My Deadly Valentine by Carolyn Keene Page A

some of the round chocolates to the platter, taking care not to dislodge them from their creased brown wrappers. She leaned close to the platter and sniffed. “They look likechocolate-covered cherries, but they smell like peanuts.”
    â€œMaybe they’re assorted flavors,” said Denise.
    â€œWe’ll soon find out.” Bess lifted the silver platter and ducked out of the kitchen.
    Nancy tucked packets of raspberry tea into a basket, then paused. Something was nagging at her mind. The chocolates had an unusual odor! . . . a few were missing . . . and Mindy was sick.
    A handful of tea bags went flying as Nancy raced out of the kitchen. She pushed past Kristin and Etta, then skidded to a halt in the dining room. Beside the buffet, Bess stood, poised and charming, as she extended the platter to two guests.
    â€œChange of plans,” Nancy said, plucking a chocolate from one girl’s hand. “We’re going to save the best till last.” Ignoring the girls’ confused looks, she wheeled Bess around.
    â€œNancy?” Bess frowned. “What’s going on?”
    â€œYou can’t serve those chocolates,” Nancy whispered, tugging Bess back toward the kitchen. “I think that candy’s been poisoned!”

Chapter

Ten
    A RE YOU KIDDING ?” Bess gasped as Nancy took the tray from her hands and strode into the kitchen.
    â€œDid you serve the chocolates to anyone?” Nancy asked her.
    â€œYou caught me before I had a chance.”
    In the kitchen, Nancy dumped the chocolates back into the box and turned to Denise. “I think these chocolates were doctored. There’s a rat poison called Rodenticide that smells like peanuts. Spread the word among the sisters and find out if anyone else has tried them.”
    â€œHow awful!” Denise exclaimed. “I’ll go tell Kristin and the others.”
    â€œWhat about Mindy?” Bess asked.
    â€œIf she ate this candy, I’m taking her straight tothe hospital,” Nancy answered, tucking the box under her arm. “Let’s go upstairs and check.”
    Nancy and Bess found Mindy curled up in bed, still feeling nauseated. “Did you eat any of the candy from the ‘secret admirer’?” Nancy asked her.
    Mindy nodded, “Just a few pieces. Not enough to give me a stomachache.”
    â€œI’ll bet you anything I’m right,” Nancy said, pulling their coats out of the closet. “Someone tampered with those chocolates! We’d better get you to a doctor fast.”
    While Kristin gave her speech to all the guests in the dining room, Nancy and Bess quietly helped Mindy down the stairs and outside.
    Denise followed them to the porch, her breath forming a puff as she spoke. “None of the other sisters tried the candy.”
    â€œThank goodness!” Bess said.
    â€œWe’ll call you from the hospital,” Nancy told Denise. They climbed into the Mustang, and Nancy drove straight to the Emersonville hospital. Fortunately the roads had been cleared, and Nancy was able to drive quickly.
    Mindy was checked into the emergency room, and a nurse wheeled her inside for an examination.
    â€œWe think it was this candy that made her sick,” Nancy said to the attending physician, placing the heart-shaped box of chocolates on thecounter at the nurses’ station. She opened the box and examined a few of the candies. There was no sign that any of them had been glazed or broken. But she knew that a poison could have been injected with a needle, leaving only the tiniest of holes.
    As Nancy went on to explain about the problems that had been occurring at the Theta Pi house, the attending physician lowered his clipboard and listened closely. He was a young, soft-spoken man with brown, curly hair and a neatly trimmed mustache.
    â€œWe’ll need to get a sample of this candy to the lab immediately,” he told a nurse.
    â€œRight away, Dr.