girls started up the main aisle.

  “Oooh, check out all the new Star Quest toys!” Bess said. “Let’s look at them. Oh, I love the Kema android doll.”

  “This is really neat, too,” Nancy said. “An RFF robot dog that runs on batteries.”

  The girls looked at the stuffed animals next. Then Bess stopped at the doll display. Nancy walked on to find the watercolor sets.

  “Isn’t this a strange place to look for your notebook?” a familiar voice said.

  Nancy turned around. Brenda Carlton was standing behind her.

  “How did you know my notebook is missing?” Nancy asked.

  “I heard the terrible news from Jason Hutchings,” Brenda said. “I was going to write an important article for the Carlton News about the toy fair. But now I think I’ll do a story about how a detective lost her notebook—and movie passes.”

  Brenda flipped open a red notebook. “How do you, Bess, and George feel about missing the Star Quest 2 preview?” she asked.

  “Maybe we won’t miss it,” Nancy said.

  Brenda smiled. She looked as if she didn’t believe Nancy. “Are Bess and George super angry at you for losing the passes?” she asked.

  “As a matter of fact, they’re not,” Nancy answered.

  Brenda shook her head as if she didn’t believe Nancy. She wrote something in her red notebook. Then she said, “Here’s my last question. If Jason finds your notebook, will you admit to the News that he’s the best detective?”

  “The only thing I’ll admit now is this—I plan to find that notebook,” Nancy said. “And the passes.”

  “I hope you can,” Brenda said. She put her own notebook away. “Because everyone else is going to the preview—even Jenny March’s cousin.”

  “Where did Jenny get an extra pass for her cousin?” Nancy asked. “Do you know?”

  “Isn’t that the kind of question a detective is supposed to answer?” Brenda said with a mean smile. “Especially the best detective. ’Bye.”

  Brenda turned and walked away.

  She knows something I don’t know, Nancy thought. Are she and Jenny both in on it? Then Nancy saw Bess hurrying toward her.

  “There you are,” Bess said.

  “I just talked to Brenda,” Nancy said. “She knows that Jenny found a pass for her cousin. But she won’t say anything else.”

  “Do you think Jenny and Brenda planned this with each other?” Bess asked. “Do you think there’s a . . . what-do-you-call-it?”

  “A conspiracy,” Nancy said. “Maybe. I need some time to think about all this.”

  Mrs. Marvin drove Nancy home in the late afternoon. Nancy went right to her room. She sat on her bed and opened her math notebook.

  Jenny, Brenda, and Jason, she thought. Three different suspects? Or one thief and two helpers? Maybe Jenny didn’t take the notebook. Maybe Jason or Brenda took it to prove I’m not the best detective. Either of them could have given Jenny an extra pass.

  I’m stuck, Nancy thought, until I find out if Jenny’s extra pass is one of ours.

  Nancy drew a big question mark in her math notebook. I know what to do next, she thought. I’ll tell Jenny that I heard she got another pass. I’ll ask her where she got it because George, Bess, and I need new ones.

  Nancy jumped off her bed and ran downstairs. She telephoned Jenny’s house.

  A woman answered. “Hello?”

  “May I speak to Jenny?” Nancy asked.

  “I’m sorry,” the woman said. “She won’t be back until very late tonight.”

  Nancy sighed. “Okay, I’ll call tomorrow morning. Thanks. ’Bye.”

  Nancy telephoned George and explained her plan to talk to Jenny the next morning.

  “Why don’t we all go over to her house?” George said. “We could meet there at ten.”

  “Sure,” Nancy said. “Call Bess, okay?”

  At dinner Nancy told her father everything that had happened that day.

  “I think you’re right about the next step,” Mr. Drew said. “Talk to Jenny.” Then he added, “You look like one glum pumpkin.”

  “I’m afraid I won’t find the passes,” Nancy said. “There’s not much time left.”

  After dinner Nancy didn’t feel like playing. She read until bedtime. She washed up and got under the covers as fast as she could. She wanted morning to come soon.

  When Nancy opened her eyes, the sun was shining. She felt just as rushed as she had the night before. She put on jeans and a red sweater and was in the kitchen before Hannah. After breakfast Nancy got ready to leave. At 9:45 she stood with her bike on the sidewalk near Jenny’s house.

  Suppose the Marches go out while I wait for Bess and George? she thought.

  Too worried to wait, Nancy walked her bike up to the porch. She rang the doorbell. Mr. March opened the door.

  “May I talk to Jenny?” Nancy asked.

  “Sure,” Mr. March answered. “She’s upstairs. Come in and I’ll get her.”

  Nancy stepped into the entry hallway. Mr. March started up the stairs. Nancy glanced around. The house was very quiet.

  Nancy rested her arm on a low marble-topped table in the hall. A glass vase stood in the center of the table. She noticed the corners of something sticking out from under the vase. Cards with purple borders, Nancy thought. Two Star Quest 2 passes!

  Quietly and carefully, Nancy lifted the edge of the vase. She reached for the passes.

  “Hey, what are you doing? Those aren’t yours!” someone screamed. “Thief!”

  6

  She Didn’t Do It!

  Nancy pulled her hand away from the passes and whirled around. Jenny’s cousin Nina was standing in the kitchen door. Mr. March and Jenny came running down the stairs.

  “What’s going on?” Mr. March asked.

  Nina pointed to Nancy. “She was about to steal our Star Quest 2 passes!”

  “I wasn’t stealing them,” Nancy said. “I was just going to look at them.” Nancy turned to Jenny. “I heard you got an extra pass. I wanted to know where you got it because mine is missing and so are Bess’s and George’s. Ms. Spencer said there weren’t any extra ones.”

  “Emily Reeves can’t go to the movie,” Jenny explained. “Her grandmother in Detroit got sick. Emily and her mom went to visit her in the hospital. Emily told Brenda yesterday morning, and Brenda called me. Nina and I went to get Emily’s ticket right away.”

  Nina nodded. She looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry I called you a thief,” she said to Nancy. “I didn’t know what you were doing.”

  “That’s okay,” Nancy said.

  “I’m sorry your passes got lost,” Jenny said to Nancy. “If I couldn’t go to the movie, I’d give you my pass. I really would.”

  “Of course you would,” Mr. March said.

  “Thanks, Jenny,” Nancy said, opening the door. “See you later—or tomorrow.”

  Nancy walked her bike to the corner.

  I’m glad Jenny isn’t a thief, she thought. But where is my notebook? What happened to our passes?

  As soon as Bess and George arrived, Nancy told them about Nina’s pass.

  “Well, Jenny wasn’t in a plot with Brenda,” George said. “Now what do we do?”

  “We’re not giving up,” Nancy said. “Let’s find out what Jason’s been up to.”

  “Zipper Lips?” Bess asked. She made a face.

  “Yes,” Nancy said. “If he’s been doing detective work, maybe he knows something. If he took the notebook, maybe we’ll find a way to get it back. Let’s call him now.”

  Bess looked at her watch. “I can’t. My grandma is taking me to the mall. I want to show her the Kema android doll. You know, just in case she ever needs a present idea for someone.”

  “I told my mom I’d help rake leaves,” George said. “But it won’t take long.”

  “I’ll start tracking Jason
down,” Nancy said. “Then I’ll call you.”

  Nancy rode home. Just six hours to go, she thought. Maybe Jason has some ideas. Maybe he’ll work with us. Maybe four heads are better than three—even if one head is Jason’s.

  Nancy telephoned Jason’s house as soon as she got home. His mother answered.

  “Is Jason there?” Nancy asked. “I’m in his class at school. My name’s Nancy Drew.”

  “He’s at a Little League playoff game in the park,” Mrs. Hutchings answered. “Do you want to leave a message?”

  “No, thanks,” Nancy said. “ ’Bye.”

  Nancy found her father in his study. “May I ride my bike to the park?” she asked.

  Mr. Drew glanced at the clock. “Yes, but be back for lunch,” he said. “And watch the traffic light on the corner near the park.”

  “I will and I will,” Nancy said. “Two ‘I wills’ equals ‘I really will.’ ”

  Her father laughed and waved goodbye.

  Nancy got to the park quickly on her bike. A crowd of cheering people stood around the fence behind home plate. Jason’s team was at bat.

  “What’s the score?” Nancy asked a teenage girl.

  “It’s tied, and the game is almost over,” the girl said. “But if the team at bat scores, they’ll win.”

  Nancy walked her bike to where Jason’s team was standing. Mike Minelli, Jason’s best friend, was getting ready to bat.

  Nancy leaned her bike against a tree. Then she tapped Jason on the shoulder and asked, “Can I talk to you for a minute? It’s really important. It’s about my missing notebook.”

  “I’m playing ball now,” Jason said. “I can’t do detective work at the same time. I may be the best, but I’m not superhuman—yet.” Then he yelled at Mike, “Hit a home run!”

  The pitcher threw the ball. Mike swung and missed. Strike one.

  “Just tell me if you have any clues,” Nancy said. “Please! Time is running out.”

  “Ha! I’m not telling my best detective secrets,” Jason said.

  The pitcher threw the ball. Again Mike swung and missed. Strike two.

  “This is an emergency,” Nancy said. “I don’t want my friends to miss the movie.”

  Jason looked at Nancy. His face became serious. “Guess what?” he whispered.

  “What?” Nancy asked.

  Jason laughed. “I haven’t got a clue!”

  Nancy made a face. “Come on, Jason. Did you notice—” she started to ask.

  Jason had turned back to the game. The pitcher threw the ball. Mike swung hard. Wham! The ball shot past the shortstop. An outfielder dashed for it and missed.

  “Home run! Go home!”

  Nancy found herself shouting along with everyone else. Mike raced around second base, around third, and across home plate.

  “We won!” Jason yelled. “Yahoooo!” He and the rest of the team ran toward Mike.

  Nancy watched the team members and their fans cheer and clap. After a few minutes the crowd broke up. Nancy saw Jason, Mike, and Mr. Minelli walk out of the park toward a car and get into it. The car started to pull away from the curb.

  So much for that angle, Nancy thought.

  Then the car stopped and backed up to the curb. Mike jumped out and sprinted back to the baseball field.

  “What’s up, Minelli?” the coach asked. “Are you back for another game?”

  “Nope,” Mike said. “Jason and I forgot our gym bags.”

  Mike hurried to a spot close to where Nancy stood. Several players and their families were milling around. Mike bent down to grab the handles of two canvas bags.

  “Hey, Mike,” the coach said. “This jacket has Jason’s name in it.” He handed Mike a green-and-white windbreaker.

  “Yep, that’s his,” Mike replied. He unzipped one of the bags and pulled it open wide. Just before he stuffed the jacket inside, Nancy saw something lying on top.

  It was rectangular, blue, and shiny.

  Nancy gasped. “That’s my notebook!”

  7

  The Blue Notebook

  Nancy froze. She felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. Mike snatched the two bags and started running. He left Jason’s bag unzipped.

  “Mike!” Nancy shouted.

  The coach shouted Mike’s name in the same instant. His deep voice drowned Nancy’s out. Mike turned his head.

  “Good game!” the coach yelled.

  Mike smiled and kept running. Nancy dashed to the tree where she had left her bike. By the time she was pedaling to the edge of the park, Mr. Minelli’s car had pulled away.

  I’ll catch them at the traffic light, Nancy thought.

  She raced her bike along the sidewalk. In the street, the car was moving faster. As it reached the corner, the light changed to yellow. Nancy pedaled as hard as she could. The car crossed the intersection. Nancy reached the corner. The light turned red.

  “Rats!” she muttered as she braked. She watched the car disappear down the street.

  Why did Jason lie to me? Nancy wondered. Does he plan to give back the notebook at the last minute? Is he going somewhere with Mike Minelli? Or is he going home? Suppose he loses his gym bag. Suppose my notebook falls out of it!

  The light changed. Nancy walked her bike across the street.

  I’ll phone Jason as soon as I get home, she thought. I’ll tell him what I saw and make him give back my notebook.

  She looked at her watch. It was noon.

  Nancy rode home quickly. She went straight to the kitchen to make her call. Jason’s mother answered the phone again.

  “May I talk to Jason?” Nancy asked. “This is Nancy Drew. I called before.”

  “Oh, right,” Mrs. Hutchings said. “Jason is having lunch with Mike Minelli. But he should be home by about one-thirty. Why don’t you call back then?”

  “Do you know where he’s having lunch?” Nancy asked. “It’s really important.”

  “Mr. Minelli took them to a restaurant,” Mrs. Hutchings answered. “But I don’t know which one. I can have him call you as soon as he gets in.”

  Nancy said goodbye to Mrs. Hutchings and called George.

  “Gigantic news,” Nancy said. “My notebook is in Jason Hutchings’s gym bag.”

  “You mean he’s had it all this time?” George said. “Did you get the passes?”

  “I didn’t get anything yet,” Nancy said. She explained what had happened. “Can you and Bess meet me in front of Jason’s house a little before one-thirty?”

  “Sure,” George said. “Just think about it—in Zipper Lips’ gym bag. That’s so gross.”

  When Nancy got off the phone, she helped her father set the table for lunch. He had made tomato soup and cheese sandwiches.

  “Well, well, well—it’s the bicycling detective,” Carson Drew said. “You’ve had a busy morning. How’s the case going?”

  “I might be close to solving it,” Nancy said. “But it’s pretty weird.” She told her father about Jason and the gym bag.

  Mr. Drew frowned. “That’s mean if he’s had your notebook and hasn’t returned it. When are you getting it back?”

  “I want to go over to his house after lunch,” Nancy said. “George says she and Bess can meet me there.”

  When they finished eating, Nancy and her father cleared the table. Then she biked to Jason’s house. She sat on one of the porch steps, waiting. A few minutes later Bess and George arrived. They sat on the lower steps.

  “Incredible,” George said. “Jason tells you he hasn’t found out anything about your notebook. Meanwhile the notebook is lying in his gym bag. How can a person do something like that?”

  “Maybe he’s not a person,” Nancy said. “Maybe he’s an evil android—like Thurtik in the first Star Quest movie.”

  Bess sighed. “Do you think the passes will smell like Jason’s gym bag?”

  Nancy and George burst out laughing. They were still giggling when Mr. Minelli’s car pulled up.

  “Here we go,” Nancy whis
pered.

  Jason got out of the car with his gym bag. He waved goodbye to Mike and started up the walk to his house. Then he noticed the girls sitting on the front steps of his house. They all stared at him.

  “It’s my fan club!” Jason said. He gave them a big grin. “I bet you’ve been waiting hours for my autograph.”

  “We’ve been waiting more than a day for you to give back my notebook,” Nancy said in an angry tone.

  “I already told you,” Jason said. “I have zero. No clues, no notebook, nothing.”

  Bess jumped up. “That’s a big lie!”

  “It is not!” Jason said.

  “You have my notebook in your gym bag,” Nancy said. “I saw it there in the park.”

  Jason looked puzzled. Then he turned red. “Oh, that,” he muttered. He unzipped his gym bag and took out a notebook with a shiny blue cover.

  “That’s my notebook!” Nancy said.

  “Nope, mine,” Jason said. “See? It’s a new one.” He fanned the pages. “All blank.”

  “Where did you get that?” George asked.

  “At the Bell, before the game this morning,” Jason answered. “Charlie has all kinds of notebooks. Stacks of them.”

  The three girls stared silently at the notebook. Then Nancy asked, “Why did you buy a notebook anyway?”

  Jason blushed again. “I thought I’d have better luck solving the case if I had a detective’s notebook. You know—like you do.”

  “Sorry,” Nancy said. “I guess I jumped to conclusions.”

  The girls got their bikes. Jason walked up the porch steps. Before he went inside, he said, “Too bad no one has solved this case.” Then he grinned. “Yet.”

  “What do we do now?” George asked.

  “It’s two o’clock,” Nancy said, “and I’m out of ideas. I feel really bad. Because of me you’re going to miss the movie.”

  “My parents said they’d take us to another movie this afternoon,” Bess said. “But I’m not sure I feel like it.”