The Suspect in the Smoke by Carolyn Keene

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

9

Thief in the Dark

Nancy bent down close to the space heater. There were no marks in the soot to indicate that the cord had been moved since the fire.

Pondering this new evidence, Nancy stepped carefully out of the charred office. She walked down the deserted hall and ducked under the yellow tape, checking to be sure she wasn’t seen.

She passed the crowd at the bazaar and pushed open the side door of the rec center.

Out front Bess was painting the new fund-raising total on the thermometer. The red line was up to $3,500. Not bad, Nancy thought, but still $6,500 short of the goal.

“I’m starved,” Bess said, jumping down from her ladder. “How about dinner?”

“Good idea,” Nancy said, smiling. “I could use some food and a rest before the karaoke starts.”

The girls got in Nancy’s car and drove to the recycling center to pick up George.

“I have good news,” George said, climbing into the car. “The cardboard compactor is fixed. The recycling center will open as usual tomorrow morning. The manager is posting a guard there tonight to help keep things safe.”

“That’s good. We’ll need the recycling money if we’re going to make our goal,” Bess said as they drove toward the Burger Barn.

After they had ordered their burgers and fries Nancy told her friends about the unplugged space heater in Mrs. McGregor’s old office.

“Do you think the fire was caused by arson?” Bess asked.

“If someone really is trying to stop the fund-raising, it could be someone who wants the rec center out of the way,” Nancy reasoned.

“That would make Jerry Hartley a suspect,” Bess said. “If he wanted the land for a parking lot, burning the rec center would be a first step.”

“He definitely has a motive,” George said. “There’s also Nikos Manolotos.”

“Yes,” Nancy said. “But why would he want to stop the fund-raising drive? I’d think he would want the building rebuilt so people would forget about his crime.”

“Nikos could be trying to scare Mrs. McG into leaving him alone,” George suggested.

“Yes—though if that’s his plan, it’s not working,” Nancy noted.

“What about Cory Barnes?” Bess asked. “He seems to show up every time something goes wrong.”

“True,” Nancy said. “He could want to get even with Mrs. McGregor for banning him from the rec center.”

“The fire did start in Mrs. McG’s office,” Bess pointed out. “Maybe he wanted her to be blamed. That would give him revenge.”

“But we also have the gray van with ‘Plumbing’ on the side, and Cory is too young to drive,” Nancy added.

“Is there anyone else?” Bess asked.

Nancy took a bite of her hamburger and thought for a minute.

“Stephanie Mann,” she said with a shrug.

“She certainly seems determined to sell the rec center,” George said.

“That seems odd—moving the center out of town could cost her votes in the city council election,” Nancy said. “But the other board members seem to agree with her. Maybe they really do think they are doing what is best.”

“What about Horace Bell?” Bess asked. “I don’t think he likes Nancy’s investigating very much.

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