Sinister Paradise by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online

she go?” asked Nancy eagerly.
    â€œA rundown apartment house. The Ka Lae, it’s called.”
    Suddenly a pair of uniformed security menrushed up to them. “What’s the problem here, miss?”
    â€œThis man pulled a gun on me in the garage,” Nancy explained, brushing her hair back. “Place him under arrest.”
    The guards hauled Boomer to his feet. He struggled in their grip, yelling, “Hey! Where’s my lawyer, man?”
    â€œWe’ll need to ask you a few questions, miss,” one guard called back over his shoulder. “Could you come with us?”
    â€œBe glad to,” Nancy answered. But as she and Ned followed, she was worrying about the moonfaced man. Who was he? First he’d been watching Lisa’s apartment. Then he’d shown up at the garage. And judging from his reaction to Boomer’s threat, Nancy had been his quarry.
    A sudden chill touched Nancy’s heart. There were too many wild cards in the Lisa Trumbull case. The Malihini Corporation was one. That moon-faced man was the other. Were the two connected? Or were they operating independently?
    Either way, Nancy knew, she had to fit those puzzle pieces into their proper places. Otherwise, she and her friends might not get out of this alive!
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    â€œUh-oh! Looks like there’s roadwork up ahead,” Nancy announced.
    They were heading north to Honolulu’s financialdistrict. Long, low-roofed bungalows from the 1940s flanked the street on either side, a reminder of the days when Paawa had been a suburb of the city.
    â€œHow bad is it?” asked Bess.
    Nancy stuck her head out the side window. Up ahead, the line of traffic was snaking around a city water department excavation. Propped up against a sawhorse was a huge sign: warning! EXPLOSIVES IN USE! TURN OFF YOUR RADIO !
    â€œSlow going, but we’ll get there.” Nancy put the car in neutral.
    â€œWe should’ve called George at the bank. Let her know we’re coming,” Bess observed. “You know how she hates to be kept waiting.”
    Nancy sighed. “It can’t be helped. I’m sure she’ll understand.”
    â€œWhat’s the next stop after the bank?” asked Ned.
    â€œThe Ka Lae apartment house.” Nancy frowned in determination. “I want to see how reliable Boomer’s information is.”
    The car ahead of them lurched forward. Nancy shifted into gear, then pressed the gas pedal. As their car rolled forward, she checked the dashboard, making certain that their radio was off.
    The flagger waved his red banner back and forth. Beside him stood a mammoth pile of black volcanic sand. Halfway up the pile sat a small battery-powered lantern.
    Suddenly the lantern’s bulb turned bright red.Nancy spotted it at the same moment the flagger did. Dropping his banner, he made shoving motions at Nancy’s car. “Go back! Go back!”
    Whonk-whonk-whonk! A klaxon bleated a deafening tone.
    Uttering a cry of alarm, the flagger threw himself on the ground.
    Bess blinked in bewilderment. “Nancy, what’s going on?”
    Nancy shoved the gearshift into reverse just as a fireball erupted from the pit, hurling a shower of debris straight at them!

Chapter

Eight
    D UCK !” N ANCY YELLED .
    Covering her head, she leaned against the steering wheel. Ned braced himself behind the glove compartment. Bess plunged down behind the front seat.
    The blast wave bounced the car on its springs. Rock fragments spattered the roof and hood, and the stench of burnt TNT permeated the air.
    Coughing, Nancy switched off the engine. “Everybody all right?”
    Ned got back into his seat. “I’m fine,” he murmured.
    â€œNo injuries here,” Bess said. “Nancy, what was that? ”
    The flagger came running, with a police officer right behind. The construction crew stood farther away, jabbering in confusion.
    â€œAre you kids okay?”