"Albemarle's is kind of late with the whole holiday decorating thing, isn't it? All the other stores start right after Halloween." George Fayne's lanky, athletic stride set the pace as she and Nancy Drew walked across the parking lot toward Albemarle's department store.

"I know," Nancy said. "But the decorations are always so cool, it's worth the wait."

It was a day in late November. It didn't feel like autumn anymore, but it still wasn't really winter either. Nancy's blue down jacket felt good against the brisk wind. The bright sun reflected off her reddish blond hair. With her slim, fit body, she had no trouble keeping up with George.

"Well, with Bess working on the decorating crew, they may never finish," George pointed out. "She can take forever with something like that."

Nancy opened the heavy brass-trimmed door, and they entered the store. Albemarle's was the oldest store in River Heights, and now the great-grandson of the founder was running the place. The first floor was two stories high and filled with display cases trimmed in dark wood. Huge, old-fashioned glass chandeliers cast a warm glow over the room.

A large balcony -- the mezzanine -- projected from two walls and hung over the first floor. An eyeglasses department, luggage displays, and a tea room were located on the mezzanine.

"Geez, this place is really jumping for a Wednesday," George said, watching dozens of shoppers darting from counter to counter. "Looks like everybody's got the holiday spirit."

Nancy looked around the huge room, assessing the people she saw -- young men and women on lunch break from their jobs, mothers or fathers with small children, and college students between classes. She also saw a lot of people in their teens. It was the week of State High School Teachers Convention, and students got a few days' break from school.

Nancy and George walked up the wide stairway that led to the mezzanine.

"Yay, you made it!" Bess Marvin's cheery voice cut through the hum of the lunch crowd in the tea room. She wore a green blazer, and her curly blond hair spilled over the collar. "Hurry," Bess urged her friends. "I can't wait till you meet Ali."

Nancy and George zigzagged over to Bess's table. "Nancy, where did you get that jacket?" Bess asked. "It matches your eyes. And mine! I definitely have to borrow it sometime."

"Albemarle's, of course," Nancy answered as she and George took their seats. The chairs were comfy with navy blue velvet upholstery and cream-painted wooden arms and legs.

Nancy smiled when she looked at Bess and George, her two best friends. Sometimes people were surprised to hear that Bess was George's cousin, because they were so different in every way. Both were Nancy's age -- eighteen -- but Bess was shorter and heavier than George. Her bubbly personality contrasted with George's no-nonsense manner.

"Ali, these are my dearest friends in the whole world," Bess said, introducing Nancy and George to Ali Marie. "I was at camp with Ali when I was ten years old," Bess explained, "and we haven't seen each other since. She was sixteen then, and one of the junior counselors. It was so great to run into her here at the store! She works in the junior's department -- I think it's called WAVE."

Nancy knew that Albemarle's named some of their departments to give them a special feel, more like a small boutique. She had shopped at WAVE, which was a special department on the second floor catering to young adults who wanted to keep up with the latest trends.

"You'll have to check our department out while you're here," Ali said. "We've got some really cool new holiday stuff." She was very pretty, with wavy auburn hair and large gray-blue eyes. She was wearing fitted black pants and a crisp white shirt.

"Ali is on the executive track here," Bess reported. She paused while the four gave their lunch orders to the waitress. "She's going to be a buyer," Bess concluded when the waitress left.

"Well, that's one goal," Ali said. "But first I have to get through the holiday season -- and it can be really wild. This time of year it's all about sales, promotions, and crazy shoppers. We slashed the prices for a special sale once, and two girls fought so hard over a skirt that they ripped it right in two."

"Sort of gives new meaning to the word 'slash' right?" George observed with a clever smile.

"Exactly," Ali said, grinning. "I really shouldn't be laughing, because it just contributes to the overall shrinkage, but it was funny."

"Shrinkage," Bess repeated. "What does that mean?"

The waitress served them their hamburgers, fries, and sodas while Ali explained. " 'Shrinkage' is the store security word for all merchandise that is lost for some reason or another -- shoplifting, damage, whatever."

"Shoplifting can be more of a problem during the holiday season," Nancy pointed out. "Most department stores base their whole revenue predictions and budgets on their holiday sales. Lots of special promotions bring in more customers. And the more shoppers there are, the easier it is for thieves to hide what they're doing."

"But the store knows that, right?" Bess asked. "Don't they add more detectives and security people during the holiday season?"

"That helps a lot," Ali said, nodding. "Albemarle's added a few extra people." She leaned in toward the others. "But we've had some problems already -- in the electronics department. I just heard this morning that some very expensive stuff is missing from their stockroom: high-end minicomputers, handhelds, business machines, even surveillance equipment."

"That sounds like more than light shoplifting," Nancy said. "Or maybe it's shoplifting with an insider as a connection."

"You mean an Albemarle's employee?" George asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Mmm-hmm," Nancy answered. "Or someone actually breaking in at night."

"Have you ever seen someone steal something, Ali?" Bess asked.

"I've certainly seen some pretty suspicious people," Ali said, "especially since we started our party clothes promotion over the last few days. But I've never seen someone actually stick something in a purse or under a coat or whatever. There has been one woman sort of hanging around lately. I think she acts weird, and she's never bought anything while I'm on the floor. I told my manager about it, but she thinks I'm imagining things."

"Well, Nancy's the best detective in River Heights," Bess exclaimed. "If Albemarle's had any sense, they'd have her working undercover to watch over their stuff."

Bess and George told Ali about a few of Nancy's past cases while they ate their lunch. Then the conversation switched to clothes and some of the new trends.

"We've got some new Ellen-Louise party dresses in that are so cool," Ali mentioned.

"They're gorgeous," Bess agreed. "But there's no way I can afford them. I did get a scarf, though."

"Which reminds me," Ali said, checking her watch. "It's two o'clock already. I'd better get back to work."

"Me too," Bess declared, jumping up. "At least I don't have far to go." She pointed to the opposite end of the mezzanine, where Nancy could see people hanging garlands of dark green tied with large burgundy bows. "Are you two going to hang out for a while?" she asked Nancy and George.

"Actually, I'm headed to WAVE to look for a sweater," Nancy answered.

"And I'm checking out some golf clubs," George said.

"In the winter?" Bess asked.

"Hey, I know what I'm doing," George said. "Golf stuff will be on super-sale. See you later!"

Nancy and Bess walked to the stairway. "Stop by before you leave," Bess urged Nancy before she walked over to the decorating crew.

Nancy went back down the mezzanine stairway to the first floor, then took the escalator up to WAVE on the second floor. The entrance to the department was an arch created by a large blue crashing wave. Ali was busy with another customer, so Nancy looked at sweaters. As she held up a soft red one in front of a mirror, Ali joined her.

"There," Ali whispered as she met Nancy's gaze in the mirror. "See that woman over your left shoulder?"

Nancy looked in the mirror at the reflection of a woman in a black coat with wooden buttons.

"She's the one I was talking about at lunch," Ali said, her voice still low. "The woman who hangs around but never buys anything. I don't think she's a shopper."

Nancy watched the woman leafing through some merino wool blazers hanging from a rod tucked into a wall alcove. She had straight, almost-black hair in an earlobe-length bob. Occasionally the woman would glance around at the other shoppers as if she felt someone watching her.

Ali was called away, but Nancy stayed at her vantage point in front of the mirror. She turned and posed, holding the sweater in front of her, but watching the woman in the reflection. Occasionally Nancy pretended to study the sweater's stitching or label. Once when she looked up, the woman was staring at her in the mirror. Nancy looked away and then back, and the woman was gone.

Nancy looked around and saw the woman's head bobbing away through the crowd. Nancy couldn't resist checking out the woman that Ali thought was suspicious. "Hold this for me," she told Ali, handing her the sweater. "I'll be right back."

Nancy followed the woman out of WAVE and across the second floor to the escalator. They both rode down to the first floor, Nancy about ten steps behind the woman. The woman took a seat in the shoe department and began talking to one of the saleswomen.

Nancy ducked into the hosiery department nearby, where she could keep an eye on the woman. While Nancy looked at socks and stockings, she watched as the woman began trying on shoes. Minutes passed. The woman seemed to be preparing for a long stay in the shoe department. Nancy watched as she took off the black coat with the wooden buttons and draped it over a nearby chair. The saleswoman emerged from the stockroom nearly hidden by a double stack of shoeboxes.

Looks like she might be a shopper after all, Nancy thought. She watched a few minutes longer, then decided to head back upstairs.

When Nancy returned to WAVE, she spotted Ali across the room. She was pointing toward the corner as she spoke to a woman seated behind a sleek chrome sales desk. As Nancy approached them, the sound of Ali's voice pierced through the funky music shaking from the speakers on the wall.

"They're gone, Diedra!" Ali said. "All of them. Someone has stolen all the Ellen-Louise gowns!"