Cold as Ice by Carolyn Keene Page B

framing Rob is someone else who is simply trying to get him in trouble. But if it was used, it tells us that the framer and the arsonist are the same person, or at least that they’re working together.”
    â€œCaution, detective at work,” Jerry teased. Bess nudged him with her elbow, and he added, “Sorry, Nancy. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
    Nancy smiled. “That’s okay, Jerry. I was just about to get to you. What did you find out?”
    â€œNot very much, I’m afraid. Bess and I talked to a lot of people—”
    Bess cut in. “I felt nervous about starting conversations with people I didn’t know, so I asked Jerry if we could team up.”
    Nancy raised an eyebrow. Bess, shy? More likely, Bess had just said that so she could spend more time with Jerry.
    â€œRight,” Jerry continued. “We did talk to one girl I know who was on her way to the rowing tank dedication when she saw Rob leaving the boat house.”
    â€œThe boat house?” Nancy asked. “Or the new annex where the tank is?” If he had been at the main boat house, it was likely that Rob was responsible for the fire.
    â€œOh, sorry, I meant the annex,” Jerry said.
    Nancy nodded, relieved. “Okay. Did your friend see what he did, or where he went?”
    â€œShe says he stood outside the door for maybe a minute, then started jogging up the road, toward this part of campus.”
    â€œAnd when was this, compared to the fire in the boat house?” Nancy asked.
    â€œAbout five minutes before. She wasn’t exactly sure, but she knows she went inside just as the coach was starting to speak.”
    Nancy thought back to the dedication ceremony. “I’d agree with five minutes,” she said. “And that means—”
    â€œNancy,” Ned said in a warning tone of voice. He nodded in the direction of the door.
    Nancy looked around. Sergeant Balsam was standing just outside the door, looking at their faces as if committing each one to memory.
    â€œMs. Drew,” he said, “can you tell me where to find Rob Harper?”
    â€œWhy, Sergeant?” Nancy asked. “We left the station less than an hour ago. Is there some new evidence?”
    Balsam hesitated before saying, “I got a call from the fire marshal. That fire this morning was definitely arson. Tests established the presence of an accelerant.”
    â€œAn accelerant?” Nancy said. “You mean—”
    â€œI mean gasoline,” Sergeant Balsam cut in. “The same kind of gasoline that was on that jacket you found. So now I have some more questions to ask Mr. Robert Harper, and this time he had better have some very good answers!”

Chapter

Eight
    R OB LEFT HERE a few minutes ago, Sergeant,” Nancy said. “He told us he was going over to the library.”
    Sergeant Balsam nodded. “The library, huh? During Winter Carnival? I didn’t figure him to be such a bookworm. Well, let’s hope I can find him there. It hurts my feelings whenever I get the idea that somebody I’m looking for might be trying to avoid me.”
    â€œBut he doesn’t even know you’re looking for him,” George protested.
    â€œHe will,” the sergeant said. “He will.”
    He turned and left the room. Nancy hesitatedonly for a moment before getting up and following him. Somehow, she had to find a way to show him the holes in his theory that Rob set the fire.
    She caught up with him just inside the student center doors. “Sergeant,” she began, “can you spare me just one minute?”
    â€œI’ve had a long day, Ms. Drew.” He glanced at his watch. “Okay, one minute. What is it?”
    Taking a deep breath, she began, “Rob’s jacket. Do you have any idea how much gasoline was spilled on it? A lot. I could tell that because the fumes made me choke. Have you stopped to wonder how somebody could spill that much