Sleepover Sleuths Read Free Page A

announced.
    The cake tasted as good as it looked. Nancy was enjoying a big piece—until she dropped frosting on her cupcake pajamas!
    â€œOh, well,” Nancy sighed. “Now I have chocolate frosting on my cupcakes.”
    Soon there was only one piece of cake left. Cassidy was about to reach for it when Deirdre said, “No, you don’t. I’m the birthday girl, so I’m saving it for tomorrow.”
    â€œMeanie!” Cassidy said, stomping her foot.
    After cake everyone painted each other’s toenails purple, pink, and blue. A few minutes later, the girls began to yawn.
    â€œWe can’t fall asleep!” Madison said.
    â€œWe’re supposed to stay up all night!” Kendra said.
    â€œI guess we have to remember that it’s called a
sleepover
,” Nancy said with a yawn, “and not a
wakeover
.”
    â€œI’m putting Hollywood Heather on the windowsill,” Deirdre said, “so everyone can see her as we fall asleep.”
    She carried the doll to the windowsill. Since they were in the basement, the window was much higher than usual—too high for Deirdre to reach.
    â€œLet me do it,” Trina said. “I don’t play basketball for nothing.” She took HollywoodHeather, reached up, and placed her carefully on the windowsill.
    â€œThanks,” Deirdre said quietly.
    â€œNo problem,” Trina answered.
    The girls lined their gear up against the walls. Then Deirdre snapped a picture of everyone underneath the window.
    â€œIt’s for my Web site,” Deirdre said. “I want the whole world to know I have a Hollywood Heather doll!”
    After brushing their teeth and washing their faces, the girls unrolled their sleeping bags and snuggled inside. Nancy lay between Bess and George. When the lights were out, she could see Hollywood Heather shining in the moonlight.

    â€œIt’s dark in here!” Cassidy suddenly whined. “No spooky stories, okay?”
    â€œHow about some jokes?” George asked in the dark. “Why can’t you give a cookie to a teddy bear?”
    â€œWhy?” Cassidy’s voice asked.
    â€œBecause they’re always stuffed!” George said. Some girls laughed. Some groaned.
    â€œMy turn,” Nancy said. “How do you know if an elephant’s been in your refrigerator?”
    â€œHow?” Bess asked.
    â€œBecause,” Nancy said. She could feel her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. “His footprints are in the … the … the …”
    That was the last thing Nancy remembered before falling asleep. The next thing she knew, an arm was shaking her awake.
    â€œWhere is she?” Deirdre asked in a shaky voice. “Where’s Hollywood Heather?”
    â€œHuh?” Nancy asked. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. The room was light. The clock on the wall read eight o’clock.
    Deirdre was walking between the sleeping bags.
    â€œWhere’s Hollywood Heather, you guys?” she cried.
    Nancy looked at the windowsill. Then she sat straight up. Hollywood Heather was gone!

CHAPTER FOUR
Cake to Case
    â€œWhat happened to Hollywood Heather?” Nancy asked.
    All the girls were wide awake now. They were sitting on their sleeping bags and staring at the window.
    â€œThat’s funny,” George said. “I went to the bathroom at six forty-five this morning. When I came back, the doll was on the windowsill.”
    â€œHow do you know it was six forty-five?” Bess asked.
    â€œI looked at the clock before I fell back to sleep,” George explained.
    â€œDid anyone see what happened to my doll?” Deirdre cried out.
    All heads shook back and forth.
    â€œThen help me find her!” Deirdre pleaded.
    Nancy scrambled to stand up. She could see that one of the sleeping bags was empty. The basketball design on the bag told her it belonged to Trina.
    â€œHey, what happened?” a voice asked.
    Nancy turned. She saw Trina walk