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It was Monday morning and pretty 16 year old Holly Holmes was on her way to school with one of her best friends, Darren Carter.
‘I don’t know how you come to be so happy on a Monday morning’ he said.
‘Double English in the first two lessons’ said Holly, running her fingers through her light brown hair, ‘how could you not be happy’
Darren really liked Holly, but if she wasn’t busy with homework, was always solving mysteries, which always worried Darren.
Holly had recently solved the mystery of the missing necklace but not before she had been knocked unconscious twice!
As they entered the classroom, her best girl friend Beth ran up to Holly.
‘Hol guess who I have met this weekend’ Holly shrugged her shoulders.
‘Susan Smith’ announced Beth proudly. Holly still shrugged her shoulders.
‘Holly, sometimes you are hopeless, she used to attend THIS school and now she is a fashion designer’ said Beth, 'what’s more she has heard of you and would like to meet you’.
Holly screwed her nose up, she was much happier solving mysteries in a t-shirt and jeggings than wearing some sparkly party frock.
‘Oh’ said Beth ‘she may have a mystery for you to solve’.
Holly suddenly became super interested, ‘When can we meet her’ said Holly.
‘Tonight after school’ said Beth.
When she arrived home, Holly went straight to her room and changed into a white t-shirt and her skin-tight grey jeggings.
‘Where are you going’ said her mum.
‘To meet a famous designer’ said Holly.
Soon Holly, Beth and Darren were sat in a plush café with Susan Smith.
‘Holly, I have heard so much about you from Beth, I wondered if you might like to help me’ said Susan.
‘What do you need me to do’, said Holly
‘Some of my fashion designs have been disappearing and I wondered if you could go undercover to see if you can find out who is responsible’.
‘I’d love too’ said Holly.
‘I have just designed a range of skirts for girls your age, Holly’ said Susan, ‘you could model them for me and do some investigating at the same time’.
‘I will make sure hotel rooms are booked for the three of you’

Holly agreed and the following weekend the three friends arrived at the design house.
‘You must be really proud of Holly, Darren’ said Beth
‘I am more worried about what might happen, I always worry when she gets involved in mysteries’ said Darren.
They met Susan and went to the dressing room.
‘OK Holly’ said Susan ‘there’s what it want you to model’
On the chair was the shortest skirt Holly could ever have imagined.
‘I can’t wear that’ said Holly,’it’s far too short’
It will only be for a few minutes’ said Susan ‘I need everyone to thing you are just here to model’
Holly sighed, then picked up the skirt and a pair of black tights and disappeared behind a screen.
A few minutes later Holly emerged in the really short mini-skirt.
Beth giggled as Holly pulled desperately at the hemline.
‘You look great’, said Darren
As they walked down the corridor toward the stage Beth said ‘Oh Holly, you have forgotten your headband’.
‘I will get it’ said Holly, and retraced her tracks back to the dressing room.
When she arrived she was surprised to see a young woman going through some papers.
‘Hey’ said Holly, ‘who are you’!
The woman picked up the papers and tried to shove past Holly, but Holly grabbed her.
However, the woman was too strong and she quickly grabbed Holly round the waist.
Next moment the woman pulled a small piece of cloth out of her pocket and held it over Holly’s nose and mouth.
Sickly, sweet fumes drifted up Holly’s nose and into her mouth.
The cloth was soaked with knock-out liquid!
Holly’s vision became blurred and Holly felt herself falling into a pool of blackness that was unconsciousness!
Seconds later the teen sleuth’s body went limp.
Holly Holmes fainted and fell to the floor, unconscious!

Susan, Beth and Darren made there way back to the dressing room to look for Holly.
‘She’s probably run off’ said Beth ‘she hates wearing skirts’.
They pushed open the door to see Holly stretched out on the floor, unconscious.
‘What can have happened ’said Darren, who always worried about Holly.
The friends lifted Holly’s limp body onto a chair, but it was some time later before Holly began to stir back to consciousness.
She saw her friend’s faces looking worried.
‘I am fine’ said Holly, ‘when I came back to the room there was a woman going through your papers’, she said.
‘I tried to stop her but she held a knock-out cloth over my nose and mouth. I must have fainted’ said Holly.
‘We need to get you back to your hotel room’ said Susan.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, the girl who had knocked Holly out was handing some papers to an older woman.

‘Any problems’ said the older woman
‘Only some pesky kid who has been bought in to model the 16-18 year old designs, her names Holly….something or other. I had to knock her unconscious’.
‘I don’t want any surprises at this time’ said the older woman, ‘find out exactly who this kid is’.

Susan decided to take the three friends for a meal that evening.
Holly had fully recovered from her experience. Although she had not had a great look at the woman who had knocked her out, Holly described her well enough for Susan to say ‘Her name is Liz Long, it sounds like she could be the one stealing my designs, but who for’.
Holly and her friends returned to their hotel, Holly had never realised the fashion world was so full of mystery.
Holly went into her room little knowing she was being watched.
A couple of minutes after Holly entered her room,she was followed in by the figure who had been watching her.
Holly had disappeared into the kitchen and as she came back out, the figure hid behind the door. Holly came through the door and suddenly became aware of someone in her room. Holly recognised Liz Long, the girl who had knocked her out before.
‘Hello, Holly, I need to have a look around you room and I am sure you will not let me do that while you are conscious’ said Liz
She grabbed Holly by the arm and then pulled her other arm back and aimed a blow at Holly.
Next moment, the side of Liz’s hand crashed into the carotid artery in Holly’s neck.
The schoolgirl sleuth moaned with pain. The hotel room was spinning before Holly’s eyes and she felt herself falling into darkness. Holly fainted before she even hit the floor!
After knocking Holly unconscious, Liz found her handbag and sleuth kit. She tipped the contents out and found Holly’s diary.
Holly Holmes aged 16.
She then went through Holly’s sleuth kit magnifying glass, fingerprint powder – not normal for your average 16 year old. Armed with this, Liz left the room leaving Holly unconscious on the floor.

As Holly’s eyes began to flutter open she saw her friends worried faces looking down at her.

‘Holly, what happened’ said Darren.
‘It was that girl Liz’ said Holly ‘she hit me on the neck, I must have fainted’
‘She made a mess of your room too’ said Beth tidying up the contents of Holly’s bag.
‘Holly, please give up this case’ said Darren ‘its too dangerous’
‘Sorry, Darren’ said Holly and she smiled at him, ‘I have never given up on a case and this is not going to be the first’
‘Besides’ said Holly ‘it’s the big fashion she tomorrow’.
‘Yes, just think’ said Beth ‘you will get to see Holly in a really short mini skirt’!
Holly rolled her eyes at her friend and sighed.

Back at the older woman’s large house, Liz was speaking.
‘Her name is Holly Holmes, she is 16, and carries some pretty unusual stuff for a teenager’.
‘Holly Holmes, the famous teen sleuth’ said the older woman ‘she’s got a knack for mystery solving’.
‘I can’t allow her to interfere at this time, the deal is almost done’.
‘When she leaves the hotel for the fashion show in the morning, I want Holly Holmes knocked out, kidnapped and bought here’.
‘No problem’ said Liz ‘leave it to me’.

Next morning Holly walked down the hotel steps to a waiting taxi, her handbag and sleuth kit over her shoulder.
The driver held the door open and she stepped inside. The driver got in and set off.
‘Shouldn’t we wait for the others’ said Holly.
‘You are the star, Miss Holmes, we must get you there early’ said the driver.
At the road junction, the driver suddenly turned left not right.
‘I don’t think this is the way’ said Holly.
The driver suddenly pulled into a quiet lay-by and he turned to face Holly and pulled a small tube from his pocket.
He then pressed a button on the tube and a spray of sweet smelling powder shot into Holly’s face.
Holly recognised the sweet aroma of sleeping powder, but recognition did her no good at all.
The powder took instant effect and the drivers face became distorted as black dots began to dance in front of Holly’s eyes. Next moment Holly fainted and slumped on the back seat of the taxi, unconscious once more!!

The taxi pulled up on the driveway of a large house and the driver got out. Liz Long met him.
‘Have you got her’ said Liz. The driver nodded then opened the back door and lifted the unconscious Holly Holmes out of the taxi and carried her to the house.
‘Take her up stairs’ said Liz.

How long she remained unconscious, Holly had no idea, but eventually her eyes began to open. The first thing she sees is Liz’s face. Then a woman’s voice ‘Welcome back’ Miss Holmes, ‘you have been unconscious for such a long time’.
Holly slowly sat up, still dizzy from the effects of the knock-out powder.
‘You must be Susan’s competitor’ said Holly ‘and Liz has been stealing the designs for you’
‘Very good, Miss Holmes and as I am about to complete a million pound deal with a French fashion house, I can’t afford for some smarty pants schoolgirl to mess it up’.
‘So you had me knocked-out and kidnapped’ said Holly ‘congratulations, I never thought I was walking into a trap when I got into the taxi’.
Then Holly put her hand to her head.
‘Ooooh’, said Holly ‘so weak, the knock-out powder…..still affecting me…………..I’m going to…….faint………..’ with that Holly’s voice trailed off.
She fainted and slumped across the bed, unconscious yet again!!

‘I don’t think you have much to worry about with her’ said Liz.
‘I don’t trust her’ said the designer, ‘keep a close watch on her’.
As soon as the door closed, Holly sat up.
She hoped the show she had put on was enough to convince the women she would be unconscious for some time.
She then pulled her mobile from her pocket. Soon Beth’s voice was on the other end.
‘Holly, where are you’
Holly replied ‘I was knocked out and kidnapped when I got in the taxi, I am in a large house belonging to a fashion designer just out of town, tell Susan I am sure she will know where it is, I am on the second floor but I am going to try and escape by climbing down the trellis work, but please hurry’.
Holly slipped out of the window and down the trellis. She walked to the corner of the house where she saw Liz. Holly pressed herself against the wall until Liz went back in the house.
Then Holly made a run for it. She almost didn’t believe that she had reached the gates but which way to turn?

She decided on right but had not gone far when she saw a car approaching .’Oh no’ thought Holly, and began to run the other way.
Suddenly she heard a voice she recognised.
‘Holly’ screamed Beth. The car drew up beside her and Holly got in.
‘Am I pleased to see you’, said Holly.
Second later the police pulled up at the house just before the fashion deal was completed and Liz and the designer were arrested.

Next day, Holly was fully recovered and packed, ready to go home.
Susan came to see her.
‘Thank you so much’ she said
‘I never knew fashion was so dangerous’ laughed Holly ‘I thought the most trouble I would be in was wearing that mini-skirt’.
So the case was wrapped up, but Holly was sure it would not be too long before she would be plunged into more danger and she was right!