My Deadly Valentine Read online

  Chapter

  One

  DON’T YOU THINK three valentines is a little excessive for one guy?” Nancy Drew asked her friend Bess Marvin. Nancy put her foot on the brakes of her Mustang, stopped at a red light, and smiled at her friend, who was sitting in the passenger seat. “I think one would have been just fine. You must really like Kyle.”

  The light of a streetlamp shone on Bess’s blond hair. “I won’t deny it,” she said, sighing as she tucked the three cards she had just read to Nancy back in her shoulder bag. “Cupid’s hit me hard this time—and I couldn’t be happier. For once I’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day with a guy I’m crazy about.”

  Nancy was just as happy as Bess. She was going to spend Sweetheart Week, an Emerson College tradition, with her boyfriend, Ned Nickerson. Kyle Donovan, who worked as a paralegal for Nancy’s father, Carson Drew, was planning to join them at Emerson on Friday afternoon.

  “Kyle’s pretty sure he’ll be able to get away early,” Bess said.

  “I hope my dad doesn’t work him too hard this week,” Nancy teased. “He’ll need all his energy to keep up with you—and Cupid.”

  The light changed, and Nancy drove a few more blocks. At a sign reading Welcome to Emerson College, Nancy turned onto a tree-lined road that led to the campus.

  Although it was almost seven and the weather was freezing, the college was alive with people rushing about. As she drove past the sports complex, Nancy felt a tremor of excitement. Ned was inside that building, warming up for the Tuesday night basketball game. And soon she’d be right there, watching him!

  “I’m so glad Kristin invited us to stay at the Theta Pi house,” Bess said.

  Nancy nodded. She and Bess had met Kristin Seidel during a previous visit to Emerson College. Staying with her at the sorority meant that they’d be in the midst of every Sweetheart Week event.

  “Greek Row,” Bess said, reading a street sign. “That’s it, on the right.”

  The wide street was lined with majestic old houses, each emblazoned with large Greek letters signifying the sorority or fraternity that was in residence there. The Theta Pi house was a two-story, plantation-style building with thin white pillars gracing the front.

  “Oh, look!” Bess exclaimed. “The windows are dotted with hearts. That’s so cute,” she said as Nancy pulled into the driveway.

  After Nancy parked in the small lot behind the house, the girls went to the front entrance and rang the bell. A minute later, the door was opened by a short, pretty girl with chin-length shiny black hair.

  Nancy and Bess introduced themselves.

  “Kristin’s been talking about you guys all day,” the girl said. “I’m Mindy Kwong. Come on in.”

  Nancy and Bess followed Mindy through a spacious formal living room to a doorway on the far left of the room. It led to a den, where half a dozen girls were sitting on the floor or sprawled on slightly worn furniture.

  Just then a petite blond scrambled up. Nancy recognized Kristin Seidel, president of Theta Pi, immediately.

  Kristin rushed toward them, hopping over an open jar of paint. “You made it in time for the game!” she said, giving Nancy and Bess hugs.

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Nancy said.

  “Nancy’s a big fan of one of the players,” Bess explained, then giggled.

  “I can see why. Ned Nickerson is just about the cutest guy on campus.” Kristin glanced at her sorority sisters and pointed to Nancy. “Yes, ladies, this is the girl who’s won the heart of the captain of Emerson’s basketball team.”

  “Lucky you!” one of the girls called out.

  “Some introduction, huh?” Kristin teased, then announced, “This is Nancy Drew and Bess Marvin. They’ll be staying with us this week. And these are a few of my sorority sisters.” One by one, she pointed to the girls. “Denise, Whitney, Juanita, Brook, Trish—and you met Mindy.”

  The girls called out greetings.

  “There are eighteen of us living at the house,” Kristin went on. “Some of the girls are already over at the gym.”

  The coffee table was covered with brightly colored paper scraps and bottles of glue, paint, and glitter. “Looks like an art project,” Nancy commented.

  “We’re working on our valentines for the charity auction,” Kristin explained. “It’s a Theta Pi tradition. We all make valentines. Friday afternoon we’ll auction them off to the highest bidder. The money goes to charity, and each girl goes to Saturday’s Sweetheart Ball with the guy who bought her valentine.”

  “Why don’t you and Bess join in?” Mindy asked.

  “I’d love to,” Bess said. “And Kyle should make it here just in time for the auction. My boyfriend is driving out to join us for the weekend,” she told Kristin.

  “It sounds like fun,” Nancy said. “Count me in.”

  “It’s really great of you all to include us in sister activities this week,” Bess said.

  “It’s the least we can do for the detective who saved my skin,” Kristin responded.

  Nancy had met Kristin while working on a case during Emerson’s homecoming week. Kristin had been blamed for a fire that broke out at a pep rally, but Nancy had proved that it wasn’t Kristin’s fault.

  “All I did was bring the facts to light,” Nancy said, checking her watch. “Wow. It’s already seven-fifteen.”

  “We’d better get a move on if we want to catch the game,” Kristin said. “I’ll help you unload your car, and then we’d better get over to the sports complex.”

  “One of our sisters is going to be crowned Sweetheart in a ceremony right after the game,” Mindy explained. “Then there’s a party, with refreshments and a deejay playing oldies.”

  “Just think,” Juanita said, “Rosie Lopez, Emerson Sweetheart. I’m so proud of her!”

  Kristin helped the girls carry their luggage from Nancy’s Mustang to a large bedroom at the top of the stairs. Nancy felt right at home in the cozy room. The wallpaper was patterned with pink cabbage roses, and the windows offered views of Greek Row.

  “Hope you don’t mind rooming with Mindy and me,” Kristin said as she and Mindy dragged two mattresses through the door and put them on the floor.

  “It’s perfect,” Nancy said, shoving her suitcase against a wall.

  “I’m so glad you invited us to stay with you,” Bess said. She paused in front of a dressing table, and frowned at her reflection. “I’m a mess.” She searched through her shoulder bag and found her brush. After quickly brushing her hair, she put on lipstick.

  Nancy joined Bess at the mirror. She ran her fingers through her reddish blond hair, then squeezed Bess’s arm. “You look great. Let’s go!”

  Since all the girls of Theta Pi wanted to see their sorority sister crowned Sweetheart Queen, they filed out of the house together, chatting and laughing. Stepping outside, Nancy zipped her turquoise down jacket and turned up her collar. It had to be below freezing, Nancy thought.

  As the girls walked along Greek Row, Kristin pointed out the different sorority and fraternity houses. “That’s the Omega Chi Epsilon house,” Kristin said, grinning mischievously. “Look familiar?”

  It was the fraternity house where Ned lived. “We’ve been to a few parties there,” Nancy said, laughing.

  “That’s the Delta Zeta house.” Kristin pointed to a three-story Tudor with a wide entrance flanked by shrubs.

  “They’re our rivals,” Denise added.

  “Don’t say that, Denise!” Kristin said, giving her friend a playful punch in the arm.

  “But it’s true,” Denise said, pulling her pink mittens over the cuffs of her white jacket. “We’re the top two sororities on campus.”

  “In terms of the number of girls who want to pledge,” Kristin clarified. “Bu
t we’re not really rivals.”

  “It’s more of a personal rivalry,” Mindy pointed out. “Rosie and Tamara Carlson, one of the Delta Zeta girls, are always trying to outdo each other.”

  “That name sounds familiar,” Bess said. “Didn’t we meet her when we were here last, Nan?”

  “Yes,” Nancy replied. “I helped clear her boyfriend, Zip, of some false charges. But I only talked with her a few times.”

  “Anyway,” Mindy went on, “I heard that Tamara pitched a fit when Rosie beat her in the Sweetheart competition.”

  When Kristin gave Mindy a warning look, Mindy just shrugged and giggled. “Can I help it if I love to dish the dirt?” Mindy asked.

  Nancy listened to the conversation, but her mind was on Ned. She couldn’t wait to see him!

  By the time the girls arrived at the sports complex and joined the other Theta Pi sisters in the stands, it was game time. The bleachers were a blur of shaking pom-poms, all purple and orange, the Emerson colors. Down on the court, cheerleaders were revving up the fans, and the whole gym resounded with the sound of stomping feet.

  Nancy and Bess joined the crowd, cheering as the players took their positions on the court.

  “Let’s go, Wildcats!” Bess yelled.

  The opening buzzer sounded, and the game began.

  Most of the time, Nancy kept her eyes on Ned. His handsome face was tight with determination as he blocked shots and raced up the court. Emerson’s team fought hard, but at the end of the first half, the Wildcats were trailing by ten points.

  During halftime Nancy recognized one of the cheerleaders, a pretty girl with brown, curly hair, dark skin, and a bright smile.

  “Check out that cheerleader, the third one from the left,” she said, nudging Bess.

  “It’s Tamara,” Bess said.

  “Rosie’s nemesis,” Kristin said. “When they’re in the same room, they fight like cats and dogs.”

  “Really?” Nancy was surprised. Tamara had seemed nice enough when she had met her.

  The second half started with a whir of excitement when Ned got the ball. Nancy jumped up to cheer as he dribbled it to the far end of the court. Hook shot! Basket! Two points! Emerson was just eight points behind!

  The other team took the ball but fumbled it. Ned scooped up the ball and passed it to a teammate, a lanky guy with thick blond hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. He caught Ned’s pass, lobbed the ball at the basket, and—swish!

  “He’s good,” Bess said.

  “That’s Casey Thompson,” Kristin explained. “He and Rosie have been dating for a few months.”

  Unfortunately, the Emerson team couldn’t rally long enough to take the lead. When the final buzzer sounded, the Kingston College fans let out a thunderous victory cheer.

  “Oh, well,” Kristin sighed as the opposing team’s fans filed out of the gym. “We may have lost the game, but we know Rosie’s a winner.”

  Just then the Emerson marching band launched into a song as they came onto the basketball court in a crown-shaped formation. When they finished their routine, the lights in the gym were lowered, and a husky man in a tweed jacket appeared at the microphone. Nancy recognized Dean Jarvis, one of the college’s administrators. She’d worked with him on a few cases during past visits to Emerson.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I am proud to introduce the young lady you have chosen as this year’s Emerson Sweetheart, Ms. Rosie Lopez.

  There was a drumroll as the official escort, a guy from the band’s color guard, walked Rosie to the spotlight. Wearing a burgundy cocktail dress that complemented her dark complexion and curly brown hair, Rosie sparkled with enthusiasm as she thanked everyone.

  During Rosie’s speech, Nancy’s attention wandered to the locker room door. She felt sure that Ned wouldn’t want to miss this. And what about Casey, Rosie’s boyfriend?

  Sure enough, the door swung open, and Nancy spotted Ned and Casey, still wearing their uniforms. They made their way unobtrusively into the gym and stood under the backboard to watch the ceremony.

  Dean Jarvis presented Rosie with an engraved gold locket. Then she was crowned with a glittering rhinestone tiara.

  “They use that same crown every year,” Kristin explained to Nancy and Bess. “But Rosie gets to keep the locket.”

  “All right, Rosie!” Kristin shouted, and followed her sorority sisters to the floor of the gym. The Theta Pis swarmed around Rosie, eager to congratulate her.

  “I’ll be right back,” Nancy told Bess. She raced down the bleachers and made her way through the crowd toward Ned.

  His face lit up when he spotted her. “Hey, gorgeous!” He rushed forward and swept her off her feet. “You made it!”

  Nancy kissed Ned and gave him a big hug, sweaty uniform and all.

  “You guys played a great game,” she said.

  “I wish Coach Elliot agreed,” Ned said. “Fortunately, Casey and I got excused from the postgame speech.” He nodded at his teammate, who was pressing into the crowd around Rosie. “He wants to congratulate her, but it doesn’t look as if he’s having much luck.”

  Ned was right. Casey couldn’t get past the wall of Theta Pis surrounding Rosie. Judging from the scowl on his face, he wasn’t too happy about it, either.

  “Rosie!” Casey shouted, pushing past Mindy and Kristin. “For once, would you Theta Pis back off?” he snapped.

  Kristin raised her eyebrows and stood back.

  From the ruddy color of Casey’s face, Nancy could tell he was getting madder by the second.

  Just then Rosie swung around.

  The happy buzz of the crowd died as curious faces turned to the couple.

  At first a distressed look filled Rosie’s brown eyes. Then she shook her head and said icily, “You don’t own me, Casey Thompson, and if you’re going to pick on my sisters, you can take a hike.”

  “But, Rosie—” Casey argued.

  “You’ve got no right being rude to my friends,” she said, cutting him off. “I mean it. Get lost!”

  Casey was fuming now. “You’ll be sorry you said that, Rosie Lopez.”

  Chapter

  Two

  ROSIE DIDN’T REPLY but stood her ground.

  Then Casey mumbled something Nancy couldn’t understand and stormed into the locker room.

  “You’d better go talk to him,” Nancy told Ned. She was surprised that the argument between Rosie and Casey had exploded into a breakup. But Ned was a diplomat. He had a talent for soothing wounded egos. Maybe he could help Casey.

  After Ned ducked into the locker room, Nancy found Bess at the foot of the bleachers.

  “What was all the commotion?” Bess asked. “I could see that something was wrong, but I couldn’t hear a thing.”

  Nancy described the argument. “She told Casey to take a hike—literally.”

  “That’s too bad,” Bess said. “This should be the perfect moment for Rosie. I mean, how often does a girl get crowned Sweetheart?”

  It was true. But when Nancy glanced over at Rosie, she was surprised to see that the girl didn’t seem too upset. She was still hugging her sorority sisters.

  By now tables had been set up around the edge of the gym. Platters of baked goods were being arranged on them as the deejay tested the sound system. “This one’s dedicated to Rosie Lopez, Emerson’s Sweetheart,” he said, turning up the volume for the first song.

  A few students start to dance. Nancy noticed that Rosie and the other Theta Pis were headed toward one of the refreshment tables. “Let’s go over and get something to drink,” she suggested.

  “And maybe a doughnut,” Bess said, eyeing one table.

  Nancy and Bess were sipping hot cider when Kristin and Rosie joined them. “Rosie Lopez, meet Nancy and Bess,” Kristin said, turning to her sorority sister. “They’ll be staying with us during Sweetheart Week.”

  “Great!” Rosie replied.

  “Nice to meet you,” Nancy said.

  “Congratulations.” Bess was bea
ming. “You make a beautiful Sweetheart.”

  “Thanks.” Dimples appeared in Rosie’s cheeks as she smiled. “It’s a major thrill.”

  Just then Ned appeared at Nancy’s side. His hair was still damp from the shower, and he’d changed into jeans and a cotton sweater. His jacket and knapsack were slung over his shoulder.

  “Hiya, Bess!” Ned planted a kiss on Bess’s cheek, then turned to Rosie. “Congrats. Sorry your boyfriend isn’t here to celebrate with you.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend anymore,” Rosie said softly.

  “Casey’s just wired,” Ned explained. “Winning this game was important to him. When things weren’t going his way afterward, well . . . he lost it. No excuse, but I’m sure he’ll apologize in the morning.”

  “Isn’t he coming to the party?” Nancy asked.

  Ned shook his head. “He blew out of the locker room in a rage. Didn’t even stop to shower or change out of his uniform.”

  “Another tantrum!” Rosie rolled her eyes.

  “Sounds like he was really ticked off,” Kristin said, squeezing Rosie’s arm.

  Rosie frowned and stared down at the ground as if she didn’t want anyone to know how much Casey had hurt her. Nancy felt bad for her. She sensed that Rosie’s harsh attitude toward Casey was all bravado.

  “I can’t deal with his temper anymore,” Rosie said. “When I told him to get lost, I meant it. It’s over between us.”

  “Oh, no,” Bess said sympathetically.

  Nancy gave Bess a warning look. Her best friend loved playing matchmaker, but this was something that Casey and Rosie needed to work out for themselves.

  “Anyone else want to hit the refreshment table?” Nancy suggested, changing the subject.

  “I’m game,” said Ned. “A guy works up an appetite running up and down the court. Just give me a second to throw my things on the bleachers.”

  By the time they sampled the doughnuts, cakes, and heart-shaped cookies, the party was in full swing. An old rock and roll hit was playing, and across the gym students were dancing. Kristin came off the dance floor dragging a husky guy with dark eyes and jet black hair combed back from his forehead.