Make No Mistake by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page B

gardener at Glover’s Corners. “You know, I thought there was something funny, and I just realized what it is.”
    Nancy took a deep breath, then went on. “All the article said was that Loomis had worked at a private estate. Mr. Glover’s name was never even mentioned, even though, according to Tony, Jake Loomis worked there for many years. Don’t you think that’s weird?”
    â€œWhy?” Bess looked confused.
    â€œLoomis is a pretty successful guy now,” George said. “Maybe he didn’t mention Glover’s Corners because he wanted to play down the fact that he used to be a gardener for a rich guy. It might be embarrassing for him.”
    â€œMaybe,” Nancy said slowly. “But what if Gary Page or Matt Glover—whoever he is— purposely didn’t mention Glover’s Corners in the article. What if he didn’t want anything to connect Jake Loomis to the Glover family?”
    â€œWhat are you getting at, Nan?” Bess was stamping her feet to keep warm.
    Nancy took a deep breath. “It’s quite possible that a fake Matt Glover and Jake Loom-is are working together to steal Mr. Glover’s fortune!”

Chapter

Eight
    I NDIGNATION PLAYED OVER Bess’s face.
    â€œThat’s ridicu—” she started to say, but she broke off in midword, startled by a hissing noise from the darkness behind them.
    â€œPssst!”
    Nancy, Bess, and George whirled around to see Tony Giralda step into the light of one of the lanterns lining the front drive. Nancy hadn’t noticed his van when they drove up, but now she saw that it was parked under one of the huge, leafless maple trees.
    â€œWhy didn’t you go in?” Nancy asked him.
    â€œI don’t know those people. I was waiting for you.”
    â€œBut you must know Mrs. Adams—if you and Matt were such good friends,” she said, studyinghim curiously. “I thought you said you knew him like a brother.”
    The way that Tony scuffed his feet in the gravel told Nancy that he’d been lying. But why? “Well, forget it,” she said after a minute. “Let’s just go in. It’s freezing out here.”
    Matt was waiting for them in the library. He looked amazingly handsome in dark pants and a royal blue ski sweater. The fire was roaring, and there was an enormous plate of sandwiches on the low table. The air smelled of cloves and cinnamon, and Nancy realized that Mrs. Adams must have revived one of her favorite recipes, mulled cider.
    Matt gave them all a big hello. Then, turning to Tony, he said, “I’m glad you came, Tony. It’s been a long time since we skated together.”
    Tony hesitated before he took Matt’s hand, and when he shook it, it was with a strictly formal air. Then he went and sat stiffly in a leather chair.
    Mrs. Adams came in a moment later, holding a freshly baked pie. “Hello, girls,” she said. “This is a special night, with the house full of young people again.”
    She put the pie down on a silver stand and straightened. Her gaze landed on Tony, and she peered at him with a puzzled expression on her face.
    â€œThis is Tony Giralda, Addie,” Matt said smoothly. “You must remember him.”
    â€œYes,” she said vaguely. “You were here after Mr. Glover’s funeral, weren’t you?”
    Tony rose from his seat and nodded, an embarrassed flush in his cheeks.
    So Tony had been lying, Nancy thought. Surely Mrs. Adams would have recognized him from the old days if he had known Matt as well as he’d said he had.
    Matt broke the uneasy silence after Mrs. Adams left the room. “I thought we should get in some carbo-loading before we skate,” he said, cutting into the pie and handing out plates to everyone.
    â€œDefinitely,” Bess agreed. She took a big bite of her pie. Giggling, she added, “We wouldn’t want to collapse from lack of energy.”
    As