The Dashing Dog Mystery Read Free Page A

tell!” She glanced at her poodle, who was gnawing on a black leather backpack. “Pierre, you leave that nice backpack alone!”
    Nancy thought for a moment. Could someone have stolen her collar? If so, who?
    â€œI plan to get on the case,” Nancy told Alice in a determined voice. “If there’s a thief on the loose, I’m going to figure out who it is!”
    â€œNancy’s a detective, Ms. Cahill,” George piped up.

    â€œYeah, she’s the best detective at Carl Sandburg Elementary School,” Bess added. “She’s solved lots and lots of mysteries.”
    Chip barked excitedly.
    â€œWonderful!” Alice said, scribbling like mad. “This is going to make a fabulous column!”
    Nancy was happy that she was going to be in Ms. Cahill’s “Pet Corner” column. But she would be a lot happier if she got her collar back—safe and sound!
    That night at dinner Nancy told her father what had happened at the Dashing Dog Pet Salon. She had already filled Hannah in during the car ride home.
    â€œYou mean someone
stole
Chip’s new collar?” Carson Drew said when Nancy had finished. “That’s terrible!”
    Nancy took a bite of her grilled fish. “I’m not
sure
if someone stole Chip’s collar,” Nancy murmured. “But it looks like it. And I’m going to find out who!”
    â€œDo you have any suspects?” Hannah asked her.
    Nancy mulled this over. “Hmm. Well, there’s Petra Wylie. She goes to my school. She really, really wanted to win the collar for her dog, Prince Fabian. She kind of threw a fit when I won instead.”
    Carson broke off a piece of bread. “Sounds promising. Any other suspects?”
    â€œThere’s also Mrs. Vanderpool,” Nancy said after a minute. “She really wanted the collar, too — for one of her Yorkies. She has two of them, and their names are Muffy or Puffy or Buffy or something like that. Anyway, she actually offered to buy Chip’s collar from me.”
    â€œSounds like a prime suspect to me,” Hannah remarked.
    â€œI know you’ll figure this out,” Carson said. “You’re the best detective I know, Pudding Pie.” “Pudding Pie” was Carson’s nickname for Nancy.
    â€œThanks, Daddy.” Nancy grinned.
    Later that night Nancy got out her special blue notebook. Her father had given it to her when she was trying to solve herfirst mystery. It helped her to keep track of suspects and clues.
    She snuggled under the covers, picked up her pen, and began to write:
    The Case of the Missing Doggie Collar
    Suspects:
    Petra Wylie, because she wanted the collar for her dog, Prince Fabian. Mrs. Vanderpool, because she wanted the collar for one of her Yorkies. Clues: ?????
    Nancy reread what she had written. It gave her an idea. Tomorrow she would see if Bess and George could go with her to question the two suspects—in person.
    Petra lived a few streets from Nancy. On Saturday morning Nancy got permission to walk over to her house. Bess and George got permission from their parents, too.
    Outside, the air was brisk and cold. It felt as though it might start snowing any minute. As they walked, Nancy pulled her wool hat over her ears and rubbed her mittenedhands together. Chip ran alongside her, keeping her nose low to the ground and sniffing every pebble and tree.
    â€œI think Petra’s totally guilty,” George said.
    â€œShe was acting like a major spoiled brat yesterday,” Bess agreed.
    â€œI’m not sure. We’ll have to find more clues before we can accuse Petra,” Nancy said.
    They soon got to Petra’s house. It was big and pink, with green shutters and a huge wraparound porch. White holiday lights sparkled in all the windows, and a green wreath was hanging on the front door.
    Nancy rang the bell. After a minute Mrs. Wylie answered. “Hi, girls, what can I do for you?” she asked