The Chocolate-Covered Contest by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

9

Deepening and Darkening

“Katie!” Bess called. “Katie! Tyler!”

“They were just there a second ago.” George’s powerful crawl stroke had already propelled her halfway to the shallow end.

Nancy turned to the lifeguard, who shouted at Nancy, “Do they know how to swim?”

Nancy shook her head grimly as she got out of the pool. Just then she saw Katie’s head pop out from behind the lifeguard tower. Her wet feet slapped against the pavement as she and Tyler both hurried toward Nancy.

The guard blew her whistle at them. “No running!”

“These are the children,” Nancy said to the guard. “They’re here!” she called, waving her arms at Bess and George.

“No running!” the lifeguard yelled as Bess raced toward them. George followed a few steps behind.

“Don’t you know you can’t disappear like that?” Bess scolded, keeping one eye on the other Sleuths and the tall ship.

“Sorry,” Katie said, her eyes downcast.

“What do you think you were doing?” Bess demanded.

“Someone was spying on us,” Tyler said.

“We saw her. Over there.” Katie pointed behind the lifeguard tower. “But her face was all covered up with a floppy flowered hat and sunglasses.”

“We tried to catch her, but she got away. Look—we found a clue. Besides being a spy, she’s also a litterbug. She dropped this.” Tyler held up a Crown Jewels wrapper. “It must have been that Diana lady who hates us. She’s always eating these chocolates, and she’s always following us wherever we go.”

“Tyler, I don’t mean to criticize your detective work,” Bess said, “but we’re at Royal Chocolates headquarters. Everyone’s eating these Crown Jewels bars.”

“Wait a minute,” Nancy said to Tyler and Katie. “I know you guys are good observers. Did you notice the woman’s legs?”

“Yes,” Katie said. “She had a bruise on her knee. It was really big and purple.”

Nancy turned to Bess and George. “I remember Diana complaining that she had bruised her leg yesterday. I know lots of people have bruises on their legs, but Tyler and Katie are right. Diana does seem to be following us wherever we go. Why is that?”

“Hey!” George shouted at Kenny and Noah. “Stop splashing.”

“But we’re doing an experiment,” Kenny said.

“Splash equals mass times acceleration,” Noah called out. “One, two, three. Go!”

“Great. A contest to see who can splash the hardest,” Bess said. “Okay!” she yelled. “Out of the water. Everybody out.”

“But we’re not finished,” Noah said.

“I didn’t get to go on the water slide on my back,” Emma complained. “Only my stomach. I won’t be able to compare the velocities for my assignment.”

Bess held up her hands. “We’re all turning into wrinkled prunes, and Laura’s lips are blue. It’s time to get out of the water. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t mess with Bess,” Katie said to Ashley. Nancy smiled as Ashley nodded solemnly.

“I heard that,” Bess said. Then she grinned, and the girls burst into giggles.

After changing back into their street clothes, the Sleuths waited in line at the gate to return to the main park.

“Hey!” Kenny shouted.

Bess jumped. “Kenny, you scared me half to death—” she began.

“Hey!” Kenny shouted louder.

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