Free Never Say Die by Carolyn Keene

horrified, but before she could say another word, Peter Cooper ran up. “George, are you okay? Let’s get you to the medic table. Here, I’ll take this—”
    Grabbing her bike, he began to wheel it away.
    â€œNo, leave it!” George said.
    Peter stopped, a mixture of confusion and anger on his face.
    â€œI’m going back in.”
    â€œWhat?” Nancy gasped. “George, you’ve got to be kidding!”
    George shook her head. “The rules say I have three laps to rejoin the field.”
    â€œB-but the bike—!” Peter stammered. “Surely it’s ruined after that pileup.”
    Without a word, Jon snatched it from Peter’s hands. Lifting it, he spun the pedals. The rear wheel turned freely.
    â€œIt’s fine. Here you go, George.”
    â€œNo!” There was genuine horror in Peter’s voice, but it was too late. As he spoke, George climbed back on and began to ride along the apron. One lap later she picked up speed and smoothly slipped into the field of riders.
    The crowd cheered. The only person who wasn’t impressed was Peter. Nancy turned to speak to him, but her comment stuck in her throat. His eyes were blazing. He looked furious. She began to wonder why, but her attention was drawn back to George.
    For several laps she had been sitting in—drafting at the back of the field. Then, slowly, she began to attack, challenging Monique. In each of the remaining sprints, George won points. When the race was over, the scoreboard gave her twenty-seven to the Dutch girl’s twenty-nine.
    Then there was an announcement “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please. The judges have ruled that rider number seventeen, Monique Vandervoort of Holland, has been disqualified.”
    George was the official winner! Smiling happily, she posed for pictures in the infield. Nancy watched, wondering how long George’s smile would last. She still had her breakup with Jon to adjust to. Or would they get back together? Could she forgive him?
    George also had to cope with Monique. As the photographers drifted away, the Dutch girl walked up and stared unblinkingly at her. Nancy stepped close.
    â€œYou won with a trick,” Monique hissed in lightly accented English.
    â€œWhat?” George asked, surprised.
    â€œYou do not deserve to win the race. You cheated.”
    George was shocked. “I cheated? What about you? I know that swerve wasn’t accidental. You did it deliberately to make me fall!”
    â€œThat is what you say!” Monique smiled nastily.
    â€œThat’s what the judges said, too.”
    Monique’s smile changed to a hostile frown. “I warn you, George Fayne, do not try to challenge me anymore.”
    â€œOh no? Why not?” George returned her frown.
    â€œBecause you may have another accident.”
    Nancy’s ears perked up.
    â€œSo far you have come out okay,” Monique continued. “But next time—next time, I promise, you will not be so lucky.”

Chapter

Eleven
    T HAT EVENING THE extortionist phoned Steven Lloyd. The instructions that Steven repeated to Carson Drew were simple. Within ten minutes Nancy was ready.
    At precisely 9:59 p.m. Nancy—wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a plain white shirt that would enable anyone to follow her even in the dark—stepped into the phone booth at the corner of Main and Maple. Behind her was the all-night drugstore. Half a block away, her father and Steven Lloyd waited in a car. Half the detectives in the River Heights police department were also nearby in unmarked cars, but Nancy couldn’t see them.
    Closing the door of the booth, Nancy dropped the heavy gym bag she was carrying onto the floor and checked her watch. The numbers were changing. It was exactly 10:00 P.M.
    She waited.
    And waited.
    The phone did not ring. Then she suddenly noticed a slip of paper tucked into the coin return. Her heart leaped. Grabbing it, she