Trail of Lies by Carolyn Keene Page A

away. It wasn’t worth all the grief.”
    â€œThere’s something else I want to ask you,” Nancy said to Steve.
    â€œShould I call my attorney?” he demanded sarcastically. “After that last question, you’ll probably accuse me of being the smuggler.”
    George gasped. “You don’t believe that, do you, Nancy?”
    Now Nancy knew she was treading on very delicate ground. Instead of answering the question directly, she turned to Steve. “I’d liketo know why you quit your job at Wilcox Shipping.”
    Steve’s face darkened with anger. “Why don’t you ask my father?”
    â€œHe told me to ask you,” she responded evenly.
    Steve spun around and stared into the fireplace. “It’s no secret that my father and I don’t agree on a lot of things,” he said over his shoulder. “He wants me to carry on the family business. He doesn’t care that I’m not interested in the shipping industry. I want to race dogs professionally. But to him, they’re only a hobby.”
    â€œI’m sure he cares. It’s just that—” George began, but Nancy hushed her. She wanted to hear Steve’s side of the story.
    â€œFor a while we worked out a compromise,” Steve went on. “Dad hired Craig to help with the dogs, and I took a job at the company.” Nancy saw his fists clench. “I tried,” he said in a tight voice. “I really did, but I hated it. I’m just not cut out to work in an office.”
    â€œMany people aren’t,” Nancy commented.
    â€œDad didn’t see it that way,” Steve said bitterly.
    George took his hand in hers. “So what happened?” she urged.
    â€œOh, I messed up a couple of the accounts. It was bound to happen—I just can’t do that kind of stuff. Anyway, Dad and I had a bigfight. I left the company. And I can tell you this, I’m never going back. I don’t want anything to do with Wilcox Shipping.” Defiantly, Steve concluded, “If you’ve got any more questions, save them, because I’ve had enough for today.”
    He walked out of the room. George bit her lip as she watched him go.
    â€œOh, Nancy, he’s not a criminal,” she burst out when the door had closed behind Steve. “He just needs someone to tell him he’s not a loser. Did you have to push him so hard?”
    Nancy sighed. “I needed answers, George,” she said patiently. “I got some. But there are still a few questions I’d like to ask Steve.” Like what he meant when he said I’d “mess up everything,” she added to herself.
    â€œHe’s not a criminal,” George repeated. Her lips set in a stubborn line. “I know it. And I know you’ll find the same thing.”
    â€œI really do hope you’re right,” Nancy told her friend sincerely.
    George went after Steve to see if she could talk to him. Nancy walked to the telephone closet. She still had to find Amanda.
    After calling the shipping company’s offices, Nancy found out that Amanda Spear had called in sick. There was no answer at her apartment, however. Then Nancy phoned Lindsay.
    â€œNo, I haven’t seen Amanda since right before the trials,” Lindsay said.
    â€œBefore the trials? You mean she was there?” Nancy asked, surprised. “I didn’t see her.”
    â€œWell, she was at the starting line, but she must have left pretty quickly. I looked for her afterward, but I couldn’t find her,” Lindsay said. “She sure has been acting weird lately.”
    â€œThanks, Lindsay. Listen, I’ve got to go,” Nancy said. She hung up and came out of the phone closet. So Amanda had been at the trials. What significance did that fact have?
    Nancy’s head was beginning to ache. She took a deep breath and stretched. The movement made all her bruises ache again and reminded her of what she’d been