Free Nobody's Business by Carolyn Keene

was sweeping crystal shards nearby.
    Nancy wished she’d been more careful to make sure no one overheard their plans. Colleen seemed to have heard them talking, too, because she walked over to Nancy a moment later.
    â€œI know I’m not responsible for you the way I am for the other kids,” Colleen said, “but are you sure staying here’s a good idea? You could be dealing with a very dangerous person.”
    â€œWe’ll be fine,” Ned assured her. “There are four of us. You know what they say about safety in numbers.”
    Colleen looked skeptical. “But what if somethinghappens to you? You’re miles from the nearest police station.”
    â€œThanks for worrying about us,” Nancy said, “but we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve gotten pretty good at taking care of ourselves.”
    With a shrug Colleen said, “Suit yourselves.” Stepping away, she called out, “Come on, Teen Works people! Anyone who’s not sweeping, let’s get back to the basement. We have to clean out the rest of the stuff by tomorrow night.”
    As most of the teens followed Colleen out the ballroom door, Nancy turned to Andrew again.
    â€œWould you mind if I borrowed Ned for the rest of the afternoon? I’ve got a little checking up I want to do,” she said. “We can pick up some food for dinner and meet you back here tonight for our camp-out.”
    â€œSure, if it will help you find whoever’s doing all this stuff,” Andrew said. “See you guys later.”
    â€œWhere are we going?” Ned asked when they got to the lobby.
    Nancy draped his leather jacket over his bad arm, then slipped on her down parka. “I thought this would be the perfect excuse to spend some time alone with you,” she said, grinning. “If we have to spend your vacation chasing after suspects, at least we can do it together.”
    â€œThere’s no one I’d rather chase suspects with,” Ned said with a warm look that made Nancy tingle all over. “Who’s first on our list?”
    â€œI want to find out if the clay sample from the balcony matches the clay Julie works with,” Nancy said. “Then I want to go to Blaster’s house and see if I can figure out what he’s hiding.”
    She and Ned got in the Mustang, and Nancy headed for the small road that curved around the lake and into the town of Moon Lake. As she approached A Show of Hands, Nancy saw that Julie and the middle-aged woman were just locking up the boutique.
    â€œHmm,” Ned said as Julie got into an old gray car and pulled away from the curb. “I guess you’ll have to wait to check out that clay sample.”
    Nancy slowed down, keeping a discreet distance behind Julie’s car. “I’m going to follow her,” she decided.
    After a short drive down curving, tree-lined roads, Nancy followed Julie’s car into a suburban neighborhood.
    â€œThis is Melborne,” Ned said, reading a sign. “She’s probably going home.”
    A few minutes later Julie turned onto a quiet street and pulled up alongside a small but well-kept white house.
    â€œNot too incriminating so far,” Ned said.
    â€œNo,” Nancy agreed. She parked diagonally across the street and watched as Julie got out of her car and headed up the front walk. After Julie had closed the front door behind her, Nancy said, “I’m going to try to talk to her.”
    Ned nodded. “I’d better stay here. Julie knowsI’m Andrew’s friend. If she sees me with you, she might not be too cooperative.”
    â€œGood point,” Nancy said, opening her door. “I’ll try not to be too long.”
    After hurrying up the front walk, Nancy rang Julie’s doorbell and waited. Half a minute later Julie opened the door. She looked even more tired than the day before, and her brown curly hair looked messy and unkempt. Nancy wondered if