Turkey Trouble

by Carolyn Keene

  “Thank you!” the girls said at the same time. Then they raced down the hall.

  “Did she really say there was a turkey here?” Riley whispered in a puzzled voice.

  “Yes!” Nancy whispered back. “And I’ll bet it’s Martin!”

  Nancy pushed the red door open. The girls bumped into each other as they squeezed into the room.

  “This is Mr. Lizard’s dressing room!” Nancy said. There were racks of costumes and a row of bright red wigs on a table.

  “But where’s Martin?” George asked.

  Nancy’s eyes darted around the room. She saw a big square object in the corner. It was covered with a green blanket.

  Nancy lifted the blanket and squealed. Underneath it was a cage. And inside the cage was a turkey!

  “Is it Martin?” Nancy asked Riley.

  “I don’t know,” Riley said. “I can’t get a good look.”

  “I’ll look inside,” Nancy offered. She unlatched the cage door and opened it. She kneeled down and peeked into the cage.

  “That’s funny,” Nancy said. “This turkey doesn’t have a black beard.”

  “Maybe Martin shaved for the show tomorrow,” Bess said.

  Nancy leaned farther into the cage. But then the dressing room door swung open.

  “Hey!” an angry voice shouted.

  Nancy glanced over her shoulder. Jason, David, and Mike marched into the room and they looked mad!

  “Help!” Mike shouted. “She’s stealing our turkey! She’s stealing our turkey!”

  6

  Truth in the Tooth

  I was not stealing this turkey. Mike Minelli!” Nancy argued.

  Mr. Lizard hurried into the room. He was tugging at the bright red wig on his head. “What’s going on in here?” he asked.

  “They were stealing our turkey, Mr. Lizard!” Mike said, pointing to Nancy. “We won the contest fair and square!”

  “We weren’t stealing, Mr. Lizard,” Nancy said. “We just wanted to know if the boys stole Martin.”

  “Who’s Martin?” Mr. Lizard asked.

  “Martin is my turkey,” Riley answered. “He’s . . . missing.”

  “No way did we steal Riley’s turkey,” Mike said. He pointed to the cage. “My dad borrowed that one from a turkey farm.”

  “His name is Tommy,” David added. “We named him ourselves.”

  “Wow!” Mr. Lizard said. He grinned at the turkey. “That’s some gobbler, boys. He does gobble, doesn’t he?”

  “Not really,” Mike admitted. “He just makes a weird clicking noise.”

  Clicking noise? Nancy remembered what she had read in Katie’s bird booklet. Girl turkeys don’t gobble, they make clicking noises. And many girl turkeys don’t have beards, either.

  “That’s because Tommy the turkey is a girl turkey!” Nancy announced.

  Everyone stared at Nancy.

  “Is not!” Mike snapped.

  “Is too!” Nancy snapped back.

  “Is not!” Mike argued.

  “Is too!” Nancy argued back.

  “Is too,” Mr. Lizard sighed. “Tommy just laid an egg.”

  Everyone stared into the cage. The turkey was standing over a big white egg!

  “Give me a break,” Mike muttered.

  “A turkey’s a turkey!” Mr. Lizard said. He reached out and shook each boy’s hand. “And you boys just won the Track a Turkey Contest!”

  “Cool!” Jason cheered.

  Mr. Lizard kneeled down and stuck his head into the cage. “And congratulations to you-”

  “Click, click, click!” The turkey stretched her neck out and plucked the wig right off Mr. Lizard’s head!

  “Hey!” Mr. Lizard shouted. He grabbed his bright red wig back.

  Nancy tried hard not to giggle.

  “First kids, and now animals!” Mr. Lizard grumbled as he left the room.

  “I didn’t know Mr. Lizard was bald,” Riley said slowly.

  “And I didn’t know our turkey was a girl!” Mike groaned.

  Nancy knew the boys didn’t steal Martin. But they still could have written the mysterious note just to make trouble.

  How can I find out? Nancy wondered.

  Suddenly she had a brainstorm. Nancy pulled out her notebook and a pen. She opened to a clean page and held it out.

  “Can I have your autographs?” Nancy asked the boys. “Pleeeease?”

  Bess, George, and Riley looked confused. So did the boys.

  “What for?” Jason asked.

  “You’re going to dance the lizard dance on TV tomorrow,” Nancy answered. “So you’re going to be famous!”

  The boys puffed out their chests proudly. One at a time they took the pen and signed Nancy’s notebook.

  “Just one autograph,” David said in a snooty voice. “We’re wanted on the set!”

  “Thanks,” Nancy forced herself to say. She pulled out the mysterious note and compared it with the boys’ signatures. They did not match.

  “What are you doing now?” Mike asked.

  “Just clearing you from this case,” Nancy explained. “But do us a favor.”

  “What?” the three boys asked.

  “Change Tommy’s name,” Nancy said, giggling, “to Tomasina!”

  The boys turned red as the girls left the room. Once outside Nancy crossed their names out in her notebook.

  “We still don’t know who wrote the note,” Nancy said. “Hopefully they’ll write again and we’ll get more clues.”

  “What should we do in the meantime?” George asked.

  “I know!” Riley said. “Let’s go to the movies. Or ice-skating! Or bowling!”

  Nancy stared at Riley as she did cartwheels down the block.

  “What’s with Riley?” Nancy asked. “It’s like she’s not worried about Martin anymore.”

  Bess put her arm around Nancy’s shoulder. “That’s because you’re on the case, Nancy,” she said with a smile.

  “Sure,” George agreed. “If anyone can find a missing turkey, it’s you!”

  “Thanks,” Nancy said. But she was getting worried. Finding a missing turkey was a lot harder than she thought.

  The girls were getting hungry. So they each decided to go to their houses for lunch.

  When Nancy entered her kitchen she saw a tuna sandwich already on the table. Next to the plate was a piece of paper.

  “What’s this, Hannah?” Nancy asked.

  “Someone slipped a note into the mailbox about an hour ago,” Hannah said. “It says something about a turkey.”

  “Turkey?” Nancy gasped. She stared at the note with its orange, red, and brown writing. It looked just like the last one!

  “We still have the turkey and we want more candy,” Nancy read out loud. “Leave another bag on your doorstep at three o’clock. P.S. We’re sick of cherry lollipops!”

  Nancy looked up at Hannah. “Do we have any candy in the house?” she asked.

  “Just those purple candies you got for Halloween,” Hannah said. “But they made your teeth turn purple, remember?”

  “Perfect! They’re not for me,” Nancy said. “They’re for the turkey thieves. And this time I’m going to catch them in the act!”

  Nancy finished her lunch. Then she filled a paper bag with purple candies.

  At ten minutes to three, Nancy placed the bag on her doorstep. She shut the door and climbed up on a step stool. Then she peeked out the small window on the front door. And waited . . .

  Any minute now, Nancy thought. The turkey thieves will be here and—

  “Woof, woof!”

  Nancy looked over her shoulder. Chip was chewing on her math workbook!

  “Chip! No!” Nancy scolded. She jumped off the step stool and grabbed the book out of Chip’s mouth.

  Suddenly Nancy heard a rustling noise. It sounded like it was right outside the door.

  “The turkey thieves!” Nancy gasped. She ran to the door and yanked it wide open. There was no one on her doorstep. And the candy was gon
e!

  “Phooey!” Nancy cried. “I missed them again!” She was about to go back inside when she remembered the purple candy . . .

  “Someone in school will have purple teeth tomorrow,” Nancy told herself. “And I’m going to find out who!”

  • • •

  The next morning Nancy got permission to bring her camera to school.

  “You’re going to take pictures of the kids in our class?” George asked. “Why?”

  “The camera has no film,” Nancy whispered. “I’m just on smile patrol.”

  Nancy told Bess and George about the purple candies and the purple teeth.

  “What if the thieves brushed their teeth this morning?” Bess asked.

  “Or finished all of the candy last night?” George asked.

  “No way,” Nancy replied. “I gave them tons of the stuff. If they love candy that much, they probably ate some on the way to school.”

  The girls waited in the schoolyard for Riley. When she didn’t show up they decided to get to work.

  “Say cheese!” Nancy told Molly Angelo and Amara Shane.

  “Cheeeeese!” the girls said.

  Nancy studied their smiles as she snapped the picture. No purple teeth.

  “Cheeeeeese!” Jenny March, Emily Reeves, and Kyle Leddington exclaimed.

  Nancy pretended to snap a picture. No purple teeth there, either.

  The girls were about to find some more classmates when Nancy felt someone tug the back of her parka. She looked behind her and saw Lonny and Lenny Wong.

  “Take our picture!” Lenny demanded. “Take our picture!”

  “Go away,” George told them. “You’re not in our class.”

  “Pleeeeeease?” Lonny begged.

  Nancy stared at Lonny’s teeth. They were bright purple. And so were Lenny’s!

  7

  Petting Zoo Clue

  Hey, you two!” Nancy called. “What did you do with Riley’s turkey?”

  Lonny and Lenny looked at each other. Then they took off through the schoolyard.

  “Come back, you little pests!” George called. “And tell us where Martin is!”

  Nancy’s camera dangled around her neck as they chased Lonny and Lenny.

  They scooted around the flagpole, see saws, and swings. Purple candies began spilling out of Lonny’s pocket.

  “Hey!” a fifth-grade monitor called to the twins. “Pick all of those up!”

  While the twins picked up the candies, the girls marched over.

  “We gave you the candy you wanted,” Nancy said. “Now where’s the turkey?”

  “We don’t have one!” Lonny insisted.

  “Except for a chocolate turkey that our grandma gave us,” Lenny added. “And we ate it already.”

  Nancy pulled the two mysterious notes from her backpack. “Did you write these and leave them on my doorstep?” she asked.

  The twins looked at each other. Then they both nodded.

  “We heard you say something about a missing turkey at the Double Dip,” Lenny explained.

  “So we figured out a fun way to get some candy!” Lonny said with a grin.

  “You mean you pretended to have a turkey?” Bess asked. “Just so we’d give you more and more candy?”

  “That’s the idea!” Lenny said.

  “Our brother Orson wrote the notes for us,” Lonny explained. “For a share of the loot.”

  “But he ate too much candy,” Lonny sighed. “So he’s home with a tummyache.”

  Nancy studied the twins. “How do we know you’re telling the truth?” she asked. “How do we know you don’t have Martin?”

  “You can come to our house and look everywhere,” Lenny said with a shrug.

  “Even under our beds,” Lonny added. “If you can move all our dirty socks.”

  “Ewww!” the girls cried.

  Lonny and Lenny popped more purple candies in their mouths. Then they raced toward the monkey bars.

  “So much for finding the turkey thieves. I don’t think those two stole Martin,” Nancy decided.

  “Good,” Bess said. “Because I don’t want to look through their dirty socks!”

  The bell rang. Nancy, Bess, and George walked toward the entrance.

  “We can’t look for Martin after school today,” Nancy said. “Hannah is taking us to the farm. Remember?”

  “How could we forget?” Bess asked excitedly. “I can’t wait to pet those baby goats and lambs.”

  “Nancy, Bess, George!” Riley called as she ran over. “Any luck with Martin?”

  “Sorry, Riley,” Nancy answered. “We didn’t find Martin yet.”

  Nancy expected Riley to look disappointed. But instead she smiled.

  “That’s okay,” Riley said. “Let’s go for some pizza after school.”

  “I have a better idea,” Nancy said. “Why don’t you come with us to a farm?”

  “You bet!” Riley said. She began jumping up and down. “What farm is it?”

  “It’s called ‘Heavenly Harvest,’” Nancy explained. “It has a petting zoo, apple cider—”

  Riley stopped jumping. “I can’t go,” she cut in. “I just remembered. I promised my mom . . . that I’d . . . water our plants!”

  “We can wait until you finish your chores,” Nancy offered.

  “I can’t go!” Riley said again. She turned and ran way ahead of them.

  “What was her problem?” George asked.

  Nancy shook her head. “I may be a detective,” she said. “But I don’t have a clue!”

  • • •

  “Welcome to Heavenly Harvest!” a woman with twinkling green eyes said. “I’m Hattie and this is my husband, Hank. We own the whole place.”

  “It’s awesome!” Nancy gasped.

  She looked around the farm and smiled. A big red barn stood in the distance. Near it was a pen filled with small animals. Market stalls sold cider, pies, vegetables, and colorful Indian corn.

  Hank and Hattie looked like real farmers in plaid shirts and overalls.

  “All of our visitors get to wear these little pins,” Hattie told them.

  As Hattie dropped a silver pin into each of their hands, Nancy couldn’t believe her eyes. They were cow pins!

  “Enjoy the farm!” Hank said. He and Hattie gave a little wave as they left to greet other visitors.

  Nancy pulled out the silver pin they had found in Riley’s yard. She quickly compared it to the new cow pin Hattie had just given her.

  “It’s a match!” Nancy declared.

  “Maybe Riley came to this farm once too,” George said. “And got a pin.”

  “But Riley said she never saw the cow pin in her life,” Nancy remembered.

  “She also said she didn’t like cows,” Bess said. She shook her head. “Who doesn’t like cows?”

  “Okay, girls,” Hannah said. “Speaking of animals, how about that petting zoo?”

  The girls fastened the pins to their jackets. Then they raced ahead of Hannah to the animal pen.

  “I see calves!” Nancy called out as they neared the pen.

  “I see a llama!” George said.

  “I think I see a turkey!” Bess said.

  “A turkey?” Nancy asked. She leaned over the fence and peered into the pen. Strutting around a bucket of feed was a big turkey.

  “Gobble, gobble!” it screeched.

  Nancy gasped. The turkey had a black feathery beard on his chest with a red feather in the middle!

  “Bess, George—look at that turkey!” Nancy gasped. “Could it be . . .?”

  8

  Lies and Pumpkin Pies

  It is!” George declared. “It’s Martin!”

  “What’s he doing here?” Bess asked.

  Nancy began putting the pieces together. “Riley said that her aunt and uncle owned a farm,” she said. “Which is where they kept Martin.”

  “Nancy!” Bess gasped. “Do you think her aunt and uncle are Hank and Hattie?”

  “There’s only one
way to find out,” Nancy said. “Let’s ask them!”

  While Hannah bought some corn and squash, the girls looked for Hank and Hattie. They found them inside a stall setting up jars of jellies and mustards.

  “Excuse me,” Nancy said. “But do you know a girl named Riley McArthur?”

  Hank and Hattie both smiled.

  “Riley is our niece,” Hattie replied. “How do you know her?”

  “Riley’s in our class,” Nancy explained. “Last Friday she told us that Martin, the turkey, was missing.”

  “Missing?” Hattie chuckled. “Why, he’s in the pen right now!”

  “Sure!” Hank said. “We picked him up last Friday like we said we would.”

  “He gobbled all the way home!” Hattie said. “Must have been gosh darn homesick!”

  Nancy stared at Bess and George. So the turkey in the pen was Martin!

  “You must have lost this pin, too,” Nancy said. She handed the cow pin to Hattie. “We found it in Riley’s backyard on Saturday.”

  “So that’s where I dropped it!” Hattie exclaimed. She reached out and took the pin. Then the couple got back to work.

  As the girls walked away from the stall, Nancy shook her head. “Riley made the whole thing up,” she said. “Why would she do that?”

  She saw Hannah waving to them from a nearby pumpkin patch.

  “Come on, you three!” Hannah called. “Help me pick out the perfect pumpkin for my pie!”

  The girls ran to join Hannah. They had fun pumpkin picking, drinking apple cider, and climbing bales of hay.

  When it was time to leave, Nancy asked Hannah to drop them off at Riley’s house.

  Riley smiled at the girls when she opened the front door. But when she saw their pins, her face turned chalk white.

  “W-Wow,” Riley stammered. “Those pins look just like—”

  “The one we found in your backyard,” George cut in. “Yeah, we know.”

  Riley’s eyes lowered to the ground. “So I guess you saw Martin at the farm, huh?” she asked.

  “We saw him, all right,” Nancy told Riley. “He was never missing, was he?”

  “No,” Riley sighed. “I guess I sort of . . . lied.”

  “Why?” Bess wanted to know.