Dangerous Relations by Carolyn Keene

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

Chapter

Ten

NANCY CRINGED. Marshall Keiser had said no more questions. Breaking into his office had to be ten times worse. Pulse racing, she waited tensely for him to throw the cabinet door open.

But the door remained closed. Nancy listened hard. She heard voices coming from the prop room. Keiser was still bellowing—but not at her!

Relief rushed through her. The cabinet door creaked as she opened it. Wincing, she tiptoed soundlessly to the office door and opened it, checked to make sure there was no one in sight, and slipped out.

George had crossed the corridor so as not to give Nancy away. She was studying the circus posters. Her feeling of relief was obvious on her face as she turned and saw Nancy. In silent agreement, they raced out the front door.

“Where is he? I thought for sure he’d catch you!” Bess cried, her eyes wide with concern.

“He went into the prop room. From what I could hear, that guy who didn’t show up for roll call was in there taking a nap. He was getting a good chewing out,” George said.

“Let’s get out of here before he sees us and gets suspicious,” Nancy urged. She led the way back to the big top, climbed the nearest set of bleachers, and sat down.

They had missed the animals and performers marching in and parading before the audience of workers. The ringmaster was on the elephant drum, announcing the acts in his own special spiel.

Nancy wiped her forehead. It was hot in the tent. The heat seemed to be draining the circus people, too, for they were slow-moving and short-tempered. Morgan barked over the megaphone, “Get the lead out, girls! Smiles, I want smiles!”

Showgirls kicked, strongmen flexed, clowns juggled, acrobats tumbled and flipped while in the background the small band played. In the midst of it all, Nancy told Bess and George about the l on Keiser’s typewriter.

“Then he did send the postcard!” Bess exclaimed.

“Not necessarily,” Nancy said, thinking it over. “Someone else could have used his typewriter. With or without his knowledge,” she added, thinking of how easy it was to break into his office.

“The whole business just doesn’t feel right,” Nancy went on after a minute. “Threatening me to my face, now that was his style. But an unsigned note . . .”

“I see what you mean,” George said. “But if it wasn’t Keiser and it wasn’t Vera, that leaves only Katrina.”

“Or it could be someone we haven’t even considered. With a motive we haven’t thought about yet,” Nancy added.

George nudged her. “Here comes that guy you were talking to at the party.”

“Nice tan,” Bess added in an undertone, as Richard Smith started up the bleachers.

Nancy returned Richard’s smile. He looked trim and cool in tan slacks and a pale yellow shirt open at the neck. Nancy wished she looked as fresh as he did. She introduced him to her friends and said, “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“My dad and I took over the Grand Royal account just two months ago from another firm,” Richard explained as he sat down beside her.

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