Hotline to Danger by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Chapter

Nine

MAYBE BILLIE LIED about the argument between Rachel and Mrs. Thackett, too,” Nancy said to George.

“Wow. Maybe Billie will do anything to protect Kip,” George replied.

Just then Lil brought their orders. Nancy’s stomach began to growl when she saw the juicy Ernie Burger. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.

When Lil left, George asked, “What are we going to do now?”

“As soon as we finish eating, we need to head back to the center to talk to Billie,” Nancy said as she picked up her burger. “She’s got some explaining to do!”

• • •

An hour later George and Nancy were standing in the doorway to the rec room. Kids were playing cards and video games. Billie was talking on the pay phone, a serious expression on her face. Her cheeks paled when she saw the two girls, and she hung up quickly.

“I wonder who she was talking to,” George said in a low voice.

“Kip, I bet,” Nancy whispered back, then strode over to the phone. Before Billie could get past her, Nancy grabbed her arm.

“Hey, Billie, George and I just had a nice meal at Ernie’s,” she said in a casual tone.

Billie grunted and looked away from her.

“Yeah. And we met a friend of yours named Lil,” George added.

Billie looked sideways at the two of them. “And I bet you asked Lil if I worked Monday night.”

Nancy raised one brow. “How’d you guess?”

Sighing, Billie pulled her arm from Nancy’s grasp. “That was Kip I was talking to. He was really mad at me. He said it would only hurt him if I didn’t tell you the truth.”

“And what is the truth?” Nancy asked.

Billie motioned for Nancy and George to follow her into the hallway. Compared to the rec room, it was fairly quiet. “The truth is Kip had nothing to do with Paul’s murder, only he has no alibi.” Billie swung around to face Nancy. “And without an alibi, he’s dead meat.”

“Hmmm.” Crossing her arms, Nancy stared at Billie. The girl met her gaze without flinching. She is telling the truth, Nancy decided, or at least she thinks she is.

“How about if I meet with Kip and let him tell me the whole story?” Nancy asked. “Then I can go to the police. Maybe they’ll believe me.”

“You’d have to meet him alone,” Billie said.

“No way, Nancy,” George said quickly. “That’s too dangerous.”

“Not if it will clear Kip,” Nancy told her friend. “If he is innocent, the police need to be searching for the real killer.”

“I’ll call and arrange it,” Billie said. “But it will have to be on our terms.”

“I understand.”

“Nancy,” George said, pulling her friend aside when Billie went back into the rec room. “You can’t do this alone.”

“I don’t have any choice,” Nancy replied. “If you were Kip, would you trust anyone?”

“No, I guess not. Still—”

“It’s done.” Billie marched back into the hallway a few minutes later. “Ten o’clock tonight. Drive to the warehouse where Paul was killed. Park in front, then walk to the tracks. If you’re alone and we don’t smell any cops, we’ll find you.

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