Free The Dashing Dog Mystery by Carolyn Keene

1

A Holiday Party
    Guess what, Nancy? You got something in the mail!” Hannah Gruen announced.
    Eight-year-old Nancy Drew glanced up from the book she was reading. Hannah, the Drews’ housekeeper, was standing in the doorway of the living room.
    Nancy smiled eagerly. “What is it, Hannah? What did I get?”
    Hannah walked over to the couch where Nancy was sitting. She handed Nancy a bright pink envelope. “Maybe it’s a Christmas card,” Hannah said.
    Nancy looked at the envelope. It was addressed to Miss Nancy Drew and Miss Chocolate Chip Drew.
    Nancy peered over the edge of the couch. Her Labrador puppy, Chocolate Chip, was curled up on the floor, taking a nap. “Hey, Chip, this is addressed to you, too!”
    Chip opened one eye and thumped her tail. Nancy reached into her pocket and pulled out a bone-shaped doggie biscuit. Chip got up on her hind legs and grabbed the biscuit with her teeth. She gobbled it up in about two seconds.
    â€œGood girl!” Nancy said.
    â€œNancy, open the envelope. I’m dying to know what’s in it,” Hannah said with a chuckle.
    â€œI will, I will.”
    Nancy opened the envelope carefully. Inside was a green card. It was shaped like a dog’s paw.
    The card said:
    Dear Loyal Customer,
    You are invited to a holiday party
    to celebrate the grand reopening
    of the Dashing Dog Pet Salon
    this Friday, 2-5 P . M .
    There will be lots of doggie treats
    (and treats for humans, too!).
    Hope to see you there!
    Regards,
    Rex Rumford
    P.S.—At 4 P . M ., we’ll be raffling off a
    beautiful, one-of-a-kind doggie collar
    by Stella Sipowitz.
    Don’t miss it!
    Chip began sniffing the invitation.
    â€œLook, Chip! We’re invited to a party at the Dashing Dog Pet Salon!” Nancy exclaimed.
    Nancy had taken Chip to the Dashing Dog once. It was a fancy pet salon where dogs could get shampooed and trimmed and groomed. Chip had needed a professional bath because her fur had gotten covered with finger paint.
    Hannah read the invitation over Nancy’s shoulder. “A holiday party for dogs and their owners. What a great idea!”

    â€œDo you think Dad will let Chip and me go?” Nancy asked Hannah. To Nancy, Hannah was way more than a housekeeper. Hannah had helped take care of Nancy since her mother had died five years ago.
    â€œI’m sure he will. But let’s ask him when he gets home from work, okay?” Hannah said. “In the meantime, who wants to help me bake some Christmas cookies?”
    â€œI do!” Nancy raised her hand and jumped off the couch. Chip began barking. “I think Chip wants to help, too,” Nancy said, laughing.
    As Nancy followed Hannah to the kitchen, she clutched the paw-shaped invitation to her chest. She couldn’t wait for Friday. If there was one thing she loved, it was a party!
    â€œThis place looks like a playland for dogs!” Bess Marvin said.
    â€œThey should call it Poochy Playland,” her cousin George Fayne agreed.
    Bess and George were Nancy’s two best friends in the whole world. Nancy hadinvited them along to the Dashing Dog holiday party. Hannah had just dropped off the girls and Chip at the pet salon. She had promised to pick them up at 4:30.
    The three girls stood inside the front door of the newly redecorated salon. Nancy remembered the way it had looked before, when she had brought Chip in for her bath. Back then, there was lots of pink furniture and pictures of glamorous dogs on the walls.
    Now the salon had a whole new look. The walls were covered with wallpaper that had tiny pawprints on it. There were plush couches and chairs in red, blue, and yellow. In one corner was a big play area for dogs, with tunnels, balls, and other toys. A fluffy white poodle and a little brown terrier were playing tug-of-war with a rawhide bone.
    In the far corner of the room was a doggie café called Bone Appétit. People sat on tall silver stools, sipping hot