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  “Who’s causing all these problems?” Quincy asked.

  “That’s what we’re still trying to find out,” Nancy said.

  “But it’s not Amanda!” Bess chimed in.

  “We know. She’s telling everyone in school that she finally confessed to the Clue Crew,” Deirdre said. She shook her head. “I’m surprised you three didn’t figure it out the first day. ‘ONITAP,’ ‘Patino’! Really!”

  “I don’t know why Peter should be embarrassed about designing clothes,” Quincy said. “Look at me. I’m modeling them.”

  When they reached the auditorium, they headed toward where Mrs. Corwin was standing with Juliana and the New York models.

  “Oh, kids! Thank you so much!” Juliana said. “I don’t know how the show could have gone on without all your help.”

  “You’re welcome,” Nancy said. “Our parents were all glad to do what they could.”

  “Some of our neighbors helped too,” Bess added.

  Just then Nancy noticed Felicity sitting in a corner of the auditorium by herself. She turned to Bess and George. “This is our chance to interview another suspect,” she whispered. After Mrs. Corwin and Juliana talked about the fashion show, Nancy, Bess, and George quietly made their way toward Felicity.

  “She’s probably angry that the replacement outfits were sewn together so quickly,” George said.

  When the Clue Crew was just a few feet away from Felicity, she looked up with angry eyes and said, “What do you want?”

  “We just wanted to make sure you were all right,” Bess said.

  “You look really upset about something,” Nancy said.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” George asked.

  Felicity looked at them. “Why would I want to talk about it with you three?” she said.

  “Well, for one thing, we’re here,” Nancy said, “and for another, we don’t want you to remember your visit to River Heights as an awful experience.”

  “Oh, please!” Felicity looked around. “Do you have any idea …” She stopped and shook her head. “Of course you don’t. You live in this hick town.”

  “We don’t think it’s a hick town,” George said defensively. “We think it’s a great place to live.”

  “We sure do,” Bess added.

  “Why are you bothering me?” Felicity said. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”

  “Okay, Felicity, we’ll be honest with you,” Nancy said. “We’re not just students, we’re also detectives.”

  “What?” Felicity said. “Detectives?”

  George nodded. “We’ve solved a lot of crimes in River Heights,” she said.

  “In fact, we’re trying to solve one now,” Bess said.

  “Oh, really?” Felicity said. She smirked. “Is somebody’s cat missing?”

  “That’s not funny, Felicity,” George said. “We’re very serious about crime solving.”

  “Whatever!” Felicity said.

  “We’re trying to solve the mystery of the missing clothes,” Nancy told her, “and when we do, I think we’ll solve the mystery of all the other strange things that have been going on with this fashion show.”

  “You’re talking to the wrong person,” Felicity said. “I don’t know anything about anything.”

  “Well, we thought maybe you might have heard or seen something strange,” Nancy said.

  “Oh, now I get it,” Felicity said. “You think I’m guilty.”

  “We didn’t say that,” Bess said.

  “You didn’t have to,” Felicity said. She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you three are nice little girls who—”

  “Hey!” George said. “You’re the same age we are!”

  “In numbers, maybe,” Felicity said, “but in sophistication, I’m light-years ahead of all of you.”

  Oh, brother, Nancy thought. She is too much.

  “Fine! I’ll tell you what I’m angry about,” Felicity said. “I told Juliana that I’d do this show because I usually like Juliana’s designs, although I think her Rhes! line is really cheap-looking.”

  Nancy had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything.

  “But right after I signed the contract with Juliana, I had a chance to do a show in Paris, and Juliana wouldn’t let me out of my contract,” Felicity continued. “I’ll probably never again have the chance to go to Paris because I’ll forever be associated with this awful-looking Rhes! line.”

  “Why are they so bad?” Bess asked.

  “They’re not high fashion, or, as we say in the business, haute couture,” Felicity said, “and that’s what models wear on the runways of the world.”

  “Well, frankly, I think that’s a good reason why you might try to ruin the fashion show,” George said. “You want to get even with Juliana.”

  “I’m a professional model,” Felicity said. “I’m not a criminal.” With that, she turned away, dismissing the Clue Crew.

  As Nancy, Bess, and George headed back toward the stage, Nancy said, “Well, I don’t like her very much, and I don’t agree with what she said about our designs, but I don’t think she’s our criminal, either.”

  “Yeah,” Bess said. “She was too honest about everything.”

  “I suppose you’re right. If she were guilty, she would have been full of excuses and alibis,” George said. She sighed. “Now what?”

  “Well, we interview our third and last suspect,” Bess said.

  “We can go to Nadine’s house after school,” Nancy said.

  “We won’t have to,” George whispered. “Mrs. Nardo just came into the auditorium. She’s in the back.”

  chaPTER SEVEN

  False Alarm

  “But why is she here?” George whispered.

  “What do you think she’s going to do?” Bess whispered back.

  “Come on,” Nancy said determinedly. “We’ve got to get this mystery solved before—”

  “Nancy! Bess! George!” Juliana shouted. “You’re needed onstage!”

  “Oh, rats!” Bess said. She looked at Mrs. Nardo. “We may never get another chance to confront her before she tries some other way to destroy the fashion show.”

  “Of course, we don’t really know for sure that she did anything, but you’re right, George.” Nancy stopped and thought for a minute. “If Nadine’s not in the show, why is she here?”

  “Girls! Girls!” Mrs. Corwin called. “Juliana needs you! You’re on!”

  Nancy, Bess, and George ran to the steps that led to the stage. Juliana was already in the wings, giving the professional models some last-minute information, when Nancy, Bess, and George got there.

  Nicole smiled at them.

  The other models rolled their eyes.

  For the next several minutes, when Juliana called out the names of the designer outfits, the models wearing them walked to the center of the stage, turned around in a circle, then started down the runway, which had been built in the center aisle of the auditorium.

  When it was Nancy’s turn, she felt awkward at first. By the time she got to the middle of the stage, though, she was in sync with the music. Hearing her name as one of the designers of the Mystery Girls! label made her swell with pride. She did her best to remember all the tips Nicole had given them about how models should walk on the runway.

  Nancy thought the other student models did very well too.

  Finally the rehearsal was over, and everyone broke for lunch in the cafeteria.

  When Nancy, Bess, George, Deirdre, and Quincy entered the cafeteria, everyone applauded, and Nancy had to admit that she really did feel like a celebrity. Some of the second graders even came up and asked for autographs.

  They had almost finished eating and were reviewing their spelling words when Nancy saw Mrs. Nardo enter a door at the opposite end of the cafeteria and head toward a far table. Nancy turned and saw Nadine slumped over her tray.

  “This isn’t looking good,” Nancy said to Bess and George. “Mrs. Nardo looks angry, and Nadine looks upset.”
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br />   “Well, I’d be upset too,” Deirdre complained, “if my mother was trying to destroy a fashion show that the whole world was going to watch.”

  Nancy, Bess, and George looked at her.

  “How did you find that out, Deirdre?” Nancy asked.

  “Hey! You three are the detectives!” Deirdre said. “You should be telling me.”

  “Mrs. Nardo is really angry that Nadine isn’t in the show,” Quincy said. “You should have seen the looks she gave me when I was walking the runway.”

  “I suspected her all along,” Deirdre said.

  “Well, why didn’t you say something?” Bess said. “We’re detectives. We’re not mind readers.”

  Deirdre shrugged. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess that I just didn’t really want to believe it.”

  “Mrs. Nardo is on our list of suspects,” Nancy said. “We’re going to question her after school.”

  When the River Heights models got back to the auditorium, Mrs. Corwin said, “Juliana thinks we’re okay for today. So why don’t you all go on back to Mrs. Ramirez’s classroom?”

  “Are you sure?” George asked. “I don’t think I have my walk down right.”

  “You’re great, George,” Juliana said.

  “Well, what about me?” Deirdre said. “I don’t want to do anything that will ruin my career.”

  “Oh, you won’t,” Juliana said. “In fact, you all did very well.”

  With Juliana’s compliments ringing in their ears, the River Heights models left the auditorium.

  The rest of the class was drawing maps of Africa, but Mrs. Ramirez put Nancy, George, Bess, Deirdre, and Quincy at a table in the back of the room and gave them their spelling quiz. After that they finished out the rest of the day doing their geography assignment.

  Before they left school, Nancy used the telephone in the principal’s office to call Hannah to tell her that they were going to Nadine Nardo’s house to talk to Nadine’s mother. Hannah said she would notify Bess’s and George’s parents.

  Just as Nancy, Bess, and George got to the Nardos’ house, they heard a scream from the backyard.

  “Oh no!” Nancy said. “I wonder what’s wrong?”

  “This doesn’t look good,” George whispered.

  “We need to find out, and quick!” Bess said.

  They rushed through the side gate. Just as they rounded a corner of the house, there was another scream.

  In the middle of the yard, standing under a huge tree, were Nadine, Mrs. Nardo, and Nadine’s younger sister, Rachel. Suddenly there was another bloodcurdling scream. It had come from Rachel.

  “Wow!” Bess said. “That kid has a voice!”

  “What’s wrong, Nadine?” Nancy called.

  “Rachel’s parakeet escaped,” Nadine said. “My cat has it in her mouth.”

  Mrs. Nardo looked at Rachel. “Rachel, you’re scaring them both to death,” she said. “Nadine promised you that Belle wouldn’t eat Ralphie. She’s trying to rescue him for you.”

  That didn’t seem to calm Rachel. She let out another scream. It was evidently too much for Belle, though, because she bounded down the tree, walked up to Nadine, and let her take Ralphie out of her mouth.

  As everyone headed inside, Nadine whispered, “It’s like this every day.”

  Inside, Mrs. Nardo offered everyone homemade ice cream.

  “What brings you girls to our house?” Mrs. Nardo asked. She laughed. “Is there a mystery on our block?”

  Nancy looked at Bess and George then back at Mrs. Nardo. “Well, we were hoping that you could help us with that,” she said. She had already figured out how to question Mrs. Nardo without her getting suspicious. “We saw you at the rehearsal today. We were wondering if you noticed anything suspicious. We’re trying to solve the mystery of who’s trying to ruin the fashion show.”

  Mrs. Nardo laughed. “You’re not going to believe this, but I was so angry when Nadine wasn’t chosen as one of the models, I thought about doing it myself, but I would never do something awful like that,” she said. “I just wanted my beautiful girl to walk the runway.”

  “Oh, Mama! I told you a thousand times that I wasn’t really interested,” Nadine said. She looked at Nancy, Bess, and George. “Mama always wanted to be a fashion model herself. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.”

  Mrs. Nardo gave a big sigh. “I guess I was trying to live my dream through Nadine,” she said. “I’m sorry if anyone thought I was too pushy.”

  “We never heard any complaints,” George said. She looked at Nancy and Bess. “Did we?”

  Nancy and Bess shook their heads.

  “Well, we just came over here on the slight chance you might have seen some suspicious activity this morning,” Nancy said. “We’re following every possible lead.”

  Just then the telephone rang, and Mrs. Nardo answered it. “Nancy, it’s for you,” she said. “It’s Hannah.”

  Nancy took the receiver, listened for a few minutes, and then hung up. “Guess what?” she asked. “Mrs. Corwin just called Hannah and said that some of the models’ personal belongings have disappeared, and they’re blaming River Heights students for the thefts.”

  chaPTER EiGhT

  Look What I Found!

  When Nancy, Bess, and George arrived at school the next morning, there was a crowd of students on the playground. Several were holding up signs that said MODELS, GO HOME! and RHES STUDENTS DON’T STEAL and CANCEL THE FASHION SHOW!

  “Oh no!” Nancy said. “This can’t be happening!”

  When the students saw Nancy, Bess, and George, they immediately rushed toward them.

  “Nancy, the Clue Crew has to solve this mystery,” one boy said. “Those awful models are accusing us of things we didn’t do.”

  Nancy didn’t know what to do. With Mrs. Nardo, they had exhausted their list of suspects. “We’re on it,” was all she could say. She was glad the first bell hadn’t rung yet. She wanted to find out from the models exactly what had happened.

  Nancy pulled Bess and George through the crowd to the front door of the school and went inside.

  As they headed toward Mrs. Corwin’s classroom, Nicole rushed up to meet them. “Oh, Nancy, I am so sorry,” she said breathlessly. “I tried to convince the other models that the River Heights students would never steal their belongings, but they wouldn’t listen to me.”

  “I won’t say that we’re all perfect here, Nicole,” Nancy said, “but RHES students are honest.”

  “We most certainly are!” Bess and George said in unison.

  “Where are the models now?” Nancy asked.

  “Juliana’s talking to them in the auditorium,” Nicole said. “They want to leave. They want to cancel the show. They don’t feel safe.”

  “What?” Nancy, Bess, and George cried.

  “I know, I know,” Nicole said, rolling her eyes. “They’re so used to everyone telling them how wonderful they are all the time that they don’t know how to deal with reality.”

  Nancy shook her head in dismay.

  When they got to the auditorium, Nancy saw Juliana whispering something to Mrs. Corwin. The other models were sitting together in a far corner. When they saw Nancy, Bess, George, and Nicole approaching, Felicity said, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t River Heights’s answer to the FBI.” The other models laughed. “Why aren’t you out looking for the things your classmates stole from us?”

  “What’s missing?” Nancy asked.

  Cory handed her a list. “I understand that crooks in hick towns like this take their stolen goods to pawnshops,” he said nastily. “You might start there first.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” Nancy said. She looked over the list. “We’ll be in touch.” To Nicole, she whispered, “I think we’ll search the school first. I have a feeling that none of these things ever left the building.”

  “Okay,” Nicole whispered back. “I’ll try to smooth things over here.”

  “Thanks, Nicole,” Bess said.

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sp; Nancy checked with Mrs. Corwin to make sure they wouldn’t be needed for the next few minutes. Then the Clue Crew left the auditorium.

  Just as they were heading down the third-grade hall, Amanda Johnson came running up to them. “Nancy, you’re not going to believe this!” she said. She thrust a large paper sack at her. “Mrs. Ramirez just found these things! They were hidden in some boxes stacked inside the cloakroom! She thinks it’s the stuff that was stolen from the models.”

  Nancy opened the sack. “It is!” she said. She looked at Bess and George. “How are we going to explain this?”

  As they headed back toward the auditorium, Bess said, “You don’t think someone in our class really did this, do you?”

  “I don’t know what to think, Bess,” Nancy said.

  “If we don’t solve this soon, though,” George said, “no one will ever trust the Clue Crew again.”

  Nancy nodded.

  When they got to the auditorium, the models were practicing their runway walks. When Nicole got to the end of the runway, Nancy whispered, “We found the missing things!”

  Nicole blinked, then whispered back, “That’s super!”

  In a few minutes Nicole joined them. “Where were they?” she asked.

  “Hidden inside boxes in Mrs. Ramirez’s cloakroom,” Bess said.

  “That’s our classroom,” George added.

  “Oh, that’s too bad,” Nicole said. “Well, let me have the sack, and I’ll return everything to the models.”

  “Oh, Nicole, thank you so much!” Nancy said.

  Juliana suddenly called, “Nancy, Bess, George, Deirdre, and Quincy, come up onstage, please!”

  For the rest of the morning, the River Heights models practiced their walks and their outfit changes.

  During the lunch break, Nancy said, “Why don’t you eat with us, Nicole?”

  “Oh, I’d love to,” Nicole said. “And please don’t worry. The other models were so happy to get their things back that they won’t file a police report.”

  “That’s good to know,” Nancy said.

  Mrs. Corwin had arranged for all the models to get their cafeteria trays and take them to the teacher’s lounge so they could eat in peace. The River Heights models and Nicole sat in one corner of the room. The other models sat in a far corner. Juliana and Mrs. Corwin sat in the middle.