Free No Laughing Matter by Carolyn Keene Page B

payment—almost five thousand dollars.”
    â€œWhat company is that?” Nancy asked, leaning over Ned’s shoulder.
    â€œAllen Associates,” Ned told her. “The payment is listed as a consulting fee.”
    Lisa flipped back a few pages in the accounting book. “They get about the same amount every month! Nancy, do you think this could be a bogus payment?”
    â€œMaybe,” Nancy said. “It’s certainly something to check out.”
    Ned copied the name and address from the receipt. “Definitely,” he agreed. “I’ll track down Allen Associates myself. But first I think we could use some lunch. Pizza at Palsson’s?”
    Nancy smiled up at him. “Great idea! I’ll see if Bess can meet us there.”
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    Bess held a piece of hot, cheesy pizza high over her plate. A single string of cheese stretched between the slice and the pie on the table.
    â€œAnybody want to place bets on how high I can lift this slice before the cheese snaps?” Bess asked, laughing.
    Nancy grinned at her friend. “No bets, please—not when we’re trying to track down an illegal gambling operation,” she teased.
    Ned took a huge bite of his slice, then washed it down with some soda. “I’ve been thinking about those receipts you saw, Nan, the ones for cards and chips and champagne. I think we should try to find out where this gambling is taking place.”
    â€œIf you were a gambling operation, where would you be?” Bess asked.
    Nancy slowly pushed aside her slice of pizza. “You know Caribou, that dance club around the corner from the Rainbow? It seems like a hangout for teens, but I’ve seen older people go in there, too.”
    Bess snapped her fingers. “Right! Like that couple we saw the other night. It doesn’t make sense that they’d go to a dance club that plays rock music and only has a juice bar,” she said, giggling.
    â€œHmm,” Ned said. “It’s worth checking out. Maybe you two should go to the club tonight after you get off work.”
    â€œSounds good to me,” Bess said. “That’s the kind of investigating I like. Yikes!” Bess exclaimed, looking at her watch. “I’m supposed to be at Over the Rainbow in ten minutes to rehearse with Rusty.”
    After Bess left, Nancy turned her full attention to Ned. “I’m already dressed for work, but I don’t have to be there for over an hour,” she said.“What do you say we go back to my house to relax?”
    â€œGood idea,” he agreed. “I feel as if my mind is on overload.”
    As Ned drove toward her house, Nancy’s mind sorted through all they’d learned. “Tonight I’m going to search the office again for some concrete proof that Over the Rainbow is laundering money for a gambling operation.”
    Nancy paused, glancing out the windshield at the passing traffic. She blinked as something caught her eye.
    â€œNed! Look at the van that’s just passing us!” she exclaimed, pointing through the windshield. “It’s the same one that tried to run us off the bridge!”

Chapter

Ten
    A RE YOU SURE it’s the same one?” Ned asked, peering straight ahead. He gripped the steering wheel tightly.
    â€œPositive,” Nancy replied. “I saw the twisted bumper and the blue stripe as it was passing us. Whatever you do, don’t lose it!”
    They followed the white compact van to an industrial area. It pulled to a stop outside a warehouse dotted with small windows. Ned stopped next to the curb a short distance away.
    Nancy did a double take when she saw a small man with graying dark hair get out of the van and slam the door behind him.
    â€œHey, that’s the same guy I saw at the comedy club, right before I found that box of receipts!” she exclaimed. “I wonder if he was there to dropoff the box. I practically ran