Joe was seventeen, like Vicki, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was four inches taller at six foot. Vicki had light brown hair and blue eyes, which were concentrating on Joe as she packed a snowball. She was about to throw it when something cold and wet slammed into her arm.

"Hey," Vicki protested, glaring at Frank, Joe’s older brother. Just then, another snowball went flying towards her, "This isn’t fair!" Frank was a year older than his brother with dark brown hair and brown eyes, "C. J!"

Vicki’s best friend stayed where she was, "Sorry Vicki," she said, "You’re on your own this time." Standing two inches shorter than Vicki, C. J. Summers had dark brown hair and brown eyes, like Frank. Vicki scowled at her friend and tried to ward off the little white balls of powder. Joe’s shovel lay abandoned on the ground.

Vicki kneeled down and scooped up some more snow, "C. J.!" She then threw the snowball towards Joe, who was throwing more snowballs than either Frank or herself. C. J. only smiled and sat back down, stirring her hot chocolate. Suddenly, a white ball landed in C. J’s mug, sending hot chocolate over the edge. It spilled onto her new white sweater.

"That’s it," C. J. said, "Who threw that?" Vicki pointed at Joe, while the two brothers looked at Vicki. C. J. stood up and grabbed some snow. She appeared to be aiming at the boys, but instead turned on Vicki.

"Not fair," Vicki exclaimed, "Why is everyone against me today?" Just then a car pulled into the driveway, ending the fight. Vicki’s sister, Becky, stepped out.

"What are you guys doing," Becky demanded, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes, "Don’t tell me that you still have those little snowball fights of yours still." The other four teenagers looked down and then all of a sudden, sent a tirade of them at Becky, who quickly ran inside.

Finally, having enough, the others headed inside. Frank was the first to speak up, "Well, I think that’s the first time in a while when we haven’t run into a case."

Everyone enjoyed the quiet for a few moments. When Vicki and C. J. had heard that Frank and Joe would be visiting, they had only hoped a case wouldn’t come up. The boys had arrived two days ago. There wasn’t even a sign of anything suspicious happening.

Marie and Rob Silver made their way downstairs. The sound of the door opening and closing told them that the teenagers had returned from outside. Becky resembled her mom more and Vicki looked a lot like her dad.

"Have you finished your chore," Mr. Silver asked.

"Uh…no," Vicki said slowly, "You see, something happened and…yeah."

"I see," Mrs. Silver said, "Go finish now and you all can head out to the skating rink. You’re supposed to be on vacation."

Vicki leading the way, they all trudged back outside and set back to work, "Can you imagine," Vicki asked C. J, "Having to work over school vacation? Our first real vacation?"

"Hey," C. J. said, "At least we’re getting rewarded after we’re done."

A few minutes later, they had completed their job and were just walking back inside. After announcing their success, everyone walked out to C. J.’s green van and started to climb inside. Vicki wouldn’t be able to use her convertible. There wasn’t enough room and with the top down, it would be freezing cold.

Suddenly, a car rushed passed and a large object landed on the front lawn. Vicki walked over to the crater it had left in the snow and picked it up. Examining the large box, she pulled out a small knife and cut through the tape. Then Vicki carefully opened it.

She flipped the cardboard flap and reached inside. Her hand came out with a fistful of packing peanuts. Then came a note, carefully concealed on the side. C. J. jumped out of the van and ran over.

"What is it," she asked, "Who sent it?" Frank and Joe joined them now. Vicki motioned for silence and then began reading the note.

"’Dear Detective," she read, "I need your help. Please keep this safe for me. I am afraid that someone is trying to steal it. I’ll come back for it at a later time, with the password of ‘diamonds and rubies’. Thank you.’"

"There’s something else in there," C. J. said, "What is it and who sent it?" Vicki reached inside one last time until she felt a small box in her hands. Taking it out, she opened the box, looked inside and gasped. A brilliant ring, with a shining gold band and an assortment of diamonds and rubies decorating its surface, was in the box. It was huge, taking up the whole space in the small jewelry case.

"Who would trust me with this," Vicki asked, looking at her friends, "We aren’t that well known around here, are we?"

"Maybe we are," C. J. replied, "but who could knew where you lived?" Vicki shrugged.