Recipe for Murder by Carolyn Keene Page A

rooted to the spot when the doors slid open. The elevator hadn’t stopped exactly at the first floor, Nancy realized. It was out of line, and Nancy was standing slightly above the small crowd of people who stood outside. Arms shaking, she jumped down just as Ned, Bess, and George raced forward.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Ned demanded.
    â€œI—I don’t know.” Nancy tumbled into his arms. “It just started falling.”
    â€œWhere’s the sign?” a man asked.
    â€œWhat sign?” Ned looked at the man.
    â€œThe warning sign.”
    Nancy’s mind suddenly flashed back. “I saw a man taking something, but I didn’t know what it was. It must have been the sign.
    â€œSomeone’s definitely trying to kill me,” Nancy whispered to Ned.
    He pulled her away from the crowd just as a maintenance man in blue coveralls appeared.
    â€œWho used this elevator?” the maintenance man demanded.
    â€œI did.” Nancy took a deep breath.
    â€œCan’t you read?” the man demanded. “This thing’s been out of order all day.”
    â€œThere was no sign,” Ned explained grimly. “Someone removed it.”
    The maintenance man turned pale.
    â€œWhy wasn’t the elevator turned off?” George asked him.
    â€œIt was. Ever since it started jamming this morning. In fact, I’d turned off the operation switch and was checking it out. Then it suddenly broke loose.” He inclined his head toward Nancy. “Your friend there wouldn’t have survived if I hadn’t been on top of things.”
    Nancy shuddered. “How could the elevator break loose if you’d thrown the operation switch?”
    â€œThat’s what I don’t understand. Someone had to turn it back on,” he muttered. “But I’m the only one authorized to do it.”
    â€œSomething’s up,” Nancy said. “And somebody thinks I’m getting too close. Let’s get out of here.”
    â€œWho was the man who stole the sign?” Bess asked as they walked away.
    â€œI don’t know. But it wasn’t Paul Slesak or Jacques Bonet. Neither of them could have made it back here from the cooking school in time.”
    â€œSo who does that leave? DuPres?” George asked.
    â€œNo!” Nancy was adamant. “We saw Jacques take him home.”
    â€œWe saw Jacques drive him out of the parking lot,” Ned corrected her. “We don’t know where he went after that.”
    â€œIt’s all connected somehow,” Nancy muttered, her thoughts churning. She checked her watch. “I’m going back over to the school.”
    â€œTonight?” Bess and George chorused.
    â€œWhat better time? Bonet’s office is there. If he’s got Slesak’s recipes, it’s a good bet he’s keeping them there.”
    â€œThen I’m coming with you,” Ned said.
    â€œOkay. I think I’d better bring my camera too.”
    â€œBess and I will do our best to get into Bonet’s room and search it,” George said.
    â€œWhat?” Bess stared at her cousin in dismay.
    â€œMaybe we can get ourselves invited over.” George ignored Bess’s affronted look. “Flirting is your specialty, Bess. See if you can’t wangle an invitation out of him.”
    Nancy checked her watch. “It’s after nine. We’re going to have to break into the school.”
    â€œYou sure this is such a good idea?” Bess asked.
    â€œI’d rather be at the school when no one’s there. I’m going to go upstairs to change and get my camera. Ned, I’ll meet you back here in ten minutes. Then we’ll all rendezvous at midnight. If anyone fails to show, we’ll know he or she’s in trouble. Agreed?”
    â€œAgreed,” Bess answered first. “And if midnight comes, and someone’s not back?”
    â€œThen we’ll have to assume they’ve been