Chapter
One
HAVE I TOLD YOU this is going to be the vacation of a lifetime?” George Fayne asked as the plane began its final descent into Anchorage International Airport. She leaned her dark head against the back of her seat so that her friend could see past her out the window.
“At least a hundred times already!” Nancy Drew retorted. She tossed her reddish blond hair and laughed. “But who’s counting?” Outside the small window the craggy peaks of snow-covered mountains sprawled across the land. Soon the city of Anchorage came into view.
“It’s beautiful!” George exclaimed.
Carson Drew, Nancy’s father, leaned from his seat across the center aisle of the first-class cabin to speak to the two girls. “Henry Wilcox has been telling me that for years. He brags about Alaska almost as much as he does about his son, Steve.”
“Right. Steve is just a little older than I. All my life, Dad and Mr. Wilcox have had a competition going over who can tell the most outrageous stories about how great their children are,” Nancy told George, with a teasing glance at her father. “Sometimes my ears burn when I hear the things he says about me!”
Carson shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “Well, with me as a father you’d have to be just about perfect, wouldn’t you?”
Nancy and George burst out laughing. “So that’s where you get your self-confidence!” George said to Nancy. Then she turned to Carson. “Seriously, though, Mr. Drew, I can’t thank you enough for inviting me to come along.”
“I can’t take all the credit,” Carson told her. “Henry suggested that Nancy bring a friend.”
Two weeks earlier Carson Drew’s old friend Henry Wilcox had telephoned, urging Carson to visit him in Alaska. Though Henry and Carson saw each other infrequently, they had kept in touch over the years since they had gone to college together. Now Henry owned a successful shipping firm in Anchorage. Nancy had heard all about it, just as she had heard all about Henry’s son’s prowess in everything from school to sports.
Nancy and her father tried to take a vacation together every year, but they rarely succeeded. As one of River Heights’s prominent attorneys, Carson was frequently tied up in lengthy court cases. And all too often, when Carson was free, Nancy wasn’t. Though she was only eighteen, she already had a well-deserved reputation as a detective, and it was rare for her not to be involved in some kind of investigation. When Henry Wilcox’s invitation had arrived, though, both Nancy and her father were fortunate to be between cases. It was the chance of a lifetime.
“Be sure to check the overhead compartments for your personal belongings,” the flight attendant droned after the airplane landed. The pilot eased the jumbo jet up to the gate, and moments later the three travelers were walking into the sleek, modern terminal building.
They had purposely packed lightly, so they wouldn’t have to wait for their luggage at the baggage claim area. “Rental cars this way,” Nancy said, seeing a sign directing them to ground services. “Isn’t that where Mr. Wilcox is supposed to meet us?”
While Carson Drew looked for Henry Wilcox, Nancy and George wandered to the shops that lined one side of the large terminal.
“Too bad Bess couldn’t come, too,” George said as they peered into the shop windows. Bess Marvin was George’s cousin and also Nancy’s close friend. She was visiting relatives in Florida and couldn’t join Nancy and George.
“Oh, I’ll bet she’s having plenty of fun in the sun right now. We ought to take something home for her, though,” Nancy suggested. “What about this?” She pointed to a display case in the window of a shop that featured native Alaskan art.
Beautifully carved jade and ivory statues were neatly arranged on glass shelves. The one that had caught Nancy’s eye was a tiny puffin made of ivory. The workmanship was so good that the small bird seemed almost alive.
“Let’s buy it,” George said eagerly.
“You don’t have to shop at the airport. All the stores in Anchorage are waiting for you.” The unfamiliar voice came from behind the girls.
Nancy turned and saw her father standing next to a tall, thin man with carrot red hair and bright blue eyes.
“Girls, this is John Tilden,” Carson introduced them. “He works for Henry.”
“Please call me John. I’m Mr. Wilcox’s butler and”—John Tilden grinned at the girls—“sometimes his chauffeur. Mr. Wilcox was tied up, so he asked me to drive you out to the house. Can I help with anyone’s baggage?”
“Oh, no, we’re fine,” Nancy assured him. The three of them followed him out to the parking garage.
After the warmth of the plane and the terminal, the air outside felt frigid. Nancy tugged her cap down over her ears. “Brrr. It’s really cold here, and it’s only November.”
When they’d stowed their suitcases in the trunk, John walked to the front of the car. An electrical cord stretched from under the hood to an outlet in a concrete post.
Nancy watched with amazement as the chauffeur unplugged the car. “What’s that for?” she asked.
“It’s a heater designed to keep the engine from freezing,” John explained. “The arctic winters are so cold that cars won’t start unless you keep them warm.”
“Wow—that’s cold,” George marveled.
“Where is Henry?” Carson Drew asked as they drove out of the airport. John turned the car onto a highway and headed southeast.
“Mr. Wilcox was in Barrow yesterday and didn’t get home until late,” he replied. “He wanted to finish up some things at the office so he could spend the rest of the week with you.”
“That sounds like Henry.” Carson nodded. “He’s as bad at taking vacations as I am.”
“Are those the Chugach Mountains?” Nancy asked, pointing toward the snowcapped range on the horizon ahead of them.
“That’s right,” John told her. “We’re almost home.”
They drove along a road with a thick evergreen forest on both sides. A few minutes later, in a clearing, an enormous frame house rose above them. It was three stories high, and its ornate trim told Nancy it had been built during the Victorian era. It would have been a grand house anywhere, but with the rugged Alaskan mountains behind it, it was truly magnificent.
“What a place!” George exclaimed.
“You can say that again!” Nancy agreed.
Just as the car came to a stop in front of the Wilcox home, the front door opened and two very tall men hurried across the front porch. Carson, Nancy, and George climbed out of the car.
“Talk about timing!” the older of the two exclaimed, clapping Carson on the back. “I just got home. Welcome to Alaska.”
“It’s great to be here,” Nancy’s father said. He turned to introduce the two girls, but Henry interrupted.
“You’re Nancy,” he declared. “I’d have known you anywhere—you look just as your father described you. And you must be George.” He turned to the young man who stood behind him. “This is my son, Steve.”
The introduction was almost unnecessary, for Steve had the same attractively rugged features and tall, lean build that his father did. Henry’s brown hair was liberally streaked with gray, but both father and son had the same brown eyes.
“Pleased to meet you,” Steve said, staring at George. He gave her a slow smile. “This weekend has just gotten off to a great start.”
George flushed with pleasure.
Nancy was about to step forward to greet Steve when he turned and walked to the front door. “Why don’t we go inside?” he suggested, holding the door open for George.
Odd, Nancy thought, as she followed them in. It was almost as though Steve hadn’t seen her. He must be really dazzled by George! she decided, smiling to herself.
John carried their luggage indoors, and then Henry
turned to Carson. “Let’s go to my study. We don’t want to bore the young people with talk about things that happened before they were born.”
Steve Wilcox led the girls into the den, a large, comfortable-looking room paneled with dark wood. There was a fireplace on one wall and a big-screen TV on another. Nancy sank into one of the oversize leather chairs, while George took a seat on the couch.
Steve remained standing. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Nancy,” he said.
Nancy was taken aback. Though Steve’s words were harmless, his tone was almost sneering. “All good, I hope,” she answered with an attempt at lightness.
“Naturally.” Again, Steve’s voice had a slightly mocking quality. He sat down at the other end of the couch and faced George. “What would you like to do while you’re here?” he asked her. “I’m your tour guide, chauffeur, and whatever else you’d like.”
A soft smile crossed George’s face. There was no doubt that Steve was attracted to her, and she was obviously enjoying the attention. Nancy wondered if George had missed the hostility Steve seemed to feel for Nancy.
At that moment the doorbell rang, and Steve rose to his feet. “I’d better get that—John’s upstairs,” he explained, excusing himself and leaving the room. A minute later he returned with a blond man who appeared to be twenty-two or twenty-three.
“This is my friend Craig Miller.” Steve introduced the two girls.
Craig was about an inch shorter than Steve, and he had a heavier build. His features were pleasant, though he wasn’t as handsome as his friend.
Craig sank into the chair next to Nancy’s. “I’m not just a friend—I’m also an employee,” he told the girls, but his smile took the sting out of the words. “I’m Steve’s dog trainer.”
“Sled dogs?” Nancy asked, instantly curious.
“The only kind to have in Alaska.” Craig’s blue eyes lit up with enthusiasm. Nancy could tell that training dogs was more than a hobby for him.
“Do you race them?” George asked.
Craig gestured toward Steve. “Steve does. He’ll be in the Solstice Derby next month.”
“I’m going to win it,” Steve said confidently. He folded his arms behind his head and lounged back on the couch. “Between my dogs and Craig’s training, no one can beat me.”
“Lindsay Dunning might disagree with you,” Craig commented.
“Who is Lindsay Dunning?” Nancy asked.
“No one to worry about,” Steve answered. At the same moment Craig said, “She’s Steve’s biggest competitor.”
George laughed. “Which one of you is right?”
“I am,” the two young men replied, again at exactly the same time. This time everyone laughed.
“You don’t know how privileged you are to see Craig tonight,” Steve told Nancy and George. “Usually he spends the weekend nights training the dogs. He lives in the apartment over our garage just so he can be near them.”
Craig turned to Nancy. “Well,” he said, “given the choice of spending Saturday evening with the dogs or you . . .”
“You’d pick the dogs,” Nancy completed, smiling.
“Not quite,” Craig said warmly. He looked at her, his eyes sparkling. Nancy’s smile broadened. The tension she had felt earlier was gone, thanks to Craig’s easy banter.
Just then the doorbell rang again.
“I’ll get it,” Craig offered. He stood and left the room. A moment later, they heard voices in the front hall. Then Craig appeared in the doorway. “Steve, where’s your father?”
Two men stood behind him. Both wore identical heavy parkas, each with a badge on the left sleeve. Craig looked worried.
“He’s in his study,” Steve said, standing quickly. “Why?”
“These men are from the police,” Craig said. He sounded nervous. “They want to ask your dad some questions!”
Chapter
Two
WHAT’S GOING ON?” Steve demanded.
“Our business is with your father,” the shorter of the police officers said.
The other officer looked around. “Will you take us to him?”
His lips set in an angry line, Steve led the two officers to his father’s study. When he returned to the den, he walked to the fireplace and poked at the logs with more vigor than necessary.
“Dad wouldn’t let me stay,” he grumbled.
“Maybe there’s a problem at the shipyard,” George volunteered. “A break-in or something.”
Steve tossed another log on the fire and watched as the sparks flew up the chimney. “Whatever it is, it had better not interfere with my racing in the Solstice,” he said fiercely.
Nancy’s eyes widened in surprise. “How could it?” she asked him. “The police are probably here about your father’s business. What connection could there be to your racing?”
Steve shrugged. “My dad thinks dogsledding is a nice hobby but not a career. He’ll use any excuse to get me working back at the shipyard.”
George spoke up. “I’m sure he knows how important racing is to you.”
“For Dad, nothing’s as important as Wilcox Shipping.” A frustrated look flitted across Steve’s face. “But I’m not going to let anything come between me and winning the Solstice Derby. Not my father, not anything.”
The tension in the room crackled almost as loudly as the logs in the fireplace. Then there was a knock at the door.
“Come in, John,” Steve called when he saw the man standing in the doorway.
“Your father asked that we delay dinner an hour,” the butler explained. “His attorney is on his way over for a meeting, and they think it will take a while.”
Though no one said anything, Nancy was sure they were all thinking the same thing she was: Henry Wilcox wouldn’t have called his attorney unless the situation was serious.
“Er—would you like to see your room now?” John asked Nancy and George. “There’s plenty of time to unpack before dinner, if you’d like to.”
“Good idea,” George murmured. She and Nancy followed John out to the front hall and upstairs.
The sight of the luxurious room the two girls would stay in made Nancy stop wondering about Henry Wilcox for a moment. “Wow!” she breathed as John shut the door behind them. “Now, this would make Bess really jealous!”
“It’s gorgeous,” George agreed enthusiastically. The walls were a pale shade of peach, and a thick Oriental rug lay on the floor in a rich blaze of colors. Besides the twin canopied beds, there was a sitting area with a fireplace and two comfortable armchairs.
Nancy peeked into the adjoining bathroom. Her eyes widened. “If you think that’s something, you ought to see this,” she called over her shoulder. “There’s this great old-fashioned, claw-footed bathtub in here, and it has gold faucets!”
“Wilcox Shipping must make a lot of money,” George said. She flopped down on one of the beds.
Nancy nodded and closed the door to the bathroom. “My dad told me Henry Wilcox is a millionaire.”
“A millionaire with great taste,” George added.
“I’ll bet Mrs. Wilcox did the decorating,” Nancy replied. “According to Dad she was an interior decorator before she got married. She died when Steve was six.”
“Steve is nice, isn’t he?” George asked.
Nancy didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure she shared George’s opinion of Henry Wilcox’s son. He had seemed selfish and a little rude to her.
George didn’t seem to notice Nancy’s silence. “Well, I guess we should unpack,” she said.
“Yeah. Now, what did I do with my purse?” Nancy looked around the room. “I guess I left it in the den.”
She hurried downstairs. As she went through the hallway, her attention was drawn to a door on the left. It looked like a closet, but it had a window in the door. Nancy realized it was an old-fashioned telephone booth.
John Tilden was inside. As Nancy walked by, he looked up. An expression of surprise flitted across his face. He turned away, cup
ping his hand around the mouthpiece of the phone as though he didn’t want anyone to overhear his words.
Nancy frowned. The glass door of the booth looked thick enough to muffle his voice, yet for some reason John was taking no chances. I wonder why? she thought.
She picked up her purse in the den and went back upstairs to change into some fresh clothes before dinner.
• • •
The Wilcox dining room was just as sumptuously decorated as Nancy and George’s room. The long table was covered with a fine linen cloth, and the dishes were delicate china.
Unfortunately, no one who was seated at the table seemed able to appreciate the surroundings. Nancy was shocked at the change in Henry Wilcox since the afternoon. He looked gaunt and worried, with a vertical crease between his brows. Concern was etched on Carson Drew’s face, too.
“Can you tell us what the police wanted?” Craig asked after John had served their dinner.
The broiled salmon, baked potatoes, and vegetables looked and smelled delicious, and Nancy suddenly realized that she was hungry. Her last meal had been on the plane hours earlier.
“It’s pretty straightforward,” Henry Wilcox said. “A customs inspector found an illegal shipment of ivory that had apparently been smuggled aboard the Musk Ox. That’s one of my ships,” he added for Nancy and George’s benefit.
Craig gripped his fork as though it were a weapon. “I should have been there!” he cried. “I’d have caught the smugglers before they got the stuff onto the ship.”
“I don’t understand.” Nancy was puzzled. “Why should you have been there, Craig?”
“Craig has two jobs. He also works as a night watchman at Wilcox Shipping,” Steve explained.
“Yeah,” Craig added. “I’m there Monday through Thursday nights. Why did this have to happen on Friday?” He turned back to Henry. “I just wish I’d been at the shipyard. I wouldn’t have let it happen.”
Henry shook his head slowly. “There was nothing you could have done to stop it, Craig.”
“What do you mean?” Nancy asked.
“Someone used the Musk Ox to bring elephant ivory into Alaska.”