095 An Instinct for Trouble by Carolyn Keene

Nancy and Ned found a quiet spot and settled down on a couch on the far side of the big room.
    “I keep thinking about that phone call,”
    Ned said. “You think the Turkowers are the buyers?”
    “It seems that way.”
    “What do you think they’re arranging for tomorrow night?” he asked.
    “My hunch is that Trainey’s going to turn over the marmots he’s already captured to the Turkowers.”
    Ned acted surprised. “You think the animals are still in the park?”
    “Yes, I do,” Nancy said. “If they weren’t, why would the Turkowers be hanging around?
    And I’ll bet they’re being kept somewhere fairly close to the campsite, too.”
    “So what’s our next move?”
    “We have to keep our eyes on the Turkowers and Trainey-and I’m still interested in Piker and Richard. It could be that the professor hired them to do the rough work,” she specu-
    lated. “But the main thing is, it’s obvious that this whole case is centered at your camp. We can’t hope to solve it if I’m always somewhere else. I think it’s time Bess and I move to the campsite.”
    “So you and Bess are going to camp.” Ned grinned. “I’d love to be there when you break the news to her.”
    Nancy grimaced. “Do you have any idea what we can do about equipment? We’ll need a tent and sleeping bags at least.”
    “There are outfitters in West Yellowstone and Jackson that sell camping gear. But why not ask Martin Robbins at the ranger station? I bet he could lend you what you need.”
    “Good idea,” she said.
    He put his arm around Nancy’s shoulders, and she settled back against him. “I’m glad you’re moving to the camp,” he continued softly. “Having you so near will be the only bright spot in this whole awful situation.”
    “I can’t believe that you actually met Randy Dean!” Bess exclaimed. “That’s too awesome!
    What’s he like?”
    Nancy yawned. The morning sun was streaming through the window. “Really nice, Bess. He acts like a regular guy. But you’ll have a chance to meet him,” Nancy said. “He’s staying right here in the hotel. And he invited us to come watch him making his TV special. I hope we can.”
    “What do you mean, you hope we can?”
    Bess demanded. “Wild horses couldn’t stop me!”
    Nancy smiled. “I don’t know about wild horses, but we are here on an investigation, remember.”
    Bess stared at her, aghast, then immediately brightened. “Oh, we’ll solve it in plenty of time,” she proclaimed.
    “Listen, Bess,” Nancy said as she ran a brush through her hair. “I think the missing marmots are being shipped out tonight.” She told her friend about the phone call. “I know you’re not going to like this,” she continued slowly, “but we need to move to the campsite to watch the situation more closely.”
    “Oh, no!” Bess wailed. “Leave the hotel just when Randy Dean arrives? And move into a cold tent? I’ll die!”
    “Oh, come on, where’s your sense of adven-
    ture?” Nancy asked lightly. “Besides, if I’m right that tonight is the night, it won’t be for long.”
    “Well-okay,” Bess said gloomily. “I’ll do it, but don’t expect me to enjoy it.”
    “After breakfast I’m going to head over to the ranger station to talk to Martin Robbins.
    Maybe he can assign some rangers to patrol the campsite tonight. Ned also thought he might have a tent and a couple of sleeping bags we can borrow,” Nancy said.
    Bess dusted powder on her nose, then frowned at her image in the mirror. “What about me?” she asked.
    “I want you to track down the Turkowers,”
    Nancy said. “See if you can find out what they’re up to today. I’ll pick you up here when I come back from seeing Robbins, and we can go out to the campsite together.”
    As she walked toward her car, Nancy no-
    ticed a piece of paper tucked under the wind-
    shield wiper. It might be a circular of some sort, she thought, but she had a hunch it wasn’t. Distinctly uneasy, she unfolded the