Free The Cheating Heart by Carolyn Keene Page B

his as they watched Dillon Patrick walk out on stage.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    The music was still ringing in Nancy’s ears two hours later as she and Ned walked across campus after the concert. Brook and Paul had gone out for a cup of coffee, but Nancy had begged off. After her near-fall from the stands, her muscles were a bit sore, and a good night’s rest sounded very appealing.
    Ned pulled her against his shoulder as they walked. “Thanks for saving my neck tonight,Nickerson,” she murmured, nuzzling against him, admiring the hard muscle of his shoulder.
    â€œAnytime,” Ned replied. “It’s the least I can do for you, considering how you’ve just saved me from being expelled.”
    â€œI hope so,” Nancy said. “I’ll be interested to see what Carrie Yu has to say for herself.”
    â€œWhat can she say?” Ned asked. “You’ve practically caught her red-handed. Why else would she have written those answers on that memo slip?”
    â€œI don’t know, Ned,” Nancy said. “But remember, you were found with a copy of the answers, too. And you couldn’t explain why.”
    An awkward pause fell between them, and Ned pulled his arm away. “I’d think you’d want to wrap up the case, so I won’t get expelled.” He sounded hurt, and Nancy cast about in her mind for a tactful reply.
    â€œOf course I don’t want you to get expelled,” she finally said. “But the dean warned me that I can’t give you special treatment. What would it look like if I accused Carrie and then found out she wasn’t the thief? I’d rather she confessed to me before I go back to the dean.”
    â€œWell, I guess you don’t care that my college career is on the line here,” Ned said.
    Nancy was taken aback. “That’s not true, Ned! That isn’t true at all! And I am working on the case. But it’s very—baffling.”
    â€œToo baffling for the great Nancy Drew?” Ned asked skeptically, striding ahead.
    â€œNo!” she defended herself, walking fast to keep pace. “But all I have is a piece of paper with some letters written on it. I can’t prove when Carrie wrote them down, or why. And I can’t prove that she stole that answer key. She had no more access to it than—”
    â€œThan I did?” Ned snapped back, stopping abruptly. He whirled around, and Nancy could see the cold fire in his dark eyes. “So that’s it. You do think I’m guilty.”
    Nancy’s mouth dropped open. “What? I’ve never believed you were guilty, not for a second. But that won’t convince Professor Tavakolian—or the dean, apparently. So I’ve got to catch the real thief, to get you off the hook.”
    â€œThen you’d better do it pretty fast,” Ned said hotly. “I can’t get expelled—I love Emerson! I love the basketball team, I love my frat, I love my classes and my friends. I can’t believe I’d have to leave, just because I made photocopies for a professor I don’t even know!”
    Nancy’s throat tightened in sympathy. “Please, Ned,” she said urgently. “If I’m going to clear your name, I have to do it the right way—not the easy way.”
    Ned and Nancy locked gazes for a long moment. Then Ned ducked his head and muttered, “Sorry. I guess the pressure is getting to me. Come on, let me walk you back to your house.”
    At the door of the Theta Pi house, Ned took Nancy in his arms and gave her the kind of hug that made her think that everything was all right. Relieved, she lifted her face to his for a kiss. As they clung together for several minutes, their kiss went well beyond making up. Nancy felt limp in his strong grasp, powerless to do anything other than continue the long embrace. When they finally let each other go, it was slowly, reluctantly.
    Her head still spinning, Nancy