Bess grinned proudly. "They're Gerald and Edith Turkower, and they're from-just guess -Bel Air, California."

            Nancy stared. "How do you know?"

            "Simple," Bess said smugly. "While they were registering, I checked their luggage tags."

            "Good work," Nancy told her friend. "Tell you what," she added, "as a reward, I'll treat you to a cup of tea and a snack. I'll also fill you in on what I've learned so far."

            The dining room had log walls and wooden ceiling beams. As they sat down at a table near the windows, Bess leaned forward and whispered, "Two tables to your left-those are the Turkowers."

            Nancy casually glanced in their direction as the waitress arrived to take her order. Then, just as their pie and tea arrived, a bellhop walked through the dining room, saying, "Nancy Drew, telephone call for Nancy Drew."

            Nancy waved to him and identified herself.

            "It sounds like an emergency," he told her, pulling a cordless phone from a holster on his belt.

            "Hello? Yes?" Nancy said.

            "Nancy, thank goodness I got you," a breathless voice said. "It's Alicia Nivel. You've got to come at once. Ned's been hurt!"

Chapter Four

            NANCY clutched the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "What happened?"

            "We don't know," Alicia replied. "We found him on the floor at the command post unconscious. He must have fallen and hit his head on something. When he came to, he asked us to call you right away, so I drove down to the general store at Madison Junction."

            "I'll be there as soon as possible." Nancy switched off the phone and sprang up from her seat. "Ned's been hurt," she told Bess. "I have to go to him right away."