Free Nowhere to Turn by Norah McClintock Page A

be making good progress, but I was just going through the motions. I couldn’t get Nick out of my mind. After a while, my dad brought us tea and cookies.
    â€œOkay, that makes it an official time-out,” Morgan said. She reached for a cookie. “How’s the dog walking going?”
    My father glanced at me on his way back to the kitchen, but he didn’t say anything.
    â€œIt’s okay,” I said.
    â€œHave you found out anything?”
    â€œJust that poor Orion spends most of his time locked in the basement. And that it doesn’t look good for Nick. Everyone is convinced that he stole Mr. Schuster’s coin collection.”
    â€œEveryone?” she said. “Does that include you?”
    I gave her a sharp look.
    â€œI didn’t think so,” she said. She took another sip of tea. “Have you talked to him again?”
    â€œI tried calling, but Glen wouldn’t let him come to the phone.”
    â€œSo now what?”
    â€œThat coin collection didn’t just walk away,” I said. “Someone took it.”
    â€œObviously,” Morgan said. “But who?”
    I’d been thinking about that too. But even if I was on the right track, how was I going to prove it?
    â€œI’m working on it,” I said.
    â€œWhat about Ben?”
    â€œWhat about him?”
    â€œDoes he know what you’re up to?”
    â€œNot exactly.”
    â€œNot exactly?”
    â€œOkay. No, he doesn’t know.”
    â€œDoes he know that Nick is back in town?”
    I shook my head.
    Morgan didn’t say anything as she took another nibble of the cookie, but sometimes silence is louder than words.
    â€œCome on, Morgan. You saw how Nick acted when we were there. He’s not interested in me anymore.”
    â€œNick saw you with Ben. If Billy’s right, he saw you take off the necklace he sent you and put on Ben’s ring instead. Maybe he acted the way he did because you broke his heart.”
    â€œWell, if I did, he broke mine first. He’s the one who walked out on me.”
    â€œYou didn’t even ask him why he did it.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter with you?” I said. “You were the one who kept telling me to forget about him. You told me Ben was the perfect guy for me. Over and over.” I couldn’t believe how angry I was. I stared down at the table and took a couple of deep breaths to try to calm down.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Morgan said quietly. “I should have kept my mouth shut. But you were such a mess after Nick left. I just wanted you to be happy. I just want you to be happy now.”
    â€œIn that case,” I said, “we should get back to work.”

    It was late by the time we finished, so my father offered to drive Morgan home. When he got back, I was still sitting at the dining table. My laptop was open in front of me, but I hadn’t looked at it the whole time he was gone. Instead, I’d been staring up at the moon through the raised skylight in the ceiling over the table. I’d been thinking about Nick.
    â€œWhat’s this about walking a dog?” my father said after he’d hung up his coat.
    â€œI got a job as a dog walker.”
    That earned me a raised eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t like dogs.”
    â€œI’m doing it as a special favor.”
    â€œReally? Whose dog are you walking?”
    I hesitated. “Mr. Schuster’s.”
    â€œI see.” My dad sat down at the table opposite me. His expression was somber. “Nick really got himself jammed up this time, Robbie.”
    I swallowed hard. He wouldn’t be saying that if he didn’t know something.
    â€œWho did you talk to?”
    â€œI know one of the arresting officers.”
    I was afraid to ask: “And?”
    â€œAnd, on the night in question, Mr. Schuster’s family went out to dinner.” He dug into a pocket, pulled out the notebook he always carried, and