Free Model Suspect 3 by Carolyn Keene

almost everyone else at the resort. All traces of Bo’s earlier adventures with the fire juggling had been eradicated from view. But the same couldn’t be said about his tumble from the top of the waterfall. His head was bandaged, one arm was in a sling, and he looked generally banged up and bruised.
    Still, all things considered, he appeared to be in pretty good shape as I glanced over at the table where he was seated with Jamal and Akinyi. He was in hisusual high spirits, letting out an occasional shout of laugher and trading high fives with Jamal with the arm that wasn’t in a sling.
    “You’re right about that,” I mused in response to George’s remark, not taking my eyes off Bo. “If he hadn’t managed to get himself right side up and push away from the wall when he got near the bottom …”
    Bess shuddered. “Let’s not talk about that,” she said firmly, reaching for her water glass. “I’m just glad Sydney wasn’t there to witness it.”
    “Where is Syd, anyway?” George glanced around the restaurant. “I haven’t seen her since we dropped her off you-know-where, you-know-when.”
    I realized she was right. Sydney hadn’t made an appearance since we’d left her in Akinyi’s bungalow earlier.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “But I really need to talk to her. Things are getting pretty serious—first the fire, which could have killed us, and now Bo’s close call.”
    Just then I caught a commotion over near the entryway. Glancing over, I saw Vic and Sydney entering the dining area.
    “There she is,” I said.
    Bess looked over too. “She looks pretty normal, considering.”
    That was true. Sydney was maybe a little palerthan usual, but otherwise looked as pretty and pulled together as ever. She clung to Vic’s arm as the cameras swarmed around them.
    “Hmm,” I observed. “Looks like it could be a challenge to catch her alone.”
    “Maybe you can set up a meeting for later, like after the cameramen go to bed,” George suggested.
    “I really don’t want to wait that long. Who knows how soon our culprit might strike again?”
    “Good point.” George shrugged. “For all we know, Vic’s dinner might already be poisoned.”
    “Don’t say that!” Bess looked alarmed.
    I stood up as Sydney and Vic sat down with Akinyi, Bo, and Jamal. “Come on,” I said. “There are still plenty of seats over at their table. Let’s join them.”
    “Nancy! Girls!” Sydney looked up and smiled as we approached. “I was just about to call you over. I feel like I’ve barely had a chance to spend any time with you since you arrived.” She shot me a meaningful look, but didn’t say anything else.
    “Yeah,” I agreed, trying to sound casual and not look at any of the cameras that were filming us. “Maybe we can go for a walk on the beach after dinner or something.”
    “Sounds good,” Butch muttered from behind his camera. “Madge wants more footage of the bride doing the island thing anyway.”
    I bit back a sigh. No, it wasn’t going to be easy to get any time alone with Sydney….
    “So who’s up for some Jet Ski action tomorrow?” Bo spoke up.
    Akinyi stared at him. “You’re planning to drive a Jet Ski with that sling on your arm?” she asked in clear disbelief.
    “Oh, he won’t let that stop him, trust me,” Vic said with a chuckle. “One time on the show when we were doing a stunt at Mount Rushmore, the producers said he had to skip it because he’d sprained his wrist doing the last stunt, and …”
    From there, they were off and running with a series of
Daredevils
stories. Under any other circumstances I probably would have found the tales and bragging amusing, and I was sure the audience of the TV special would eat them up. But at the moment all I could think about was finding an opportunity to talk privately with Sydney.
    Finally it came. “Oh!” Akinyi shrieked, pushing back from the table so quickly that her chair almost tipped over backward. “Did you all see that?