Free The Case of the Artful Crime by Carolyn Keene

Canyon and other desert scenes adorned the wall. “I ran down to Poster Corner in the mall and picked theseup when they opened at nine this morning,” Shawn said proudly.
    â€œThey look great,” Nancy said. “What have you done with the slashed paintings?”
    â€œI put them into the storage closet,” he replied.
    â€œWhat will you tell Felice Wainwright?” Nancy asked.
    â€œI don’t know.” Shawn sighed. “Maybe I’ll tell her my customers loved them so much that I sold all seven of them. She’ll probably insist I buy more.”
    Nancy laughed softly. “It’s not easy being a business person, is it?”
    Shawn shook his head. “And you think Jack has something to do with all this?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know what to think right now,” Nancy said honestly. “But I’d like to check him out. Could you give me Jack’s phone number and address?”
    â€œThey’re upstairs in my file,” Shawn told her, heading toward his office. “But Jack’s not home. I’ve been calling him all morning. No one picks up the phone.”
    â€œIs he scheduled to work today?” Nancy asked.
    â€œTonight,” Shawn said. “We’ll have the chance to confront him then.”
    â€œIf he shows up,” Nancy added.
    As they reached the hallway, Loreen appeared in the front doorway. “You’re here early.” Shawn greeted her with a tense smile.
    â€œA little,” Loreen said, casting a frosty glance at Nancy. “Why was the back door locked?”
    â€œI want to see who’s coming in and out,” Shawn told her. “I don’t want any more fires or secret additions to the food.” Then he excused himself and disappeared up the stairs.
    Realizing that this was her chance to talk to Loreen, Nancy stayed behind. Maybe Loreen would reveal something new about the case. Since both intruders had been men, Nancy knew that Loreen hadn’t been at the restaurant last night. Still, it wasn’t unheard of for a woman to hire someone to work for her. And after Loreen’s fit of anger last night, Nancy still considered her a suspect.
    Nancy followed the head waitress into the coat-room, where she was hanging up her denim jacket. “Loreen,” Nancy said, “we seem to have gotten off to a bad start. I’m not sure why, but I just want to say that—”
    â€œDon’t play Little Miss Innocent with me,” Loreen snapped. “I know what you’re up to.”
    Nancy took a step back. She had to think fast. What did Loreen know?
    â€œLet me fill you in on one thing,” Loreen continued. “Despite what you may have heard, Shawn is taken. He and I are simply having an extended lovers’ quarrel, that’s all.”
    Deciding to take a bold approach, Nancy lifted her chin defiantly. “That’s not how it looks to me,” she said, baiting Loreen. Nancy knew that angry people sometimes revealed things that they might not ordinarily say.
    Loreen’s pale skin turned a deep crimson. “You don’t stand a chance with him!”
    â€œI think Shawn is cute, and he appears to be available,” Nancy taunted.
    Loreen’s emotional temperature dropped from red-hot to an intimidating cool in a matter of seconds. “Listen,” she purred, stepping toward Nancy, “everything was fine between Shawn and me until we came here. Then all you flirty River Heights girls started throwing yourselves at Shawn. Between that and all the time this place takes to run, well, it was just too much for any relationship to take.”
    â€œMaybe you should go back to Arizona if you hate it here so much,” Nancy suggested calmly, hoping to anger Loreen further so she would reveal something.
    â€œMaybe I just will,” Loreen replied. “But you can be sure it will be with Shawn. It’s only a matter of time before he realizes that