No Laughing Matter by Carolyn Keene

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

Chapter

Nine

NANCY’S HEART POUNDED against her chest. She hadn’t counted on Lisa’s being in the office. How am I going to get out of this one? her mind screamed. I’ve been caught red-handed!

Thinking fast, Nancy decided to try to turn the tables on Lisa. “Actually, I wanted to ask you the same question,” Nancy said forcefully. “Why are you working with Peter when he could be the person who framed your brother?”

Lisa blinked, momentarily stunned. Then her whole body slumped forward. She sank into a chair next to Peter’s desk and buried her head in her hands. When she finally looked at Nancy, her brown eyes were glistening with tears.

“Peter and I had just started dating when Matt was first arrested,” she began in a small voice. “I really like him a lot.”

So that was why Lisa was so defensive of Peter, Nancy realized. That still didn’t explain what she was doing here, though.

“When it first came out that Peter was the one who’d found the canceled check that Matt supposedly deposited in that fake account. . . .” Lisa took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Well, I didn’t want to believe that Peter had helped set him up, even though a little voice kept nagging at me.”

“So you decided to help out here so you could find out for yourself,” Nancy guessed.

Lisa nodded. “Besides, look at this place!” she exclaimed, gesturing around the messy office. “Peter can’t handle it all on his own. The business is falling apart. The least I can do is try to help Matt hold on to it, so something will be left when he gets out.”

“Have you found any evidence that Peter did help set up Matt?” Nancy asked gently.

“No.” Lisa seemed both sad and relieved. “Peter’s been very protective of the bigger accounts—the ones Matt wouldn’t let him handle before. Every time I offer to help him, he brushes me off. The truth is, I haven’t been able to examine Over the Rainbow’s records yet. Today I made sure he had a lunch appointment so that I could take a look at them.”

“Take a look at what?”

Nancy and Lisa both whirled around as Peter Sands walked into the office.

“Peter! What are you doing back from lunch already?” Lisa asked, her hands flying to her face.

“I forgot a file.” Peter pushed his glasses up on his nose, then paused, staring first at Nancy, then at the open ledger on the desk in front of her. “What’s going on here?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Suddenly Lisa burst into tears. “I—I think you may have s-set up Matt!” she stammered.

“What are you talking about?” Peter asked, a shocked look in his eyes.

“You were the one who found the canceled check that led the police to that fake account,” Lisa said, wiping her eyes. “Matt said he never saw the check and didn’t go anywhere near the bank. I believe him!”

“I know that’s what he said. Don’t you think I wanted to believe him?” Peter asked.

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