Hidden Meanings by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page B

be trying to call upstairs, Nancy guessed. That meant that no one had yet been told about the deadly skewers. She sprang to the double doors leading to the banquet room and flung them open.
    A throng of students milled around the room, everybody talking at once. Small round tables had been set up around the outer walls; a long buffet table took up the center of the room. A line of hungry students was moving up to the buffet table, and Nancy saw that about ten kids had already served themselves. Some held their plates and ate standing up. Others were sitting at the small tables.
    Nancy shoved through the crowd to the buffet and spotted a tray of shish kebabs at the end of the table. She raced over.
    Seizing the hot platter in her hands, Nancy yanked it off the table. She spotted George standing nearby holding a linen cloth, and she thrust the dish into George’s hands. “Take these to the pantry and destroy them,” Nancy said quickly. Without asking why, George instantly obeyed.
    Grabbing a cloth napkin, Nancy ran to the other end of the buffet table, which had the same food laid out. She snatched the other shish kebab platter just as a student was reaching for a skewer. “Try the chicken wings instead,” Nancy advised with a smile. She scurried to the pantry with the deadly dish.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with these?” George asked as Nancy came through the double doors.
    â€œIf we hadn’t been talking about oleander this afternoon, I might not have noticed,” Nancy said. She plunked the hot platter down on the counter. “But these skewers are oleander twigs. The poison would seep through the bark and taint the food. I just hope no one’s eaten any yet!”
    Hurrying back to the banquet room, Nancy hunted frantically for Gary Ruxton. She spied him near the buffet line, chatting with Evan Sharpless. As she rushed up, the teacher smiled at her. “Nancy Drew!” he said. “I was just telling Mr. Sharpless about our mystery—”
    â€œMr. Ruxton,” Nancy interrupted, a bit annoyed that he was blowing her cover, “could you make an emergency announcement?”
    â€œOf course,” Mr. Ruxton said. As he and Nancy threaded their way through the crowd to a podium, she explained the situation.
    A moment later Mr. Ruxton spoke into the microphone. “Attention, students,” he began. The room fell silent. “Anyone who took a shish kebab from the buffet, please do not eat it.” A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd. “Anyone who has already eaten some should come see me immedia—”
    At that very moment, a boy across the room doubled over. Nancy saw Jane Sellery standing beside him. As the boy began to collapse, Jane screamed.
    Nancy rushed to the boy’s side, but Evan Sharpless was already there. Supporting the boy by the arm, the reporter twisted around, clearly looking for help. Nancy saw Bess standing behind him, her mouth gaping open.
    â€œWaitress, get a doctor!” Mr. Sharpless ordered Bess. “There’s a cardiologist staying here—he spoke to me in the lobby earlier. He’s in room 555, I remember. Call him.” Nodding, Bess ran off to a phone.
    Nancy leaned over to speak to Mr. Sharpless. “The poison was oleander,” she told him. “It has effects similar to digitalis poisoning.”
    The newscaster turned to take in Nancy with a shrewd, appraising glance. “Thanks—that’ll help,” he said. “When I was in the service in Vietnam, I saw a few cases of accidental poisoning. I know these first few minutes are critical.”
    The sick boy raised his head weakly, gasping for air. Mr. Sharpless helped him to his feet. Half carrying the boy, the reporter moved him out of the banquet room. As Nancy followed, she spotted Gina near the door, surrounded by several guys from the workshop. Sally stood awkwardly behind her, anxiously twisting her brown curls.
    Ned, leaning