The Dashing Dog Mystery Read Online Free Page A

“Why do you think Lucas was being so weird?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Nancy said, pulling on her mittens. “He sure was acting suspicious.”
    â€œNancy!” Bess gasped. “I just had an idea! What if
Lucas
is the collar thief?”
    Nancy nodded. Bess’s idea made sense. “That sure would explain why he wouldn’t let us into his room. Maybe he was hiding Chip’s collar in there.”
    She paused at one of the stone Yorkie statues. It had a bow around its neck. “On the other hand, Lucas doesn’t even
like
dogs,” she murmured. “So why would he steal the doggie collar?”
    Carson Drew took a sip of coffee. “So how’s your big case going, Pudding Pie?” he asked Nancy.
    It was Sunday morning. The two of them were having brunch at Chez Meow, a restaurant in downtown River Heights. It was called Chez Meow because a cat named Meow lived there.
    Nancy liked Chez Meow. There wereframed pictures of cats all over the bright yellow walls. Meow herself, who was big and white and fluffy, sat preening her fur in a sunny window.
    While they ate, Nancy filled her father in on the day before. When she had finished, he said, “So you’re adding Mrs. Vander-pool’s grandson to the suspect list, eh, Pudding Pie?”
    Nancy nodded. “Yes, Daddy. The problem is, I can’t figure out a motive for him.”
    â€œHmm, that
is
a problem,” Carson agreed.
    Nancy took a bite of her strawberry pancakes. Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out her special notebook.
    She uncapped her pen and opened to the page about the missing-collar case. She wrote Lucas’s name under “Suspects.”
    While Nancy wrote, Carson glanced at the Sunday paper. “Hey, look at this!” he said after a minute. “You’re in the newspaper!”
    Nancy’s head whipped up. “What?”
    Carson slid the newspaper across the table. He pointed to Alice Cahill’s “Pet Corner” column. It said:
    The Pet Corner
    Special Sunday Bulletin
    By Alice Cahill
    We’ve all heard of white-collar crime. But doggie-collar crime? Friday, at the newly revamped Dashing Dog Pet Salon, owned by canine beauty wiz Rex Rumford, a Stella Sipowitz original disappeared under mysterious circumstances. After the collar was raffled off to third-grader Nancy Drew and her Lab, Mocha Chip . . .
    â€œMocha Chip!” Nancy cried out. “She got Chip’s name wrong!”
    â€œKeep reading,” Carson said. “What else does she say?”
    Nancy scanned the rest of the column. Alice mentioned how the collar had vanished while Nancy, Bess, and George walked around the pet salon. She also mentioned that Nancy planned to get on the case:
    Says the amateur detective Drew: “I’m going to conduct a dogged investigation and collar the collar thief!”
    Nancy pointed to the quote. “I don’t remember saying that,” she murmured.
    Just then the front door of the restaurant opened, and Alice Cahill breezed in. She noticed Carson and Nancy sitting there.
    She gave Nancy a little wave. “Hope you enjoyed my column!” she called out. “Must run! I’m here to interview Meow and her owner for my
next
column!”
    â€œIs that her?” Carson whispered to Nancy.
    Nancy nodded. “Uh-huh.”
    Alice sat down at a table and pulled out her notebook and green pen. The owner of Chez Meow scooped Meow up in her arms and sat down across from Alice.
    Nancy and Carson discussed the case some more as they finished their brunch. When they were done, Nancy asked her father if they could stop by the Dashing Dog before going home.
    â€œI want to see if Rex Rumford found any new clues to the thief,” Nancy explained.
    â€œNo problem, Pudding Pie,” Carson replied.
    A short while later they walked through the front door of the Dashing Dog. It was just around the corner from Chez Meow.
    â€œHello,