Contents
1 Ticket to Trouble
2 Old Times, New Crimes
3 Partners in Spite
4 Accidents Will Happen
5 Dangerous Playthings
6 Staged for Trouble
7 Big Preparations
8 In the Lair of the Mouse King
9 A Gala Event
10 A Sobbing Suspect
11 Terror in the Snow
12 A Lost Clue
13 Shredded Dreams
14 As Time Goes By
15 A Star in Peril
16 Pas de Deux
1
Ticket to Trouble
“I just love The Nutcracker Ballet!” George Fayne declared. Opening a copy of the River Heights morning newspaper, she showed her best friend, Nancy Drew, the ad for the ballet. It was being performed by Madame Dugrand’s Dance Academy, a local ballet school.
“I’m glad we’re getting a chance to see the performance this year,” George added as she pulled off her lavender ski hat and shook out her short dark curls. “Remember when we danced in it?” she asked Nancy.
“I sure do,” Nancy said, a smile on her face. “It must have been about eight years ago. Whenever I think of The Nutcracker, all I remember is Bess tripping over a mouse tail and knocking both of us into the Christmas tree.”
“We didn’t make very good soldiers, did we?” With a chuckle, George folded the newspaper and put it back on the dashboard of Nancy’s Mustang.
“Let’s hope Madame Dugrand’s latest students at the dance school are more dedicated.” Nancy gave her shoulder-length blond hair a toss as she started the blue sports car. The two friends, who were both eighteen years old, were heading out of the state park, where they had just finished cross-country skiing.
“Bess couldn’t wait to get away from dance class, remember?” Nancy went on. “All those arabesques and pliés were not her idea of fun.”
“That’s for sure,” George agreed. “Which is why I can’t believe my crazy cousin Bess is actually working at Madame Dugrand’s school today.”
Nancy gave George a puzzled look. “I thought she was shopping for Christmas presents.”
“She’s helping sew costumes,” George said. “She met Madame Dugrand at the mall the other day. They started talking about The Nutcracker, and Madame said she was afraid the show wasn’t going to be ready on time.”
“Why?” Nancy raised her brows. “The dance school puts on The Nutcracker every year, so don’t they already have the costumes and props?”
“I think Bess is helping to alter some of the costumes to fit the dancers,” George explained. “Anyway, Madame told Bess that the rent for the school unexpectedly went way up, and the building needs a lot of repairs. I guess Madame is hoping this year’s production will be super-sensational to help pay for everything. So she wants the show to be perfect. And you know what a soft touch Bess is. She immediately volunteered to help with the costumes.”
“Mmmm,” Nancy said thoughtfully. “Plus, it was her way of getting out of going cross-country skiing with us.”
George laughed. “You’re probably right. Bess can sew sitting down, so it won’t seem like work to her. I also have a hunch Bess volunteered so she could hang out with Shana Edwards.”
“Shana always was really nice,” Nancy agreed as she passed a slower-moving car. “I guess we always knew she’d be the one from River Heights to make it as a ballerina in New York City. But The New York Ballet Company performs their own Nutcracker. Wouldn’t you think Shana would rather dance in that one?”
“Bess said Shana came back because Madame Dugrand asked her to,” George explained. “Madame hopes that having a famous alumna in the school’s production will help make it a big success.”
“I hope she’s right,” Nancy said. “I’ve always liked Madame Dugrand, and I know how important the ballet school is to her.”
“Hey, why don’t we stop off there right now?” George suggested. “We can surprise Bess, and take her to lunch with us.”
“Good idea.” Nancy flipped on the turn signal and made a right down Main Street. “I need to buy a ticket to the gala in Shana’s honor, anyway.”
George sighed. “I wish I could go to the gala, too. But the competitors’ party for the cross-country ski race is that same night.”
“Maybe Shana will be there today,” Nancy said. After turning into the parking lot of the dance school, she pulled the Mustang into the first empty spot.
The school was located in a flat, rectangular building that had once been a small warehouse. Madame Dugrand had installed rows of tall windows into the brick walls and added skylights to the roof. Inside, she’d built two large dance studios, dressing rooms, an office for herself, and a large recital hall.
