Cold as Ice by Carolyn Keene Page A

anymore.”
    â€œSo you both agreed to break up?” Nancy asked. “No hard feelings, as they say?”
    â€œWell . . . I’m the one who broke it off. And Susan swore she’d never forgive me. It hurt her pride that I broke up with her.”
    Nancy nodded. That explained why Susan was so mad at him. “When was all this?” Nancy asked. “The breakup, I mean?”
    â€œOh, not long after school started.”
    â€œAnd you and Susan have had nothing to do with each other since?”
    â€œA few dirty looks—from her, not from me. I’m sorry she’s still mad. Maybe that’s why she started going with someone who has it in for me.
    â€œListen,” he added, “I need to go pick up some books at the library. Coach says if I can bring my marks up by midterm, he’ll go to bat for me with the dean and try to get my probation lifted.”
    â€œWhat if your marks don’t improve?” Nancy asked. “What happens then?”
    Rob shrugged. “Then I’m off the crew, and the coach has to bring someone up from the JV team to take my oar. But I’m not going to let that happen. I’ll see you guys later.”
    As Ned walked with him to the door, Nancy thought about all that had just happened. It seemed as if Greg had a motive to set Rob up. But did he have a motive for the jewelry theft? She drew a blank. She simply needed more to go on. She’d already interviewed one of the guards, but—
    Then it came to her. What about the renowned William Whorf? He was involved with both themuseum and the crew team. Maybe he’d be able to provide her with some valuable information. She’d have to try to talk with him the next day.
    When Ned came back, he said, “Rob says he’ll join us for dinner tonight. Jerry reserved a table at La Fleur-de-Lis.”
    â€œOoh-la-la,” Bess joked. “It sounds très elegant.”
    â€œIt is,” Jerry said. “The food’s good, too.”
    Nancy’s mind was still on the case. “Look,” she said. “Is there someplace private we can sit down for a few minutes? I need to hear what you learned from talking to people.”
    Ned led them to a small side room furnished with a couch and a few armchairs.
    â€œOkay,” Nancy said. “Who wants to go first?”
    George sat down on the arm of the couch and cleared her throat. “I had some good luck,” she said. “I managed to strike up a conversation with a fire fighter who came back to take pictures of the boat house. He told me that the only thing burning when they broke in was that big pile of towels.”
    â€œJust what we thought,” Nancy said.
    â€œUh-huh. And he said it looked as if the towels were wet. That’s why there was so much smoke.”
    Ned shook his head. “But why would anyone set fire to wet towels?”
    â€œFor that matter,” Jerry put in, “how would anyone set fire to wet towels? I’d think the dampness would put the fire out.”
    â€œI don’t know how,” George said, “but the fire fighter said it looked as if the fire had been set by somebody who wanted to make sure it didn’t get too big. The wet towels were supposed to keep it in check.”
    Jerry laughed. “You mean we’re looking for an arsonist who’s shy and retiring?”
    â€œNo, I think we’re looking for a jewel thief who turned to arson only as a needed diversion,” Nancy said. “He didn’t say anything about gasoline, did he?”
    â€œNope, not a word. Why? Oh, of course— Rob’s jacket. You really don’t think—”
    â€œNo,” Nancy said quickly. “I don’t think Rob set the fire. Someone used that jacket to try to frame him. But who? The arsonist, who is probably also the jewel thief? Or someone else? If gasoline wasn’t used in the boat house fire, then it means that whoever is