The Fine-Feathered Mystery Read online

  Nancy’s own eyes popped wide open. The eyewitness was Todd Steckler!

  “I saw the whole thing,” Todd told the reporter. “This girl named Bess screamed. Then Carmen flew away.”

  “Are you saying that Bess scared Carmen away?” the reporter asked.

  “It was her fault all right,” Todd said. He looked into the camera. “But don’t worry, folks. I’m going to find Carmen.”

  Nancy folded her arms. She frowned at the TV set.

  “Oh, yeah?” she said. “We’ll just see about that, Todd Steckler!”

  6

  Treetop Terror

  Did you hear what Todd said about me on the news last night?” Bess asked the next morning. “I felt like I was on that TV show—America’s Most Hunted!”

  “Forget about it, Bess,” Nancy said. “Let’s concentrate on our trap.”

  It was Wednesday morning. Mr. Fayne had dropped the girls off at the park an hour before Park Pals.

  Nancy had brought her bird feeder, the samba music, and a portable CD player. George had brought her butterfly net and a bag of seed salad. Bess was so upset, she hadn’t brought anything.

  “Okay,” Nancy said. “Where should we put down our trap?”

  She felt George grab her arm.

  “Nancy, check it out,” George said, keeping her voice low. She pointed to a row of hedges.

  Nancy gasped. A deep blue feather was sticking up behind the hedge.

  “That feather is the same color as Carmen’s,” Nancy said.

  George raised her butterfly net above her head. “Then it must be Carmen.”

  The blue feather bobbed up and down.

  “Wait, George,” Nancy whispered. “We have to get a closer look.”

  “What else could it be, Nancy?” George asked. She raised the net high. Then she tiptoed toward the feather.

  The feather swayed back and forth as George stopped at the hedge.

  “George,” Nancy whispered. “Wait!”

  George swung the net down over the feather. “Gotcha!” she shouted.

  Nancy listened for a squawk. But instead she heard a loud scream.

  An angry woman jumped up from behind the hedge. The net was over her head—and her blue-feathered hat!

  “Uh-oh,” Nancy groaned.

  The woman pulled the net off her head. Then she pointed over the hedge.

  “All I was doing was sitting and reading a newspaper on that bench,” she said angrily. “When—wham!”

  “I’m sorry,” George said. She took back the net. “We thought you were Carmen.”

  The woman straightened her hat. She was wearing a bright blue sundress that matched the feather.

  “Who on earth is Carmen?” she asked.

  “A parrot,” Bess said with a smile.

  “You thought I was a parrot?” the woman gasped. “Well!”

  The girls watched as the woman in the blue-feathered hat huffed off.

  “You were right, Nancy.” George sighed. “I should have gotten a closer look.”

  Nancy began to giggle. “That’s okay, George. It was a funny hat.”

  The girls walked on through the park. They stopped under a thick shade tree.

  “This looks like a great place to set up our trap,” Nancy said.

  “All systems go,” George said. She sprinkled seed salad around the tree.

  Nancy set the CD player on the ground.

  “What does music from Brazil sound like?” Bess asked.

  “I don’t know,” Nancy said. She popped the CD into the player. “Let’s listen.”

  Nancy pressed the Play button. The girls waited until they heard the first tune.

  “Hey,” George said. She snapped her fingers to the beat. “I like it.”

  Nancy liked the music, too. It was fast and had lots of drums.

  “I feel like dancing,” Bess said. She raised her hands over her head and twirled like a ballerina.

  “Me, too!” Nancy said. She began to wiggle her hips. “Come on, George!”

  “I’m not a great dancer,” George said. But soon she was kicking her leg back and forth.

  “What dance is that?” Bess asked.

  “It’s called the Soccer Samba!” George laughed.

  The three friends giggled and danced to the music. But suddenly Nancy heard something else.

  “Listen,” Nancy said. She quickly turned off the music.

  “What is it?” Bess asked.

  Nancy pointed up. A squawking sound came from the tree.

  “Arrrrk!”

  “It sounds just like Carmen,” Bess said. She jumped up and down excitedly.

  “Arrrrk!”

  “There it is again,” Nancy said.

  “I’m going up there,” George insisted. She began to climb the tree.

  “Arrrrk!”

  “Wait for me!” Nancy called.

  Bess held up the butterfly net. “You forgot this.”

  Nancy and George climbed halfway up the tree. The leaves began to rustle.

  “Carmen?” Nancy called. “Is that you?”

  The leaves parted. Sitting on a branch was a strange and ugly creature. It was covered with leaves and mud.

  “Eeeeek!” Nancy and George both screamed as they clutched the tree.

  “Is it a bird?” Bess called up.

  “No!” Nancy cried. She and George jumped down from the tree. “It’s some kind of shrub monster!”

  7

  Katie’s Secret

  The three friends shrieked as the shrub monster jumped down from the tree.

  “Back!” George shouted. She swung her butterfly net. “You . . . you walking nest!”

  Just then Nancy noticed something strange. The shrub monster was wearing big round glasses. Just like . . .

  “Todd Steckler!” Nancy declared.

  Todd brushed a clump of mud from his glasses. “You were expecting Godzilla?”

  “Yuck!” Bess said. “Does your mom know you were playing in mud?”

  Todd stuck out his leafy chin.

  “It’s called camouflage,” he said. “I didn’t want Carmen to see me while I waited for her in the tree.”

  “Then where was that parrot noise coming from?” Nancy asked.

  “This,” Todd said. He raised a silver birdcall to his lips. Then he blasted it in Nancy’s face.

  “Arrrrrk!”

  “Oww!” Nancy cried.

  Todd laughed. He picked a twig from his hair. “When it comes to finding Carmen, I mean business.”

  “Well, so do we,” George declared.

  “Yeah,” Bess said. She pointed to the trap. “We have a butterfly net, bird seed, and South American music.”

  “South American music?” Todd laughed. He looked at Nancy. “Is that the best you can do, Detective Drew?”

  “What do you mean?” Nancy asked.

  “You’re a detective,” Todd scoffed. “Why don’t you use dogs to sniff for Carmen? Like they do on that TV show America’s Most Hunted.”

  Todd blasted his birdcall one more time. Then he snickered and scurried back up the tree.

  “I don’t know what’s worse,” George muttered. “Finding a freak or a geek.”

  “Wait a minute,” Nancy said. “Todd is right.”

  Bess made a face. “Todd?”

  “Chocolate Chip is always sniffing around,” Nancy said. “If she sniffs a parrot feather, she might be able to track Carmen down.”

  “Where are we going to get a parrot feather, Nancy?” Bess asked.

  “From Katie,” Nancy said. “She might have one of Lester’s feathers lying around the house.”

  George glanced at her watch. “We can’t go now. Park Pals is starting soon.”

  “We’ll go after Park Pals,” Nancy explained. “I’ll go home and get permission to walk Chip to Katie’s house.”

  “And I’ll get permission to meet you there,” George said.

  “Me, too,” Bess said. “This is such a cool idea, Nancy.”<
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  Nancy frowned at the tree. “Even if it is Todd Steckler’s!”

  • • •

  The girls learned all about trees at Park Pals that morning. Todd couldn’t join the group until he’d washed off all the mud and leaves.

  When Park Pals was over, Nancy hurried home. She ate one of Hannah’s tuna fish sandwiches. Then she walked Chip to Katie’s house. Bess and George were waiting for her on Katie’s block.

  “Chip was sniffing all the way here,” Nancy said proudly.

  “Atta girl, Chip!” George said.

  Nancy rang the Zaleskis’ doorbell. Katie opened the door with Lester on her shoulder.

  “Hi,” Katie said.

  “Hi! Hi!” Lester squawked. “Raaak!” Chip barked softly when she saw the parrot. Lester ruffled his feathers.

  “How was your trip, Katie?” Nancy asked.

  “Fun!” Katie said. “We visited Parrot Jungle in Florida. Lester loved it.”

  Lester blinked and rolled his head.

  “How’s Park Pals?” Katie asked.

  “Great,” George said. “We’re looking for an endangered bird. She flew out of the aviary on Monday.”

  Katie’s eyes opened wide. “What kind of bird?” she asked.

  “A hyacinth macaw,” Nancy said.

  Katie’s mouth dropped open. She closed it and gulped. “A hyacinth . . . macaw?”

  Bess nodded. “Her name is Carmen. Did you hear about her, Katie?”

  Katie shook her head so fast she hit Lester with her brown ponytail.

  “No way,” she said. “We just got back from Florida yesterday. How could we know?”

  “Whoever finds Carmen will be made a Junior Park Ranger,” Bess explained. “Is that cool or what?”

  Katie stared down at her sneakers. “Way cool,” she mumbled.

  “Way cool!” Lester squawked.

  “That’s why we want one of Lester’s feathers,” Nancy said. “So Chip can sniff it and find Carmen.”

  Katie’s eyes opened wide. “A feather? You mean you want me to pluck him?”

  “Arrrk!” Lester screeched. He ruffled up and flapped his wings.

  “No! No!” Nancy said. “We just—”

  Suddenly Lester opened his beak. Then he began to sing: “I’m a happy camper. That’s what I like to doooooo.”

  The girls froze like statues.

  “What did he just sing?” George asked.

  “Who knows?” Katie said. She looked more nervous. “Probably some stupid song from the TV.”

  “That’s Carmen’s song!” Bess said.

  “If Lester repeats everything he hears,” Nancy said slowly, “then how did he hear Carmen?”

  Just then Nancy remembered the boxes of crackers being loaded into the house.

  “Katie?” Nancy asked. “Did you get a new parrot in the last few days?”

  Katie shook her head. “A new parrot? Why would I want another parrot?”

  Just then Nancy heard a squawk. But this time it didn’t come from Lester. It came from inside the house.

  “Phooey,” Katie mumbled.

  “You do have another parrot, Katie!” Nancy said. She tried to peek over Katie’s shoulder.

  “Is it a hyacinth macaw?” Bess asked excitedly.

  “Is it Carmen?” George asked.

  8

  Home Tweet Home

  Bess let out a little shriek. “Do you really have Carmen, Katie?” she asked.

  Katie nodded. “When we came home from our trip she was sitting on my windowsill. She was so pretty that I brought her inside and put her in one of Lester’s cages.”

  “Hmmm,” Nancy said. “So that’s the reason for all those crackers.”

  “What did your parents say when you found Carmen?” Nancy asked.

  “They didn’t know that Carmen was missing or endangered,” Katie said. “So they said it was okay.”

  “Why did you want another parrot?” George asked.

  “Lester was so happy around those other birds at Parrot Jungle,” Katie said. “I saw how much he needed a friend.”

  “He’ll make new friends,” Bess said with a smile. “Birds of a feather flock together, you know.”

  “And the park will be so happy to get Carmen back,” Nancy said.

  “Back?” Katie asked. She planted her hands on her hips. “Who says I’m giving her back?”

  Nancy stared at Katie.

  “Katie, you have to give Carmen back,” she said. “She belongs to the River Heights park. That’s where she’s protected.”

  “We can take her back there right now,” George offered.

  “No way!” Katie said. She spread her arms across the door. “You are not taking away Lester’s friend.”

  “Rrrraaaa!” Lester screeched.

  “But, Katie—” Nancy started to say.

  “You’ll do anything to become a silly Junior Park Ranger, Nancy,” Katie said.

  Nancy shook her head. “It’s not that.”

  “Yes, it is,” Katie said. Her eyes began to fill with tears. “Isn’t it enough that you’re a detective?”

  The girls stared in silence as Katie went inside and closed the door.

  “Should we tell Ranger Roy?” George finally asked.

  Nancy shook her head. “We can’t do that. Katie is our friend.”

  “What do we do, Nancy?” Bess asked.

  “I don’t know,” Nancy said. She petted Chip sadly. “I just don’t know.”

  • • •

  That night Mr. Drew barbecued hamburgers in the backyard. But Nancy wasn’t very hungry. She sat at the picnic table and told her dad all about Katie.

  “If I tell Ranger Roy, then Katie might get in trouble,” Nancy said.

  Mr. Drew put a well-done hamburger on Nancy’s plate. “Why don’t you give Katie a chance to come forward herself?” he asked.

  “But what if she never comes forward?” Nancy said. “What if she decides to keep Carmen forever and ever?”

  “Then you have a big decision to make, Pudding Pie,” Mr. Drew said.

  Nancy frowned. “I almost wish I’d never found Carmen. Then I wouldn’t feel so bad.”

  “If you feel bad,” Mr. Drew said, “think of how Katie must feel right now.”

  “You’re right, Daddy,” Nancy said.

  “Now,” Mr. Drew said. He sat down next to Nancy with his own plate. “Are there any more questions before I dig in?”

  “Yes!” Nancy said quickly.

  “What?” Mr. Drew asked.

  Nancy grinned. “Can you pass the ketchup? Please?”

  • • •

  Nancy went to bed early that night, but she couldn’t sleep. As she tossed and turned, all she could think about was Katie and her secret. She finally fell asleep while counting parrots instead of sheep.

  • • •

  After breakfast the next morning, Hannah drove Nancy to Park Pals.

  When Nancy walked into the clubhouse she saw Ranger Roy talking to Lynn. She also saw Todd standing next to Bess and George.

  “Hi,” Nancy said.

  Todd folded his arms. “So, Detective Drew. Have you found Carmen yet?”

  Nancy, Bess, and George looked at one another. They didn’t say a word.

  “Ha!” Todd laughed. “You didn’t find Carmen. Some detective you are.”

  Bess stepped up to Todd. She pushed her face into his.

  “For your information,” Bess said, “Nancy did find Carmen.”

  Nancy clapped her hand over Bess’s mouth. “Bess!”

  But it was too late. Joey and Andrea were staring at her. Lynn and Ranger Roy were staring at her, too.

  “Nancy?” Lynn asked. “Is Bess right? Did you find Carmen?”

  Nancy took her hand off Bess’s mouth. But her own mouth felt as dry as cotton.

  “I—I—” Nancy stammered.

  “Nancy, if you know where Carmen is, you must tell us,” Ranger Roy said.

  Nancy felt a big lump in her throa
t. She didn’t have a choice anymore. She would have to tell Ranger Roy about Katie.

  “I do know where Carmen is,” Nancy said slowly. “Carmen is with—”

  “Me,” a voice said.

  Nancy whirled around. Katie stood at the door with Lester’s cage in her hand. Inside the cage was Carmen.

  “Carmen is with me,” Katie said.

  “What?” Todd cried.

  The Grasshoppers and the rangers surrounded Katie. She told them all about finding Carmen and wanting to keep her.

  “Nancy, Bess, and George told me that keeping Carmen was wrong,” Katie said. “It took me a while to realize they were right.”

  “They sure were,” Ranger Roy said. He gave the girls a big grin. “That’s why I’m making all three of you Junior Park Rangers!”

  “Yahoo!” Nancy shouted.

  “That stinks!” Todd shouted.

  When the girls were finished jumping up and down, Nancy went over to Ranger Roy.

  “Katie brought Carmen back,” she said. “Can she be a Junior Park Ranger, too?”

  Ranger Roy took off his hat and scratched his head. Then he smiled.

  “The more the merrier,” he said.

  Todd threw his own hat on the floor.

  “Bummer!” he cried. “Now I’ll never be a Junior Park Ranger. All I’ll ever have is my stupid bug collection.”

  “Lynn told me about your bug collection,” Ranger Roy said. “But I never had the pleasure of seeing it.”

  Bess jumped back as Todd pulled out his bug jar. He handed it to Ranger Roy.

  Ranger Roy squinted as he examined the insects. “Is that a rove beetle I see?”

  Todd nodded. “I found it under a rock.”

  Ranger Roy handed the jar back to Todd. “I can’t make you a Junior Park Ranger, but I can give you a special summer job.”

  “A job?” Todd asked. “Doing what?”

  “Working with the insects,” Ranger Roy said. “Would you like that?”

  “Would I!” Todd cried happily.

  George leaned over to Nancy.

  “Todd is finally going where he belongs,” she whispered. “The bughouse.”

  Joey raised his hand. “How do we know this bird is really Carmen?” he asked.

  The bright blue parrot stretched her neck. Then she began to sing.

  “I’m a happy camper. That’s what I like to do. I hope that you will join me, and be a camper tooooo. Arrrrk!”