Free Out of Bounds by Carolyn Keene

P-Pete,” Edgar hedged. “Honest, I don’t.”
    In his terror Edgar backed off to one side, knocking over a metal dispenser of straws. Thestraws scattered as if they were in a giant game of pickup sticks.
    â€œNow look what you’ve done, you idiot!” yelled Pete, bending over to scoop some of them up. Nancy got to her knees and started helping, and so did Edgar.
    â€œSorry!” said Nancy as she accidentally bumped into Pete. She turned to look at him and caught sight of something bulky falling out of his pants pocket.
    The manager must have felt the package drop to the floor because he reached down in a flash to snatch at it.
    But Pete’s hand wasn’t as fast as Nancy’s eyes. Before he could stuff the package back in his pocket, Nancy spied a small, flat silver key at Pete’s foot. And clenched in the manager’s hand was a fat envelope—stuffed with cash!

Chapter

Ten
    N ANCY COULDN’T HELP but stare at the envelope as Pete grabbed it off the ground and fumbled for the key. Pete glanced up at Nancy and knew she had seen the contents of the envelope. He shot her a poisonous look and stuffed the money in his jacket pocket. Clutching the key protectively with one hand, he used the other to point at Nancy.
    â€œMind your own business, Edwards,” he snarled. “Or you’ll be sorry.”
    Pete backed out of the restaurant as the others stood in stunned amazement.
    â€œWhat was in that envelope anyway?” Edgar asked. “Explosives?”
    Nancy ran a hand through her silky hair and blew out a deep breath. “Beats me,” she said softly.
    â€œAre you okay?” Mark asked, putting a comforting hand on Nancy’s shoulder.
    Thinking quickly, Nancy called upon her acting talent. “Not really,” she murmured weakly. “I hate it when people yell at me. It really upsets me.” She pressed her fingers to her temples, hoping to squeeze a tear out of her eyes. “Why does Pete hate me like this?” she asked helplessly.
    From the corner of her eye, she spied Pete’s car screeching out onto Bedford Avenue, turning in the opposite direction from McCann’s Gym. Where was he going this time? She’d give anything to find out.
    â€œOh, I’m sure he doesn’t hate you. He’s just got a lot on his mind these days,” Mark said reassuringly.
    She gulped hard and put her hand to her forehead. “Maybe I’m super sensitive today because of this headache. It’s killing me. I think I’m coming down with the flu or something,” she complained.
    â€œWell, if you’re not feeling well, you should take the rest of the day off,” Mark said quietly.
    Convincing Mark wasn’t very hard, Nancy thought. Her plan was working—if she hurried she would be able to follow Pete. “Won’t you beshorthanded?” she asked, doing her best to sound sincere.
    â€œIt’s okay,” said Mark. “Pete shouldn’t go around upsetting the help, you know.”
    â€œThanks, Mark,” said Nancy, brushing away a big crocodile tear.
    Nancy walked slowly out of the restaurant. As soon as the door closed behind her, however, she raced to her car.
    Traffic was heavy, and Nancy despaired of ever finding Pete’s white car. In a few blocks, though, she did catch sight of him, stuck trying to turn left in a line of cars at the intersection of Main and Bedford.
    Nancy finally caught up with Pete again when he pulled into the parking lot of the redbrick post office near the municipal building. Slowing down, Nancy watched as he got out of his car and trotted inside, his hand against the bulge in his pocket.
    â€œThat must have been a post office box key he was holding,” Nancy murmured to herself as she steered into a space directly across the street from the entrance. Was Pete going to put the money in a box?
    When Pete came out, the bulge was gone from his pocket, and Nancy