before Joyce grilled you about it. I'm sorry about the
confusion.”
Bess waved her hand. “That's okay. You can bet we'll
be talking to Joyce again soon.”
Andrea gave Nancy some papers to hand out to the
Sleuths as Bess made sure everyone's seat belt was
fastened.
“A scavenger hunt. Cool!” Laura exclaimed as
Andrea turned the key in the ignition.
Noah read the first item on the list. “In this
relationship, the female rules the roost. I think,” Noah
said, “that the correct answer is a member of the bird
family. Not that we'll be seeing any today. Even birds
have sense enough to stay out of the rain.”
Nancy peered out the window. The animal park
appeared deserted, although it was difficult to see
more than a few feet in the gray gloom.
“This is no fun,” Tyler complained.
“Hey!” Emma shouted. “Someone's throwing candy
at me.”
“Come on, guys,” George coaxed. “Let's settle
down.”
Andrea turned up the windshield wipers a notch.
“Maybe we should go back to the motel and wait out
this storm.”
Nancy opened her mouth to agree, but she was cut
off by Bess's scream.
A car sped around the curve moving toward them,
and Andrea had to turn the wheel sharply to avoid
hitting it. Nancy caught a glimpse of the midsize white
sedan speeding away before Andrea lost control and
the van veered off the road and down a slippery slope.
There was a jolt as they hit a wire fence and stopped
suddenly.
For a moment there was silence.
“Is everyone all right?” Nancy asked. She heard
Laura sniffling. “Laura. Are you hurt?”
Laura shook her head. “N-n-no. Just scared.”
“Don't shake your head,” Nancy said gently. “Just
answer yes or no. Does anyone hurt anywhere?”
There was a weak chorus of nos.
“I'll bet that was more exciting than Royal Pain,”
Kenny said.
The Sleuths laughed, and the tension was broken.
Once they were certain no one had been hurt,
Nancy peeked out the window to see where the van
had come to rest. The front tires were sunk in a muddy
stream of water.
Andrea groaned. “I'm so sorry.”
“It's not your fault,” Bess assured her. “That car
came out of nowhere.”
“The accident was definitely the other driver's fault,”
Nancy said. “I didn't get the license plate number or
even the model of the car because it was going so fast.”
Noah tapped Andrea's shoulder. “Um, do we have to
walk all the way back to the motel?”
“The van might be okay to drive,” George said.
“Why don't we get out and take a look?” Nancy
suggested.
She and George climbed out of the van and moved
carefully on the muddy hillside.
Nancy ran her fingers over the yellow lettering on
the side of the van. Science Sleths, she read. A tree had
scraped off the U entirely.
“This doesn't look too promising.” Nancy bent to
examine the front tires. “We're sunk three inches in
this mud.”
“Uh, Nan . . .” George stood slowly. “Do alligators
eat people?”
“Please tell me there isn't a reason you're asking that
right now,” Nancy said, following George's gaze. Half-
submerged in the water near their feet was a seven-
foot reptile, its muscles tensed as it slid out of the
stream.
4. A Day at the Park
“George,” Nancy cried. “Get inside the van!”
She heard shouts from inside the van and realized
the Sleuths had spotted the reptile, too. It lifted its
head in response to the noise and rose completely out
of the water, its short legs churning.
Nancy sprinted to the other side of the van. Before
she got there, Bess had the sliding door open. Andrea
reached out and helped pull Nancy and George inside.
Nancy collapsed into her seat as Bess slammed the
door shut. “Go away,” Bess shouted to the retreating
reptile.
Nancy saw that Bess's face was white. “And to think
we were complaining a minute ago that all the animals
were hiding,” Bess said.
George plopped down across from Nancy. “I guess
alligators don't mind the rain.”
“That wasn't an alligator, George.” Noah pressed his
nose against the window. “It had a long snout, and its
lower teeth were visible when it closed its mouth. That
means it was actually a crocodile.”
Nancy shuddered. “It was close enough for you to
see its teeth?”
Noah nodded. “Oh, yes.”
“Did you know that a crocodile often drowns its
victim before eating it?” Ashley asked.
“No. I didn't know that.” Bess locked the door to the
van. “And I definitely don't think we'll be going back
out there.”
“We're trapped,” Emma said. “Like sardines in a
can.”
“Unlike sardines in a can,” Bess pointed out, “we're
alive.”
“But how are we going to get out?” Emma rolled
down her window. “Help!” she shouted.
“Shh,” Andrea said. “We've disturbed the wildlife
enough for one day. There's no need to panic.”
“Even if it were safe to go outside, we'd never be
able to push the van out of the mud,” Nancy told
Andrea. “We need a tow truck.”
Andrea pulled a cell phone from the* glove
compartment. “And we'll get one. Sit tight, everybody.”
While Andrea made the call, Laura pulled out a
pack of Kings Commons playing cards. “I bought these
in the Candy Shoppe. Does anybody want to play?”
Bess surveyed her hand a few minutes later with
disgust. “Do Kings Commons cards have extra kings? I
think they all went to Noah.”
Nancy set her cards down as she heard a vehicle pull
up behind them. “That must be the tow truck.”
“Whoa,” said a man's voice. “This is not exactly what
I pictured when you said van. This here is more like a
minibus.”
“Be careful!” Andrea called out the window.
“There's a crocodile out there. We just had a close
call.”
A man and a woman wearing khaki Jungle Kingdom
uniforms hopped out of the tow truck. “You don't need
to tell us, ma'am,” said the man. “Not that there would
be any danger from Crocus if our nice, expensive fence
were intact.” He kicked at the sagging wire where the
van had broken through.
“Crocus?” Bess asked.
“The crocodile,” the woman explained, peering into
the murky water. “You've scared her indoors. The
keeper radioed that she's closed in her pen. That
means it's safe to move around out here.”
“Great,” George said. “Let's get out of this van.”
The chaperons helped the kids down. ??
?Watch your
step,” Bess repeated to each of them. “Watch your step
in this mud.”
Andrea ran a hand over the side of the van. “Look at
this dent.”
“That'll cost a couple hundred dollars to fix,” the tow
truck driver said.
“Do you think we can drive it?” Andrea asked him.
The driver shook his head. “No, ma'am. The wheel
rim's bent. It'll be in the shop at least a day.”
“At least a day?” Andrea turned to Nancy and her
friends. “But we're supposed to go home tomorrow
evening.”
“Sorry,” the driver said.
He went to work attaching the tow truck to the van
under George's watchful eye as Nancy, Bess, and
Andrea climbed the hill with the Sleuths. Meanwhile,
Hal and his partner began patching the damaged
fence.
“The Sleuths' parents are not going to be happy,”
Andrea mumbled. “I'm not looking forward to telling
them I need to keep their kids for an extra day. And
how am I going to pay for another night in a motel—
not to mention the van repairs?”
“Look,” Bess said, “I just won a million dollars—I
think. Now, I know I won't get the money right away,
but half of it is yours the minute I do.”
Andrea shook her head. “You really don't have to do
that.”
Bess smiled. “I know I don't have to, but I want to.
Anyhow, given the shabby way the contest people have
treated us—I mean, they practically accused me of
cheating—I think the least they owe us is a free night
at the motel.”
“I agree,” Andrea said, “but I doubt they'll be so
gracious. In fact, I'm sure they won't.” She took Bess's
hand. “I appreciate your offer, Bess, and we can discuss
it later when things are settled. For now, the motel fees
will go on my already overtaxed credit card.”
“I wish there was something we could do for you
now,” Nancy said.
Andrea grimaced. “I don't suppose you'd care to
help me call ten sets of angry parents regarding our
extended stay at Kings Commons?”
“That's a tame assignment,” Nancy assured her.
“You can count on us.”
After a trip back to the motel to change into clean
clothes, the Sleuths returned to the park for dinner.
A mock jousting session went on below them as they
feasted on roast chicken and vegetables.
“Are we really eating like kings?” Tyler asked
Andrea.
“I don't think kings used plastic knives and forks,”
Andrea said.
Bess set down her plastic fork with a contented sigh.
“I don't care. I was starving.”
George nodded toward a woman at an adjacent table
who was eating a double hot fudge sundae. “I think
that woman could eat anyone under the table.”
Bess narrowed her eyes. “I'd like to leave her there.”
“That's Diana, owner of the alleged winning
wrapper,” Nancy murmured to George.
“Ah,” George said. “I recognize her now.”
Diana and Phil were looking at large black-and-
white photographs of themselves taken at the park.
“Queen Diana and King Phillip. The last time I'll wear
a tiara, I'm sure,” Diana said. “Do you think we should
reprint our company brochures with these photos?
Diana and Phil Nugent, president and vice-president . .
.” She stopped when she spotted Nancy watching her.
“You know what, Phil?” Diana said. “I think I just
lost my appetite.” She crumpled her napkin and stood.
“Don't leave on our account,” Andrea said. “You
haven't finished your dessert.”
“Why don't you just help yourselves?” Diana
snapped.
“I don't think so,” Andrea said sweetly. “I'm allergic
to nuts. Not to mention rudeness.”
“You tell her, Andrea,” Kenny said. “She tells us all
the time how she's allergic to rudeness,” he explained
to Diana.
“Well, I think I'm allergic to children,” Diana told
Kenny. “If you'll excuse us.” She scraped her chair
along the floor as she pushed it up to the table. She and
Phil stalked out of the restaurant, leaving her sundae
melting.
“I wonder why Diana is so rude to us?” Nancy asked
Bess that evening in their motel room. “She seemed
quite pleasant when she was talking to her husband
tonight.”
“Until she saw us,” Bess said.
Nancy nodded. “Exactly.”
Bess slipped off her tennis shoes and massaged her
feet. “She said she hates kids. She probably finds the
Sleuths a little overwhelming.” She fell back on the
bed. “I love them, but they are tiring.”
George hung up the phone. “Okay, I talked to
Emma's parents. After we call Kenny's, we're done.”
She waved the receiver at Nancy and Bess. “Any
volunteers?”
Bess groaned and rolled over on her stomach.
Nancy laughed. “I'll do it. I want to call my dad
when we're through, anyhow.”
When Nancy reached her father, she told him about
her meeting with Bess in Joyce's office. Carson Drew
was a criminal defense attorney, but Nancy felt sure he
would know something about the legal implications of
Bess's situation.
“Well,” Mr. Drew said when Nancy had finished,
“that's some story. I presume you're on the case?”
Nancy laughed. “Yeah, I guess I am. But I wanted to
see if there was anything else we should be doing.
Legally, I mean.”
“You know this isn't my area of expertise,” Mr. Drew
said, “but it sounds to me as though you've done fine so
far. Let me know if you have any specific questions,
and I'll ask an expert.”
Nancy thanked her father. “You're the best. And
please send Hannah my love. Oh—tell her I bought
her a great cookbook. Maybe we can bake some
cookies when I get back.”
Hannah Gruen was the Drews' housekeeper and
had been like a mother to Nancy since Nancy's own
mother had died when she was three.
“Cookies?” Mr. Drew laughed at his daughter.
“When was the last time you had time to bake
cookies?”
“I don't know,” Nancy admitted. “But once this case
is solved, I'll have a little bit of free time before—”
“Before your next big case,” Mr. Drew finished.
“Have fun, Nancy. Let me know if there's anything I
can do for you.”
“Thanks, Dad. I'll see you in a couple of days.”
Nancy replaced the receiver and was startled when the
phone rang immediately.
“Hello?” she said breathlessly, glancing at her watch.
It was after ten o'clock.
“Hello. Is this Bess Marvin?” asked a female voice,
which Nancy recognized instantly as Joyce's.
“No, Ms. Palmer. This is Nancy Drew. Would you
like to speak with Bess?”
“Please c
all me Joyce. And I'd like to speak with
both of you—but not over the phone. Do you think you
could come to my office to see me?”
Nancy caught Bess's eye. “Sure,” she said. “We'll
have to work out a time with Andrea, though. Our
schedule tomorrow is kind of packed.”
“Actually, I was hoping you could come right now.
It's vital that I talk to you immediately.”
5. Battle Royal
“At this hour? Joyce wants us to go back to her office
now?” Bess winced as she shoved her feet into her
shoes. “She obviously has no idea what kind of day
we've had.”
“Something weird is going on,” Nancy said. “I got
the impression Joyce didn't want anyone to know she's
talking to us. And why is she working so late, anyway?”
“Well, I guess I can catch a baseball game, since you
two won't be here to object.” George leaned back
against her pillow and flipped on the TV to a sports
channel. “Let me know how it goes.”
Although the rain had stopped, Nancy was surprised
at the chill in the air when she and Bess stepped
outside. “It feels like fall,” she said.
“Kings Commons will close for the season in a few
weeks,” Bess observed. “I guess I won't be claiming my
trip part of the prize until next year. If ever.”
“I can't wait to hear what Joyce has to tell us,” Nancy
said.
Joyce met Nancy and Bess at the entrance to the
Royal Chocolates building. “Thanks for coming over so
late. I wouldn't have asked you if it wasn't important.”
She punched a code into the security keypad and
ushered them inside.
“Do you usually keep such late hours?” Nancy asked.
“Sometimes,” Joyce said. “It's been land of crazy in
our department lately.” She pressed the elevator
button. “We've all been edgy. I know it's no excuse, but
I want to apologize for the way I treated you earlier
today. I had just been chewed out by my boss. ...”
“We heard,” Bess said.
“I'm sure.” Joyce grimaced. “I guess you can imagine
how I felt when I saw your winning wrapper—the
second winning wrapper. You see, I'm in charge of
contest security. If someone finds a way to crack the
system and cheat, then it's my fault. And that means
Mr. Tumey has a perfect excuse to fire me.”
Nancy wondered why Joyce would think Mr. Tumey
was looking for a reason to fire her.