Free Never Say Die by Carolyn Keene Page B

shuddered. She had seen sharks before, but always from the other side of the glass. Being less than four feet from one was definitely not her idea of fun.
    Nancy quickly dropped the gym bag onto the metal grating at her feet. Then she reached back with her hand for the doorknob.
    As she was groping, she suddenly felt a hand on her back!
    She screamed, but there was no one to hear. There was nothing to grab onto. She was falling, clawing wildly at the air as she fell into the tank.

Chapter

Twelve
    T HE WATER WAS cold, and she gasped as she surfaced and blinked the drops from her eyes. The catwalk was empty. The gym bag was gone. All she saw was the back of a figure disappearing through the door, which banged shut immediately.
    Then she remembered. Somewhere below her, swimming around in circles, was a shark, capable of killing her with one snap of its jaws. She had to get out of there!
    Looking around frantically, she noticed that a two-foot-wide lip ran around the top of the tank. If she could get to that, she’d be okay. She couldwalk around it, then haul herself back up to the catwalk.
    Just then, something nudged her leg and moved past her in the water. Nancy wanted desperately to scream, but she kept herself under control. Stay calm, she told herself. Just stay calm.
    All at once Nancy remembered something she’d read in a book—sharks were attracted by erratic motion. If that was true, she reasoned, then maybe she could make the shark ignore her by swimming evenly through the water, with smooth, regular strokes.
    It worked. Seconds later, Nancy pulled herself up onto the lip of the tank and stood. Stepping carefully, she picked her way around the tank until she reached the catwalk. Then she hauled herself up.
    Two minutes later she was back outside in the parking lot. No one was there. For a moment Nancy stood absolutely still, breathing in the warm, sweet night air.
    Then, as loudly as she could, she screamed.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    An hour later Nancy had changed into dry clothes and was sitting in her father’s study. Both her father and Steven Lloyd were there, and they were furious about what had happened.
    Steven had balled his hands into fists. “If I ever get my hands on that guy—”
    â€œYou!” Nancy said, interrupting him. “Forgetit. Wait until I get my hands on him! He didn’t even leave your program.”
    â€œI expected that,” Steven said. “When I mentioned it on the phone earlier, he said he couldn’t make any promises. That made me suspicious.”
    â€œDo you think he’ll try to extort more money?”
    â€œNo, but I think he’ll try to get the full amount that he asked for originally.”
    Carson Drew rose from his chair in anger. “Steven, are you saying that Nancy was carrying less than a million dollars?”
    Steven nodded. “Half a million. I kept the other half.”
    â€œBut why? And what if he’d held her prisoner while he counted the money? When he found out, she could have been—”
    Steven held up a hand. “I knew he wouldn’t hold Nancy, Carson. He couldn’t. Counting a million bucks takes time, and he had only minutes. He must have figured we were tailing her.”
    â€œYes, I guess you’re right.” Calmed, her father sat down again. “That means you’ll be getting an angry call pretty soon.”
    â€œI hope so.”
    â€œI think you will,” Nancy said, shifting in her chair. She was shaken too, but she was also glad about the news. “My guess is that this guy is greedy. Half a million won’t be enough for him.”
    Nancy was right. Fifteen minutes later the phone rang. It was the extortionist. When herfather put the call through the speakerphone on his desk, the voice that filled the room was electronically distorted. But there was no mistaking his anger.
    â€œThis isn’t enough money, you idiot. I’ll have to sell your