103 Stranger in the Shadows by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene [Keene, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

9

Ticket to Trouble

Nancy folded the letter and put it on the table. The circled words in the newsletter had warned Paula about the fire at the Moorelys. So Paula had known about a possible fire before she arrived home. Did she also know or suspect who had set it? And if she did, why didn’t she get help?

Unfolding the paper, Nancy studied the letter again. She wasn’t quite sure how Paula had decoded it. Obviously, those four words weren’t the entire message. Nancy guessed that Paula had been instructed to circle words at a certain interval. If Nancy hadn’t witnessed the fire, “home . . . go . . . up . . . smoke” wouldn’t have made much sense. The rest of the message must have been destroyed when the paper burned.

Excitedly, Nancy gulped down the rest of her soup. The newsletter had narrowed down her suspects. Neil from Ireland was the only person connected to the exchange program. It was still possible that Shaun or the guy in the ski jacket was somehow involved, though. She’d have to find out.

• • •

“555-6000,” Nancy repeated the phone number. “Thanks, Mrs. Moorely. I’ll call Mr. Taylor right away.”

Nancy hung up the phone. It was Thursday, the morning following the fire. She was relieved to hear from Mrs. Moorely that the family was fine. They were staying at a hotel, but Nancy had been able to reach them at home, where they were sorting through the damaged items in the basement. They wouldn’t be able to move back in until the whole house was repainted.

Nancy hoped she could reach Larry Taylor, the regional coordinator for the foreign student exchange program. Since it appeared that the newsletter had been used to send Paula a threatening message, Nancy assumed that someone from the program was involved. She wasn’t sure what Mr. Taylor could tell her, but at this point any new information might be helpful.

She dialed Mr. Taylor’s number, and he answered immediately.

“Hello, Mr. Taylor. I’m a friend of Suzanne Moorely and Paula de Jagger,” Nancy said. “My family’s interested in hosting an exchange student next year. I was wondering if you could give me some more information about your program.”

“Why, certainly,” the man said. “Would you like me to send you some brochures?”

“That’d be great.” Nancy gave Mr. Taylor her address. “I also met Neil,” she went on. “He’s staying with the Chesters.” Nancy hoped she sounded like an enthusiastic young girl. “He had such amazing things to say about your program that I couldn’t wait to call.”

“Oh, yes, Neil Galligan,” Mr. Taylor said. Nancy quickly jotted down the Irish student’s last name, and Mr. Taylor continued. She jumped at the chance when he invited her to a mid-year get-together, which the exchange program was throwing for all the foreign students and their host families.

“Sure! I’d love to come,” Nancy said. “Friday night? I’ll be there for sure. If my parents say it’s okay, I mean. See you then.”

She hung up and grinned.

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