A Clue in the Picture

“I don’t know what this means, ” Nancy said. “But it means something.” She carefully took the stone and put it into her beach bag. “Let’s keep working.”

Nancy took her pail down to the edge of the water and filled it. George collected the prettiest stones she could find to add to the little patio Nancy had started building in the back of the castle. Bess and Lisa were busy using a plastic paper clip to press in designs along the base of the castle.

By the time Mr. Drew came by to collect the girls to go home, Nancy’s nose was sunburned, George’s fingernails were caked with sand, and Bess and Lisa had built an entire moat around the castle.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, ” Lisa said, waving.

“We’re finished, ” Nancy told her father. “And so is the film in our cameras.”

“Fantastic! ” Mr. Drew said.

“Tomorrow afternoon is the contest judging, ” Bess said. “I think we have a chance of winning! ”

“You girls have worked so hard, we should celebrate tonight, ” Mr. Drew said.

“Celebrate how? ” Nancy asked.

Mr. Drew’s eyes sparkled. “Who here likes pizza and miniature golf? ” he asked. “There’s a pizza parlor and a miniature golf course on the same street as the one- hour photo store. We can drop off your pictures, play golf, and by the time we’re hungry for pizza, the pictures will be ready.”

The girls jumped up and down. “I think tonight is going to be great, ” Nancy said.

• • •

That evening, Mr. Drew drove the girls to the one-hour photo shop and then they walked next door to Pirate’s Cove Miniature Golf. The entrance was a huge pirate with an eye patch, standing with his legs far apart.

“Come on, let’s play! ” Nancy cried.

There were a lot of people playing, and the girls had to sit on a bench and wait. Finally, it was their turn. “You go first, ” Nancy said to Bess.

The first hole was a straight path to a big fish. They had to hit the ball into the fish’s mouth. Bess swung and the ball bounced along, missing the hole. “Oh well, it’s still fun, ” Bess said. “Even if I don’t get the best score.”

Nancy took her shot, moving her club carefully. Her ball missed the hole, too. Laughing, she stepped aside so her father could play. “Your turn, Dad, ” she said.

“Hey, isn’t that Katharine’s mother over there? ” Bess said. Nancy looked up and saw Katharine’s mother playing golf with another woman. “Hi, Mrs. Rhodes, ” Nancy called.

Mrs. Rhodes looked up. For a minute, she didn’t seem to know them.

“We’re Nancy, Bess, and George, ” Nancy said. “We met Katharine today at Peppermint Park. And this is my dad.”

“Hello, ” said Mr. Drew.

Mrs. Rhodes smiled and shook Mr. Drew’s hand. Then she smiled back at the girls. “Oh, of course, ” said Mrs. Rhodes. “You’re the girls who had that awful problem with your sand castle.”

“Gee, I guess we don’t need Kurt to spread the news. Everyone already knows it, ” George said.

“Where’s Katharine? ” Nancy said, looking around. “We’d love to play golf with her.”

“She’s at home searching for something she lost, ” said Mrs. Rhodes. “She was determined to keep looking.”

“She lost something? ” Nancy asked.

“She won’t even tell me what it is, ” Mrs. Rhodes said. “Though if she did, I could help her look for it.”

“That’s probably why she was crying today, ” Bess said. “When I lost my favorite necklace, I cried for weeks until I found it.”

“I’ll tell her you said hello, ” said Mrs. Rhodes. “Oh, it’s my turn now, ” she said. “You have a good time.”

The girls and Mr. Drew went back to their game. The course was so much fun! One hole had a giant octopus on it, another had a big anchor, and Nancy’s favorite was one with a mermaid with a shiny green tail! By the time they finished, Bess had the highest score, and then George. Mr. Drew and Nancy were tied. “Oh well, we might not be champion miniature golfers, but we sure know how to have fun! ” Nancy said.

“That’s right, Pudding Pie, ” said Mr. Drew ruffling her hair. “Let’s go get the pictures now, and then have some pizza.”

They quickly went into the one-hour photo store to pick up the pictures. “I can’t wait to see them! ” Nancy said.

“I can’t wait to eat pizza! ” George exclaimed.

Mr. Drew laughed. “Well, you girls can do both. Come on, let’s go eat.”

The Leaning Tower of Pizza had long wooden tables and bright red-checked tablecloths. There were ten different kinds of pizza toppings.

“I want green peppers! ” Nancy said excitedly.

“Mushrooms! ” said Bess.

“Pineapple! ” George cried.

“Ew! Pineapple! Are you sure? ” Bess said, making a face.

“Well, I thought I’d try something new, ” George said.

“How about if we order one big pizza with everything on it? ” suggested Mr. Drew.

“That sounds positively yummy, ” said George.

While they were waiting for the pizza, the girls looked at their pictures. There were shots of them all standing together. There was a great shot of Nancy with Lisa and Katharine. And there were many shots of all the different castles.

“Your castle looks terrific, ” said Mr. Drew.

“I hope it stays that way, ” Nancy said glumly. “But if we don’t find out who destroyed it, they might do it again. And tomorrow afternoon is the judging! We don’t have much time.”

Nancy studied a picture of Katharine she had taken the first day they had met her in Peppermint Park. Then, she suddenly noticed something. A clue!

“It’s as plain as the nose on my face! ” Nancy exclaimed.

“What is? ” said Bess.

Nancy pointed to the picture. “Look, ” she said. “Look at Katharine in this picture.”

“Yeah, so? ” said Bess. “I’m looking but I’m not seeing what you’re seeing.”

Nancy pointed to Katharine’s hand. “The ring! ” Nancy said. “The stone is bright and shiny, and it’s red — like the stone we found in the castle! ”

“You think that stone was Katharine’s? ” said George.

“I think I can prove it was! ” Nancy exclaimed. She carefully tucked the picture in- to her beach bag. “Tomorrow, we’ll find out, ” Nancy said. “And I know just how to do it! ”

• • •

The next morning was Monday, the day of the judging, and the girls asked for permission to go to Peppermint Park. “Ice cream in the morning? ” Hannah frowned.

“Not ice cream, ” Nancy said. “Proof. I think I know who ruined our castle.”

“Well, then, that’s different, ” Hannah said. “Since it’s so close, you can go.”

The girls hurried to Peppermint Park. As soon as they got there, Nancy went right over to Katharine. Nancy looked quickly at Katharine’s hands. She was wearing red rings on both hands, and for a moment, Nancy wondered if she had made a mistake.

Nancy took the stone out of her purse and showed it to Katharine. Instantly, Katharine’s face lit up. “You found the stone from my favorite ring! ” she exclaimed happily. “I’ve been looking all over for it! I thought I lost it. I was so upset I couldn’t even tell anyone.”

“You did lose it, ” Nancy told her. “In our sand castle.”

Katharine’s face turned as red as the stone in her ring.

“I think you destroyed our castle, ” Nancy said. “And I think I know why! ”