The Big Island Burglary Read online

  “We crashed a wedding!” Bess giggled. Nancy had heard that term from some older kids. It basically meant they went to a party they weren’t invited to.

  “Girls! We have some really big news!” a familiar voice called out.

  Nancy turned to see the Hendrickses striding through the restaurant. Then she noticed the strangest thing—Harry was holding his camera.

  “We found the camera!” Carol said excitedly, clapping her hands together.

  “Oh my gosh! Where?” Nancy asked. Was it possible the Clue Crew had been wrong? Maybe the girl hadn’t stolen it.…

  “Well, I guess it found us,” Harry said, holding the camera tight. “We were in our room, getting ready for dinner, and this note slid under our door. It said, ‘Your camera is right outside.’ That’s all.”

  “And when we opened the door, it was!” Carol said. She hadn’t stopped smiling since she’d walked into the restaurant. “It was just sitting there on the ground. We looked up and down the hall, but we didn’t see anyone. I don’t know who returned it, but I’m just so relieved.”

  Nancy looked at Bess and George. They both seemed as confused as she was.

  “What do you mean?” Nancy asked. “Were there any new pictures on there? Anything to tell you who had it for the last two days?”

  “The camera was wiped clean. No photos or videos,” Harry said. He held up a small black piece of plastic. “But they did put all our old photos and videos on this separate drive. Everything from the fiftieth anniversary party—it’s all there!”

  “Well, that’s terrific news,” Mr. Fayne said. He gave George the smallest nudge. “Isn’t it, girls?”

  Nancy and her friends were too stunned to respond. Maybe Harry had gotten his camera back, but the story sounded so strange. Why would someone go through all that trouble stealing a camera, only to return it two days later? Why would they save all the pictures and videos on it? And how did they know where Harry’s room was?

  “It is terrific,” Nancy said. “But also confusing. Would you mind if we look at that note?”

  Harry and Carol shrugged. Now that their camera was back, they didn’t seem to care about who’d taken it in the first place.

  “Sure, it’s in our room.” Harry waved his hand. “Follow me.”

  * * *

  The Hendrickses’ room was on the second floor of the hotel, overlooking a garden. The first thing Nancy noticed was that room 208 was right in the middle of the floor. You had to walk at least thirty seconds to get to either staircase. How did the person drop the camera off and get away so quickly?

  “I don’t think they could have jumped over the railing,” Bess said, resting her hands on it. It was almost as tall as she was. “Too high, and too big a fall. Maybe they ran to the staircase. Or maybe the note was there for a while.”

  Carol opened their door and pointed to a dressing table right inside. “No, I was sitting right there. I remember seeing the paper come under the door. It was probably less than a minute between when I saw the note and I checked the hall.”

  “Did you hear anything strange? Like footsteps? Or someone running?” George asked.

  “Nope,” Harry said. “Lizzy or Z might have. You can ask them. They’re right next door in two-oh-seven.”

  The Hendrickses’ room was very similar to the one George’s parents were staying in. It had one big bed in the middle of one wall. Harry’s shirts were piled on a chair in the corner. Carol’s makeup was laid out on the dressing table, along with a stack of magazines.

  “Here it is.” Carol grabbed the note from the nightstand and handed it to Nancy.

  The girls all stared at the sheet. It was the same Sunrise Resort stationery that was in every room. The note was written in all lowercase letters, but other than that, Nancy didn’t see anything unusual about it.

  “Can we keep this?” Bess asked. When Carol nodded, she tucked it in her back pocket. “We’ll go next door and ask Lizzy and Z if they heard anything. No matter what, we’re glad you got your camera back.”

  “Me too,” Harry said cheerfully. “What a night!”

  Nancy slipped out of the hotel room and knocked on the door of room 207. Bess and George were right behind her. After a few moments, Z opened the door. His fauxhawk was messy, like he hadn’t put gel in it yet.

  “What’s up?” he said. “Did you guys hear my dad found his camera?”

  “Yeah,” Bess said. “We were wondering if you heard anything strange tonight.… Someone running down the hall, maybe?”

  Z shook his head. “Nah…”

  From where the girls were standing, they could see Lizzy was on her phone, lying on one of the beds with her earphones in. The room was much messier than their parents’ room.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Nancy saw a plastic package sticking up out of the trash can. She suddenly had an idea.

  “Ah, I guess we should all just be happy it turned up, right?” she asked.

  “Think so,” Z agreed.

  “Just one last thing. Mind if we borrow a piece of paper?”

  Z shrugged. He went back into the room and ripped a piece of paper off the Sunrise Resort notepad on the desk, then handed it to Nancy.

  “Thanks,” she said before he closed the door.

  “What’s that for?” Bess asked, staring at the blank paper. “We have the same notepad back in our room.”

  “I think I know who returned the camera,” Nancy said. “The same person who took it in the first place.”

  Clue Crew—and YOU!

  Can you see the whole picture and figure out who the camera culprit might be? Try thinking like the Clue Crew. Or keep reading to find out who the thief is!

  The Clue Crew ruled out Olivia Andover as a suspect. Can you think of other people at the resort who might have stolen the camera? Using a pen and paper, write down any suspects the Clue Crew may have overlooked.

  When Nancy sees Lizzy and Z’s notepad, she gets an idea. How could that single piece of paper help solve the mystery? Write down your thoughts.

  The Clue Crew thinks it’s strange that Harry and Carol didn’t see anyone in the hallway when they found the camera. Write down three possible reasons for this.

  Chapter 11

  A HIDDEN MESSAGE

  Nancy led her friends to the computer lab next to the lobby. She knew she probably should’ve told them what she was so excited about, but she wanted to show them instead. While Bess and George sat down in front of a computer, Nancy borrowed a pencil from the front desk. Then she went to work.

  “I needed a piece of paper from Lizzy and Z’s notepad,” Nancy said, “so I could see the last note they wrote on it.”

  She rubbed the side of the pencil against the paper, slowly revealing the marks left from the last note that had been written on the pad. After a minute or so, the words your camera is outside your door appeared like magic. Bess covered her mouth with her hand.

  “Lizzy and Z were the ones who wrote that note,” George said. “They’re the ones who stole Harry’s camera.”

  Bess nodded. “It wouldn’t be hard to get away if you just had to walk right next door. They must’ve put the camera down, slipped the note under their parents’ door, and run back to their own room.”

  “But why?” Nancy said. “That’s the real question. Let’s look up ‘sizzle reel.’ I think it might have something to do with what Z and Jordy were talking about on the beach.”

  George typed away, pulling up a web page. “According to this site, a sizzle reel is a short video, like a highlight reel you use to promote yourself.”

  “Promote yourself?” Bess asked.

  “For example, if you want to enter a surfing competition…” George’s eyes went wide. “That’s what happened! Lizzy and Z were helping Jordy make a video to enter the Big Island Surfer contest. Harry’s camera is top-of-the-line. It would be a much better video than anything you could record on a cell phone.”

  Nancy stared down at the note. Now that she thoug
ht about it, she remembered that Lizzy had been wearing purple high-tops at the luau. She’d been the girl who ran away from them on the beach. She must have panicked and returned the camera right after.

  “We have to tell Carol and Harry.…” Nancy said.

  The girls shared a nervous look. Carol and Harry Hendricks had seemed so happy before. Now the Clue Crew was going to have to tell them their kids had stolen the camera? That Lizzy and Z had been lying to them the whole time? What would they say?

  * * *

  Nancy, Bess, and George walked into the Green Pineapple just as the Hendrickses were finishing up their dinner. Now that Harry had his camera back, he was taking dozens of pictures again. He knelt down in front of Z and Lizzy and kept trying to get them to smile.

  Nancy took a deep breath before approaching their table. “We found out who took the camera. But do you really want to know?”

  “Well, yes,” Harry said. “If there’s a thief on the loose, they should be reported to the manager and never be allowed at Sunrise Resort again!”

  Nancy looked at Lizzy and Z. Both their faces had turned bright red. Nancy was hoping they would reveal the truth so she didn’t have to. Just as she was about to speak, Lizzy jumped in.

  “Dad… it was us. Z and I took your camera. We needed it to help a friend we met on the beach.”

  “What?” Carol asked. She put down her fork. “You took the camera? You’re kidding, right?”

  “But why?” Harry asked. His face had gone pale. “We’ve been searching everywhere for it and you didn’t say anything?”

  “Our friend, Jordy, he wanted to enter this surfing contest, but all he had was this flip phone,” Z explained. “And we wanted to make him this amazing highlight reel so he’d be picked as a contestant. Even the video on our phones wasn’t that great, so we thought if we used your—”

  “Then you should have asked.” Harry’s brow furrowed. He was just as flustered as he’d been at the luau when he found out the camera was missing. “This is how you thank me for taking you on a nice vacation? You steal my camera and lie to me and your mother? When were you going to tell us the truth?”

  Lizzy rolled her eyes. She was about to say something, but her mom interrupted her.

  “Do not roll your eyes, young lady.” She pointed a finger at Lizzy. “You and your brother are in big trouble once we get home.”

  “But, Dad,” Lizzy started, “we did ask to borrow your camera. Three times. It’s like you didn’t hear a word we said. You’re obsessed with that thing. You kept taking a thousand pictures and telling us to pose or smile. It’s like you’ve barely talked to us since we got here.”

  Harry’s face softened. “I don’t think that’s true. And if it is, I certainly didn’t mean to ignore you.”

  “We know what we did was wrong,” Z said, “but we were just trying to help a friend. Jordy’s one of the best surfers on this island. He had to get into that contest.”

  “It was wrong. Very, very wrong,” Carol said. But this time, her voice was gentler.

  “I really didn’t think I was ignoring you,” Harry said. “You kids are my whole world. I only wanted to come here for you so we could all spend some time together.”

  Carol turned to the Clue Crew. “Thank you for your help. We’ll take it from here.”

  Nancy and her friends went back to Mr. and Mrs. Fayne’s table. While they’d been gone, the Faynes had ordered pineapple ice cream for dessert, along with a giant slice of haupia cake. The girls grabbed the extra forks and dug in.

  “Looks like we solved the mystery after all,” George said.

  Nancy laughed. “Yeah, this was no Loch Ness monster.”

  “Monster?!” Scotty said through a mouthful of cake. “I don’t like monsters.…”

  “Not a real monster,” Mr. Fayne explained.

  “You’ll have to tell us the whole story. But for now, let’s celebrate another case solved!” Mrs. Fayne said. She held a spoonful of ice cream in the air, pretending to toast with it. The girls smiled and held up their own spoonfuls of cake and ice cream.

  Their last night on Hawaii had truly been their best.

  More from this Series

  The Great Goat Gaffe

  Book 15

  Pool Party Puzzler

  Book 1

  Last Lemonade Standing

  Book 2

  A Star Witness

  Book 3

  More from the Author

  Butterfly Blues

  Museum Mayhem

  Keep reading for a preview of

  The Great Goat Gaffe

  by

  Carolyn Keene

  “What could be better than spring break?” George Fayne asked.

  “Spring break and spring clothes?” Bess Marvin said.

  Eight-year-old Nancy Drew smiled at her two best friends. “Spring break and feeding goats here at Sweet Creams Farm!” she declared.

  It was a sunny Tuesday in early spring. Nancy, Bess, and George were often busy solving mysteries as the Clue Crew. This day, they were busy volunteering at Sweet Creams Farm.

  To the girls, Sweet Creams was the best farm ever. Not only did it sell goat cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, but it had its own petting zoo filled with tiny pygmy goats!

  “Hey, you guys!” George chuckled as three goats tried to drink out of the bottle she clutched. “One per customer!”

  But the goats at Sweet Creams weren’t only for feeding or for petting. They were part of a cool new class at Sweet Creams—goat yoga!

  “Feeding tiny goats is super fun,” Nancy said as they carefully placed empty bottles in a wooden crate, “but I wish we could join a real-live goat yoga class.”

  “Yoga is supposed to be so relaxing!” Bess added.

  “What’s relaxing about twisting yourself into a pretzel while goats climb all over you?” George asked. “If you ask me, I’d rather play soccer.”

  The three friends left the pen to make room for the goat yoga class. Women and men chatted excitedly as they laid their mats on the soft grassy ground. Some curious goats were already wandering around the mats, bleating softly.

  Nancy, Bess, and George watched through the fence as the yoga instructor, Nina Pickles, began the class. Besides teaching yoga, Nina had her own store where she sold activewear and workout clothes.

  “Be one with the goats as we enter the low lunge,” Nina told the class. “And be sure to check out the low sale prices at Nina Pickles Activewear. This week only!”

  Nancy, Bess, and George traded smiles. Nina was always looking for ways to spread the word about her store.

  “Let’s lie on our stomachs for the cobra pose,” Nina instructed. “Cobra, as in the new snakeskin-design leggings just in at my store!”

  “Baaaaa!” one of the tiny goats bleated as he scampered onto a posing man’s back.

  “Pygmy goats are as small as puppies,” Bess pointed out. “It’s hard to tell which ones are the babies.”

  “You mean kids,” George said. “We learned here on the farm that baby goats are called kids, remember?”

  Kids! The word made Nancy’s eyes light up.

  “Bess, George, the most awesome idea just popped into my head! What if Sweet Creams Farm had a goat yoga class for kids?”

  “You mean human kids, like us?” Bess asked.

  “Yes,” Nancy said. “The class can be called… Kids with Kids!”

  “Cool!” Bess exclaimed.

  “Cool for other kids,” George said as they watched a goat crawl onto a woman’s shoulder. “Like I said, I’ll stick to soccer.”

  “I bet you’ll like goat yoga too, George.” Nancy giggled. “Let’s find Sophie and see what she thinks.”

  Sophie Sweet was the energetic woman who ran Sweet Creams Farm. Nancy, Bess, and George found her at the farm stand unpacking bottles of goat milk smoothies.

  After hearing Nancy’s idea, she smiled. “A goat yoga class for kids would be great for Sweet Creams Farm,” she
said. “And for Wake Up River Heights!”

  “Wake Up River Heights?” Nancy repeated. “You mean the TV show that’s on super early in the morning?”

  “Correct!” Sophie said. “A crew is coming to the farm tomorrow morning to film our goat yoga class.” Sophie gave an excited little hop. “With spring break this week, a goat yoga class just for kids would be perfect!”

  “Oooh!” a voice exclaimed. “Perfect for me, too!”

  The girls turned to see Nina Pickles, a towel draped over one shoulder.

  “Why aren’t you with your class, Nina?” Sophie asked.

  “I left them in the deep relaxation pose,” Nina explained, “but who can relax with news about a goat yoga class for kids?”

  Nancy couldn’t believe her ears. “You like my idea too, Ms. Pickles?” she asked.

  “Sure I do!” Nina said. “I’m unveiling my new line of kids activewear this week. What better time to introduce it than on TV?”

  “Oh,” Sophie said, hesitating. “I’m afraid that’s not a good idea, Nina.”

  “Why not?” Nina asked, surprised.

  “Wake Up River Heights wants to cover goat yoga,” Sophie explained, “not fashion.”

  Nina gasped. “Everything is about fashion, Sophie!” She closed her eyes and took deep breaths through her nose before adding, “I think you’d better find another yoga instructor for tomorrow.”

  The girls watched as Sophie huffed back to the goat yoga pen and her class.

  “Will Nina be okay, Sophie?” Nancy asked. “She seemed very upset.”

  “She’ll get over it, I’m sure,” Sophie said. “In the meantime, I have an important job for you girls.”