Framed & Dangerous (9780545443128) by Kim Harrington Read Free Book Online Page B

nothing.”
    I grumbled in agreement. I should’ve at least been happy that Darcy was sitting with me, like old times, but I reminded myself that things weren’t back to normal. We were only sitting together for the sake of the case.
    Mrs. Wixted, our school librarian, came over to the table with a bright smile. “Hey, girls.”
    â€œHi, Mrs. Wixted,” I answered gloomily. “Are you a lunch monitor today?”
    â€œNo, I’m actually here for Darcy.”
    Darcy looked up from her sandwich.
    Mrs. Wixted said, “I found out the answer to that question you asked me yesterday about the Danville newspaper. The town public library has it on microfilm. So you’ll be able to find old copies there.”
    â€œThanks,” Darcy said and took a bite.
    Mrs. Wixted scrunched up her forehead, probably wondering why we were both so miserable today. Then she shrugged and walked off.
    â€œWhat’s a microfilm?” I asked.
    â€œIt’s a machine,” Darcy said around a mouthful of turkey on wheat. She finished chewing, then added,“Some really old newspapers aren’t online, so they have scans of them. Like little photo negatives. And you put it in the microfilm machine, which blows it up big like a projector, and then you can read it.”
    Still confused, I asked, “Why do you want to read old Danville newspapers?”
    â€œResearch for the Prom Killer,” she answered. She gazed down at her sandwich. “I don’t have to work on that case, though. Not now that Zane’s in so much trouble.”
    Strangely, I kind of wanted to work on the old case, too. I was intrigued. And I could tell that Darcy was getting totally obsessed. We could work on both mysteries. Plus, if she was making a semi-truce with me to help Zane, I could do the same for her and help with the Prom Killer case. And maybe, as we spent more time together, we’d find a way back to being friends.
    â€œNo, let’s do it,” I said. “We can head to the library after school. Who knows, maybe researching that old case will give us an idea for how to help Zane.”
    Maya laid her tray down across the table from me. “Gosh,” she said. “I was last in line for the hot lunch and now I’ll barely have enough time to finish it.”
    It looked like Maya hadn’t heard about the latest development. She gazed at Darcy, then at me, and asked, “What?”
    Darcy asked, “Monday morning, did you see Hunter walking to school?”
    Maya thought for a moment as she unfolded her napkin. “Yeah. That was the morning of the fire. He was walking in front of me, I think. And then we got to the school and saw the flames.”
    â€œDid you see Slade?” I asked.
    She chewed on her lip and looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember. “Yeah, he got there right after us. Then you came and I waved you over.”
    So it was true. Hunter and Slade were innocent. Darcy and I shared a look.
    It stunk that we had no leads, but at the same time I was glad Hunter and Slade weren’t guilty. Maybe there was hope for them yet.
    â€œI figured it wasn’t Hunter,” Darcy said. “He’s … not so bad.”
    I slowly blinked. Twice. Darcy had never said anything even slightly positive about that boy before. Interesting.
    Maya said, “What’s with all the questions?”
    â€œIt’s Zane,” I said sadly. “He’s been suspended.”
    Maya gasped and dropped her fork. “What for?”
    While I filled her in on the details, she covered her mouth with both hands. Zane had been so kind to her. He lived a couple houses down. When she first moved in, Hunter had started teasing her while they walked home from school. So Zane began walking with her so Hunter would leave her alone.
    Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. “Why would someone do that to Zane? Everyone likes him.”
    â€œI don’t