Choosing Sides by Carolyn Keene Page B

glanced around the room. She didn’t see Gleason, but Steve Hill jumped up from a table as soon as he saw her.
    â€œWhat do you think you’re doing here?” he snapped, stopping inches from her face.
    â€œI’m here to meet my boyfriend, Ned, for lunch,” she replied evenly. “And to find out what you think about Bobby Rouse’s murder.”
    â€œI never met the guy,” Steve told her. “Why would I think anything about it?”
    Nancy decided to try a different tack. “What about Greenwood?” she asked. “Does that name mean anything to you?”
    Steve Hill shook a finger in her face. “Look, even if I knew anything about this Greenwood, Iwouldn’t tell you.” His voice dropped to a menacing growl. “But I will tell you that you’d better watch out. All your snooping could get you into deep trouble!” With that, he turned and stalked off.
    Nancy was still staring after Steve Hill when Ned came up behind her and gave her a quick hug. “Have you been harassing the enemy?” he asked jokingly.
    â€œWe’ve been harassing each other,” Nancy told him. “Let’s go eat. I’m starved!”
    As Ned and Nancy walked down the block to a pizza place, they discussed the paint-throwing incident.
    â€œGleason held a staff meeting to condemn the attack,” Ned said, after they had settled into a booth and ordered.
    â€œGreat, but that makes it harder for me to ask you to do me a big favor,” Nancy said.
    â€œTry me,” Ned said. He looked up as the waitress delivered their pizza, then picked up a slice.
    Nancy took a deep breath. “I want you to help me search Patrick Gleason’s office this afternoon, during the debate. I have to find out if there’s anything about the frame-up in Gleason’s papers.”
    â€œYou still think that Gleason might have something to do with that?” Ned asked, studying her. When Nancy nodded, he took a huge breath and let it out slowly.
    â€œOkay, I’ll do it,” he finally said. “But only because I want Gleason’s name cleared. I’ll try to fix it so I’m the only one there during the debate.”
    â€œThanks, Ned,” Nancy said, reaching over the table to squeeze his hand.
    After they had finished eating, Nancy left Ned at Gleason’s campaign office and returned to Caroline Hill’s headquarters. She found Bess and Kyle sitting at a table covered with photocopies and containers of Mexican food.
    â€œHi, Nan!” Bess called out, biting into a tortilla chip.
    â€œHere, Nancy, try a nacho,” Kyle chimed in, handing her a chip dripping with cheese. “These are the best in the universe.”
    Nancy popped it into her mouth. “Not bad,” she admitted. “Any luck at the library?”
    Bess handed Nancy a photocopied newspaper article. “We struck out with Greenwood, but we did find this.”
    â€œIt’s an article that came out the day after Anna Dimitros was found guilty of manslaughter,” Kyle explained. “Read the part that’s highlighted.”
    Nancy skimmed down to the paragraph outlined in yellow. “ ‘A hostile crowd followed Dimitros and her laywers out of the courthouse and surrounded her as she got into a waiting limousine,’ ” she read aloud. “ ‘Responding to their taunts, Dimitros stated in a ringing voice,“I have done nothing wrong. Caroline Hill is the one who should be ashamed. Someday, she will have to pay a price for ruining my life.”’ ”
    â€œWow!” Nancy exclaimed, setting the article down. “Anna Dimitros blames everything on Caroline. The question is, what sort of price does she want Caroline to pay?”
    â€œI’ll bet anything that Anna Dimitros is getting her revenge by framing Caroline Hill!” Bess exclaimed.

Chapter

Eight
    K YLE WHISTLED SOFTLY . “In a sick way, it