Dangerous Relations by Carolyn Keene

gate.
    Hayden and Natalia were in the arena, practicing without Katrina.
    â€œHow can she cut practice like this?” George asked.
    Nancy looked at her watch and was surprised to see it wasn’t even nine yet. “She’s still got ten minutes.”
    Bonnie Luttrelli was alone in the outdoor ring as they passed on their way to Katrina’s trailer. Nancy called from the path, “Why aren’t Katrina and your brother practicing the rescue act?”
    â€œTom’s horse stepped on something, so the boys are working with the other horses while the vet looks at Ranger’s foot. Where’s Bess?”
    When Nancy told her Bess was still at the motel, Bonnie grinned and resumed shoveling the ring, saying, “And here I was ready to turn this glamorous job over to her!”
    Nancy waved, and the two girls walked on. “What now?” George asked.
    â€œWe’ve wasted enough time. Let’s check Katrina’s trailer,” Nancy said. She led the way to the door. No one answered her knock.
    â€œI’m going to slip around back,” Nancy said. “If Katrina or anyone else comes along, start talking loudly, okay? That’ll be my signal to clear out.”
    â€œAre you sure you should do this in daylight?” George said uneasily. “What if someone sees you?”
    Nancy spread her hands. “I can’t waste any more time. I’ve got to see if Katrina has some of that medicated petroleum jelly. And if she was the one in the globe, maybe she left something lying around that’ll give her away.”
    George nodded. She walked over to a white poodle tied up in front of the next trailer andscratched his neck, trying to look casual as she kept watch.
    Nancy went to the back of Katrina’s trailer. She noticed a chain encircling a scrubby pine tree. That was probably for the dog, she thought. She slipped up to the back door and tried it. It too was locked. The trailer was quiet. If the dog that went with that chain was inside, he wasn’t much of a watchdog.
    Nancy brushed past a garbage can, then stopped short. A piece of pink fabric was sticking out from beneath the lid. Curious, she removed the garbage can lid and took out the pink sash Katrina had worn the day before. There was a shadowy stain on it—the kind of stain petroleum jelly might make.
    Nancy looked carefully at the sash. Katrina could have doubled the sash over, then concealed a wad of petroleum jelly within the fold. It had probably soaked through the sash.
    Nancy dug through the garbage. Stuffed into a bag of half-rotted lemons was a plastic jar of petroleum jelly! Marked on the lid were the words Medicated Petroleum Jelly. Nancy put the container and the sash in her shoulder bag. She had her proof.
    She was retracing her steps toward the front of the trailer when she heard voices. She peeked around the corner. Katrina was back! She had a huge black labrador leashed at her side.
    â€œYou should have seen that globe barreling down on her! It’s a wonder Natalia wasn’t killed!” George was talking very loudly.
    Nancy flattened herself against the trailer. She looked around, planning how she could get away without Katrina seeing her. Katrina’s backyard ended at the fence that enclosed the circus grounds. She thought about climbing the fence but then realized the top of the fence was tall enough to be visible from the front of the trailer. Katrina would see her climbing over.
    Just then a menacing growl interrupted Nancy’s thoughts. She peeked around the corner of the motor home again. The labrador’s ears were standing up. He strained at the leash and barked.
    â€œWhat is it, Hugo?” Katrina asked, stooping to pat him.
    As she did so, the dog jerked the leash right out of her hand. With a ferocious baying, he came galloping toward the end of the trailer where Nancy was hiding.
    â€œYour dog!” George yelled.
    As if in slow motion, Nancy saw the dog