Mystery Mountain Getaway Read online

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1 Time for a Vacation!

  Chapter 2 Into the Mountains

  Chapter 3 The Haunted Snowbot

  Chapter 4 Room Service

  Chapter 5 A Prickly Meeting

  Chapter 6 The Real Snowbot

  Chapter 7 The Writing’s on the Wall

  Chapter 8 Snowball Fight

  Chapter 9 Backward Ski

  Chapter 10 A Good Gold Old Ending

  The Very First Case Excerpt

  About the Author

  Time for a Vacation!

  “P.I. Pack, we need to talk,” Rider Woofson said. Rider was Pawston’s best detective. His team—the Pup Investigators Pack—was made up of three other dog detectives. They gathered around their boss in the office. Rider seemed very serious.

  The others were ready for bad news. Was there a jewelry heist? Was there a bank robbery?

  Instead, Rider smiled. “I have decided we need a vacation!”

  “Hooray!” Ziggy Fluffenscruff yipped. He was the young detective with an amazing nose.

  “Brilliant!” noted Westie Barker, the team’s inventor.

  “Well, it’s about time,” added Rora Gooddog, who was Rider’s second-in-command.

  “I’m glad you agree,” Rider said, handing out some travel brochures for different vacation spots. “Now all we need to do is decide where we want to go.”

  “How about a tropical beach?” asked Rora.

  “Well, we just came back from a beach where we nabbed the Sunburn Bandit,” Westie said. He pointed to his red face. “I’ve had a little too much sun. Perhaps we could explore the ocean in an underwater submarine?”

  “But then we also just got back from putting the Smelly Jellyfish behind bars,” Rora said. She shook her head and water flew all over the office. “I am still drying off. What about an old-west ghost town?”

  Ziggy was shocked. “Are you even listening to yourself? There’s no way I’m going to a ghost town.”

  Rider smiled. “This is exactly why we need a vacation. We’ve been working hard and catching bad guys. Now we need to catch some time to relax.”

  “Hmm, what’s the opposite of sunny, underwater, and the Wild West?” Rora asked.

  “Snow, mountains, and peace and quiet,” Ziggy said.

  “Ziggy, you’re a genius!” said Westie. He, Rora, and Rider unfolded one of the travel brochures.

  “I am?” Ziggy asked, hopping up and down trying to see which vacation getaway the others were looking at.

  “How do you feel about skiing?” Rora smiled.

  “You mean log cabins and fireplaces and hot cocoa?” Ziggy said. “I’m in! Good-bye, criminals! Hello, vacation!”

  Into the Mountains

  The detectives packed their coats and warmest socks. Then they hopped into the van and left for their vacation. On the way, they looked at a map of Mystery Mountain.

  “A hundred years ago, they searched for gold here,” Westie said. “There isn’t any left now, so animals come here for the lodges and ski slopes.”

  “Who cares about old gold?” Rora said. She held up her laptop. “Check out the different diamond-level ski slopes we can ride.”

  “Did you say diamonds?” Ziggy asked with a sparkle in his eye. “If we find diamonds, I can trade them for food! Think of all the s’mores, and snow cones, and pies, and ice-cream cakes. Then I’d wash it all down with hot chocolate.”

  “Actually, diamonds are used as a symbol for types of ski slopes,” Rora explained.

  Ziggy wasn’t listening. He kept talking about food. “I’d have pasta and sandwiches and pizzas. Those would be great appetizers. Then it’s on to the main course.”

  “Someone sure loves to think with his stomach,” Rider said with a smile. “What are you working on back there, Westie?”

  Westie was in the back of the van, tinkering with his latest invention. “Oh, just some Snow-Jets. Put them on skis and you can speed down every slope. It’ll be the fastest vacation ever!”

  “Speaking of fast,” Rider said, “we might even be able to hit the slopes today. There’s no traffic.”

  “It looks like all the cars are driving down the mountain,” Rora said. “That’s odd. I thought everyone would be going up for the weekend.”

  “More food for us!” Ziggy said.

  The P.I. Pack drove under a large wooden sign that said WELCOME TO MYSTERY MOUNTAIN.

  Just as they pulled up to the lodge, other guests were hopping into their cars and leaving.

  “Hmm, I wonder where everyone is going,” Rider said.

  Rora watched as the last car drove away. “Where did you hear about this place?”

  “From Mr. Meow, believe it or not,” said Rider. “It’s his favorite getaway. I figured if a rich cat like him loved it, it must be nice.”

  “Oh no,” Ziggy whined. “I smell a mystery.”

  The Haunted Snowbot

  The four detectives walked inside the Mystery Mountain Ski Lodge. “It’s too quiet,” Ziggy said. “It’s kind of creepy.”

  “Don’t worry, kid,” Rora said. “We’ll be out skiing all day.”

  DING! Rider rang the bell at the front desk.

  “Hello there!” said a monkey who popped up from behind the desk. She wore a thick sweater with a smiley face on it. She also wore diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, and a diamond name tag that said MONICA MONKIKI, OWNER. “I thought all our guests had left. You must be on your way out.”

  “Actually, we’d like to check in,” Rider said. “We’d like four rooms for the weekend.”

  “You do?!” Monica seemed surprised. “I mean, we’d love for you to stay, but with everything that’s going on . . . well, I figured no one would be visiting for a while!”

  “What’s going on?” Rora asked.

  “You didn’t hear?” Monica hopped up on the front desk and leaned in to whisper to the detectives. “There’s a haunted Snowbot around these parts. He’s half–abominable snowman and half-robot. He’s been scaring away all our skiers on the slopes. One minute he springs from the trees, and the next minute he vanishes into thin air. I have heard he can even walk through walls!”

  “Okay, thanks for the warning.” Ziggy turned for the exit. “We’ll be heading home now.”

  “A Snowbot?” Westie said as he rubbed his chin. “Fascinating!”

  “Usually business is booming,” Monica continued. “The rooms are always booked; the mountains are crowded with skiers; and everyone is happy. But a few months ago, a movie crew came to the lodge to shoot a new film. It was about a super-skier and his best friend, a Snowbot.”

  Ziggy turned back around to the front desk. “Hey, I wanted to see that movie!”

  Monica nodded. “Well, the movie had to close down because someone stole all of their equipment. Even the Snowbot went missing, and it was a one-of-a-kind robot made just for the movie.”

  “That’s terrible,” Westie said.

  “That’s not the worst part,” Monica added. “Last week, the Snowbot returned. He’s been chasing off everyone since, so I understand if you’d like to leave too.”

  “Great idea,” Ziggy said, turning for the exit again.

  Rora grabbed his suspenders. “Hold on, kid. If there’s a mystery here, then we should solve it.”

  “I agree,” Rider said.

  “I’d like to see this Snowbot for myself, too,” said Westie.

  “Oh no!” Monica said. “It’s far too dangerous. You should go home now. You’ll stay safer that way.”

  “Listen to the smart monkey!” Ziggy said, but the others shook their heads.

  “This is what we do, ma’am,” Rider said. “We’re detective
s.”

  “Even on our days off,” Rora added.

  “But first, can we see our rooms and order some room service?” Ziggy begged.

  “Of course, if you really want to stay.” Monica scowled and hit the bell on the desk twice. DING DING!

  A giant gorilla came out in a bellhop uniform. His name tag read GRUMPY GUS, BELLHOP. “I’ll take your luggage and show you to your rooms.”

  Ziggy whispered to the others, “I bet he’s the bad guy. Mystery solved. Can we have fun now?”

  The others shook their heads and said, “No.”

  Room Service

  Rider, Rora, and Westie had been knocking on Ziggy’s door for fifteen minutes.

  “Hmm, perhaps he went skiing already?” suggested Westie.

  “I have an idea.” Rider knocked once more and said, “Room service!”

  “I’m here! I’m here!”

  Ziggy’s pawsteps echoed as he rushed to the door. “Did you bring the chocolate jelly-bone basket—hey! You’re not room service!”

  “No, we’re your fellow detectives, waiting on you to help solve a case,” Rora said. She peeked into Ziggy’s room. It was covered with empty food carts, trays, and plates. Ziggy was wearing a bib and holding a bowl of pasta.

  “Do I have to go? I bet you could solve this on your own,” Ziggy whined. “Plus, this pasta isn’t going to eat itself!”

  “The pasta can wait, Ziggy,” Rider said. “We can’t do this without you.”

  “Fine, give me one second.” The young pup closed the door, and opened it one second later. He was not only dressed, he was overdressed. He wore two coats, three scarves, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of socks, and two pairs of pants.

  “Aren’t you going to be a little warm with all that on?” Westie asked.

  “Better too hot than too cold,” Ziggy said.

  Out on the slopes, the P.I. Pack hopped onto the ski lift. As it rose into the air and up the mountain, Ziggy grabbed the rail. “This thing doesn’t seem safe at all.”

  “Oh, it’s very safe,” Westie said. “See? The control room is right there.”

  “Look. Grumpy Gus is running the ski lift,” Rora noted. “He’s the bellhop and the ski lift controller? I wonder what other jobs he has around here.”

  “There is nothing wrong with working hard,” Rider said. “Now keep your eyes and noses alert, gang. We can scan the entire mountain for clues from up here.”

  “I can’t see a thing,” Ziggy said. “This snow is too bright!”

  “That’s because the sun is reflecting off the snow,” Westie explained. “See? The Triple Black Diamond course is shining the brightest. But we’ll never ride that slope. It’s the hardest one on the mountain. I’ll stick to the bunny slope.”

  “Wow! There’s a special slope for bunnies?” Ziggy asked.

  Westie chuckled. “No, the bunny slope is what we call an easy slope for beginners.”

  “Have you two spotted any clues yet?” Rider asked.

  “Yeah, I see something really important!” Ziggy cheered and practically leaped out of his seat. “It’s the snack bar!”

  “You’re right, kid,” Rora said. “Next to the snack bar—it’s the Snowbot, and he’s skiing away!”

  Rider and Rora strapped their snowboards to their feet and leaped off as the ski lift arrived at the top of the mountain. Westie had his skis while Ziggy slid on his sled. The chase was on!

  “The Snowbot is going into that half-pipe,” Rider said.

  Rora zipped ahead first. She hit the half-pipe and did a triple flip. Rider followed with a double somersault. Westie went slowly around the half-pipe, and Ziggy spun around and around in circles. As he finally escaped the spiral, he yelped, “Someone should have warned me about that before I ate so much food!”

  “The Snowbot is almost at the bottom of the slope!” Rora shouted. “He can’t escape us now!”

  The large, white Snowbot rode straight toward the lodge. He looked like he was going to crash right into it. Instead, he passed through the wall and vanished.

  “Where’d he go?!” Rora asked.

  Ziggy was still dizzy from the half-pipe and bumped into Westie. The pair rolled into a snowball that picked up speed as it went down the mountain. Then the snowball rolled to a stop beside the lodge.

  Ziggy moaned, “Worst. Vacation. Ever.”

  A Prickly Meeting

  The P.I. Pack sat inside by the fire, drinking hot chocolate to warm up.

  Rider set down his mug. “Okay, it’s time to find more clues.”

  “Maybe we should skip the half-pipes this time,” Ziggy suggested.

  “Actually, I was thinking we could take in some nature,” Rider said. “Who wants to go on a hike?”

  • • •

  The hiking trail was long, cold, and beautiful. It weaved through a thick forest. As they walked, Rora spotted a log cabin hidden in the distance. They decided to check it out.

  The four detectives quietly walked up to the wooden house and peeked in through the window.

  “May I help you?” said a gruff voice from behind them.

  Ziggy was so surprised that he jumped right into Westie’s arms.

  An old porcupine stood in the snow. He was wearing a flannel jacket with a pair of thick glasses and had a long beard. He pointed a cane at the detectives and said, “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “Don’t you know sneaking up on animals is rude!” Ziggy yipped.

  “Spying on my house is rude too,” the porcupine snapped.

  “We’re detectives, sir,” Rora explained. “May I ask what you’re doing up here, mister?”

  “I’m Piney Prince. You can call me Old Piney. Everyone does.” The old porcupine moved to his porch, and he took a seat in a rocking chair. “I spend my days panning for gold in the river. What else would I be doing?”

  “Gold?” Westie asked. “I thought all the gold was gone.”

  The porcupine nodded. “There are still tiny pieces in the river, but Mystery Mountain used to have tons. Then, when the gold rush was over, the ski resort moved in.”

  Old Piney reached into his jacket and pulled out some shiny ice pellets. They sparkled in his paw. “Most days, I just find these strange icicles. They are everywhere.” He tossed the ice back into the snow.

  “Have you heard of the Snowbot?” Rider asked. “He’s run off all the visitors.”

  “Snowbot?” Old Piney laughed. “What’s a Snowbot?”

  “It was from a movie,” said Ziggy.

  The porcupine stopped rocking. “Oh, I remember the movie crew. If you’re working for them, then you can get their stuff off my land.”

  “What stuff?” Rora asked.

  Old Piney shrugged. “Cameras, equipment, and machines . . . you know, stuff. It’s blocking one of my favorite views. I can take you there, if you’d like.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Rider. “We’d like that very much.”

  The Real Snowbot

  Old Piney led the detectives up the mountain. The pack struggled with the long walk, but the old porcupine was fine.

  “Do you hike a lot?” Rider asked, trying to catch his breath.

  “Every day,” Old Piney said. “It’s so quiet and peaceful—especially when those skiers aren’t here.”

  “Sounds like he wants the lodge closed down,” Ziggy whispered to Westie. “I bet he’s the bad guy.”

  Finally, Old Piney stopped and pointed to a collection of fancy equipment. “Here you go. I would have thrown all this stuff in the trash, but my old back can’t carry it down the mountain.”

  Westie inspected the gear. “Speakers, lights, microphones, cameras, tripods . . . It’s everything you need to make a million-dollar movie. I bet whoever stole this is working with the Snowbot.”

  “Maybe the Snowbot stole it,” Ziggy said. He played with a control panel and flipped a switch. Suddenly, all of the machines came to life. Lights and sounds exploded in the clearing. A real, live Snowbot walked out of the fore
st and roared.

  “Yikes!” Ziggy cried, leaping behind Westie.

  “Double-yikes!” Westie cried, leaping behind Old Piney, who poked him with his needles.

  “Ouchie ouchie ouchie!” Westie cried, running in circles.

  The Snowbot roared again. Rider and Rora went to grab the beast, but they went right through him!

  “GHOST-BOT SNOWBOT!” Westie and Ziggy cried.

  “It’s no ghost!” Old Piney said as he switched off the control panel. The Snowbot vanished.

  “What is going on?” Rora asked.

  Westie examined the machine. “This isn’t a camera at all. It’s a projector! The Snowbot we just saw wasn’t real.”

  Ziggy tried to act tough. “I knew it was fake. So fake. Just like that Snowbot mask over there.” He walked over to a mask that peaked out of the forest. “This doesn’t even look real.”

  “Uh, Ziggy . . . ,” Rora said as everyone else backed away. “I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.”

  Ziggy reached up and grabbed the mask. “This old thing is just a rubber mask that won’t fool anywuhhhhhhagghhhh!”

  Suddenly the very real Snowbot lifted Ziggy into the air. Then they both roared.

  Ziggy squirmed out of the Snowbot’s grip and slammed into the others. They all crashed off the hill, rolling down the mountain in another giant snowball. Once again, they landed right beside the lodge.