Flirting with Danger by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online

public if he had anything to do with Rachel’s disappearance.
    The house was all lit up when they arrived at the Klines’, and there was a police car in the driveway. Nancy’s heart started pounding. She hoped the police had brought good news. She hurried into the house behind Josh and Ned.
    â€œMom!” Josh yelled the moment they were through the front door. “Dad! Where is everybody?”
    Karen Kline appeared at the top of the grand, curving stairway. “Up here, dear,” she said, her voice shaky.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Josh demanded, racing up the stairs. “Did they find Rachel?”
    Slowly Mrs. Kline shook her head. “No,” she said. Then, without saying anything more, she walked down the hallway, moving as if she was in a daze.
    Josh followed her at top speed, and Nancy and Ned came behind him at a slightly slower pace. It was obvious that something shattering had happened, and they didn’t want to intrude.
    Ned took Nancy’s hand and gave it a slight squeeze. The light was on in Rachel’s room, and they could hear Mr. Kline speaking in an angry, agitated voice.
    Mrs. Kline explained to Josh as Mr. Kline talked with a police officer. “When we got home, we checked to see if your sister was back. This is what we found.”
    Pausing at Rachel’s doorway just then, Nancy gasped.
    Rachel’s room had been ransacked!

Chapter

Seven
    E VERY DRESSER DRAWER had been emptied onto the floor, and the contents of the closet and bookcase were scattered everywhere. Even the mattress and box spring had been torn from the bed.
    Nancy noticed a video camera lying on the floor in the corner. There were tapes scattered all around it.
    â€œTake a look at this,” she said, heading for the camera and bending down to get a closer look. In that moment Nancy ruled out burglary—the rest of the house was apparentlyuntouched, and no thief would have left such an expensive camera behind.
    Josh nodded. He was acting worried and distracted. “Rachel’s interested in filmmaking, too,” he said absently.
    â€œI don’t think it was a burglary, Mr. Kline,” the police officer said as Rachel’s father walked him out.
    â€œNothing’s missing?” Nancy wanted to know as she went to stand at Mrs. Kline’s side.
    â€œNot as far as I can tell,” Karen Kline answered. “Not even my jewelry.” Nancy could see that she was on the verge of tears. “And I don’t think we surprised whoever it was, either,” the woman went on. “I mean, we didn’t see anyone leaving the house. It had to have happened while we were still at the party.”
    â€œA burglar wouldn’t have left without that camera,” Ned said, voicing Nancy’s conclusion. “Not to mention the rest of the stuff in the house.”
    â€œHow could anyone get past the housekeeper? She should have heard a noise,” Nancy said.
    â€œMrs. Morgan is a very sound sleeper, and her rooms are at the far end of the house. She also forgot to set the burglar alarm beforegoing to sleep, so the intruder had no problems getting in and back out,” Mrs. Kline answered with a slight shrug of her shoulders.
    Nancy went back to the videotapes and studied them carefully. All had obviously been labeled by Rachel, with titles like “Day at the Beach,” “Girls at the Mall,” and “Boys Worth Watching.” Nancy smiled sadly and turned back to the others. “Are the police going to dust for fingerprints?” she asked.
    â€œI don’t know how much good it will do,” Mrs. Kline replied. “Allen and I touched lots of things while we were looking to see if anything was missing. The officer also said it wouldn’t help unless whoever broke in had a prior record.”
    â€œStill,” Nancy said, “fingerprints might offer an important clue. Suppose the culprit does have a record?”
    Mrs.