The Carousel Mystery Read online

  “What about the muddy footprints and the music?” Nancy asked Mia.

  Mia frowned. “I planted the footprints and the initials before you guys came over,” she explained. “Then I went down to the basement while I was supposed to be getting ready for my violin lesson. I hid a portable CD player behind some furniture and used a remote control.” She added, “I was trying to spook you guys, plus make someone else look guilty. Like Brad.”

  “Oh, thanks a lot. Just for that, I’m taking your Christmas present back to the store,” Brad grumbled. Then he broke into a grin. “Still, I have to say, you aren’t as lame as I thought, Mia! That’s pretty cool, pulling off a crime wave!”

  Mia blushed. “I did not pull off a crime wave,” she muttered.

  “So I guess it was just a coincidence that your mom and dad had a CD with that song too,” George said to Brad.

  Sam was plucking at his T-shirt. “What about you, Sam?” Nancy said. “Did you help your sister with all this?”

  Sam stared at her, his green eyes enormous. “No!” he cried out. “I knew about it, though. I saw Mia do it! I didn’t want to—” He stopped.

  “Tell on her?” Brenda asked him from the corner. She had been furiously writing in her notebook.

  “Samster the Hamster,” Brad said. “My man!” He grabbed Sam around the shoulders and squeezed him playfully.

  George turned to Mia. “So where’s the real brass ring?” she asked her.

  “I think I know,” Nancy said with a twinkle in her eye.

  Everyone stared at her. “You do?” Jo asked.

  Nancy nodded. “Yup! I found a really important clue on a Web site about Thomas Gangi. It gave me an idea about Mia’s hiding place for the brass ring.”

  Nancy began running to the library. She tried to slow her steps, but she was too excited. The others followed close behind.

  When Nancy got to the library, she rushed up to the horses. She began running her hands over each and every one.

  When she got to the twelfth horse, she found what she was looking for. There was a hairline crack on the horse’s side. She ran her fingers across the crack. It was a secret compartment!

  “Bess was right,” Mia said after a minute. “Nancy’s an awesome detective! She found where I hid the brass ring.”

  Nancy took her barrette out of her hair and wiggled it carefully into the crack. There was a popping sound and the compartment creaked open.

  Nancy reached inside and felt cold, smooth metal. She pulled it out.

  She’d found the brass ring!

  • • •

  Wednesday afternoon was sunny and warm. A crisp breeze tossed Nancy’s blond hair as she and the other children climbed up onto the carousel horses.

  Nancy picked the one with the four calling birds. George picked the one with the seven swams a-swimming. Bess chose the one with the three French hens.

  Mr. Drew, Hannah, and Mr. and Mrs. Gangi stood outside the glass walls, waving like mad. George’s parents and Bess’s parents were there too.

  The mayor of River Heights was standing in the doorway of the carousel. “Welcome to our brand-new carousel!” he exclaimed. “Thanks to the Gangi family, the city of River Heights will be able to enjoy this carousel for many years to come.”

  The crowd clapped. Jo and Mia smiled at each other. Nancy knew that Mia had told their parents what she had done and had apologized lots and lots of times. Mr. and Mrs. Gangi had forgiven Mia and had let her come to the carousel opening.

  Mia had also apologized to Nancy, George, and Bess. What Mia had done was wrong. But Nancy knew that Mia felt really bad about it.

  Music started to play. It was “The Twelve Days of Christmas”! Lights flashed, bells jingled, and the horses began to move. Nancy couldn’t believe it. It was really happening. Thomas Gangi’s old carousel had come to life after all these years.

  The brass ring hung from the side of the carousel with its delicate mistletoe design. All the children reached for it when their horses passed by. But the brass ring was hard to get.

  Nancy reached for it her first time around . . . then her second . . . and her third. Each time, her fingers brushed against the ring. But she didn’t have enough time to grab it. The carousel was going way too fast.

  The fourth time around, Nancy sat up in her saddle just a little—as far as her safety strap would let her. She reached her arm as far as she could. Her fingertips brushed the ring and then she grabbed it!

  “Nancy Drew got the ring!” the mayor announced.

  The crowd cheered and cheered. Nancy giggled excitedly. She had grabbed the brass ring! And it was the very same brass ring she had found just yesterday, hidden in a secret compartment.

  The song began to fade. The horses slowed to a stop. The attendant came around and unstrapped all the children. Nancy jumped off her horse and ran to her father.

  Mr. Drew grabbed her in a big hug. “Congratulations, Pudding Pie! You grabbed the brass ring!”

  “She’s a girl of many talents!” Hannah said proudly.

  The mayor handed Nancy a box. “This is your special prize for grabbing the brass ring. Congratulations!”

  Bess and George gathered around Nancy. “What is it?” Bess asked Nancy eagerly.

  Nancy reached into the box. Inside was a music box—shaped like a carousel!

  “Oh, thank you, Mr. Mayor!” Nancy exclaimed. “It’s the best music box ever!”

  “It’s the perfect prize for the detective who solved the mystery of the missing brass ring!” George said.

  • • •

  That night, Nancy sat at her desk and wrote in her blue notebook:

  Today I got to ride on the new carousel. I grabbed the brass ring and won a special prize. It’s a carousel music box. It’s the best prize I’ve ever gotten!

  I’m glad we found the brass ring. This was a really tough mystery to solve. It was tough because thieves usually steal things that don’t belong to them. But in this case, the thief, Mia, stole something that did belong to her and her family. She just wanted to keep the horses for herself and her family.

  But now Mia will get to ride the carousel whenever she wants in the park. And other kids will get to ride the carousel too—thanks to the Gangi family. Jo and her mom and dad were right after all. It’s best to share, because if you share, everyone’s happy—including you!

  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.

  First Aladdin Paperbacks edition December 2003 Copyright © 2003 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  ALADDIN

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster

  Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas

  New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

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

  The text of this book was set in Excelsior.

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

  Library of Congress Control Number 2003103453

  ISBN 978-0-689-86342-4

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4424-8341-5 (eBook)