Free Ghost of a Chance by Franklin W. Dixon Page B

drive the other one some-place else today?”
    â€œNo,” Lloyd answered. “Why?”
    â€œWell, if none of us drove it away, it was either stolen along with Omar, or Frank’s taken it somewhere.” He combed his hand through his hair and looked around. He saw people rehearsing, repairing sets, adjusting cameras, talking and eating, but no Frank.
    â€œI’ve got to find Frank,” Joe told Lloyd. “He should be around here somewhere. I also want to talk to studio security to see if they saw anything funny.”
    â€œGood idea,” Lloyd said. “We’ll take the trailer and see you back at the compound.”
    â€œYou go straight back and check on Gus,” Joe said. “Frank and I will stop in town and report the catnapping—and maybe a truck theft—to the Crosscook sheriff.”
    Gene rejoined them, saying that Dustin had revised the shooting schedule. The wranglers were free to search for Omar.
    â€œWe’re out of here,” Gene said, sprinting toward the trailer. “We’ll see you at the houses.”
    Joe watched the wranglers drive off and then headed to the security trailer.
    â€œJoe!” Sassy called from behind. “Wait! I have to talk to you.”
    â€œI’m in a big hurry, Sassy,” Joe said, turning.
    â€œWell, I heard what happened on the set,” she said. “Are you all right?”
    â€œYou’d make a good reporter,” Joe said, smiling. “Nothing happens around here that you don’t find out about—almost immediately.”
    â€œHey, that’s my job—folklore, remember?” Sassy pointed out. “I have to be on top of all the rumors and tales and find out which are true and which aren’t. So is your story true? A wild puma stalked you while you stood in for Berk?”
    â€œThat’s pretty much it,” Joe said. “You didn’t see what happened?”
    â€œNo,” Sassy replied, obviously disappointed. “But everyone’s talking about it. So now we need to find out whether the mountain lion was sent to do damage or was just after the food in your pocket.”
    â€œYou’ve got quite a network, Sassy,” Joe said. “Come to think of it, you can be a real help to me right now.”
    â€œWonderful,” Sassy said, taking out her purple clipboard. “What’s my assignment?”
    â€œTell me where Frank is,” Joe said. “I’ve lost track of him. Have you seen him?”
    Sassy seemed disappointed that she wasn’t getting a real investigator’s task. “I saw him drive the truck away about an hour ago. I don’t know where he was going. He did have a scuffle with someone earlier, though.”
    â€œHe what?” Joe said. “What are you talking about?”
    Sassy told Joe what she’d heard about Frank and the man with the blue backpack.
    â€œDo you know who it was?” Joe asked.
    â€œI heard it might have been a guy who wrote a book about Jake Herman,” Sassy answered. “But I don’t know for sure.”
    â€œAnd you haven’t seen Frank since he drove off?” Joe asked.
    â€œSure haven’t,” Sassy said. “Just one more mystery to solve. This is the best film I’ve ever been on,” she added, her green eyes wide and round. “It’s absolutely wonderful.” Her rust-colored eyebrows arched high as she smiled.
    â€œWell, I’d better get going,” Joe said. “Are you going to be around the set all day? I might want to talk to you later.”
    â€œSure,” Sassy replied, with a small salute. “Look me up anytime.”
    Joe went to the security trailer and talked to a couple of guards. Neither had seen anything suspicious leading up to the puma’s attack.
    One of the guards was the one who had beenwith Frank earlier when the backpacker escaped on the motorcycle. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told your