“You must think I’m a real idiot, falling for
such a total phony. He was faking his interest
in me the whole time, wasn’t he?”
Nancy shook her head. “He’s very convinc-
ing,”-she said. “And maybe he is sincere in a
way. He may be one of those guys who doesn’t
feel good about himself unless he’s got some-
body falling in love with him. So he convinces
himself that the lines he’s passing out are
true.”
Bess straightened up, then put on a smile.
“Believe me, from now on I’m staying away
from him.”
“Come on, Bess,” Nancy said to change the
subject. “This is the perfect opportunity to
search Trainey’s tent.”
Bess became alarmed. “But he might come
back at any time!”
“You can stand outside and keep watch.”
“Well-okay,” Bess said reluctantly.
The two girls walked across the campground
that was half packed already. Nancy looked at
the piles of boxes with a feeling of urgency. She
had to get to the bottom of things before time
ran out.
While Bess stood guard in front of Trainey’s
tent. Nancy slipped inside. There was a sleep-
ing bag spread out atop an army cot, a single,
well-worn suitcase, and a folding table with a
laptop computer. Nancy knelt down and
opened the suitcase, but all it contained were
clean, neatly folded clothes. She turned her
attention to a few papers next to the computer,
which turned out to be notes for a report on
the project.
Trainey’s green coat and floppy green hat
were lying on the cot. Nancy picked them up
and felt through the coat pockets. In the inside
pocket was an envelope that contained a single
photograph. It was too dark to make it out. She
put the coat and hat back the way they had
been and hurried outside.
“What is it?” Bess demanded. “Did you find
something?”
“Yes, this picture.” In the bright sunshine, it
was easy to distinguish the figure of a person in
a green coat and green hat walking out of the
hut by feeding station 1. The hat and coat were
Trainey’s!
Bess flashed her friend a puzzled look.
“What’s so important about this picture?”
Nancy pointed. “Look at the date and time
at the bottom.”
Bess read, then counted on her fingers.
“Nancy!” she exclaimed. “That was just be-
fore the propane stove exploded. That proves
it! Trainey caused Brad’s accident!”
Chapter Thirteen
This picture is proof. Nancy,” Bess re-
peated. “Trainey had to have tampered with
the stove.”
“I’m not positive, Bess,” Nancy said. “The
picture’s too blurry. It could be anybody wear-
ing that hat and coat, and if it is Trainey, why
would he keep such an incriminating picture?
Why not destroy it?”
Bess gave the photograph back to Nancy. “I
don’t know.”
“And besides,” Nancy continued, “it seems
likely that this is the picture that made Trainey
so upset. What if this isn’t Trainey? When he
saw it, he must have realized that somebody
was trying to frame him. He may even have
figured out who.”
Nancy scrutinized the photograph. The flop-
py hat and turned-up collar of the coat made
an effective disguise. All that showed of the
person’s face was one cheek and part of the
nose.
Frustrated, she was about to put the photo
away when she noticed a small white spot on
the person’s nose. She studied it closely but
couldn’t tell what it was. It could just be a
speck of dust on the lens of the enlarger.
She slipped the photo into her pocket just as
she heard Ned, Jennifer, and Alicia come
down the path from the feeding station.
“Welcome to Camp Marmotville,” Alicia
called.
“Thanks,” Nancy replied. “How’s it going?”
“We’ve got the packing under control,” Jen-
nifer said. “Hey, you haven’t seen my dad,
have you?”
“He left here in a Jeep about forty-five
minutes ago,” Bess reported.
Jennifer frowned. “Huh. He was supposed
to meet us up the hill, but he never showed up.
I think I’ll check the other feeding stations.
Maybe a problem came up.” She walked off
toward the road.
“Are those maintenance guys around to-
day?” Nancy asked.
“I haven’t seen them,” Ned replied.