False Moves by Carolyn Keene

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    â€œBelinda is going to be dancing the lead in Giselle next week!” Bridgit exclaimed.
    It was early Thursday morning, the fourth day of her investigation, and Nancy had stopped in the dancers’ lounge to have a cup of tea before going to work. The samples of typewriter print Brad had gotten the day before hadn’t matched that on the notes from the thief. So Nancy was back in the lounge, talking to the dancers.
    Luckily, Brad had decided to stay home that day, which meant it would be a lot easier for her to work.
    â€œWell, that shouldn’t come as a surprise,” the girl sitting next to Bridgit replied. “She’s been buttering James up for the past few days.”
    â€œYeah. As usual, James went over Colby’s head and got Belinda back to work. She did ‘something’ to help him, and he’s paying her back by helping her.”
    Nancy put down her cup of tea and turned to Bridgit. “What did she do?”
    â€œWho knows,” Bridgit answered. “I asked her about it, but she told me to mind my own business.”
    â€œIt could have been anything,” the second dancer explained. “James always has a millionfund-raising ideas that he tries to get us involved in—you know, benefit shows, parties, anything that will bring in the big bucks. Usually we say no because he doesn’t pay us. But I guess he’s paying Belinda, though.”
    â€œHe sure is, and not just with favors. I saw him hand her a wad of bills you wouldn’t believe,” Bridgit cut in.
    Nancy picked up her tea again. So Belinda had helped James with a well-paying job. But instead of bragging about it, she had clammed up to Bridgit. How strange. Obviously, it was no ordinary piece of work. Could it be, just maybe, a diamond heist?
    At that point it wouldn’t surprise Nancy at all. She had Ana and Andre as a pair of suspects, and Colby and Katya as another, and now she’d discovered a link between her last two suspects.
    â€œDo you know any way I could find out what Belinda did for James?” Nancy asked the two dancers.
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe you could ask her boyfriend. You know that tall, cute guy she’s been hanging around with? He seems really nice, and he might know more about what Belinda’s been up to than we do.”
    Ned! Of course. But Nancy was worried about how he’d react to an accusation against his new girlfriend. She knew the conversation could get more than a little tense. But if I want to make sure Belinda’s innocent, I’ve got to do it. I have to check outall the possibilities.
    Nancy said goodbye to the two girls, and abandoning her tea, she hurried out of the dancers’ lounge.
    Nancy thought she’d have to call him at home, but he was already outside the women’s dressing room, waiting for Belinda. Things must be serious for him to be there so early in the day.
    â€œNed,” Nancy called from down the hall. “How’ve you been?”
    â€œOkay.” Ned threw her a warm smile. “How about you?”
    â€œOh, I’m all right, too,” Nancy said. “But I need to talk to you.”
    â€œSure,” Ned said easily. “What’s up?”
    Nancy stepped away from the dressing room door. “Well, I heard Belinda’s going to be performing again.”
    â€œThat’s right.” Ned’s smile widened. “Isn’t it great news?”
    Nancy coughed uncomfortably. “Uh, yes, but I hear James pulled a few strings to get her back on the stage. And since they’re both still on my suspect list, I wondered if you knew why he was doing it for her.”
    With a sinking heart, Nancy watched Ned’s smile fade. “Nancy, what are you implying? That Belinda stole the Raja diamond for James, and he paid her back by putting her onstage again?”
    â€œUh, I guess I am,” Nancy answered lamely.
    â€œI can’t