Stop the Clock (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 12) by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page B

been hurled at me,” I said. “I’m trying to put it all together.”
    “I don’t think any of this is just a coincidence, Nancy,” George said. “Somebody is behind it.”
    “Oh, I agree, George—and now I have to find out who,” I said.
    “Well, just start naming names, Nancy,” Bess suggested, “and then you can see who would have the best motive.”
    “Mr. Franklin has moved back to the top of my list, because of what happened to the essays,” I said.
    “That makes sense, but why did you want to know where he was yesterday afternoon?” Bess asked.
    I told them about how Ned and I had driven by both the Mullins and Franklin houses. “It occurred to me that they might have planned to steal the library clock together,” I said. I elaborated on mytheory. “They may not have been meeting yesterday afternoon, like I thought at first, but that still doesn’t mean they aren’t in this thing together.”
    “That certainly makes sense,” George said.
    “That’s what I thought too,” I said.
    Just then I looked up to see Ned striding our way. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t happy about something.
    Since I didn’t want anyone to remind me that we were in a library, I waited until he reached us to say anything.
    “This is a surprise,” I said. “What are you doing here?”
    Ned gave me one of his looks. “I called your house and Hannah said you’d just left, so I left you a message here that I’d be right over,” he said. “I just wanted to see how things are going for you. I don’t know which librarian I talked to, but whoever answered your phone said she’d tell you or leave you a note.”
    “I’m sorry, Ned,” I said. “I didn’t check my desk.” I looked at Bess and George. “But that’s exactly what I’m going to do now.”
    The three of them followed me over to my desk, which was secluded from the other reference librarian by a couple of bookcases. I probably wouldn’t have been so lucky, but the library was in the processof hiring another reference librarian, so this desk was available.
    No message.
    “You don’t know who you talked to?” I asked Ned.
    Ned shook his head. “I didn’t ask, and the person didn’t tell me, but you know something—now that I think about it, the voice sounded kind of familiar.”
    “Really?” Bess said.
    Ned nodded. “But we didn’t talk long enough for me to place it,” he added.
    I told Ned about the missing recollections. “Of course, people will sometimes tell you they’ll leave a note for the person you’re calling, and they never get around to doing it,” I added. “But with all the other things happening, it just seems like part of a pattern.”
    “Agreed,” George said.
    “What do you want to do now, Nancy?” Bess said. “I don’t want to hurry you, but there are some other things I need to do this morning.”
    I let out a big sigh. “I don’t think there’s anything that we can do,” I said. “This whole project just seems to be collapsing around me. I’ve never really felt like this before.”
    “I know it’s frustrating, Nancy,” Ned said encouragingly, “but you can’t give up.”
    “Oh, I won’t give up, Ned,” I said. “You know mebetter than that!” I snapped my fingers. “In fact, this might be a good time to check in with Chief McGinnis.”
    “What for?” George cried.
    “It would just be a waste of time,” Bess added.
    “Well, I should keep him up to date on whatever I found,” I said. I at least like to try to have a good relationship with the River Heights chief of police.
    “You know that he’ll just try to pick your brain, Nancy,” George said, “and then he’ll take all the credit for your hard work.”
    “There’s not a whole lot left to pick, George,” I said. “Anyway, as long as the mystery gets solved, then that’s the main thing. I’m not looking for glory.”
    I asked Bess if she’d drive my car to her house, and told her that I’d pick it up