The Wrong Track Read Online Free PDF Page B

a flourish.
    â€œMay I bring you an appetizer?” he asked.
    Karl ordered fondue. “That’s a fancy name for bread and melted cheese,” he joked. “Where I’m from we always have it after a hard day’s skiing.”
    â€œThis is a gorgeous restaurant,” Nancy said. Karl Reismueller’s showmanship was obvious. Both the front and back walls of the restaurant were windowed. Several of the trails were lit, and the view was magnificent.
    The waiter brought their fondue, and they set to dipping the toasted bread into the steaming pot of melted cheese. Nancy remarked on the vases of fresh roses on each table. “The flowers are wonderful,” she said.
    â€œYou can thank Sheila for them,” Karl said with a fond glance at his wife. “She insists that we have fresh flowers every night.”
    â€œIt might seem to be an extravagance, but I just love fresh flowers,” Sheila said. “That’s why we named the restaurant Edelweiss.”
    Nancy remembered the orchids in DaveKendall’s office and asked Sheila if she was responsible for them, too.
    â€œNo,” she said, laughing lightly and fingering a large horseshoe-shaped pin on her left shoulder. Nancy assumed those were real diamonds covering the pin’s surface.
    â€œDave deserves the compliments,” Sheila said. “Indoor gardening is one of his hobbies, and, as you saw, he’s awfully good at it.”
    â€œDave’s also a good manager,” Karl added as the waiter cleared the fondue pot from their table. “He’s responsible for whatever success we’re having.” Nancy noticed Bess and George taking seats at the table next to them.
    Sheila turned to Nancy. “My husband is too modest,” she said. “He’s the genius behind this and our other businesses. Why, his printing company is the biggest in the state, and his chain of toy stores just keeps growing.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Isn’t that right, Karl?”
    Karl frowned slightly. “Let’s not bore Nancy, Sheila,” he said. “Tell me, have you had a chance to ski any of the trails?”
    Nancy shook her head. “I’m skiing with Ben at nine tomorrow morning, though.”
    â€œYou and Sheila ought to ski together,” Karl said. “She knows the trails as well as any instructor at Tall Pines.”
    â€œI’d like that,” Nancy agreed.
    â€œIt’ll have to be the day after tomorrow,” Sheila told Karl. “I have several appointments tomorrow.”
    Taking a sip of water, Nancy turned to Karl. She decided it was time to get whatever information she could on the theft. “I heard about the theft you had here,” she said. “I understand the police weren’t able to recover most of the money.”
    Sheila’s face grew pale. “That was the last thing we needed, more money prob—”
    â€œWe feel we know who took the money,” Karl interrupted smoothly, “but have decided not to press charges. The publicity would be far too damaging. I certainly hope,” he added with a rueful smile, “that nothing about that unfortunate incident will end up in the pages of Tracks.”
    Nancy smiled and offered a quiet no. She did wonder whether Sheila had started to say “money problems.” She hadn’t heard of any at Tall Pines.
    Before Nancy could ask any more questions, Karl moved on to the subject of Tall Pines’s other attractions. As they ate their filet mignon followed by baked Alaska and coffee he amused them with anecdotes about the resort and its opening.
    â€œThank you for a lovely meal,” Nancy said as they were leaving. “The Edelweiss will get a great write-up in our magazine.”
    Karl smiled, his white teeth glistening in the candlelight. “Now, that’s what I like to hear!” he said. “Come, Sheila.” He pulled back his wife’s chair and took her