Captain Stone's Revenge (Nancy Drew Diaries)

Captain Stone's Revenge (Nancy Drew Diaries)

Nancy’s sailing trip to Vermont turns into a hunt for a ghostly saboteur’s lost treasure in the twenty-fourth book in the Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to a classic series. When a family friend, Grace, opens a sailing club on Lake Champlain at the former site of the Gemstone Islands Resort, Nancy, Bess, and George are invited to enjoy a few days of boating before the club’s official grand opening. But when they arrive, they learn there have been some strange things happening on the property, from missing items to holes dug all over the yard. Is someone trying to sabotage the club, and could it have anything to do with the fire that destroyed the old resort twenty years ago? As Nancy tries to pry information from the tight-lipped locals, all clues lead back to Captain Richard Stone, the enigmatic Revolutionary War–era pirate whose tavern once stood on the same site as the resort and sailing club. Legend has it that Captain Stone’s ghost still haunts the property, guarding the treasure he buried there. But it isn’t a ghost that punches a hole in Nancy’s sailboat, leaving her and the girls to sink in the middle of the lake when an unexpected summer storm rolls in. Unraveling the mystery of Captain Stone’s treasure will be the key to finding out who’s been sabotaging Grace’s club. But first, Nancy and her friends will have to make it back to shore in one piece… Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books. Chapter One: Mystery with a Side of Maple Syrup CHAPTER ONE Mystery with a Side of Maple Syrup THE AIRPLANE MADE A WIDE turn as it descended through the clouds toward Burlington International Airport. I pressed my face against the small oval window. All at once, I could see green hills, fields dotted with farms, and our ultimate destination: the clear blue waters of Lake Champlain. “We’re almost there!” I said. It was my first trip to Vermont, one of the smallest and least populated states in the country. I couldn’t wait to explore, try the world-famous maple syrup, and of course, go sailing at my friend Megan’s new club and resort! “Thank goodness!” George grumbled behind me. Our small commercial jet’s seats were grouped in twos. George had taken the seat behind me and Bess. She was using the empty space next to her to stash her computer, e-reader, and cell phone. “Motion sickness?” Bess asked, dabbing on fresh lip gloss in preparation for landing. “No, my e-reader is about to run out of charge!” George said with a groan. “And I’m right in the middle of a really good book! What sort of airplane doesn’t have power outlets?” “Maybe the kind that’s built to fly, not charge all your equipment? I mean, I know which one I’d prefer,” I teased. George gave my seat a little nudge and we laughed. Bess put the cap on her lip gloss and dropped it into her navy-blue purse. As usual, her outfit was perfectly themed for our destination. She wore a blue-and-white-striped shirt with a sailboat crest on the front, white linen pants, and a pair of navy Top-Siders. Her cousin George, on the other hand, was outfitted in cargo pants with enough pockets to hold all her electronics. (I don’t even want to talk about how long it took us to get through security back in River Heights!) The intercom dinged and the captain came on. “Hello, passengers,” she said in a smooth voice. “We’re making our final descent into Burlington, where skies are clear and the temperature is seventy-five degrees on this beautiful June day. In preparation for landing, please return your seat backs and tray tables to their upright positions. We’ll be on the ground shortly!” I folded the Sudoku puzzle I’d been working on, tucked it away, and clicked my tray table back into place. I sat up straight. The plane took a sharp turn and descended quickly, angling toward the runway. In a matter of minutes, the wheels touched down with a thump. We lurched forward in our seats as the plane slowed. I pulled out my phone and switched it off airplane mode. A text notification immediately filled the screen. It was from Megan. Nancy! I’m so sorry, but I’ll be late picking you up. Had a little accident this morning. Nothing major! Will explain when I get there. Can’t wait to see you all! Poor Megan! I wondered what happened. I told Bess and George about the delay, then quickly texted Megan back to let her know it was no problem, of course, and we hoped everything was okay. I never minded having a little time to explore, anyway. There’s always something new to see and learn, wherever you go. The plane rolled to a stop in front of the gate and the seat-belt light clicked off. George, Bess, and I stood and grabbed our luggage from the overhead compartments. We followed the line of passengers off the plane. “We have a little time to kill,” I said once we were inside the small airport. “What would you like to do?” “Hmmm…,” Bess said, glancing around. “I’m not sure. Is there a gift shop somewhere?” “Gift shop? No thanks,