Strike-Out Scare Read online

  She finally figured out that she’s an awesome hitter with or without Magic Bill. She just had to believe in herself.

  After the game, Austin told his mom that it was his fault Magic Bill was missing. He told her that he lost it while he was cleaning up the bats and balls after Monday’s game. He apologized to his mom and to Bess.

  I asked Austin a bunch of questions about Monday and made him retrace all his steps. It turned out that he had put all the bats in this one corner of the dugout.

  I searched the corner more carefully. I found a big crack between the floor and the wall. Coach Gloria got a flashlight and we looked in the crack. Magic Bill had rolled down there by accident!

  Austin crawled under the bench and got Magic Bill out. Bess was so happy! She even gave Austin a big hug and forgave him for everything.

  She’s going to start using Magic Bill again. But she’s also going to use the bat Rita gave her. She named it Magic Belinda. But she knows now that feeling good about herself will help her hit better than any bat—magic or not.

  Case closed!

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

  ALADDIN PAPERBACKS

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  Copyright © 2005 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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

  ALADDIN, NANCY DREW, THE NANCY DREW NOTEBOOKS, and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Designed by Lisa Vega

  First Aladdin Paperbacks edition March 2005

  Library of Congress Control Number 2004116508

  ISBN 978-1-4169-0073-3

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4424-8349-1 (eBook)