know,” I said. “I would just need to be subtle.…” Suddenly I sat up straight. “I know. Deirdre!”
“Huh?”
“Deirdre’s family belongs to the country club,” Ireminded Ned. “So does Granger. And I’m pretty sure the Simmonses do too. If I could finagle an invitation out of Deirdre…”
Ned snorted. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen,” he said. “Seriously, Nancy, you’re really not even sure yet that your kidnapping theory is right. Do you really want to put yourself through the Deirdre Experience only to have it turn out that Leslie’s just visiting relatives or something?”
I was about to argue, but I sighed instead. I had to admit that he had a point. Hunch or no hunch, I didn’t have any solid evidence that there was actually a mystery to be solved.
“I guess you’re right,” I said heavily. “I just wish I knew for sure where Leslie Simmons is right now.”
“I know.” Ned sounded sympathetic. “Well, maybe she’ll turn up soon and you’ll have your answers.”
“Her music camp recital is tonight,” I said. “If she shows up for that, I guess this will all be a big false alarm. If she doesn’t…” I glanced at Ned. “Hey, want to go to the recital with me? It’s open to the public—George’s parents are going.”
Ned shrugged. “Sure, I guess.”
“From what I know about Leslie, she wouldn’t miss that for anything,” I mused, talking more to myself than to Ned. “If she turns up, it means there’s nomystery, and we’ll just have an evening of nice music. If she doesn’t, it will prove that something fishy really is going on.” Seeing Ned shoot me a slightly doubtful look, I added, “For me, at least.”
I realized it might also give me an opportunity to talk to some of Leslie’s friends and teachers. One of them might know something useful.
There was no more time to think about it just then. Ned pulled his car up to the university’s football stadium, where my charity group was setting up for a giant fund-raising tag sale. The sale was scheduled to begin the next day and run through the weekend, and was expected to attract thousands of visitors. All sorts of local businesses had donated items or services to be sold or raffled off, and many individuals had contributed as well. I had volunteered to work at the setup and also help run one of the booths the next day.
After asking Ned to call Bess and George to see if they would come to the recital too, I hopped out of the car, and Ned drove away. Then I sighed and walked into the stadium, feeling a little impatient at the thought of missing out on a whole afternoon of investigating.
I tried to look on the bright side as I glanced around at the tables piled full of countless donateditems, from outgrown tricycles to valuable antique vases and everything in between. I probably wouldn’t be able to do much sleuthing while I was here—but maybe I’d at least be able to find something for Dad’s birthday.
“So did you find anything for your father?” Bess asked as Ned pulled into a parking space in one of the university lots that evening. She and George were sitting in the backseat, and I was in the passenger seat up front.
“No,” I said. “I must’ve checked out every table in the place. I had the perfect excuse for browsing: I was in charge of one of the pricing guns. But I didn’t find anything good.”
I sighed, feeling another pang of guilt about not spending more time shopping. Still, I knew that Dad would understand if he knew what was going on. He knows that I can’t resist a mystery, especially one where someone might be in real trouble. And he knows that I can’t think about much else until it’s solved.
My friends and I found the hall where the recital was being held. I checked my watch as Ned bought tickets in the high-ceilinged, carpeted lobby.
“We have about half an hour until it’s supposed to start,” I told Bess and George. “That should give ustime to find out
“Huh?”
“Deirdre’s family belongs to the country club,” Ireminded Ned. “So does Granger. And I’m pretty sure the Simmonses do too. If I could finagle an invitation out of Deirdre…”
Ned snorted. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen,” he said. “Seriously, Nancy, you’re really not even sure yet that your kidnapping theory is right. Do you really want to put yourself through the Deirdre Experience only to have it turn out that Leslie’s just visiting relatives or something?”
I was about to argue, but I sighed instead. I had to admit that he had a point. Hunch or no hunch, I didn’t have any solid evidence that there was actually a mystery to be solved.
“I guess you’re right,” I said heavily. “I just wish I knew for sure where Leslie Simmons is right now.”
“I know.” Ned sounded sympathetic. “Well, maybe she’ll turn up soon and you’ll have your answers.”
“Her music camp recital is tonight,” I said. “If she shows up for that, I guess this will all be a big false alarm. If she doesn’t…” I glanced at Ned. “Hey, want to go to the recital with me? It’s open to the public—George’s parents are going.”
Ned shrugged. “Sure, I guess.”
“From what I know about Leslie, she wouldn’t miss that for anything,” I mused, talking more to myself than to Ned. “If she turns up, it means there’s nomystery, and we’ll just have an evening of nice music. If she doesn’t, it will prove that something fishy really is going on.” Seeing Ned shoot me a slightly doubtful look, I added, “For me, at least.”
I realized it might also give me an opportunity to talk to some of Leslie’s friends and teachers. One of them might know something useful.
There was no more time to think about it just then. Ned pulled his car up to the university’s football stadium, where my charity group was setting up for a giant fund-raising tag sale. The sale was scheduled to begin the next day and run through the weekend, and was expected to attract thousands of visitors. All sorts of local businesses had donated items or services to be sold or raffled off, and many individuals had contributed as well. I had volunteered to work at the setup and also help run one of the booths the next day.
After asking Ned to call Bess and George to see if they would come to the recital too, I hopped out of the car, and Ned drove away. Then I sighed and walked into the stadium, feeling a little impatient at the thought of missing out on a whole afternoon of investigating.
I tried to look on the bright side as I glanced around at the tables piled full of countless donateditems, from outgrown tricycles to valuable antique vases and everything in between. I probably wouldn’t be able to do much sleuthing while I was here—but maybe I’d at least be able to find something for Dad’s birthday.
“So did you find anything for your father?” Bess asked as Ned pulled into a parking space in one of the university lots that evening. She and George were sitting in the backseat, and I was in the passenger seat up front.
“No,” I said. “I must’ve checked out every table in the place. I had the perfect excuse for browsing: I was in charge of one of the pricing guns. But I didn’t find anything good.”
I sighed, feeling another pang of guilt about not spending more time shopping. Still, I knew that Dad would understand if he knew what was going on. He knows that I can’t resist a mystery, especially one where someone might be in real trouble. And he knows that I can’t think about much else until it’s solved.
My friends and I found the hall where the recital was being held. I checked my watch as Ned bought tickets in the high-ceilinged, carpeted lobby.
“We have about half an hour until it’s supposed to start,” I told Bess and George. “That should give ustime to find out
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