Carolyn Keene - Greek Odyssey

The Nancy Drew Files #74

Greek Odyssey

Carolyn Keene

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter One

“This is exactly what we need,” Bess Marvin declared. She combed the water out of her shiny blond hair and adjusted the straps of her red and black polka-dot bikini. “Fun in the sun on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!”

“Mykonos is gorgeous,” Nancy Drew agreed, rubbing some sunscreen onto her stomach. The hunter green two-piece suit she was wearing had seemed so daring when she had bought it back in River Heights, but it was tame in comparison to the tiny bikinis worn by most of the other women on the beach.

Tall, athletic George Fayne, Bess’s cousin, toweled off her dark curly hair, then flopped down on the sand in her red racing suit. “Didn’t I tell you guys you were going to love Greece?” she asked.

Greece was the third and final main stop on the girls’ summer of traveling in Europe. George had gone ahead early from Rome, joining some Italian teenagers on a trip to Olympia. Nancy, Bess, and Mick Devlin, a cute Australian guy they had met in Geneva, had joined her in Athens the day before. They had arrived on Mykonos late that morning.

Just minutes after checking into the Hotel Athena, the girls had changed into their swimsuits, rushed down the footpath to the beach at the bottom of the hill, and dived into the crystal-clear water. Already Nancy could feel the soothing effect of the golden sun that the Greek islands were so famous for.

With a contented sigh, she took in the panoramic view. Sunlight glittered on the turquoise sea, and sunbathers stretched out on the pastel sand. Off to her left a narrow paved road twisted over rocky terrain until it disappeared into clusters of asymmetrical white houses that made up Chora, the island’s main town.

At the top of the hill behind the beach sat the hotel, a square wedding cake of a building, two stories high, with seaside balconies, long wooden shutters, and arched doorways. It was owned and operated by Kostas Kavalis and his daughter, Zoe.

“It was great of Zoe to invite us here,” Bess commented, lying back on her towel and closing her eyes. “She seems really nice.”

Zoe was a Greek girl whom George had met at Olympia. The two had hit it off, and Zoe had encouraged George to bring her friends to Mykonos for some “Greek hospitality” at her father’s inn. When George told Nancy and Bess about her new friend, the girls had decided to spend the last month of their European vacation on Mykonos.

“I knew you’d like her,” George said, smiling. She pointed to a speedboat that skittered over the water, pulling a water-skier behind it. “I can’t wait to get out there,” she said.

Nancy had to admit that the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea looked inviting. “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to water-ski,” she said, pushing her reddish gold hair back with a pair of black sunglasses. “We’ve got a whole month to spend here, and I’m going to kick it off by relaxing—with a capital R !”

“I hope that means no more cases,” Bess teased. “After the two mysteries you solved in Switzerland and Italy, I think you’ve done your share of detective work in Europe.”

Nancy thought back to the two cases, which she already called Swiss Secrets and Rendezvous in Rome . “Dealing with blackmailers and jewelry thieves is enough action for one summer,” she said, burying her toes in the warm sand. “But you know I can’t resist when a mystery comes along—”

She was interrupted by a familiar male voice with an Australian accent. “I think I’ve died and gone to bikini heaven!”

Smiling, Nancy glanced over to see Mick Devlin coming down the footpath that led to the beach from the hotel. Just the sight of his blond hair and laughing green eyes sent a pleasant tingle racing through her.

Nancy wasn’t sure how it had happened, but the gorgeous Australian had found his way deeper and deeper into her heart since she first met him in Switzerland. She hadn’t exactly forgotten about Ned Nickerson, her boyfriend back in the States. But she wasn’t at all sure where things stood with him, either.

“Have a seat,” Nancy said, putting the towel beside her.

“Thanks.” Mick peeled off his polo shirt and sprawled in the sand. “Ah . . . this is the life. Hot sun, cool sea, beautiful girl.” He gave Nancy’s hand a squeeze. “Can’t think of any way I’d rather spend a Monday afternoon.”

“Well, don’t get too cozy,” Nancy teased, pulling a book entitled Let’s See Europe out of her tote bag. “From reading our guidebook, I think the islands will keep us pretty busy.”

Mick propped himself up on one elbow to read over her shoulder. “I see what you mean. There’s snorkeling, windsurfing, dancing, island-hopping . . .”

“Sounds great!” George put in.

Bess cracked open an eye to look at her friends. “Don’t forget, there are shops and marketplaces to scope out, too. I’m dying to check out those quaint little places I saw near the harbor in Chora when our ferry came in.”

“I thought you’d given up shopping,” Nancy teased, referring to their experience in Rome. In a small shop Bess had inadvertently exchanged her fake Etruscan necklace for a real one, which the girls later learned had been stolen. As a result, their relaxing vacation had turned into a suspenseful search for a jewel thief.

“Oh, that was another time, another country,” Bess said airily.

Nancy laughed. “Maybe we can squeeze in some shopping this afternoon,” she said, shielding her eyes from the sun. “I don’t want to stay out here too long, or I’ll be as crisp as a french fry.”

Just then a pretty dark-haired girl appeared on the footpath. “Who’s ready for lemonade?” Zoe Kavalis asked, holding up a plastic thermos. In her other hand she carried a straw bag with glasses in it.

“Just in the nick of time,” George said, jumping up to help Zoe pour. “That swim definitely made me thirsty.”

Zoe handed Nancy a glass of lemonade, then paused to push a spray of tiny curls out of her eyes. A tall, fine-boned girl with smooth olive skin and brown eyes, Zoe wore her wavy, dark hair coiled at the nape of her neck.

“I thought I would never make it to the beach!” Zoe said, unbuttoning her sundress to reveal a royal blue one-piece swimsuit.

“We saw that busload of British tourists at the hotel,” Nancy said. “Were they checking out—or in?”

“Out, thank goodness!” Zoe said, rolling her eyes in relief. “Papa was happy to have the business, but I was not sorry to see a crowd that size go. Too much work.”

In the distance Nancy heard the buzz of an approaching motorboat. She looked out over the water and saw a good-size yellow boat cut in toward the shoreline. Although she couldn’t read the Greek letters of the boat’s name, she did make out a five-pointed star painted on the bow.

Zoe glanced over, and Nancy saw her frown. “That is Theo Pattakos—he’s a fisherman.”

The boat swerved to within a few yards of the shore before the young man aboard cut the engine. As he dropped the anchor over the side, Nancy saw that Theo was a solid, muscular guy with black hair that was slicked back off his brow. His bare chest was tanned a golden brown that seemed even darker against his fluorescent orange swim trunks.