Free Perfect Plot by Carolyn Keene Page B

friend moved onto the dance floor, Nancy heard someone calling her. “Nancy, I’d like you to meet Armand Wasserman, the president of the Burden Foundation,” Kate said as she and Armand joined Nancy.
    â€œI’ve heard a lot about you, Nancy,” Mr. Wasserman said. “Kate tells me you’re trying to get to the bottom of the—the awful things that have happened here.”
    â€œI just hope I can solve the mysteries,” Nancy said truthfully.
    Kate and the foundation president moved over to a group of conservatively dressed people. Nancy guessed they were the donors Kate had mentioned.
    â€œAh—Holmes! You’re just the one I’ve been searching for.”
    Nancy turned to the stranger and laughed. She was peering at a mirror image of herself, except the other Holmes costume was worn by a cute blond guy. He asked her to dance. On the dance floor she saw that most of the other Mystery Mansion guests were also dancing. Professor Coining, dressed as the famous mystery author Ellery Queen, was spinning Vanessa around. Theparty was definitely easing the tension that had been caused by Maxine’s murder and the theft of the figurines.
    After half a dozen dances, Nancy excused herself and went to the refreshment table to get something to drink. George was there with Patrick, who looked like a 1930s gangster, in his double-breasted pinstripe suit and white spats.
    â€œNo, we’re not really satisfied,” Nancy heard George say as she came up. “Nancy called the police before we came down to the party, and they said they’re just holding Erika overnight for questioning—not officially charging her.”
    Nancy was about to caution George not to talk about an ongoing investigation, when someone spoke up behind her.
    â€œAnybody need anything from town tomorrow morning?” Bill Denton asked. “I’m going to go in first thing for the Sunday papers. I want to see what kind of coverage our mystery is getting.”
    â€œNo, thanks,” Patrick said coolly. George and Nancy shook their heads. As Bill walked away, Patrick added, “He probably hopes the publicity will make more people buy Aunt Dotty’s books. I wonder if he ever thinks about anything besides his ten percent?”
    Before Nancy could comment, Professor Coining came over to them, his brow beaded with perspiration. “Which one of you two ladies would like to dance?” he asked expectantly.
    â€œNo, really, I—” Nancy began as she was led out onto the dance floor.
    The next half hour was a dizzying succession of twists and twirls. Nancy had to admit it was kind of fun, though, and the professor was a great dancer.
    During a complex maneuver that involved having her arms wrapped around her in two different directions, she noticed Julian slipping out one of the french doors to a terrace at the front of the house.
    What’s he up to? she wondered.
    It took her a few moments to excuse herself from the professor, but finally she was able to grab a flashlight from her purse and hurry out to the terrace. Peering past the long facade beyond the construction, Nancy saw what might have been Julian entering the summerhouse.
    She hurried across the lawn. As she neared the summerhouse, she began to move silently. She crept up to one of the windows, cautiously boosting herself up to peek inside.
    â€œWhat?” she said to herself, blinking. The summerhouse was empty!
    Nancy sprang to the door and opened it. A Chinese lantern outside the door cast fantastic shadows over the table and the built-in benches that lined the walls inside. There was no place to hide, unless—
    Nancy tugged at the seat of the nearest bench.It swung up to reveal a croquet set. Under the others she found badminton rackets, a wicker picnic basket, a deflated soccer ball, a beach umbrella, and two glow-in-the-dark Frisbees.
    Only one bench refused to open. She studied it, then felt along the