Free Danger on Parade by Carolyn Keene Page A

Jules if this formula is an exact match of the formula for the perfume?
    â€œGood idea,” Nancy agreed. “We still don’t know if Louis is connected to the sabotage, either.”
    While Bess and Eloise finished searching the office, Nancy tiptoed out to the reception area and made a copy of the formulas on the photocopy machine behind the receptionist’s desk.
    When Nancy returned, she could see that her aunt appeared nervous. “We’ve been here an awfully long time,” Eloise said. “Shouldn’t we—”
    Her hand flew to her mouth as the doorknob to the office rattled. “Oh, my!” she whispered. A moment later they all heard the sound of a key being inserted in the lock.
    â€œHide!” Nancy whispered urgently.
    Eloise and Bess dashed for the closet while Nancy ducked under the desk. Nancy’s heart pounded in her chest as the door opened. Then a voice muttered, “Uh-oh, forgot the vacuum cleaner.”
    Nancy let out a sigh of relief as the door closed again and the person’s footsteps receded downthe hallway. “It was the cleaning lady,” she whispered to Bess and her aunt. “Let’s get out of here before she comes back.”
    They quickly returned the test tubes and formulas to Louis Clark’s desk drawer. Then, slipping the copy of the formulas in her pocket, Nancy led the way back out to the housewares department. A muffled announcement told them that Clark’s was about to close, so the three blended in with the crowd exiting the store.
    â€œMy, that was a close one!” Nancy’s aunt said once they were out on the street. “I don’t know about you two, but all of this excitement has made me hungry again.”
    Bess pointed to Los Amigos restaurant down the street. “How about Mexican?” she suggested. “I want nachos, tacos, the works.”
    Nancy grinned at her friend. Bess was cheerful and hungry—she seemed to be back to her old self. Things were definitely looking up!
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    â€œIt’s too bad Eloise decided not to come to the club with us,” Bess said as she and Nancy entered Inverted later that night.
    â€œI guess the club scene just isn’t for her,” Nancy said, speaking loudly to be heard above the pulsing rock music. “Besides, she said herself that she was too exhausted by all our snooping around to do anything else tonight.”
    After dinner, Eloise had taken a cab back to her apartment, stopping first to drop off the girlsat Inverted, a club in a deserted warehouse area. Now, after checking their coats, Nancy and Bess paused to look around the club.
    There were pink plastic tables, and billowy taffeta curtains covered the walls of the large room. The place looked as if it had once been a garage for a trucking company—several steel garage doors remained, blending in with the eclectic decor. A long bar stretched against one wall, and the tables were scattered around the dance floor. Platforms with more tables had been constructed at various levels, with industrial metal staircases leading up to them. Women wearing glittering dresses and men in suits stood side by side with teenagers with dyed hair and leather jackets.
    â€œLook, there’s Dan,” Bess said, pointing.
    Nancy recognized Jill’s dark-haired assistant. He was up on one of the platforms, sitting with Bonnie and several other people. Neil was also there, talking to the actress Pam Hart. Nancy didn’t see Jill or Greg Willow, though.
    The two girls made their way across the club and up the stairs to the platform. At a distance they saw Jules Langley and his father. Several hellos sounded out, and Dan stood up and asked Bess to dance with him. Nancy sat down next to Neil.
    â€œHi. How’s everything?” she asked.
    â€œBusy.” Neil ran his hand through his brown hair. “Jill’s still back in her office at the store.There’s some problem