Iced!: The 2007 Journal of Nick Fitzmorgan (16 page)

JIBAN TOOK MALLORY’S CAMERA.

“Well, I guess this is good-bye,” I said sadly. “Thank you for everything, Jiban.”

The Sherpa looked offended. “What is this good-bye, Henry? Doesn’t your son know that friends don’t say good-bye, they say
see you soon?”

Jiban laughed. He grabbed me in a quick hug and then gave one to Maura and finally, to my dad. Without another word, he turned
and strode off up toward the peak.

“Good luck!” Maura called after him.

Now it was just the three of us. It was time to get back to Camp 2.

“As tempting as it is,” my dad said, “there’s one thing I guess we shouldn’t leave up here. …”

“What?” I asked.

“Your godfather.”

It was a bad joke, but I had to smile. I even caught Maura wearing a little grin.

We dragged the supply sled around the rock where Uncle Benny was still unconscious but breathing fine. We strapped him to
the sled. Even if it tipped upside down, he wouldn’t fall off. That should keep him safe until we reached Camp 2, where Judge
would have help waiting for us.

As we headed down the mountain, I paused to look up toward the peak once more. I could just barely make out Jiban. He was
a dark silhouette as he strode confidently toward the top.

JIBAN WAVED TO US AND KEPT CLIMBING.

As if he could sense our eyes on him, he turned and waved. Then, he began climbing again and soon disappeared into the clouds.

We had cracked a big case here today, but the mountain looked just as mysterious as ever.

Dad had paused next to me, following my gaze. “We’ll come back someday and make it all the way to the top, okay?”

I put an arm around his shoulder. “I think I’ve gone far enough for a while,” I said.

He smiled, and the four of us headed down the mountain together.

WARNING
:
This message gives away parts of the story!

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

One of the fun things about being a writer is that I can send my characters to places I’ve always dreamed of going. At least until I have the chance to make my dreams come true in person, that is.

Just about everyone I know has imagined climbing Mount Everest at one time or another. So when I was thinking up places to take detective Nick Fitzmorgan, it seemed like the perfect spot. Not only because it’s the world’s tallest mountain but also because it’s home to one of history’s greatest mysteries: Was George Mallory the first climber to reach the summit?

To make this fascinating mystery even more exciting, I took a few liberties. For instance, Mallory was lost while climbing up the north side of Everest. I wanted Nick to cross the dangerous Khumbu Icefall so I sent him and his friends up the south side.

And, as far as I know, Mallory’s camera has never been discovered. Its location is a mystery just waiting to be solved! Will you be the one to crack the case?

Yours in time,

Bill Doyle

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bill Doyle was born in Lansing, Michigan, and wrote his$$$ first mystery when he was eight. He loved seeing the shock on people’s faces when they discovered the identify of the story’s villain—and knew then that he was hooked on writing. Bill has written for Sesame Workshop, LeapFrog, Scholastic, R
OLLING
S
TONE
, TIME
FOR
K
IDS
, and the Museum of Natural History. He lives in New York City with a mysterious dachshund named Esme.

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THE INSPECTOR

15c                   We Have an “EYE” for News

MYSTERY

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

KATHMANDU, NEPAL: Two weeks ago, six climbers went up Mount Everest, determined to put to rest an 83-year-old mystery. “We searched for evidence that could tell us if George Mallory was first to reach the top of Everest,” says Troy Howard, the leader of the climbers. “Unfortunately, we didn’t find what we were looking for.”