A/N: Thank you so much, Max2013, Caranath, Stork Hardy, Jackie, Love and Laugh, Vinsmouse, Leya, and Manchu for your reviews! They are very much appreciated! And Love and Laugh and Manchu, I think this chapter will answer your questions. LOL

Chapter 2

Nancy Drew stepped through the front door of her home, with a gust of wind from the Chicago winter pushing her from behind. She looked up to see her father entering the living room from his study. He paused and smiled as she and her best friend, Bess Marvin, began tossing off their heavy overcoats, scarves and mittens after a long day of scouring the malls for bargains.

"Miserable outside, isn't it?" Carson Drew commented.

"Yes, but the sales were fabulous." Bess smiled as she held up two large shopping bags. "So it was worth it."

Carson chuckled. "I would have been disappointed if you'd said anything else, Bess."

"What's up, Dad?" Nancy demanded, recognizing the look in his eye. The one that told her she was about to be given a new case to work on.

"Funny you should ask." He sat down in a nearby wing chair. "I've just had a phone call from an old friend of mine, Father Bertrand."

"I don't recall that name." She eased herself onto the sofa opposite him, and folded her legs underneath her.

"Well, I knew him many years ago from some legal work I was doing for the Catholic church in Europe."

"Sounds interesting. Is that why he's calling you now?"

"No, this time it's something entirely different. Something I thought you might be interested in, Nancy."

"Uh oh," Bess said with a sigh. "I smell a mystery."

"Yes, but one that involves a centuries old monastery in Switzerland," Carson said, looking at Nancy. "And a ski resort for the rich and famous," he added, turning to Bess.

"You've got my attention," Bess said, coming around to sit next to Nancy on the sofa.

"Well, it seems that the monastery has had something very valuable stolen from them, and Father Bertrand is afraid this might only be the beginning," Carson explained.

"Why?" Nancy spoke up. "What did they have stolen? And why did he call you about it?"

It had been two weeks since Nancy's last case, which had turned out to be nothing more than doing surveillance work to find out if the defendant in a divorce case was, in fact, cheating on his wife. He was. Those types of cases bored Nancy to tears. But what her father was talking about actually sounded interesting.

Carson held up his hands and laughed. "One question at a time, please."

"And just exactly which rich and famous people frequent this ski resort?" Bess added.

Nancy shot her a look. Celebrities were not on her agenda, and she didn't want her dad distracted by Bess's "Hollywood stalker" tendencies. "Tell me more about what the priest wanted, Dad."

"Okay." Carson put on a pair of eyeglasses and flipped through a legal pad he was holding. "Father Bertrand is worried, because the cathedral, which is part of the monastery complex, is full of valuable art and relics. Apparently last week, an elaborate monstrance was stolen from behind the locked altar gate. Its worth is inestimable, and he feels that whoever took it knew exactly what they were after."

"So, it had to be someone who knew it was there, and how they could get their hands on it," Nancy said, her mind already formulating theories as to whom the most likely suspect could be.

Carson nodded. "Because of that, Father Bertrand is afraid that this might only be the beginning. The monastery and the cathedral are open to the public. People are very devoted to some of the relics there and make pilgrimages to visit."

"So anyone could have access to it, then?" Nancy asked.

"Well, not anyone could have stolen it, but certainly anyone could have had access to the building itself."

"Um, what exactly is a monstrance?" Bess interrupted.

"It's used in the Catholic church to display the consecrated communion wafer," Nancy explained. She was happy to see that the world religions class she'd taken during her last semester in college was finally paying off.

"Oh," Bess said. "Is it big?"

"This one was fairly large and ornate, maybe two feet tall," Carson said. "It was gold and encrusted with lots of valuable gems."

"Gold and gems...two of my favorite things," Bess said with a grin.

"So why did Father Bertrand call you, Dad?" Nancy asked.

"He doesn't want any publicity concerning the crime. It wouldn't be good for the church or for tourism," Carson explained. "He thought I might recommend someone who could help him, and who could be discreet about it."

Nancy smiled. "Am I going to Switzerland?"

Carson nodded. "And Bess, too, if she'd like."

"Oooh, yes!" Bess squealed. "I need to go back to the mall though. I have to buy some ski-bunny ensembles."

Nancy rolled her eyes. "Hang on, Bess." She turned to her father. "When did you want us to leave?"

"As soon as possible," Carson said. "How about the day after tomorrow?"

Nancy nodded as she stood, then paused for a moment. "Dad, do you think you could get three tickets to Switzerland?"

"Three?" Carson looked surprised. "I thought you said George was out of town. And isn't Frank on a case?"

"Yes. I was thinking of Emily Clark."

"Emily?" Carson seemed puzzled, then smiled. "Oh, she's Joe's girlfriend, isn't she?"

"Yes, and she's majoring in art history and she speaks fluent French," Nancy said. "She might come in handy."

"Okay," Carson agreed. "Three tickets it is."

"Thanks, Dad." Nancy hugged her father. "I'll call her right now."

OOOoooOOO

Joe unlocked the door to the Alpine suite and gazed around the spacious living room. Nice. There were two separate seating areas, one in front of a stone fireplace and one grouped near a television set, as well as a full-size bar with a large dining table off to the side.

"You two have the bedroom just past the fireplace," Kathy gestured, as she breezed through the doorway.

"Thanks," Frank said with a smile, stepping up beside his brother.

"Listen, Joe, I'm sorry about the lobby." Kathy turned to him, and Joe noticed her brow was furrowed and she was biting her lower lip. "It's just that my friends were with me, and I already told them you were coming and that you were my boyfriend. I thought it would look weird if you didn't even recognize me."

"That's all right," Joe assured her. "You just caught me off guard."

"Good." Kathy's features relaxed with relief.

"Frank and Joe Hardy?" asked a middle-aged woman as she entered the living area from one of the bedrooms. Her brunette hair was pulled back into a tight bun and her navy blue suit was severe and business-like. Joe thought she looked like a prison matron.

"Yes, we're the Hardys," Frank said.

"Simone Broussard," she introduced herself, shaking their hands. "I'm Kathy's guardian."

"Guardian?" Joe was surprised. The dossier hadn't mentioned anything about Kathy having a guardian.

"Yes, Kathy's father travels frequently and isn't able to be with her often, so I fill in for him."

Kathy rolled her eyes. "Not that I need a guardian now that I'm eighteen."

"Your father thinks you still need supervision, and in case you've forgotten, he's paying your bills."

Kathy plopped herself down on a nearby sofa. "How could I possibly forget when you're always reminding me?"

Simone ignored her. "Now, if you boys will put your things in that bedroom, I think it will be suitable. The girls are in the room next to yours, and I am in the room just opposite of theirs." She turned to go then paused. "Oh, and Louis is here, as well. Or he will be."

A groan was heard from Kathy.

"He will sleep on the sofa," Simone said in a firm tone.

"Who's Louis?" Joe asked after Simone left the room.

"He's my father's assistant," Kathy said.

Joe walked over to the chair opposite the couch and sat down. "I take it you don't like him?"

"Let's just say we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things."

Joe nodded. "So what do you think about the notes you've been receiving?"

Kathy shrugged. "I don't think they're anything to get all worked up about. My dad gets stuff like this all the time. So what? It never amounts to anything. He's over-reacting."

Frank took a seat on the couch next to Kathy. "Well, I think he's concerned because these notes have mentioned you specifically."

Kathy shook her head as she looked at Frank and Joe. "I'm not worried. And I'm sorry you were dragged here to follow me around for two weeks."

"We've been dragged to worse places," Frank said with a chuckle.

"And we're sorry you're going to have to put up with us trailing you all the time," Joe offered.

Kathy smiled at him. "I don't think that's going to be too much of a hardship."

OOOoooOOO

"More cookies?" Emily Clark's four year old niece, Lizzie, held the plate out to her.

"No thanks, sweetie, I'm full." Emily smiled down at the brown haired little beauty extending a pink plastic plate stacked high with chocolate chip cookies toward her. Lizzie was a sweetheart, but after four cookies, Emily couldn't possibly eat one more bite. Not to mention, this was the second tea party of the day.

"Where's Joe?" Lizzie demanded.

"He's working, honey," Emily explained. "He won't be here for a little while."

"I like Joe better. He eats more cookies."

Emily laughed and pulled her niece in for a hug. The little girl adored Joe. His charm with women apparently extended all the way down to the preschool age, because Lizzie was totally smitten. "I'm sure he does."

Emily's older sister, Sarah, wandered into the living room of their parents' house, holding her six month old son. "Has she worn you out yet?"

"No." Emily smiled. "I'm afraid I'm disappointing her though. I don't have Joe's appetite for cookies."

"Not many people do," Sarah said dryly.

"True," Emily said with a smile, as she stood and took the baby, cuddling him close to her.

"What's he off doing again?" Sarah asked.

Emily shrugged. "I don't know exactly. I guess it's a secret. Some sort of government thing."

"Wow, sounds dangerous." Sarah handed her the baby's pacifier as she knelt down to help Lizzie with her tea party.

Emily tried to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hated to think Joe might be in danger. "I know. I worry about him all the time."

Sarah smiled at her. "You should be with an accountant, then."

Emily made a face. "No, thanks. That's a little too boring for me."

"Are you saying my husband is boring?" Sarah asked in mock indignation.

Before she could answer her, the telephone rang. Emily's mother called to her from the kitchen. "Emily, sweetheart, the phone's for you. It's Nancy."

"Nancy? Isn't she your future sister-in-law?" Sarah teased as Emily handed back the baby.

"Sure is." Emily grinned as she headed into the kitchen.

OOOoooOOO

"Does she have to hang on me like that all the time?" Joe asked Frank as they unpacked their suitcases in the hotel suite later that afternoon.

Joe noticed that Kathy seemed to be taking her role as his girlfriend very seriously…especially after her friends had returned to the suite. He felt like he was a prize on display in a trophy cabinet.

Frank chuckled. "I think she's planning on it."

Joe shook his head. "It hasn't even been three hours and she's already getting on my nerves."

"Joe, she's young…she's still in high school." Frank hung a suit in the closet. "I think she'll calm down. She's showing you off to her friends right now."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well I can't very well do any investigating if I'm busy being her arm candy."

Frank snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, bro. I'm sure she'll get bored with you in a few days."

"Here's hoping," Joe said, moving his empty suitcase to the closet.

"Joe? Frank?" Simone's voice sounded on the other side of the door.

"Yeah, come on in," Frank called out.

Simone opened the door and Joe immediately noticed her wide eyed stare. Something had frightened her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"This," she replied, holding an envelope by the corner as though it might bite her. "It arrived a few moments ago."

Frank stepped over to her and carefully slipped out a note card. "You can't hide from me, Kathy." He turned the envelope over and looked at the cancellation mark. "This was mailed from Geneva, on Wednesday."

"Where did you get this?" Joe demanded.

"The desk clerk brought it up here. He said it arrived in the afternoon mail."

"Did Kathy open it?" Frank asked.

"Yes, and she's terribly upset." Simone sighed. "I think she really believed these threats were nothing but worry on her father's part. Now I think she's genuinely frightened."

Joe and Frank walked with Simone into the living room where Kathy was standing with her friends.

"Oh, Joe," she cried, running up to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

Joe patted her gently on the back. "It's going to be okay, Kathy. I promise. Frank and I are going to find out who's responsible."

She nodded and sniffled.

Frank looked at Simone. "My brother and I are going to go talk to the desk clerk and see what we can find out."

Joe looked down at Kathy. "You stay right here with your friends and don't open the door for anyone until we get back, okay?"

OOOoooOOO

Kathy retreated to her bedroom with her girlfriends after Frank and Joe left the suite. She didn't want to appear too shaken by the note. Her friends were here for a vacation, after all. If she freaked out too much, it would ruin everything. And she definitely did not want her father telling her she needed to go home. She was going to stay calm about all of it.

"Wow, Kath, you're right. Joe is really hot!" Tammy said, flopping down on her bed.

Kathy gave her roommate a dimpled smile, grateful for the distraction. She thought Joe was even better looking in person than in the newspaper articles she'd seen. But she wasn't going to let her friends in on that little bit of information either. "I know. He's amazing."

"Frank's just as cute," Lauren said. "I'm going to try super hard to get him interested in me."

"Are you sure he doesn't have another brother?" Tammy propped herself up on elbow and gave Kathy a pleading look.

Kathy laughed. "He doesn't." She grabbed a bottle of nail polish, opened it, and began painting one of her toes. "I only wish that whoever is writing these awful notes would stop it so we could have a normal vacation. Joe's so protective, he's going to be spending all of his time trying to figure out who wants to hurt me."

Lauren sighed, as she picked up a brush and started running it through her hair. "I hope someday I have a boyfriend who's that wonderful."

"You can if you snag Frank," Tammy said with a giggle.

Kathy smiled. In spite of the threatening notes, she was planning on this being a wonderful vacation. Especially since she now had Joe Hardy glued to her side 24/7. He would soon realize they were meant to be a couple…and not just for pretend.

OOOoooOOO

Joe turned away from the reservations desk, disappointed. "Okay, so the note really did arrive with the regular mail, nothing special."

"Right," Frank plopped down in one of the large, over-stuffed, lobby chairs. "So if it was mailed a couple of days ago..."

"It means that whoever is behind this knew Kathy was coming here and where she would be staying," Joe finished.

"There's our suspect list," Frank said.

Joe nodded. "Let's start by asking Kathy who knew about this vacation. Then we'll need to find out if those people told anyone else."

"Hopefully the list will have less than fifty people on it," Frank joked.

"Yeah."

Joe stared at the flames dancing in the lobby fireplace. Something told him this case was going to involve a lot more than simply being a bodyguard. This case was going to be trouble. He could feel it.