Model Mystery Trilogy 01: Model Crime by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page B

“Trust me, it was clean when we started filling it. And before you can ask, yes, all the bottles of PowerUp were sealed. No funny smells there, either.”
    “Where was the punch bowl between when you filled it and when you guys brought it out for the toast?” I asked.
    “In the foyer off this little office-type room at the back of the hangar,” he replied. “We did most of the setup in the bigger part of the room, but we stuck the punch out there so nobody would bump into it and spill it.”
    “A foyer? So was there a door to the outside?”
    Terrence nodded. “Actually there were doors in both rooms,” he said. “Our staff and some of those TV people were going in and out all day. Andrea joked that maybe the TV peeps missed New York, because it was like Grand Central Station back there.”
    Thanking him for the information, I left him to his worries. I thought about going over to talk to Andrea next. She’d been with Mrs. Fayne just as long as Terrence and was just as unlikely a suspect in my opinion. But there was always a chance she’d noticed something he hadn’t.
    Just then there was a burst of raucous laughter. Glancing that way, I saw that Bo, Pandora, and Dragon were hanging out together at the far end of the room. A cameraman was filming their every move.
    That reminded me that the entire party had been caught on film. I wondered if the police had asked for access to the footage to see if anyone had left the party at a suspicious time.
    I wish I could get a look at those tapes myself, I thought, glancing from one camera to the next. Then again, maybe there wouldn’t be much point. That hangar has a bunch of doors, and anyone could’ve come or gone for perfectly innocent reasons. Besides, I seriously doubt the cameras ever went back into the catering prep areas….
    Another burst of laughter broke into my thoughts. The Daredevils seemed pretty cheerful after their near-death experience. Then again, I supposed that was sort of the point of the show.
    Wandering over, I smiled at them. “Hey,” I said. “I’m Nancy, one of the bridesmaids. So I hear Vic is going to be okay.”
    Bo turned serious immediately. “He better be,” he blustered, clenching his meaty fists. “If anyone hurts my bro like that, or messes up his big day with his lady…”
    Pandora gave him a shove. “Chill out, man,” she said. “Vic’s fine. I knew he would be. He’s got karma on his side.”
    Dragon didn’t say anything. He just stared at me as if trying to figure out who I was and why I was talking to them.
    Just then the cameraman shifted positions, still filming away. I glanced at him, feeling a bit self-conscious.
    At the same time, Dragon cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. I guess he’d just remembered the camera was there too, because it was like he suddenly came to life and went into full performance mode.
    “Dude,” he announced to no one in particular, “it’s a good thing I wasn’t the one who tasted that first sip instead of Vic.” He pounded his chest with one fist. “See, I’ve got a cast-iron stomach. I can handle anything!”
    Pandora rolled her eyes. “You mean like death ?” she said with more sarcasm than I might have expected from a hippie chick. “You can handle that, huh? Wow, you must be even more talented than you’re always telling us.”
    Bo snorted with laughter. I cleared my throat, still doing my best to ignore the camera. “So listen,” I said. “Who do you guys think did it? Um, does Vic have any enemies or anything?”
    All three of them turned to stare at me. “Who are you again?” Bo asked.
    “Nancy,” I said. “Bridesmaid.”
    Dragon shrugged. “Every celebrity has enemies,” he said, flicking a speck of dust off his bicep. “Nature of the beast.”
    Just then Akinyi and Candy hurried over. “This is out of control!” Akinyi blurted out immediately. “How can everyone just sit around talking and acting like this isn’t happening? I can’t