and Bess chorused.
Nancy checked her watch. âIt shouldnât take me very long. See you in ten minutes.â
Nancy watched from the car as George and Bess walked up the steps to the front door. When they rang the bell, she bent low in the car seat.
Almost immediately Nancy heard the murmur of voices and the front door slamming shut. She waited a few seconds, then opened the car door on the side away from the house and slipped from the Mustang. The grounds were well landscaped, but since the leaves werenât out on the trees yet, Nancy had to be careful not to be seen.
She reached the garage in a few seconds and darted around the side, where she found a window. Rising on tiptoes, she peered inside. The blue sedan was parked closer to her, but next to it was a second car.
Nancyâs heart skipped a beat.
It was a silver Mercedes!
Chapter
Eleven
S O M RS. T HACKETTâS CAR might have been at the scene of the crime, Nancy thought. Or it could just be a coincidence. Hers certainly wasnât the only silver Mercedes in River Heights. Besides, sheâd been seen at the theater. Could someone else have been driving her car?
Ducking low, Nancy made her way back to the Mustang, slid into the driverâs seat, and settled down low. Bess and George did not return as quickly as Nancy had hoped, however. Her muscles were beginning to cramp when the front door of the Thackettsâ house finally flew open.
âGoodbye! Thank you!â Nancy heard Bess and George call. Once Nancy heard the front door close behind her friends, she sat up. She quickly started the car as Bess and George jumped in.
âWhew,â Bess gasped when they were halfway down the circular drive. âThat woman is obsessed with her daughter.â
âThatâs for sure,â George agreed. âMrs. Thackett has lived her life around Rachel. The house is a monument to her. Every wall has pictures of Rachel performingââ
âBallet, horseback riding, gymnastics,â Bess added, leaning on the back of Georgeâs seat. âShe even brought out the photo albums.â Bess rolled her eyes. âHonestly, if we hadnât told her we had a lunch date, we would have been there all day.â
âItâs no wonder Rachel split,â George said. âIf my mom acted like that, Iâd feel totally smothered.â
âDid she say anything about where Rachel was?â Nancy asked.
George and Bess exchanged glances. âShe told us Rachel was in New York, visiting friends,â George said.
âEven though I knew she was lying, I felt sorry for her,â Bess added.
âDonât feel too sorry. Thereâs a silver Mercedes in her garage,â Nancy told them.
Bess gasped. âYou mean she killed Paul?â
âNo, it means a car the same make as hers drove onto that field by the tracks.â
George whistled. âSounds like pretty solid evidence to me.â
âOnly if the police can prove it was the samecar,â Nancy said. âIf B.D. gets a warrant, they can scrape the tires for mud samples and compare it to the dirt around the tracks.â She turned the car onto Main Street. âLook for a phone booth. I need to call B.D., then letâs head to the teen center and see if Rachelâs called.â
âTony would have tried to contact you,â Bess said. âHeâs very responsible.â
âAnd good-looking, smart, sensitive . . .â George teased her cousin.
Bess rapped her on the arm. âI hadnât noticed,â she stated firmly. âAfter all, Iâm still dating Kyle.â Dropping her chin onto her arms, she sighed dejectedly. âUntil he leaves in three days.â
âThree days!â Nancy exclaimed.
Bess nodded. âYeah. Heâs taking the job right away. Although I really think he just wants to get out in the sun and surf and date California girls.â
âOh, come on, Bess,â