Free Portrait in Crime by Carolyn Keene

be,” Nancy promised as she stood up.
    The three girls got into their rental car and drove to the Nisus Art Gallery. Cynthia Gray was there, checking the room for the official opening the next night. The receptionist, Cecilia, was working arranging flowers under Cynthia’s discriminating eye. While the girls waited for Cynthia, Nancy spotted Bob Tercero and pulled him aside.
    She launched into her story about the messages. To her surprise, Bob seemed very concerned.
    â€œYou should watch yourself,” he said. “We want to find Christopher very badly but not at your expense. Is there anything I can do to help?”
    â€œI don’t think so,” Nancy said. “But I’ll let you know if there is.”
    â€œListen,” he said, “Cynthia’s going to be at the gallery for the next two days preparing for the show, so I have the next two days off. I’ll be at the opening, but otherwise, you can reach me at home.” Bob scrawled his address and phone number on a scrap of paper.
    â€œIf I can help in any way, please let me know,” he said, shoving the paper into Nancy’s hand.
    Finally Cynthia took a break and ushered the girls into her office.
    â€œI’m shocked!” she exclaimed when Nancy had finished her story. “A serious threat?”
    Nancy nodded. “Serious enough. You have no idea who it could be?”
    â€œI’m afraid I don’t, but I must say I don’t like the idea of your being threatened on my account. Maybe you should drop the case.”
    â€œI thought you were worried about Christopher!” Bess burst out. “Nancy can’t stop now.”
    â€œI am worried about Chris,” Cynthia said gently, “but I don’t want anyone hurt. I’m also hoping that he’ll come to the gallery tomorrow night. There’s been an enormous amount of publicity about the show. It would be just like him to appear in time for the opening. He’s very impulsive.”
    â€œI don’t want to get hurt, either,” Nancy replied. “Maybe I should wait until tomorrow to see if he does come back.”
    Nancy and her friends headed out of town.
    â€œYou’re not really going to give up, are you?” George asked.
    â€œOf course not,” Nancy declared as she slowed her car to a stop at a red light. “But if Cynthia wants us to think Scott might show up tomorrow night, I’m not going to argue with her.”
    â€œNancy, you don’t suspect her?” Bess asked defensively. “She’s the one who called you in the first place, and she is Tommy’s mother.”
    â€œBess, I have to be objective. I honestly don’t think she ran out and killed the Scotts, if that’swhat you’re asking,” Nancy replied lightly. “I just think it’s odd that she wants us to drop the case. Maybe she really is worried about me—I just want to make sure, that’s all.”
    Nancy put on her left blinker and turned into the driveway to Megan Archer’s house. “Last stop for the moment,” she said cheerfully. “Then we go look for our model.”
    No one answered Nancy’s continuous ringing at the door. “Well, I guess she’s at work,” she said, turning to the cousins. “What do you want to do now?”
    â€œWhat are we doing here?” George asked.
    â€œMegan insisted there was no Vanity painting,” Nancy explained. “Now we know for sure that there is one. If Bob Tercero is right, and the Vanity was hanging in the Scotts’ house, I’m sure Megan knew it, too.”
    â€œSo it could be worthwhile to take a look around her house?” George asked.
    â€œThen let’s not give up so easily,” Bess said. She slid her hands along the top of the door frame. “Maybe there’s a key around here somewhere.”
    They found a key to the house inside a potted plant on the porch and went inside.
    â€œAnybody