The Secret at Solaire by Carolyn Keene Page B

must have been part of the original ranch, about a hundred yards behind the stables. I’ve seen Hank go into it.”
    â€œWhat if it’s the tack room?” George asked.
    â€œNo one puts a tack room that far away from the stables,” Nancy said. “It’s got to be Hank’s house. And I’d love to have a look inside.”
    Bess scrunched her eyes shut tight. “Why do I have this feeling that I’m going to help you break into someone’s house?”
    Nancy grinned. “You don’t actually have to help me break in, Bess. All you have to do is distract Hank.”
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    Dinner had just ended later that evening, and the setting sun had turned the western horizon into a blazing streak of crimson. Nancy,Bess, and George left Solaire’s dining room and headed for the stables.
    â€œLet’s go over the plan one more time,” Nancy said.
    â€œOkay. I go into the stables and ask Hank if he’ll show me around,” Bess began. “I tell him I want to go riding tomorrow, and that I’d feel a lot better about it if I could see the horses first. Then I’ll take a long time at each stall—asking lots of questions and talking to the horses and stuff.” Bess reached into her pocket and pulled out a fistful of carrot sticks she’d taken from the salad bar. “See? I even came prepared.”
    â€œAnd I’m the lookout,” George continued. “I’ll hide somewhere near the door of the stables. As soon as Hank even hints that he might leave, I’ll signal you in the house.” She paused. “What kind of signal should I use?”
    â€œUm—how about throwing some dirt at one of the windows?” Nancy suggested. “I’ll hear that.”
    â€œRight,” George said.
    Nancy took a deep breath as she considered her own part in the plan. “And I’m going to break into Hank Meader’s house and search for the shirt.” She shook her head. “If my dad, the lawyer, only knew . . . ”
    Bess giggled nervously. “This sounds like a spy movie.”
    â€œWe are spying,” Nancy admitted as the stable building came into view. “But it’s for agood cause. We have to find out what happened to Kim.”
    Dusk was falling now. The wooden stables were lit from inside, and the scents of hay and horses filled the air.
    Nancy headed off to the right, planning to circle back toward Hank’s house.
    â€œWish me luck,” Bess called softly.
    â€œGood luck,” Nancy whispered, “to all of us.” She walked as quietly as she could, praying that Hank didn’t have a dog or some sort of burglar alarm. At least none of the windows in the stables faced the house. Hank couldn’t possibly see her.
    The house was smaller and older than Nancy had realized. Its adobe walls were cracked from years in the sun, and the inside was completely dark. For a moment, Nancy wondered if anyone actually did live there.
    Calmly, Nancy walked up to the thick wooden door and knocked, just in case someone other than Hank lived there. When no one answered, Nancy tried the doorknob. Unsurprisingly, it was locked. I guess I’ll have to break in after all, she thought.
    Carefully, she walked around the side of the house. The windows weren’t that far from the ground. She could probably boost herself up onto one of the thick wooden ledges, but then how would she actually get the window open?
    At the back of the house, Nancy found heranswer. The back window was open. The sky was growing darker by the minute, and Nancy knew she had no time to lose. She jumped up onto the thick wooden ledge, then lowered herself feet first through the open window.
    Her feet came down and Nancy heard the sound of something breaking. She froze, terrified. What had she broken? Had someone heard her?
    Inside, the house was silent.
    Taking a deep breath, Nancy turned on her flashlight