High Risk by Carolyn Keene Page B

kitchen.
    â€œOh, Nancy, I forgot to tell you earlier,” Hannah said as she handed Nancy a head of lettuce. “Brenda Carlton called twice today. She said something about your owing her a scoop. She was very—er—persistent.”
    Nancy smiled. Hannah really meant that Brenda was being a pain in the neck, as usual.
    â€œThanks,” she said, taking the lettuce and beginning to tear it up for salad. “If she calls again, tell her I’m working on a story that will knock her socks off.” I just hope that’s true, she added to herself.
    Over dinner Nancy told her father about what had happened at Mutual Life earlier and about having seen Michelle Ferraro. He was very concerned when he heard about her slashed car seat.
    â€œNancy, I really think we ought to tell the police about it,” he said worriedly. “I don’t like the idea of that young woman threatening you. What if she decides to act on her threat?”
    â€œDad, even if I told the police, they don’t have any evidence to arrest Michelle,” Nancy pointed out. “And it would scare her. I don’t want to make her any more nervous than she is—until I find hard proof that ties her to the murder.”
    Her father frowned, but finally he said, “All right, but be careful.”
    When dinner was over, Nancy went out to her car, patched the broken window with a piece of plastic, and covered the torn seat with a sheepskin throw. With the case taking up all her time,she didn’t know when she’d be able to have it professionally fixed. Then she drove out to Mapleton to see Ned. She knew he must be going half crazy, cooped up in his house.
    Mrs. Nickerson answered the door. “Hello, Nancy,” she said with an anxious smile. “Any news yet?”
    â€œI’m working on it,” Nancy told her. She didn’t want to raise Mrs. Nickerson’s hopes falsely, but she didn’t want to discourage her, either. “I think I’m onto something—I’m just looking for proof to support my theory.”
    â€œHey, Nan,” Ned called from the den. “I’m cuing up a movie on the VCR. You’re just in time.”
    With a smile at Mrs. Nickerson, Nancy went in and joined him.
    They watched The Heart’s Reckoning. It was one of Nancy’s favorite romantic movies, but she found herself unable to concentrate on it. Her mind was too busy going over the angles of the case. She needed proof, hard evidence. But where was she going to get it?
    â€œHey,” Ned said as the credits started to roll. “You didn’t pay any more attention to that movie than I did. What’s on your mind?”
    Nancy sighed. “Just the case, I guess.”
    â€œMmm. It’s funny,” Ned said with a crooked smile. “I used to get ticked off sometimes when you were working on a case because you were so single-minded about it. But now that it’s my neck in the noose, I’m glad that you’re so diligent.”
    Nancy twisted on the couch and put her armsaround him. “I love your neck, Ned, and I want to protect it,” she said with a smile.
    Ned smiled, but then his expression grew serious. “You know,” he said after a moment, “I’ve been thinking about some things these past couple of days.”
    â€œLike what?” Nancy asked softly.
    â€œOh, like how this whole mess got started,” Ned said. “It never would have happened if I hadn’t been so set on proving myself.”
    Nancy frowned. “At work, you mean?”
    â€œAt work,” Ned agreed, shrugging. Then he looked into her eyes. “But also, I think I was trying to prove something to you. I was trying to show you that I could be like you.”
    â€œOh, Ned,” Nancy said. She was amazed that they could have misunderstood each other. “I’m the one who should say I’m sorry. I wasn’t very supportive of you.” She