Trail of Lies by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page A

in the front door of the house. The dining room was empty, and there was no sign of Carson, Henry, Craig, or Steve.
    â€œI wonder where the guys are,” George said.
    Just then, loud voices carried through the door of the den.
    â€œCalm down, Steve!” Craig’s voice said.
    Steve’s voice was anything but calm. “I don’t care what you say,” he shouted. “I don’t want Nancy Drew here. She’ll mess up everything!”

Chapter

Seven
    T HE DOOR of the den flew open, and Steve stormed into the hallway. At the sight of the girls, his face flushed red with embarrassment.
    â€œI think you owe Nancy—” George started to say.
    Nancy quickly shushed her. If Steve made an apology, she wanted it to be because he decided to, not because George shamed him into it.
    â€œGood night, George,” Steve said stiffly. He headed for the stairs without even acknowledging Nancy’s presence.
    â€œSteve!” George started to follow him, but the look he gave her stopped her in her tracks.
    â€œYou could call that bad chemistry,” Nancysaid with an attempt at humor after Steve had disappeared.
    â€œMore like bad manners,” George countered glumly. “I just don’t understand him.”
    Craig came to the door of the den.
    â€œCan I talk to you, Nancy?” he asked quietly.
    George flashed Nancy a smile. “I’m off to bed,” she murmured, then started up the stairs.
    â€œWhat is it, Craig?” Nancy asked, walking into the den. Craig motioned her to a chair, but she remained standing.
    â€œI—I just want to apologize for Steve,” he said. “His manners have been atrocious. But believe me, that’s not the real Steve.”
    Nancy bit her tongue. It was the only Steve she’d seen.
    â€œHe’s not himself,” Craig continued. “He’s awfully upset about the smuggling and what the charges could mean to his father. I guess the strain has made him snap at everyone around him.”
    Privately, Nancy didn’t think Steve had shown all that much concern about his father’s troubles, but she wasn’t going to argue with Craig. “It’s a tough situation,” she said neutrally. “Look, Craig, don’t worry about me. If Steve has something against me, that’s his problem. There’s nothing any of us can doabout it.” Stifling a yawn with her hand, she added, “Now, I’ve got to get to bed before I fall asleep on my feet.”
    That wasn’t strictly true. Nancy needed to be alone so she could think about what she’d just heard. What had Steve meant by saying she would “mess up everything”?
    What did Steve have to fear from Nancy? His outburst made no sense whatsoever—unless he was the smuggler. Then he would have reason to fear Nancy, because she might uncover his scheme.
    It was a great theory, except for one thing: from what she had seen in the past day, Steve Wilcox had everything money could buy. He apparently had no motive to smuggle!
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    As she drove to the Wilcox Shipping offices the next morning, Nancy couldn’t help feeling happy. No matter how little progress she had made on the case, it was a beautiful day. Once again, the dark sky was clear, with a reddish tint in the east that meant the sun was going to rise soon. Before she reached downtown Anchorage, the fiery red ball had climbed over the Chugach Mountains.
    She gazed in wonder at one peak, soaring above the others. At first she’d thought it was a cloud, hovering on top of the mountains. Then she realized the huge mass of white was asnow-covered mountain—Mount McKinley. No wonder the Inuits called it the Great One! It was so tall it dwarfed the rest of the range. Nancy wondered whether George could see McKinley from wherever she and Steve were training the dogs. She hoped so.
    The shipping offices were located on Anchorage’s main street,