Free Don’t Look Twice by Carolyn Keene

she asked, evading his invitation. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “We’ll be there.”
    â€œYeah, I guess I’m going,” Tim said. “It’ll make my sister happy.”
    Nancy nodded, abruptly coming back to the case. She had a question or two for Martha, and the gallery opening would be a perfect place toget some answers. But first she wanted to talk over this new development with Ned. She quickly said goodbye to Tim and went back to where she had left him.
    George and Dave had joined Ned on the bench. They were talking about the game again, arguing good-naturedly about the players.
    â€œWhere did you go?” asked Ned. “I was starting to think you’d been kidnapped again.”
    Nancy quickly told them about her conversation with Tim. The foursome decided to get a soda and talk over their plan of attack.
    Seated in one of the casual restaurants, they sipped sodas and nibbled on french fries. There were beach umbrellas poking through each little white table. Nancy felt as if they had just entered a time warp into summer. Wouldn’t that be great! Ned would be home, and everything would be perfect.
    Sighing, Nancy roused herself from her private thoughts. First she had a case to solve, she reminded herself.
    â€œWhy would Martha Raphael want to kidnap Denise?” George asked incredulously. “I don’t get it.”
    â€œI don’t think we can get at the why yet, George,” Nancy said slowly. “We don’t know enough. I’m beginning to think this case has nothing to do with the basketball tournament, though.”
    â€œDo you think Mr. Mason knows what Martha’s up to?” Dave asked.
    â€œNo,” Nancy said after a moment. “He didn’t behave oddly toward her at all, as far as I could tell.”
    â€œDo you think Denise knows? Tell me again what she said to you over the phone,” Ned suggested. “Maybe there’s some clue we missed.”
    Nancy concentrated. “Well, she said she was fine and that she was at her grandmother’s. And then she said, ‘Tell Ned I’ll see him at the big rally on Monday.’ ”
    â€œNan,” Ned said slowly. “You didn’t tell me that part before. There is no rally on Monday.”
    Silence fell on the little group. “She must have been trying to tell us that she was in trouble,” George said at last. “I can’t believe you forgot about that, Nancy.”
    Nancy could hardly believe it herself. She swirled the dregs of her soda around in her cup, trying hard not to meet Ned’s gaze.
    How could she have forgotten that part of Denise’s message? Nancy asked herself. At the time she had dismissed it as unimportant. But looking back now, she remembered feeling a twinge of jealousy that Denise had wanted to send a special message to Ned. Did I deliberately not tell him about it? Nancy had to wonder.
    She took a deep breath. Denise was really in trouble, and it was up to Nancy to try to get herout of it. Even if she thought Denise was trying to steal her boyfriend from her, she just couldn’t sit by. Even if Ned was willing to be stolen, she told herself, pushing down the lump in her throat.
    Yes, Nancy had to find Denise—even if finding her meant losing Ned!

Chapter

Ten
    D O YOU HAVE ANY eyeliner?” George asked Nancy’s reflection in the mirror. It was an hour before the gala, and they were both wearing their new clothes.
    â€œCheck in my makeup bag. It’s on the bed.”
    Nancy was putting on her lipstick when Nella popped in. “I need to make an early appearance, so I’ll meet you two over there, okay?”
    Nancy hadn’t told Nella about Martha. Nella was still under the impression that Denise wasn’t missing at all, and Nancy didn’t want to ruin her hostess’s evening by telling her the grim news. Besides, four snoops at one party was enough. She didn’t want