Thunder Valley Read online

  WHERE THERE’S SMOKE …

  In a daze, Jeremy put his jacket on and walked down the road to the garage.

  He found the garage door shut and locked, so he walked around to the smaller side door. It was standing wide open.

  A noise came from the back of the garage, where extra parts were stored.

  “Jason, is that you?”

  There was no answer.

  Jeremy slowly moved through the dark garage. There was a strange orange glow in the back. “Hello?”

  A figure in black darted past him, knocking him backward into a tool chest.

  Jeremy scrambled to his feet. Something didn’t smell right.

  Smoke!

  OTHER YEARLING BOOKS YOU WILL ENJOY:

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  SHILOH, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

  MISSING MAY, Cynthia Rylant

  AWFULLY SHORT FOR THE FOURTH GRADE, Elvira Woodruff

  THE SUMMER I SHRANK MY GRANDMOTHER, Elvira Woodruff

  HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS, Thomas Rockwell

  HOW TO FIGHT A GIRL, Thomas Rockwell

  BEETLES, LIGHTLY TOASTED, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

  MR. TUCKET, Gary Paulsen

  YEARLING BOOKS are designed especially to entertain and enlighten young people. Patricia Reilly Giff, consultant to this series, received her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College and a master’s degree in history from St. John’s University. She holds a Professional Diploma in Reading and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Hofstra University. She was a teacher and reading consultant for many years, and is the author of numerous books for young readers.

  Published by

  Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers

  a division of

  Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

  1540 Broadway

  New York, New York 10036

  Copyright © 1998 by Gary Paulsen

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.

  The trademarks Yearling® and Dell® are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-80408-2

  Interior illustration by Michael David Biegel

  v3.1

  Contents

  Cover

  Other Yearling Books You Will Enjoy

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Dear Readers:

  Real adventure is many things—it’s danger and daring and sometimes even a struggle for life or death. From competing in the Iditarod dogsled race across Alaska to sailing the Pacific Ocean, I’ve experienced some of this adventure myself. I try to capture this spirit in my stories, and each time I sit down to write, that challenge is a bit of an adventure in itself.

  You’re all a part of this adventure as well. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of talking with many of you in schools, and this book is the result of hearing firsthand what you want to read about most—power-packed adventure and excitement.

  You asked for it—so hang on tight while we jump into another thrilling story in my World of Adventure.

  CHAPTER 1

  Fourteen-year-old Jeremy Parsons waited at the top of Sawtooth Ridge. This was his favorite run and his favorite time of day. The sun had almost gone down and the last of the stragglers had found their way off the slopes and were now sitting by the fire inside his grandfather’s ski lodge, sipping from mugs of hot chocolate.

  Jeremy pulled his ski goggles down over his brown eyes and got ready. Inside his head, he heard the voice of the sportscaster:

  And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have the newcomer, Jeremy Parsons, competing in the downhill event against World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Jean-Claude Killy. Jeremy’s getting into position … and he’s off!

  Jeremy lunged from the edge and plummeted down the slope. The wind whipped powdery snow up against his red cheeks. He swung around a dangerous stand of pine trees and then over a series of bumps. Everything was a blur. All he could think about was the finish line. At the bottom he skidded to a stop, turned, and breathlessly looked back up at the mountain.

  Jean-Claude Killy had been a champion skier back in the 1960s. But he was Jeremy’s all-time favorite skier—and the one Jeremy always raced in his imagination.

  “Did you beat him this time?”

  Jeremy spun around and found himself looking into the face of his mirror image, his twin brother, Jason. Everyone said they looked exactly alike—the same curly blond hair, the same scattering of freckles. But there were some things about them that were definitely not alike. The way Jason loved to play practical jokes, for example.

  Jeremy slid past his brother. “As usual, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Sure.” Jason folded his arms. “I watched you come off Sawtooth. You were racing against Jean-Claude like you used to when we were kids.”

  “So? What if I was?”

  Jason’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Oh, never mind. I just came up here to tell you I finished checking the other trails. Looks like everything’s all right.”

  Jeremy felt a twinge of guilt. It had been his turn to check the trails and make sure all the skiers were in. Jason was only supposed to check the lifts. Jeremy ran his hand through his hair sheepishly. “Thanks. I’ll take your turn tomorrow.”

  “No problem. Oh, one other thing. Grandma wants both of us to meet her in the lodge lobby when we’re done.”

  “In the lodge?” Jeremy raised one eyebrow suspiciously. “Why not at the house?”

  Jason shrugged. His brown eyes were wide and his face was the picture of innocence.

  Jeremy stepped out of his bindings and hoisted his skis and poles onto his shoulder. “It must really be important if she wants to talk to both of us.”

  “I’m sure it is.” Jason followed his brother down the well-worn path to the Thunder Valley Ski Lodge. Their grandfather had started the lodge more than thirty years earlier. Back then, the lodge was only a one-room log cabin and a rope tow that ran off a gasoline engine to haul the skiers to the top of the trail. It had grown into one of the finest small resorts in the country.

  Jeremy and Jason were living at the lodge to help out this ski season. Their grandfather had broken his hip in a skiing accident, and their grandmother had asked the boys’ parents to let them stay for the winter. They would be tutored at the lodge. Since their parents would be traveling in Europe for most of the season anyway, they’d decided to let the boys stay.

  Jason jumped up onto the wooden porch of the ski lodge and held the door open for his brother. Jeremy stepped inside, and the people sitting around the fireplace immediately stopped talking. He shifted uncomfortably and leaned his skis against the wall.

  Suddenly the room erupted with clapping and cheers. One of the college students walked over and slapped Jeremy on the back. “Way to go, Champ.”

  A pretty girl in a pink ski suit called out, “Can I have your autograph?”

  Jeremy gave his brother a questioning look. “What’s all this about? I thought you said Grandma wanted us.”

  Jason shrugged again. A little girl with long black hair pulled on Jeremy�
��s pants leg. “Is it really true that you just raced against a world champion skier and won?”

  Jeremy’s face grew warm. He turned to his brother and mouthed the words, “I’m going to kill you.” Then he turned back to the small crowd, smiled, and bowed. “Thank you. Thank you. But no applause is necessary—just throw money.”

  Immediately he was barraged with gloves, ski masks, and even a snow boot. He ducked as the boot came at him. It sailed past and walloped Jason right between the eyes, knocking him back a few steps.

  Jeremy laughed. “Serves you right. Looks like your little joke backfired on you.”

  Jason rubbed his forehead and grumbled. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. Next time …”

  “Next time?” Jeremy picked up the boot and started for him.

  Jason held up his hands and backed toward the door. “Hey, you know me. I was just kidding.” He slid through the door, leaving it open a crack.

  The door slammed shut just as the boot smashed into it.

  CHAPTER 2

  The next day, the boys hurried through their morning routines and then went back to the house for a quick breakfast.

  “Your grandfather is in one of his moods this morning.” A thin woman with gray-streaked hair pulled into a severe bun set a platter of bacon on the dining room table. “Your grandmother, poor thing, is in there now trying to calm him down.”

  The boys could hear loud voices coming from their grandparents’ bedroom.

  Jason scooped a large portion of bacon onto his plate. “What’s the problem this time, Lila?”

  Lila had been hired a few months earlier by their grandmother as housekeeper and part-time nurse for their grandfather. Lila had already threatened to quit several times because of their grandfather’s outbursts. But each time, their gentle grandmother had persuaded her to stay, at least until Grandpa was well again.

  Lila folded her hands and looked primly at Jason over the top of her horn-rimmed glasses. “It’s this place. Mr. Parsons is having some sort of financial trouble.” Then, as if she’d said too much, she turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen.

  Jeremy slid out of his chair. “I’ll go back and see if there’s anything I can do.”

  “Good idea.” Jason reached for the platter again. “And I’ll take care of your share of the bacon.”

  Jeremy met his grandmother coming out of the bedroom. “Is everything okay?”

  Grace Parsons sighed and moved a short strand of white hair out of her face. “His hip is bothering him. But it’s more than that. He claims that receipts are down and the lodge isn’t bringing in money the way it should.”

  Jeremy frowned. “How can that be? We’re packed with customers. David even asked Jason and me if we’d take over teaching the beginners’ class because he’s swamped.”

  “I know, dear. I tried to tell your grandfather. Maybe you can convince him not to worry.”

  “I’ll do my best.” Jeremy knocked lightly on the bedroom door.

  A voice from inside growled, “What do you want?”

  “It’s me, Grandpa, Jeremy. Can I come in?”

  “And why in the name of great Jehoshaphat couldn’t you come in? I won’t eat you, you know.”

  Jeremy opened the door, poked his head in, and grinned. “Are you sure? Have you had breakfast yet?”

  “Very funny. Get in here, Twin, and tell me what’s going on out there in the real world.”

  Papers and account ledgers covered every available spot on the old-fashioned feather bed. The big man was propped up on several pillows and had obviously been going over the lodge’s record books. His glasses had slipped down his long, pointed nose. He pushed them up with one finger. “Pull up that chair over there, Twin.”

  George Parsons had always been an athletic man. He was sixty-two and, until his accident, had still been able to beat most of the college kids down Sawtooth. Being confined to a bed was torture for him.

  Jeremy grabbed the desk chair, flipped it around, and straddled it. He studied his grandfather’s face. It looked tired and worried. “What’s going on, Grandpa?”

  “You want the straight skinny or a cover-up?”

  Jeremy tried not to laugh at the way his grandfather talked. Sometimes he had to go to his grandmother to get the things Grandpa said interpreted.

  Jeremy cleared his throat. “Give it to me straight, Grandpa.”

  “Thunder Valley is in trouble. Since I’ve been laid up, strange things have been happening.”

  “Like what?”

  “This.” Grandpa pushed his glasses up again and reached for a bankbook. “Every couple of weeks I send a deposit to the bank. But when I get the statement back it doesn’t match the amount I recorded.”

  “Have you called the bank?” Jeremy asked.

  “I called them. Bunch of ninnies. They swear up and down that their records match to the penny the money I’ve been sending in.”

  “That’s weird. Maybe you should have someone double-check your figures.”

  “Check my figures?” George Parsons’s face turned purple and his voice grew loud. “That’s just what your grandmother said. She thinks my pain medication has addled my brain. I’ll have both of you know that I’ve been doing my own bookkeeping for thirty years. I don’t need anybody to baby-sit me.”

  Jeremy decided to change the subject. “You said there were other things going on. What are they?”

  His grandfather let out a weary breath and leaned back on the pillows. “Remember the new double chairlifts I said I wanted to install this year on the bunny slope?”

  Jeremy nodded.

  “I ordered them last season. They’re still not here. Every time I call the company, they insist they never received payment.”

  “Don’t you have a receipt or something to show you paid?”

  Jeremy’s grandfather shook his head. “It’s the darnedest thing. I always keep a careful record of things like this. Somehow it’s turned up missing.”

  Jeremy stood and pushed the chair back under the desk. “I wouldn’t worry so much, Grandpa. All these things can be straightened out. In the meantime, Jason and I are keeping an eye on things. We’re busier than last year. By the end of the month, you should be rich.”

  “Thanks for helping out, Twin. I feel better knowing that someone I can trust is out there.”

  CHAPTER 3

  “What does Grandma think?” Jason wrapped a bright yellow scarf around his neck and followed Jeremy to the snack bar.

  “She doesn’t know what to think—or do. She wanted to hire an accountant but Grandpa won’t give up doing the books.”

  A friendly face appeared at the snack window. “What’ll it be, gents?”

  “Hi, Corky.” Jeremy took off one of his gloves and rested his skis against the building. “How about a hot chocolate?”

  “Hot chocolate it is.” The redheaded young man looked at Jason. “I suppose you want your usual—cola mixed with grape slush?”

  Jason nodded. “It’s the breakfast drink of champions.”

  “Right.” After a minute Corky handed them their drinks. As he did, the sun flashed on a small gold medallion he wore around his neck. Jeremy found himself staring at it. It was an emblem in the shape of an upside-down V with a bold black line through the middle: .

  Jeremy started to ask what it was, but Corky noticed him looking at it. He hastily tucked it inside his turtleneck. “It’s a fraternity thing from school. Anything else I can get for you guys?”

  “No thanks, Corky.” Jason took a long pull on his drink and belched. “We’re working men. See you later.”

  “That was strange.” Jeremy led the way to the beginners’ practice area.

  “What was strange? I always burp after I drink one of these. They’re practically lethal.”

  “Not you, doofwad—Corky. He acted like he didn’t want me to see his necklace.”

  “Maybe it’s secret. You know, some of those fraternities have passwords and stuff that they don’t
want anybody else to know.”

  “Maybe …”

  Jason tossed his cup into a nearby trash can. “Speaking of stuff nobody knows, did you finish your assignments for Mr. Stern? He’ll be here this afternoon to check up on us.”

  “I finished yesterday. It wasn’t hard. Mr. Stern’s a pretty good teacher.”

  “I’ll say. And the best part is, he only comes around twice a week.”

  They rounded the corner of the building and came face to face with David Watts, the ski instructor. He had an angry look on his face. “Okay, what’s going on around here? Your grandfather could have at least told me in person.”

  The twins looked at each other, confused. Jeremy spoke first. “What are you talking about, David? We were just on our way to get this morning’s list of students.”

  “What students?” The handsome athlete shoved a crumpled piece of paper at him.

  Jeremy smoothed it out and read aloud, “ ‘All skiing lessons have been discontinued until further notice, due to lack of a certified instructor.’ ”

  “I don’t get it,” Jason said. “Aren’t you a certified instructor?”

  “Take a look at this.” David gave Jason a pink slip of paper. “It was in my mailbox yesterday.”

  Jason skimmed through the letter. “I don’t believe it. Grandpa wouldn’t do something like this.”

  “What?” Jeremy grabbed the letter from his brother. “This says Grandpa has accused you of improper behavior with the students and demands your immediate resignation.”

  “I can read,” the instructor snarled. “After six years, he could have at least had the decency to tell me to my face! And what does he mean by ‘improper behavior’? I’ve never done anything improper—I just come in and teach!”

  Jeremy shook his head. “Let me talk to Grandpa, David. There has to be some kind of mistake.”

  “You bet there is.” David Watts stuffed the two notices into his pocket and stomped off toward the lodge. “And your grandfather’s the one who made it.”

  CHAPTER 4