Turkey Trot Plot

by Carolyn Keene

  “Hello, Mrs. Ainsworth,” Nancy said. “We’ve come with pupcakes for the happy couple. They’re cupcakes baked for dogs—”

  “Not these dogs,” Mrs. Ainsworth cut in. “What would my babies do if they got cream on their clean fur?”

  “They’d lick it off,” George said with a shrug. “They’re dogs, right?”

  Mrs. Ainsworth didn’t laugh, but Ludlow did. He blushed when he noticed Nancy, Bess, and George looking his way.

  “Do you go to River Heights Elementary School?” Nancy asked nicely. “You don’t look familiar.”

  “That’s because I live in the next town,” Ludlow said, turning off the steamer. “I’m helping my grandmother with the wedding.”

  “And making sure my babies stay perfectly groomed on their big day,” Mrs. Ainsworth added.

  “Did someone say ‘groomed’?” a voice piped in.

  Nancy, Bess, and George turned to see a couple at the door. Each wore crisp black smocks over tailored black pants. They carried silver tote bags over their shoulders.

  “And you are?” Mrs. Ainsworth asked.

  “I’m Kelly Davis and this is my husband Kevin,” the woman said, “Better known as the Va-Va-Groom glam squad!”

  “I know what a glam squad is,” Bess said excitedly. “You make people beautiful, right?”

  “We make dogs beautiful,” Kevin stated.

  “Va-Va-Groom is the fancy new dog salon on Main Street,” Kelly added.

  “I heard about Va-Va-Groom,” Nancy said. “It’s way too fancy for my dog, Chip.”

  In a flash Kelly handed Nancy a piece of paper and said, “Take this coupon. It’s for twenty dollars off a soothing sports pawdicure including tax and tip.”

  “Pawdicure?” Nancy asked.

  “Now,” Kelly said, smiling at Helga and Horatio. “Where do we begin?”

  “By leaving, please,” Mrs. Ainsworth said. “I never called for groomers.”

  “That’s because I did!” Mayor Strong boomed as he burst into the room following a huge hairy dog. “For my dog, Huey.”

  Nancy wanted to squeeze her nose but didn’t. Huey smelled a bit ewie. Meanwhile the glam squad stared at the mayor’s dog.

  “Would your dog like a soothing massage, Mayor Strong?” Kevin asked. “Or colorful stencils on his rather matted fur?”

  “Nah,” Mayor Strong said. “Huey rolled in something stinky. Dig out the dead leaves or whatever else you find in there.”

  The mayor gave his dog a final pat. “Oh, and clean the gunk out of his ears, too. So he can hear me whistle.”

  Nancy could tell the glam squad was horrified by the mayor’s request. In a panic the couple turned to Mrs. Ainsworth.

  “Surely there’s something we can do for the bride and groom!” Kelly said. “Instead of Huey?”

  “Pleeeeease?” Kevin squeaked.

  “I’m afraid not,” Mrs. Ainsworth said. “Helga and Horatio were groomed this morning by Mr. Clippy of Canine Couture.”

  “You mean the celebrity dog groomer to the stars?” Kelly gasped. “His salon is in Chicago!”

  “Mr. Clippy makes house calls,” Mrs. Ainsworth says, “in his private helicopter.”

  Nancy could hear Kelly and Kevin growl under their breaths. Just like the dogs they groomed.

  “I’ll leave Huey in your good hands,” Mayor Strong said, sticking the leash between Kelly’s clenched fist. “See you all at the wedding!”

  Kelly and Kevin stood frozen as the mayor left the room. George turned to the couple. “Take these for Huey,” she said, holding out the two pupcakes. “I’m sure he won’t mind frosting on his fur.”

  “It would be an improvement,” Kevin muttered.

  “Woof!” Huey barked.

  Kelly steered Huey toward the door. On their way out Nancy heard her say, “Kevin, I think we’ve just been dogged!”

  Nancy didn’t know what Kelly meant by that. But she did know one thing: The Va-Va-Groom glam squad was mad!

  “Should I shut the door, Grandma?” Ludlow asked.

  “Don’t bother, dear,” Mrs. Ainsworth said. “It’s eleven o’clock and time for you to walk Helga and Horatio.”

  Nancy, Bess, and George listened to Mrs. Ainsworth give Ludlow special walking instructions: Walk Helga and Horatio for a half an hour away from the guests. Then bring the dogs back to their room for an hour’s rest before the wedding at twelve thirty.

  While Ludlow fetched the dogs’ leashes Nancy had an idea. . . .

  “Why don’t you walk Helga and Horatio in the park across the street, Ludlow?” Nancy asked. “My dog, Chip, loves it there!”

  “The park?” Mrs. Ainsworth demanded. “Do my babies look like they chase squirrels?”

  Suddenly—MEOW! Nancy, Bess, and George whirled around. Standing in the doorway was a cat wearing a ruffled collar and lacy bonnet. Helga and Horatio growled at the little cat, then leaped off of Mrs. Ainsworth’s lap. Yapping all the way, the dogs chased the cat out the door!

  “They may not chase squirrels,” George exclaimed, pointing outside. “But look at them go after that cat!”

  Mrs. Ainsworth jumped up from her chair, wringing her hands. “I told Mayor Strong not to invite cats to this wedding! Somebody bring back my babies!”

  BRIDE AND GLOOM

  “On it, Mrs. Ainsworth!” Nancy said.

  With Ludlow running behind them, Nancy, Bess, and George chased the dogs that chased the cat. They charged through the mayor’s garden, beneath a lawn sprinkler and through Mrs. Fayne’s catering tent.

  “Whoa!” George shouted as the three animals scampered under the table holding the wedding cake. The tall cake decorated with a dog-couple topper trembled this way and that, but luckily didn’t fall.

  Helga and Horatio chased the cat out of the tent. Ludlow caught up with the dogs, snapping on their leashes and shouting, “Gotcha!”

  Ludlow hurried off with both dogs. Meowing, the cat jumped into the open arms of a girl dressed in a fancy dress and straw hat. “There you are, Snowball,” she cooed. “I was wondering where you went!”

  Nancy, Bess, and George recognized the girl and her two friends, who walked over carrying cats too.

  The three were in the fourth grade and best friends because of their love of cats. They even gave themselves cat nicknames to prove it: Kitty McNulty, Ally Katz, and Purr-cilla Chang. Everyone at school called them the Kitty Klub!

  “Your cats look so pretty in their frilly collars and bonnets!” Bess said with a smile.

  The Kitty Klub refused to smile back.

  “Mayor Strong just told us that cats aren’t allowed at the wedding,” Kitty said.

  “We want to know why,” Ally demanded.

  “I know why,” George replied. “Cats plus dogs equal zoomies. You just saw for yourself.”

  “But we got something from the registry list!” Purr-cilla complained, holding a chew toy with her free hand. She gave it a squeak and said, “See?”

  “Sorry,” Nancy said gently. “But Mrs. Ainsworth, Helga and Horatio’s owner, said the same.”

  The Kitty Klub traded frowns.

  “Who ever heard of a dog wedding, anyway?” Kitty grumbled as they turned to leave.

  “Yeah, well, somebody is about to hear from us,” Purr-cilla said, “because I just got an idea!”

  Continue Reading…

  Puppy Love Prank

  Carolyn Keene

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  CAROLYN KEENE is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew series of books.

  PETER FRANCIS lives and works in the United Kingdom. When he’s not helping the Clue Crew solve mysteries, he can be found sketching frantically in his studio, investigating hidden landscapes, or growing his own vegetables.

  Aladdin

  Simon & Schuster, New York

  Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Carolyn-Keene

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Peter-Francis

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  Nancy Drew Clue Book:

  Pool Party Puzzler

  Last Lemonade Standing

  A Star Witness

  Big Top Flop

  Movie Madness

  Pets on Parade

  Candy Kingdom Chaos

  World Record Mystery

  Springtime Crime

  Boo Crew

  The Tortoise and the Scare

  And coming soon:

  Puppy Love Prank

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  First Aladdin paperback edition September 2019

  Text copyright © 2019 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Peter Francis

  Also available in an Aladdin hardcover edition.

  ALADDIN and related logo are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  NANCY DREW, NANCY DREW CLUE BOOK, and colophons are registered trademarks off Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

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  Series designed by Karina Granda

  Interior designed by Tom Daly

  The illustrations for this book were rendered digitally.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Keene, Carolyn, author. | Francis, Peter, 1973- illustrator.

  Title: Turkey trot plot / by Carolyn Keene ; illustrated by Peter Francis.

  Description: First Aladdin hardcover/paperback edition. | New York : Aladdin, 2019. | Series: Nancy Drew clue book ; #12 | Summary: When a chocolate turkey—the intended prize for the winners of a Thanksgiving Day race—disappears, Nancy and her friends identify and eliminate suspects in their search for the missing confection.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018037419 (print) | LCCN 2018043917 (eBook) |

  ISBN 9781534431317 (eBook) | ISBN 9781534431300 (hc) | ISBN 9781534431294 (pbk)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Chocolate—Fiction. | Lost and found possessions—Fiction. |

  Mystery and detective stories.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.K23 (eBook) | LCC PZ7.K23 Tu 2019 (print) | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018037419