Shadow of a Doubt by Carolyn Keene Page B

Alan leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know what you people are doing, but personally, I have better things to do with my time.”
    There was only one other person who would be so interested in the account, Nancy realized. “Sorry,” Nancy distractedly told Alan. “I’ll let you get back to work.” She headed for the door.
    â€œThat kid, was he about six feet tall withwavy brown hair and green eyes?” she turned to ask.
    â€œYep,” Alan said. “Is he a friend of yours?”
    â€œSort of,” Nancy said, as she left.
    She and Chris Gleason had a lot to talk about and it couldn’t wait another minute.
    Nancy remembered that Cheryl had said Chris worked at a foreign-car shop in River Heights. At the second one she checked Nancy spotted a familiar figure working under a Porsche up on the lift.
    â€œChris,” she said, coming up to him. “I think you have some explaining to do.”
    Chris turned around. “Oh, it’s you. Look, I’m busy. Can it wait?”
    â€œNo, it can’t,” she said firmly. Chris looked at her with a puzzled expression.
    Nancy went on. “If you want me to help you find out who killed your father—if he really was killed—why are you doing your own investigating? What’s going on?”
    â€œLook, Nancy, I can’t talk now. Maybe later.” Chris went back to work under the car.
    Nancy looked around and saw that aside from the car Chris was working on, things seemed to be slow at the garage. She felt herself getting angry.
    â€œCan’t you take a break?” she asked.
    â€œI told you—” Chris began. Nancy saw him look up. “That’s strange—”
    â€œWhat?” she asked.
    Then Nancy saw what had caught his attention. With quick jerks, the lift holding up the Porsche was losing height. The car was rapidly lurching toward the ground.
    And they were standing right beneath it!

Chapter

Twelve
    G ET OUT OF THE WAY !”
    Chris pushed Nancy to the ground. At that moment the car crashed all the way to the garage floor. Two of its hubcaps hurtled off, spun in the air for a moment, and settled down in a metallic whir.
    â€œWhat—” Chris rolled over Nancy and picked himself up.
    Nancy sat up, dazed and shaking. She watched as Chris went over to inspect the damage to the car.
    Slowly Nancy got up off the garage floor, brushing off her jeans. On wobbly legs, shewent over to the air compressor that kept the pneumatic lift up. With a shock, she saw the air hose connecting the compressor to the lift had a deep slash mark in it.
    â€œChris, take a look at this.” Nancy pointed the gash out to him when he came over. “It looks like someone wanted that lift to fall on you,” she said slowly.
    Chris squinted his eyes and bent down to look more carefully at the hose. After he saw the torn hose, he looked up at Nancy, wide-eyed.
    â€œI think you’re right,” he said. “The compressor had only been on for a few minutes, so I had no way of knowing the lift wasn’t getting enough air. And with this running”—he pointed to the pneumatic drill lying beside the Porsche—“it’s impossible to hear a thing.”
    â€œDid you see anyone around here this morning?” Nancy asked him.
    â€œNo one,” Chris said, shaking his head. “But it had to have happened while the garage was open, because we lock up at night.” Chris ran his hands through his hair and looked again at the compressor.
    Nancy took a deep breath. “Maybe you can see now why I need to talk to you. This”—she pointed to the Porsche—“is pretty serious. Someone obviously is sending you a warning.”
    â€œYou may be right,” Chris agreed.
    â€œSo when can we all get together to talk?”Nancy asked. “You, your sister, Cheryl, and me?”
    â€œUnfortunately, I’m not free until tomorrow,” Chris