A Secret in Time by Carolyn Keene Page A

said, “and it was dark near the house. The thief managed to get away before we could stop him . . . or her.”
    Officer Brody gave his partner a grateful look.
    â€œDid the thief get the brooch?” the police chief asked.
    â€œNo,” Nancy answered. “The thief never even got near the clock. The brooch is inside my dad’s safe.”
    â€œGood. That means we have another chance,” Chief McGinnis said. “But we’re going to have to play it differently this time.”
    Nancy looked at the police chief. “You mean, since the thief didn’t get what he came for, he’ll probably try again.”
    â€œYes,” replied Chief McGinnis. “But only if it looks as if we’ve called off the surveillance.” He thought for a moment. “Maybe we should have done this in the first place.”
    â€œDone what?” Nancy asked.
    â€œPlaced my officers inside the house. That way, we can catch the thief as soon as he breaks in. It will be a lot less obvious from the outside, too, since the thief has seen the surveillance car.”
    Hannah nodded. “I’d feel safer with the police indoors, as long as there isn’t any shooting.”
    â€œThe use of guns shouldn’t be necessary,” Chief McGinnis told Hannah. He turned to Officers Walkerand Daniel. “You’ll relieve Rudinsky and Brody. We’ll take all of the cars back to the station.”
    â€œDo you think the thief will come back tonight?” asked Carson Drew.
    â€œI doubt it,” said the chief, “but I don’t want to take any chances. Rudinsky, Brody, go home and get some rest. You’ll report back here tomorrow afternoon.
    â€œYes, sir,” Sergeant Rudinsky said.
    â€œPleasant dreams, everyone,” Chief McGinnis said.
    Nancy, her father, and Hannah headed back into the house, accompanied by Officers Walker and Daniel.
    â€œSo we meet again,” Rob Walker said to Nancy. “You’ve had quite a day.”
    â€˜I’ll say,” said Jean Daniel. “That was a lucky break you got this afternoon.”
    Nancy tried to signal to the officers not to discuss the bridge incident, but it was too late.
    â€œWhat lucky break?” Carson Drew asked, giving Nancy a curious look.
    Nancy sighed. There was no point in keeping the story from him any longer. “We had a close call this afternoon on the River Heights Bridge,” she said simply.
    Hannah gasped. “Is that what Bess meant about your luck running out?”
    Nancy nodded, then told them the whole story. She tried to play down the dangerous parts, but there was no fooling either one of them.
    â€œI knew it,” Hannah said. “I knew you were hiding something.”
    Carson Drew gave his daughter a stern look. “You should have told us this before.”
    â€œI didn’t want you to worry unnecessarily,” Nancy told him. “And it was already over. Telling you wouldn’t have changed anything.”
    â€œI guess not,” said Carson, “but we worry anyway.” He wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter. “You could have been killed today.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Dad. I promise I’ll keep you up to date about everything else that happens.”
    Officers Walker and Daniel made a quick search of the house. “We’ll keep watch downstairs,” Officer Walker said. “You folks get yourselves a good night’s sleep.”
    â€œThere’s no chance in the world I’ll sleep tonight,” Hannah said. “If this thief is capable of running Nancy off the road, who knows what else he’d do to get the brooch.”
    â€œWe’ll make sure you never have to find out,” Officer Daniel said. “You’re perfectly safe as long as we’re here.”
    â€œThank you again,” Nancy said to the officers. “Good night, everybody.”
    The last thing Nancy heard as she headed up