Free 025 Rich and Dangerous by Carolyn Keene

together before too long.” Again there was that devil-may-care laugh. But Nancy thought she could hear a catch in it this time, and there was a quick flash of sorrow in his deep blue eyes.
    Then it was gone. He gave George and Bess a smile, and Nancy noted that George blushed deeply when he met her gaze.
    “Has the house detective been on your case, too?” Nancy wanted to know.
    “Very much so, I’m afraid. I came in at dawn, and he was waiting for me.” Jack’s eyes swept the room and he sighed. “Poor Aunt Sarah.” There was silence for a moment.
    “But,” he went on, “I know there’s nothing we can do for her now. Sooo . . .” Nancy felt the effort he was making to be cheerful. “Nice suite you’ve got here,” he remarked.
    He looked over at George for a reaction, and he got one—a crimson blush and a lowering of her head. Nancy was surprised—George wasn’t usually the type to be instantly smitten, but then, Jack Kale was not a usual guy.
    “Seriously, though,” he continued, “you’re obviously no more guilty than poor Aunt Alison. Or myself, for that matter. It’s got to be Pieter, if you ask me. What do you think?”
    “Well, he’s pretty intense, I’ll give him that,” Nancy said soberly. “But he has an alibi. We ran into him at Trump Tower at the time of the murder.”
    “Oh. I see.” Jack’s forehead creased slightly. “I guess that’s that, then. But that gives you an alibi, too. Have you told Ritter?”
    “A hundred times.” Nancy sighed. “But he’s kind of—I don’t know, slow, if you know what I mean.”
    “I know exactly what you mean.” Jack nodded. “So I guess that leaves poor old Aunt Alison after all. Shocking. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was me. I seem to be the most likely villain.”
    “You certainly had enough reasons,” Nancy said, a challenge in her voice.
    Jack Kale ignored her, however, and turned instead to George. “It’s George, right?” he went on. “Quite a name for a girl like you. If you’d like, George, we could have a little dinner together tonight. It may not be entirely appropriate, but I do have to eat, and it would help to cheer me up.
    George was sitting bolt upright, stiff and uncomfortable. “Uh—” she stammered. “Nancy, could I talk with you for a minute—privately?”
    “Sure thing,” said Nancy, getting up. “Excuse us, will you?”
    When George and Nancy had adjourned to Nancy’s bedroom, George burst out in a loud whisper, “I can’t go out with him! I can’t even look at him, for goodness’ sake!”
    “What’s the matter? Don’t you like him?” Nancy asked.
    “Nancy! Of course I like him! Those eyes, that face—what’s not to like? Other than the fact that he might be a murderer, of course.”
    “Of course,” agreed Nancy. “On the other hand, maybe you could find out a thing or two about him—as a favor to an old friend?”
    “Well, if you really need me to,” said George, breaking into a grin. “I guess I could suffer through an evening with the handsomest guy in the universe.”
    “Good. It’s settled. I’ll count on you to take good notes. There’ll be a quiz in the morning.”
    George laughed. “You owe me one after this, Nan!” she said, with a wag of her finger.
    “Don’t worry, Fayne,” Nancy assured her. “I’ll think of something terrific I can do with you— besides setting you up with a gorgeous guy, that is.”
    “A guy who might just be a killer? Thanks for the favor,” George said wryly.
    “Somehow you seem more pleased than scared,” said Nancy with a little smile. “I havefaith in you, George.” She patted her friend on the back. “You can handle it.”
    Back in the suite, Nancy and Bess talked and tried to ignore the hushed tones of Jack and George making plans at the door. When Nancy glanced at them from the corner of her eye, she noticed that George wasn’t the only one who looked smitten; Jack Kale was practically gaga by the time he said