college kids down Sawtooth. Being confined to a bed was torture for him.
Jeremy grabbed the desk chair, flipped it around, and straddled it. He studied his grandfather’s face. It looked tired and worried. “What’s going on, Grandpa?”
“You want the straight skinny or a cover-up?”
Jeremy tried not to laugh at the way his grandfather talked. Sometimes he had to go to his grandmother to get the things Grandpa said interpreted.
Jeremy cleared his throat. “Give it to me straight, Grandpa.”
“Thunder Valley is in trouble. Since I’ve been laid up, strange things have been happening.”
“Like what?”
“This.” Grandpa pushed his glasses up again and reached for a bankbook. “Every couple of weeks I send a deposit to the bank. But when Iget the statement back it doesn’t match the amount I recorded.”
“Have you called the bank?” Jeremy asked.
“I called them. Bunch of ninnies. They swear up and down that their records match to the penny the money I’ve been sending in.”
“That’s weird. Maybe you should have someone double-check your figures.”
“Check my figures?” George Parsons’s face turned purple and his voice grew loud. “That’s just what your grandmother said. She thinks my pain medication has addled my brain. I’ll have both of you know that I’ve been doing my own bookkeeping for thirty years. I don’t need anybody to baby-sit me.”
Jeremy decided to change the subject. “You said there were other things going on. What are they?”
His grandfather let out a weary breath and leaned back on the pillows. “Remember the new double chairlifts I said I wanted to install this year on the bunny slope?”
Jeremy nodded.
“I ordered them last season. They’re still nothere. Every time I call the company, they insist they never received payment.”
“Don’t you have a receipt or something to show you paid?”
Jeremy’s grandfather shook his head. “It’s the darnedest thing. I always keep a careful record of things like this. Somehow it’s turned up missing.”
Jeremy stood and pushed the chair back under the desk. “I wouldn’t worry so much, Grandpa. All these things can be straightened out. In the meantime, Jason and I are keeping an eye on things. We’re busier than last year. By the end of the month, you should be rich.”
“Thanks for helping out, Twin. I feel better knowing that someone I can trust is out there.”
C HAPTER 3
“What does Grandma think?” Jason wrapped a bright yellow scarf around his neck and followed Jeremy to the snack bar.
“She doesn’t know what to think—or do. She wanted to hire an accountant but Grandpa won’t give up doing the books.”
A friendly face appeared at the snack window. “What’ll it be, gents?”
“Hi, Corky.” Jeremy took off one of his gloves and rested his skis against the building. “How about a hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate it is.” The redheaded youngman looked at Jason. “I suppose you want your usual—cola mixed with grape slush?”
Jason nodded. “It’s the breakfast drink of champions.”
“Right.” After a minute Corky handed them their drinks. As he did, the sun flashed on a small gold medallion he wore around his neck. Jeremy found himself staring at it. It was an emblem in the shape of an upside-down V with a bold black line through the middle:.
Jeremy started to ask what it was, but Corky noticed him looking at it. He hastily tucked it inside his turtleneck. “It’s a fraternity thing from school. Anything else I can get for you guys?”
“No thanks, Corky.” Jason took a long pull on his drink and belched. “We’re working men. See you later.”
“That was strange.” Jeremy led the way to the beginners’ practice area.
“What was strange? I always burp after I drink one of these. They’re practically lethal.”
“Not you, doofwad—Corky. He acted like he didn’t want me to see his necklace.”
“Maybe it’s secret. You know, some of
Jeremy grabbed the desk chair, flipped it around, and straddled it. He studied his grandfather’s face. It looked tired and worried. “What’s going on, Grandpa?”
“You want the straight skinny or a cover-up?”
Jeremy tried not to laugh at the way his grandfather talked. Sometimes he had to go to his grandmother to get the things Grandpa said interpreted.
Jeremy cleared his throat. “Give it to me straight, Grandpa.”
“Thunder Valley is in trouble. Since I’ve been laid up, strange things have been happening.”
“Like what?”
“This.” Grandpa pushed his glasses up again and reached for a bankbook. “Every couple of weeks I send a deposit to the bank. But when Iget the statement back it doesn’t match the amount I recorded.”
“Have you called the bank?” Jeremy asked.
“I called them. Bunch of ninnies. They swear up and down that their records match to the penny the money I’ve been sending in.”
“That’s weird. Maybe you should have someone double-check your figures.”
“Check my figures?” George Parsons’s face turned purple and his voice grew loud. “That’s just what your grandmother said. She thinks my pain medication has addled my brain. I’ll have both of you know that I’ve been doing my own bookkeeping for thirty years. I don’t need anybody to baby-sit me.”
Jeremy decided to change the subject. “You said there were other things going on. What are they?”
His grandfather let out a weary breath and leaned back on the pillows. “Remember the new double chairlifts I said I wanted to install this year on the bunny slope?”
Jeremy nodded.
“I ordered them last season. They’re still nothere. Every time I call the company, they insist they never received payment.”
“Don’t you have a receipt or something to show you paid?”
Jeremy’s grandfather shook his head. “It’s the darnedest thing. I always keep a careful record of things like this. Somehow it’s turned up missing.”
Jeremy stood and pushed the chair back under the desk. “I wouldn’t worry so much, Grandpa. All these things can be straightened out. In the meantime, Jason and I are keeping an eye on things. We’re busier than last year. By the end of the month, you should be rich.”
“Thanks for helping out, Twin. I feel better knowing that someone I can trust is out there.”
C HAPTER 3
“What does Grandma think?” Jason wrapped a bright yellow scarf around his neck and followed Jeremy to the snack bar.
“She doesn’t know what to think—or do. She wanted to hire an accountant but Grandpa won’t give up doing the books.”
A friendly face appeared at the snack window. “What’ll it be, gents?”
“Hi, Corky.” Jeremy took off one of his gloves and rested his skis against the building. “How about a hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate it is.” The redheaded youngman looked at Jason. “I suppose you want your usual—cola mixed with grape slush?”
Jason nodded. “It’s the breakfast drink of champions.”
“Right.” After a minute Corky handed them their drinks. As he did, the sun flashed on a small gold medallion he wore around his neck. Jeremy found himself staring at it. It was an emblem in the shape of an upside-down V with a bold black line through the middle:.
Jeremy started to ask what it was, but Corky noticed him looking at it. He hastily tucked it inside his turtleneck. “It’s a fraternity thing from school. Anything else I can get for you guys?”
“No thanks, Corky.” Jason took a long pull on his drink and belched. “We’re working men. See you later.”
“That was strange.” Jeremy led the way to the beginners’ practice area.
“What was strange? I always burp after I drink one of these. They’re practically lethal.”
“Not you, doofwad—Corky. He acted like he didn’t want me to see his necklace.”
“Maybe it’s secret. You know, some of
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