mouth was turned down at the corners. âSorry, Bess. Iâve been so wrapped up in this case, Iâd forgotten about you and Kyle.â
âMe, too,â George said apologetically. âSo what did you two talk about yesterday?â
âI suggested that when he leaves, we date other people.â Bessâs voice was resigned. âI think itâs the only way. Weâre going to still try to see each otherâyou know, on holidays and stuff.â
George patted her cousinâs arm. âHey, that sounds like a good solution. How did Kyle take the part about dating other people?â
Bess shrugged. âHeâs not wild about it.â
Nancy pulled up in front of the police station, hoping that the case would distract her friend from her troubles for a while. âLetâs see if B.D.âs found out anything new.â
They found B.D. in his office. There was just one extra chair in his office, and he carried in two others so that all three girls could sit down. Then he sat down behind his desk. The first thing he did when he heard about Nancyâs late-night escapade was to groan. âI canât believe you let that punk DiFranco get away, Nancy,â he said angrily. âYou know weâve been looking for him. Maybe I ought to have you arrested for aiding a criminal.â
âIf Iâd let you in on it, Kip would have known,â Nancy shot right back. âHeâs no fool. Then he wouldnât have told me anything.â
B.D. muttered something, then swung around in his swivel chair. He stood up and strode to a coffee maker. âYou girls want any coffee?â he asked gruffly. Nancy could tell by his unshaven face and the dark circles under his eyes that he probably hadnât made it home the night before.
When they shook their heads, he poured himself a cup, then turned to Nancy. âSo you really think this Skins kid was telling the truth about the Mercedes?â
Nancy shrugged. âI think so. Now we just have to figure out who can afford a Mercedes.â
âProbably Mrs. Thackett,â Bess stated.
Nancy, George, and B.D. turned to her.
âDonât you remember Billie saying Mrs. Thackett told Rachel she wouldnât get any of âher moneyâ?â Bess reminded them. âAnd remember Rachelâs leather suitcase? And her clothes?â
âBess is right,â Nancy said. âOnly when Mrs. Thackett came to the center, she was driving a blue sedan.â
âMaybe she has a second car that sheâs hiding because she thinks it could have been spotted at the scene of the crime,â George suggested.
B.D. stopped in the middle of sipping his coffee and glanced suspiciously from Bess to George to Nancy. âWhy do I get the feeling you three are cooking up something?â
âBecause we are!â Bess exclaimed.
âLook, B.D., Iâve got an idea,â Nancy said excitedly. âYou donât have enough evidence to go snooping through Mrs. Thackettâs garage, but if we just happened toââ
Holding up one hand to silence her, B.D. strode back to his desk. âI donât want to hear about your plan. In fact, Iâm going to pretend you girls werenât even here. Butââ Pausing, he looked at them with lowered brows, then suddenly winked and smiled. âIf you should happen to spot a silver Mercedes in her garage, I want to be the first to know.â
Fifteen minutes later Nancy pulled the Mustang up the circular drive of the Thackett home. It was located in one of River Heightâs mostexpensive neighborhoods. The two-car garage was off to the right of the house. Both doors were shut, and there were no window panels in them.
âNow, remember,â Nancy told Bess and George. âYouâre old high-school friends of Rachelâs. When Mrs. Thackett answers the door, Iâll duck down so she doesnât see me.â
âRight,â George
1802-1870 Alexandre Dumas