Hot Tracks by Carolyn Keene Page A

last, but it could be anyone,” the detective said wearily.“I’ve been taking precautions to stop whoever it is. I even changed last night’s stakeout plans at the last minute. Every time we’ve had a surveillance before, the thieves have hit somewhere totally different. That made me suspect a leak.”
    Nancy leaned forward excitedly. “There’s something else, too. Stan and B.D. both heard us say we were going to the warehouse yesterday,” she said. “They could have warned the people there.”
    â€œThen it isn’t Dirk,” Bess said, brightening.
    Quinones raised his brows. “Dirk?”
    â€œOops!” Bess’s hand flew to her mouth.
    Nancy explained who Dirk was and why they thought he might have warned the people at the chop shop.
    â€œHe might be in on the ring,” Quinones said. “We’ve had our eye on the racetrack. Some parts from stolen cars have shown up there, though we haven’t been able to trace them to anyone.”
    He reached for a pencil and pad. “Let me get some information on this Dirk fellow.”
    â€œIf he’s innocent, nothing will happen,” Nancy reassured Bess.
    â€œIf he’s guilty, we need to catch him,” Detective Quinones stated. “As for the bad cop, you leave that problem to me.”
    Bess and Nancy told the detective all they knew about Dirk. “We’re going to the drag strip this afternoon,” Nancy finished.
    Quinones nodded. “Good place for you to start your investigation. Be sure you call me at the slightest sign that something’s not right. Here’s my card. I’ll write my home number on the back.”
    Nancy saw his face harden as he noticed something behind her. “Hawkins!” Detective Quinones snapped. “Did the lab find anything about the fingerprints?”
    Nancy and Bess whipped around to see the younger detective entering the outer office. B.D. shook his head. “Nope. Said they’re understaffed today and it’ll take a while. Typical.”
    Quinones must have arranged with the lab to keep the results a secret, Nancy realized.
    â€œThe girls were just giving me a detailed description of the thief,” Quinones said. With a significant look at Nancy and Bess, he added, “Now they’re leaving.”
    Quickly Nancy and Bess stood up, said goodbye, and left the office. When they got outside, Bess turned to Nancy. “I feel like I’ve been plunked down in the middle of some police movie.”
    â€œI know what you mean,” Nancy agreed. “I wanted to ask some more questions, but there wasn’t time.”
    â€œSpeaking of time,” said Bess, “Dirk told us to meet him at the track at two o’clock.”
    Nancy checked her watch. “It’s only eleven-thirty.”
    â€œRight,” Bess said. “That gives me less than three hours to shower, pick out an outfit, fix my hair—”
    Nancy laughed. “You must really want to knock Dirk’s socks off.”
    â€œYou’ve got that right,” Bess said. “I like the guy. No matter what you think, I know he’s not involved in all this. He’s just too nice to do something so rotten.”
    â€œWell, you still need to be careful,” Nancy warned. “I don’t want my best friend getting involved with a car thief.”
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    â€œThis is the racetrack?” Bess asked that afternoon as she drove the silver convertible down a dirt road into a field crowded with cars. The top was down, and dust billowed around the girls.
    Glancing around, Nancy said, “I think it’s called a drag strip.”
    â€œSo what’s the difference?” Bess asked, checking herself in the rearview mirror. “Oh no! Look at my hair. It’s a rat’s nest.” She parked the car, then took a brush out of her purse and began brushing out the tangles in her blond hair.
    Nancy