"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh. Over fields we go, laughing all the way. Ha ha ha!" The van burst alive with the sound of teens singing, very out of key, might I add. Nancy Drew waved her hands like a conductor for an orchestra.

"Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright. What fun it is to ride and sing a sleigh song tonight! Oh!" The singers consisted of George Fayne, Bess Marvin, (the two were cousins) as well as Ned Nickerson, Nancy's boyfriend. They harmonized with happy carols, for it was Christmas within two weeks. Lights brightened doorsteps all over River Heights. It was a wonderful time indeed. Ned, who drove, was bobbing his head back and forth to the group's out-of-tune carols. George and Bess were in the back, desperately trying to out-sing the other. Nancy was sitting shotgun, but was looking back at the cousins.

To everyone's delight, a faint snow had started falling a few days previous. It never grew stronger, but never weakened. Now, maybe two inches covered the ground. The streets showed no ice. Pine trees held a white outline, as did the houses and sidewalks. It was the perfect Christmas scenery. And, to Nancy, it was even more perfect because she was with her friends. Though, her father was away in Florida for a client, she was staying at Bess's house. Hannah had taken the time to go see her family. The Drew household would be empty for the holidays.

It was almost 11:00. The darkness outside illuminated Ned's van, for the foursome had spent the day putting glow-in-the-dark holiday stickers all over it. They had just come from George's house, where they had eating a wondrous meal fit for a king: mouth-watering turkey, a pinked, juicy lamb, sided with herbed mash potatoes and delicious green-beans that could stop traffic.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh." Nancy voice was hoarse from the screaming they were doing. She watched as her boyfriend headed for an intersection. It was then Nancy yelled, "Stop singing! Stop!"

George pretended to look offended. "What's wrong?" But Nancy wasn't looking at her. She was listening for the singing coming from outside the vehicle. It was faint at first, then gradually grew louder. It sounded even more out of key then Bess and George's singing. Except it was only one voice. The other voices she heard sounded like, "Shhh." As it grew louder, Nancy saw it. A car was curving back and forth through the street. It didn't look as though it was stopping. Ned began to drive through the intersection. Headlight shined in Nancy's blue eyes. "NED, WATCH OUT!" She screamed in terror. Her feminine scream was the last human voice heard. The crash was followed by Ned's car spinning wildly.

It halted after two rotations, then nothing... no one... moved.