The Case of the Floating Crime by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

9

A Culprit’s Confession

Gasping for breath, Nancy swam up through the icy water to the surface, about ten yards from the riverbank. Gathering her strength, she fought through the swift current until she reached a large stony ledge sticking out of the bank.

It took her last bit of energy to hoist herself up onto the ledge. She lay on her stomach, coughing and spitting out cold river water. Finally she heard George and Bess running toward her.

“Nancy!” Bess called. “Are you all right?” With her one good arm, she helped Nancy sit up.

“We heard the splash and ran around the deck in time to see you swimming toward the bank,” George said. She pulled off Nancy’s soaked running shoes and socks, then took off her own sweatshirt and laid it over Nancy’s wet, bare feet. “How did you go overboard?”

“I was pushed,” Nancy said, coughing.

“David Conner, I’ll bet,” Bess said.

“We can find that out later,” George said. “First, you need some dry clothes, Nancy.”

“There’s a skirt in the trunk of my car,” Nancy said, shivering. “Luckily, I didn’t have time to take it to the cleaners today.”

“Do you think you can make it that far?” George asked.

“If we go slow,” Nancy said. Her legs wobbled when she first stood up, but she was relieved to find that she hadn’t been seriously hurt.

As they walked along the riverbank, Nancy studied the Heartliner’s hull. “Did you see anyone aboard?” she asked George and Bess.

“No one,” Bess said, “not even Manuel. I hope he’s okay.”

Nancy suddenly stopped. “Wait a minute,” she said, pointing at the hull. “Look!”

“What do you see?” George asked.

“This is the side with the garage hold,” Nancy said. “See? There are the garage doors. And there, to the right, are two more large doors. I bet they lead into another storage hold—the one off the garage hold that was walled up. Let’s go back aboard and look for it.” She turned and strode briskly to her car.

“Nancy, do you really think you were pushed overboard?” George asked, hurrying after her.

“Definitely,” Nancy said grimly as she opened her trunk and reached for a heap of clothes.

“Then we’re not going back,” George said. “It’s too risky. Whoever pushed you is probably still aboard. The same person probably got Manuel out of the way and was trying to do the same to you.”

“Which reminds me,” Nancy said, getting into the front seat of her car to change clothes. “I should go back and try to find Manuel, too. He might need help. You can wait here if you like.”

“No way,” muttered Bess. “If you go, we go.”

In a few minutes Nancy jumped out of the car. She was warmly dressed, but she looked ridiculous. Over a burgundy velvet skirt she wore George’s worn dark green sweatshirt. She pulled the hood over her wet hair and put her running shoes back on without socks.

Bess giggled. “If the field trip kids could see you now . . .”

Returning on board the ship, the three girls stayed close together, Nancy leading the way with the diagram and the keys.

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