Chapter
One
THIS IS THE LIFE,” Nancy Drew whispered to Ned Nickerson as he took a breakfast croissant from the tray held out by the uniformed maid.
Ned grinned and shrugged as he took a cheese danish from the same tray. “What can I say?” he whispered back. “I know how to pick my friends.”
Nancy and Ned had arrived at the Beverly Hills home of Josh Kline, Ned’s friend and college classmate, the night before. Josh, who was majoring in filmmaking at Emerson College, had landed a summer internship at a famous Hollywood movie studio and had moved back home for the summer. He’d invited Nancy and Ned to visit, and they were both looking forward to an exciting vacation in Southern California.
“I can’t believe you’re ready to graduate from high school, Rachel,” Karen Kline, Josh’s mother, remarked from the end of the table. There was a rueful expression on her pretty, tan face. “It seems like yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital. Doesn’t it, Allen?” she asked her husband, a lean, gray-haired man seated at her right.
Nancy looked on as Allen Kline beamed at his daughter. “We’re really proud of you, Rachel.”
Rachel Kline brushed a long lock of sun-streaked blond hair away from her face and gazed straight at her father. “I know,” she said. “You’ve only mentioned it about fifteen times in the past week.”
There was irritation in the girl’s voice, Nancy thought. Karen Kline sighed, and Allen Kline reached out for his wife’s hand. Nancy exchanged a look with Ned, who gave a slight shrug. There was a short silence as Rachel stared out through the French doors of the dining room at the aquamarine waters of the swimming pool with a distracted expression in her pretty brown eyes.
“I know I’m looking forward to going to your graduation,” Nancy put in, trying to ease the tension.
“Me, too,” Ned said. “After everything Josh has told me about Ocean Highlands High, I can’t wait to see the place.”
“It is pretty amazing,” Josh said, glancing at his sister.
Rachel didn’t meet his eye. Instead, she got up from the table. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to change.”
Allen Kline cleared his throat and pushed back his chair. “That’s fine, Rachel. I have to get going, too.”
After Rachel and her parents had gone upstairs, Nancy and Ned lingered at the breakfast table, talking to Josh and making plans for the next few days.
“I can’t wait to see the studio,” Nancy told Josh excitedly.
“What else should we do?” Ned asked his friend.
“Let’s see.” Josh counted his fingers. “There’s Malibu, and the tour of the stars’ homes. Grauman’s Chinese Theater. And you really should go up into the hills. You get a great view of L.A. from there, especially at night. It’s totally romantic.”
Ned gave Nancy a wry grin. “Now, there’s an idea,” he said.
Nancy felt herself blushing but was secretly glad. Since Ned was away at school, they didn’t get to spend too much time alone.
“We’ll have to check it out,” she said, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. “But right now, I think I have a couple of things to do.”
She excused herself to go upstairs. After she left the spacious dining room for the entryway, Nancy glanced up at the huge crystal chandelier overhead. Like the rest of the house, it was spectacular.
Passing a mirror as she started up the elegant, curving staircase, Nancy smiled at her reflection. Her blue eyes were bright, and she’d pulled her shoulder-length, reddish blond hair back into a French braid. In a few days, she hoped, she would have a golden tan to take back to River Heights as a souvenir.
She just wished she could show this place to her best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne. It was as good as any of the sets on the TV soap operas.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Nancy turned left, heading toward her room. It was really more a suite than a room, with its own whirlpool bath and a view of the tennis court and swimming pool. Her sandaled feet sank into the thick blue carpeting.
She paused outside Rachel’s room to say hello because the girl’s door was open.
“Dennis, I can’t do that!” came Rachel’s voice, her tone hushed and serious. “You don’t know how my parents are counting on this. I can’t let them down!”
Just then Rachel turned and saw Nancy standing in the hallway, peering into her room. Her brown eyes widened with alarm, but in a flash she recovered and managed a shaky smile.
“Listen, I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later,” she said. Without another word she hung up the phone and turned to Nancy with a perfect smile. “One of my friends is a little nervous about the ceremony,” she explained lightly. “He has to make a speech.”
It occurred to Nancy that Rachel might be hiding something. She seemed too quick to explain away her conversation. Maybe it was nothing, but Nancy didn’t think she had mistaken the troubled look in the girl’s eyes.
Rachel went to her closet and took out a beautiful white dress with a pink satin sash. “I’ll be wearing this to the graduation party,” she said. “What do you think?”
“It’s great,” Nancy answered. Then she lifted one hand in a wave. “I’ll let you go now. I’m sure you have a lot to do.”
Rachel nodded. “I’ve got to go over to the school and pick up my cap and gown, for one thing,” she said, sounding rushed and jittery. “And then there’s my hair. . . .”
Nancy grinned. She could remember how nervous she’d been for her high school graduation. Maybe it was just edginess that was making Rachel act a little weird. She headed on to her own room, where she chose a turquoise sundress for the afternoon graduation ceremony. Then she flopped down on the bed to write postcards to her dad and George and Bess back home in River Heights. The girls would love to know what it was like to be a guest in a Beverly Hills mansion.
As she wrote Nancy kept pausing to think. She was sure she’d heard a note of desperation and fear in Rachel’s voice while she was talking to her friend Dennis on the phone. Just what was it that Rachel couldn’t do?
• • •
Several hours later the gym at Ocean Highlands High School was crowded with well-dressed, tanned people who all seemed to be talking at once. Nancy, standing beside Ned, craned her neck, trying to find Rachel among the eager seniors. The ceremony was going to begin in a few minutes, and there was no sign of her.
Ned took Nancy’s arm and pulled her aside by the doors, which opened onto a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. In the dazzling June sunshine, the sea looked as turquoise as Nancy’s dress.
“Okay, Drew,” he said, his eyes dancing with amusement, “what’s bugging you?”
Nancy didn’t even try to sidestep the question. Ned knew her too well for that. “I was looking for Rachel just now because I was worried about her. When I was passing her room this morning, I overheard her talking on the phone. She was really upset, Ned.”
Ned frowned. “About what?”
“I don’t know,” Nancy said. “It was more her tone of voice than what she said. She sounded really scared.”
“What did she say?”
“Something like, I can’t do that—you don’t know how much this means to my parents.’ ” Just then Nancy spotted Mr. and Mrs. Kline in the group of parents, guests, and graduates. They appeared to be anxious and a little worried as they approached Nancy and Ned.
“Have either of you seen Rachel?” Karen Kline asked them.
“No,” Ned answered, trying to smile reassuringly. “She’s got to be around here somewhere. After all, this is her big day.”
“We’ll help look, if you like,” Nancy volunteered.
Mrs. Kline nodded gratefully. “That would be wonderful, Nancy,” she re
sponded. “Thank you.”
“You go this way,” Nancy told Ned, pointing to her right, “and I’ll head over there. By the time we meet at the other end of the gym, we’ll have found Rachel.”
“Okay,” Ned agreed, and he took off after the missing graduate.
Rachel was nowhere. Nancy even checked the girls’ bathroom and backstage in the auditorium, where the ceremony would be held.
Nancy was really getting worried by the time she returned to the gym and found Ned. He hadn’t had any better luck. Josh was with Ned, but he didn’t share everyone else’s concern.
“Don’t worry about it, Nancy,” Josh said. “Rachel likes being center stage too much to miss her own graduation. When her name is called, she’ll be there to get her diploma.”
Josh seemed pretty confident his sister would show up. “I hope you’re right,” Nancy said as Ned took her hand and led her into the auditorium after the Klines.
As soon as the crowd was seated the principal of Ocean Highlands High, Mr. Jeffries, greeted them. Then he introduced the valedictorian, who made the first speech. After several more speeches and award presentations, it was time for the graduates to get their diplomas.
The Klines and Ned and Nancy waited eagerly for Rachel’s name to be announced.
“Rachel Kline!” Mr. Jeffries finally called out.
None of the students seated in front of the small stage stood up.
“Rachel Kline,” the principal repeated, and still there was no response. There was a buzz in the audience, though.
Ned and Nancy exchanged a look. Josh bit his lower lip and glanced over at his father. Karen Kline sat up in her chair, her eyes desperately scanning the group of students in their caps and gowns.
“Rachel Kline!” the principal tried one last time, but the pretty blond girl didn’t appear.
“Something terrible has happened, I just know it,” Mrs. Kline whispered, her lips trembling. “Rachel’s gone!”
Chapter
Two
ALLEN KLINE looked at his wife with a confused expression on his face. “There has to be a reasonable explanation, Karen,” he whispered. “Maybe she got sick—”
“She probably thought she had time to go for a soda,” Josh said, trying to comfort his mother.
“I’m sure she’s okay,” Nancy said. Inside, though, she wondered. Could this have something to do with the conversation she’d overheard earlier?
Around them, the graduation was continuing. “Come on,” Nancy said to Ned. “Let’s go out with the Klines.”
Ned nodded, and they stood up to follow Allen Kline as he steered his wife out of the auditorium. Josh followed.
Outside in the hall, Karen Kline’s face was pale beneath her carefully applied makeup. She reached out for her husband’s hand. “I just know something terrible has happened—she’d never miss her own graduation!”
Ned spoke up. “Listen, Josh, I think your parents should go home and wait there to see if your sister calls. We can look for her.”
“Great idea, Ned,” Nancy said. “There’s no point in your hanging around hete,” she told the Klines reassuringly.
Josh gripped his mother’s trembling hands in an effort to calm her. “Ned and Nancy are right, Mom. You and Dad should go home. We’ll try to find Rachel and catch a ride later.”
Allen Kline wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Josh is right, honey. If Rachel is having a problem, she’ll probably try to call us. We’re not doing any good here.” He turned to Josh, Nancy, and Ned. “We’ll be waiting to hear from you,” he said, and he led his wife out to the parking lot.
The applause from inside the auditorium told Nancy the graduation ceremony was about to conclude. In another few minutes the hallway and gymnasium would be crowded with people, and that would make searching for Rachel even harder.
“Let’s fan out and check inside the building again,” she suggested. “If we don’t find her, we’ll search the grounds, too.”
Ned glanced down at his watch. “Let’s meet in the parking lot in half an hour and compare notes.”
Nancy nodded thoughtfully. “I’d like to talk to some of Rachel’s friends, find out when they last saw her. Do you know any of them?”
“There’s Beth Hanford,” Josh answered. “She’s Rachel’s best friend, so she’d know everybody they hang out with.”
“Is there a special guy? I heard Rachel talking to someone this morning—I think his name was Dennis.” If she could find Dennis, he might know where Rachel was.
Josh shrugged. “I don’t think I’ve heard Rachel mention him, but Beth would know.”
“Good—” Nancy began.
The wave of laughing graduates coming through the swinging doors of the auditorium interrupted Nancy. Soon parents and other well-wishers were crowded around them, taking pictures and offering hugs and congratulations.
“We’d better start looking for her,” Ned said, nudging Josh.
“Right,” his friend said. While the boys went in opposite directions to look for Rachel, Nancy approached one of the graduates and smiled.
“Excuse me,” she said to the girl, who was adjusting the tassel on her cap, “but could you tell me where to find Beth Hanford?”
“Sure,” the graduate replied, looking around. “That’s her over there. The one with the dark hair and big hoop earrings.”
Nancy spotted Beth standing between two happy people who were probably her parents. She made her way over through the milling, delighted crowd.
“Beth?” she said, smiling and holding out one hand. “My name is Nancy Drew, and I’m visiting with the Klines. I was wondering if you’ve seen Rachel today.”
Beth’s bright smile faded, and she shook Nancy’s hand distractedly. “No,” she answered slowly. “I thought it was weird that she didn’t show up when they called her name.”
“Did you speak to her at all today?” Nancy asked.
Beth’s pretty face had virtually drained of color. “No. What’s wrong? Has something happened?”
Mr. Hanford spoke up then. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
“I don’t think so. Rachel seems to be missing, but her brother and my friend are looking for her.”
“I hope she’s okay,” Mrs. Hanford said. “I’m sure her mom and dad are really worried.”
Before Nancy could answer, Beth broke in. “I’d like to stay here and help look for Rachel,” she said to her parents. “Would that be okay? I mean, is it all right if we celebrate later? I’d feel awful if I didn’t try to find her.”
Mrs. Hanford smiled gently. “Of course, dear. Your dad and I will be at home. Let us know if we can help.”
“Thanks,” Beth said to her parents. Then she turned to Nancy, pulling off her graduation cap. “The first thing I want to do is get out of this gown,” she said. “It’s really hot.”
Nancy followed Beth into a room where special clothing racks had been set up and helped her out of the gown. Underneath it she was wearing a bright yellow dress with a high collar.
“Beth, do you think Rachel could have run away?” Nancy asked.
Beth appeared to be troubled for a moment. She started to say something, then stopped herself. Finally she murmured, “No. Rachel wouldn’t run away.”
“You’re sure?” Nancy prodded. Was the girl covering for her friend? Beth seemed as if she might be holding something back.
She shook her head resolutely. “I’m sure. Running away is dumb, and Rachel knows that. Besides, things are good for her at home.” She stared off for a moment, then met Nancy’s eyes again. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Nancy led Beth back into the crowd of graduates milling around in the gymnasium by a table spread with sandwiches and sodas. “Does Rachel know anybody named Dennis?” she asked as the girls scanned the group for any sign of Rachel. “I heard her talking to him this morning, and she sounded pretty upset.”
Beth’s face paled visibly. “Dennis,” she said to herself in a whi
sper. When she saw Nancy looking at her, though, Beth recovered quickly. “He’s just a guy she hangs out with sometimes. No big deal.”
“Did he go to school here at Ocean Highlands, too?” Nancy asked, being careful to keep her voice light. She didn’t want Beth to get defensive. The girl seemed reluctant enough as it was.
“No,” Beth answered as she and Nancy approached a group of kids. “I mean, yes, but he’s older. He graduated last year.”
“I see,” Nancy replied, still trying to put Beth at ease. “Are he and Rachel serious about each other?”
Beth’s eyes came quickly back to Nancy’s face and widened. “You mean, are they in love?”
Nancy nodded, waiting.
Beth’s expression was troubled. “They’ve been dating for a while, but I don’t think they’d elope or anything like that. Rachel’s parents would have a fit.”
Nancy knew Beth was right. Even if she was in trouble, Rachel didn’t seem like the type to just run off and worry her parents unnecessarily. If she had wanted to go off with Dennis, and her parents didn’t approve of him, she might not have told them, though. Dennis seemed like the logical link to Rachel’s disappearance.
“Did you see Dennis around this morning?” she asked.
Beth shook her head. There was still a scared expression in her eyes. Nancy found herself wondering again what the girl was hiding.
She was about to ask Beth another question when a good-looking guy with wavy brown hair and blue eyes came up to them. He was still dressed in his cap and gown.
“Have you seen Rachel?” he demanded angrily before Beth could say anything.
“No. I was hoping you had,” Beth said. “Mike, this is Nancy Drew, a friend of the Klines. Nancy, Mike Rasmussen.”
“Hi, Mike,” Nancy said.
Nancy saw Mike’s eyes take in her turquoise sundress. “Hi,” he replied with new interest.
Beth was tapping her foot. “Never mind the flirting, okay, Mike? Nancy and I need to find Rachel. We’re really worried about her, and her parents probably are, too. Haven’t you seen her at all?”
Mike frowned. “She was here earlier. I saw her when I came to pick up my cap and gown.”