Mystery by Moonlight
Page 11
Nancy heard a clear note of insincerity in George’s voice.
“I hope we aren’t bothering you,” Millicent said, walking into the family room. She eyed the remains of the friends’ brunch and grinned. “I think maybe this peace offering is coming at an odd time, right Caspar?” She handed George a large covered cake dish. It had a see-through lid, and inside was a fluffy, pink layer cake.
Her husband shuffled in after her, looking distinctly shy. “I don’t think the timing matters. Actually, we wanted to apologize to you kids. We’ve been blaming you for all the problems we’ve been having. It turns out that with one exception, you’ve had nothing to do with any of it. Those awful men, Dale and Kevin from that hauling company, seem to have been behind most of our problems.”
“Oh, so you heard about all that already?” Nancy said, somewhat surprised.
“It was on the police scanner; we listen to it a lot. It’s the only way we know what’s going on around here. We hear sirens. We see lights, but we never know if someone’s been murdered, or what!” Millicent complained.
George motioned for the couple to sit down.
“No, thank you,” Caspar said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do today. There’s a whole raft of eider ducks one of the Audubon folks spotted over in Baily’s cove. That’s clear across the lake! We can’t stay. But I do want to apologize for thinking the worst of you kids.”
“Apologies accepted,” Nancy said gracefully.
“Good. Because I thought you might like this souvenir of your stay here.” He handed Nancy an envelope.
She opened it. Inside was a glossy black-and-white photo. Nancy winced. “Oh, I don’t believe this,” she groaned. It showed Nancy wide-eyed and stumbling, about to fall facedown into a pile of thorns. It was the shot she had triggered when she tripped over the Lawrence-Joneses’ night photo setup a few nights back.
Ned, Bess, and George gathered around. Ned and Bess couldn’t help but laugh.
George gave Nancy a friendly pat on the back. “Nancy, I can’t believe it. For once, you really look like you lost it!” She smiled.
For a moment Nancy was mortified, then she began to laugh too. “I do make the funniest-looking screech owl anyone’s ever seen!”
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 July 2002
Copyright © 2002 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ALADDIN PAPERBACKS
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All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
NANCY DREW and NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2001097942
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-3762-2
ISBN-10: 0-7434-3762-4
ISBN: 978-1-4391-1330-1 (ebook)