Cold as Ice by Carolyn Keene Page B

shed!”
    â€œA lot of Emerson students have scarves like that,” Ned warned. “I don’t think it proves much.”
    â€œMaybe not,” Nancy replied.
    When they caught up to the others, who were waiting by the car, George announced, “We’ve decided to do some work on our snow sculptures after we drop off our ski stuff.” She glanced at Rob. “I know mine’s not nearly finished.”
    â€œGood idea,” Nancy said. While she was molding snow, she might be able to turn over the facts and evidence in her mind. She still had thefeeling there was something important that she was overlooking.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    An hour later Nancy had all but completed her snowman, but she still hadn’t come up with anything new. Maybe you’re trying too hard, she told herself. Sometimes clues fell into place when she least expected them to. She might as well try to relax and enjoy herself.
    The dance that night was the biggest event of Winter Carnival. The three girls dressed up for the occasion. Nancy and George both wore sweater dresses, Nancy’s in blue green, and George’s in a soft brown, while Bess wore a black wool minidress with a scooped neck. They arrived at Emerson’s gym a little after nine o’clock.
    The gym had been transformed for the dance. The entrance of the huge room was decorated to look like an arctic scene. There were igloos, reindeer, seals, and even a glittering glacier.
    Bess looked around and shivered. “I feel colder here than I did outside!” she joked.
    â€œLet’s check out the rest of the place,” Jerry suggested.
    He took Bess’s hand and led her through the huge room, with the rest of the group following behind. The decor changed dramatically from one end to the other. The bandstand, in thecenter, could have come from a small town before the turn of the century. The refreshment tables, at the far end, were set up in Polynesian grass huts among tall tropical palms.
    They found a table for six. Then Ned took Nancy’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. When they returned, Jerry and Bess were alone at the table, chatting and laughing.
    â€œWhere’s George?” Nancy asked.
    Jerry blinked. “George? Oh—she and Rob decided to dance,” he said, waving vaguely toward the bandstand. “I guess they aren’t back yet.”
    â€œOh, listen,” Bess said. “I love this tune. Why don’t we dance, too?”
    Jerry took her hand, and they vanished into the crowd of dancers. Ned met Nancy’s gaze and started to laugh. “I’m not much good as a matchmaker, am I?” he said.
    â€œYou did a great job—except that you got things backward,” Nancy replied with a laugh. “And, anyway, they seem to have managed to work things out themselves. As far as I can tell, everyone seems happy.”
    Ned interlaced his fingers with hers and pulled her closer. “Especially me,” he said.
    â€œNancy, guess what?” George interrupted, as she and Rob came over. “Rob has promised toteach me sculling. Isn’t that great? I’ve always loved boats.”
    â€œIt’ll have to wait until spring, of course, when the ice melts,” Rob said. A smile lit up his face. “I’m glad Coach didn’t decide to take away my key when he suspended me from crew. At least I can still go out rowing on my own.”
    Nancy stared at him. In her mind she flashed back to the fire, remembering how the fire fighters had pried open the doors to the boat house.
    â€œIt was locked!” she exclaimed. Her friends looked at her as if she were crazy. “The boat house,” she quickly added. “It was locked. Whoever set the fire must have had a key!”
    â€œDon’t tell the police that,” Rob said quickly. “They’d arrest me for sure!”
    â€œYou’re not the only one with a key, are you?” Nancy