Danger for Hire by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page A

barn.
    Twenty seconds later the engine of the othercar grew louder. As she had hoped, it immediately swung into the far side of the barnyard—the side that was the muddiest. With luck, the other car was now hubcap-deep in the mud. She heard its door close softly.
    Nancy waited a few seconds longer, to give the driver time to get halfway to the barn. Then she sat up.
    She wanted to check out the driver of the other car. One good look at his face was all she needed—
    It wasn’t a he. With a start, Nancy saw who it was.
    Brenda!
    The girl was trying to tiptoe gingerly through the mud. It wasn’t going well. Her leather jacket, calf-length wool skirt, and expensive-looking boots just weren’t right for the job. A grimace of disgust twisted her mouth as her right boot slid ankle-deep into the muck.
    As she heard Nancy’s door slam, she looked panicked and started back for her car. But her feet kept sinking.
    Soon Brenda gave up. She stood still—and visibly sank deeper into the mud. “Nancy, you tricked me! I thought you were inside!” she yelled.
    Nancy snapped open her door and climbedout, trying hard not to smile. “Brenda, if you want leads for your stories, why not just phone?”
    Brenda folded her arms. “Oh, sure, like you’d really help me!”
    Nancy finally gave in to a grin. “Maybe I would, and maybe I wouldn’t.”
    Brenda became indignant. “You can’t stop me from reporting the news!”
    Nancy shook her head. “I’m not ‘news’ and you know it. You’re just hoping I’ll do your thinking for you. Well, from now on you can do your own thinking, Brenda.”
    Brenda’s jaw tightened. “I have. You’re not the only girl in River Heights with a brain, you know. In fact, I even know who the insider at Hayward Security is.”
    Nancy was interested. Reaching inside her car, she switched off the ignition key. “Who is it?”
    Brenda walked toward her, her boots making little sucking sounds in the mud. “I think it’s Hayward’s vice-president, Neil Masterson,” she said. “If anyone can fiddle with the alarm systems, it’s him. Plus he’s got a motive,” she hinted.
    Now Nancy was really interested. “What motive?”
    â€œHis baby daughter.”
    Nancy recalled the photo on Neil’s desk. What was the little girl’s name? Tasha. She frowned. “What do you mean?”
    Brenda finally drew near. “She has a congenital heart defect. She’s had several operations. Expensive operations.”
    â€œSo what? Neil’s medical insurance pays for that,” Nancy reasoned.
    Brenda shook her head. “Only to a point. Most medical plans have a limit. I checked, and Neil has exceeded the Hayward plan’s limit.”
    â€œAre you sure?” Nancy asked.
    â€œOh, yes. His little girl had three operations last year. We’re talking about open-heart surgery, you understand. That adds up very fast. The total cost must have been hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
    There was no way that Neil Masterson could be making that kind of money. So how was he paying the hospital bills? Nancy would have to find out.
    The corners of Brenda’s mouth curled smugly. “So, what do you think? Is that excellent detective work, or what?”
    Nancy shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Your father is a smart man. I know that, too.”
    Brenda recoiled as if stung. Bull’s-eye, Nancy thought. It was her father who had found out about Masterson.
    â€œWell, thanks for the tip,” Nancy said, climbing back into her Mustang. “And good luck getting out of that mud.”
    â€œAren’t you going to help me?” Brenda wailed.
    â€œYou need a tractor. Or maybe a team of oxen,” Nancy joked.
    â€œWhy, you—! Okay, I’ll go find a farmer,” Brenda said tightly. “But before you go, get this straight: I’m going