Very Deadly Yours by Carolyn Keene Page A

Price yelled.
    â€œI’ll be right back,” Nancy called back over her shoulder, running out.
    â€œHere,” she said breathlessly when she rejoined the three men. “Look at this. I was just wondering if any of you might have seen the person who dropped off this letter. That’s all.”
    All three men bent their heads over the paper. “Wow, this guy sounds like a real sicko,” Todd said after a minute. “Why’s he bothering you, anyway?”
    â€œI—I’m not really sure,” Nancy said, lying. “Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t want me working here or something.”
    Bill was looking puzzled. “But you say you’re just a temp?”
    â€œWell, yes, kind of,” said Nancy, wishing her rehearsed story had explained things better.
    â€œWell, then, why would someone want you out of here?” he asked. “The only person who could get an ad in in the middle of the week like thiswould be someone who worked for the paper. But if you’re just working here as a temp, why would anyone want you off the job?”
    â€œWait a minute,” Nancy said. “Why does it have to be someone who works for the paper?”
    â€œWell,” said Bill, “the Personals column is only updated once a week. The new ads always come out in the Sunday paper. Only someone who knows how to get a new ad into the computer can have them printed—all our typesetting is computerized. Now here’s a brand-new ad out on Tuesday. How could it have come from outside?”
    â€œHe’s right,” Todd put in. “Whoever it was would have had to slip the ad past Lena Verle to get it printed now.”
    Nancy’s lips were a tight line. She could think of one person who’d wanted her out of this job even though she was just a “temp.” She could think of one person who’d have no trouble slipping an extra ad into the paper. Lena Verle.
    â€œSo Lena is out to get me!” she said under her breath.

Chapter

Nine
    L ISTEN, GUYS , I have to get back to work,” Nancy said abruptly. She wanted to get through the confrontation with Lena as quickly as possible. “It’s been nice talking to you, though. Thanks a lot.”
    â€œHey! Aren’t you going to take your supplies?” Todd called after her.
    â€œOh! Yes, of course. Thanks.” Nancy turned around and scooped the boxes into her arms. She had forgotten about the original reason she had come down there.
    â€œWell, it’s been real,” Steve said as Nancy whirled around to leave for the second time.
    Back at Lena’s cubicle, Nancy dumped thesupplies unceremoniously on the desk. “Here you go,” she snapped before a surprised Lena had had time to say anything. “So. You still have it in for me, is that it?”
    Lena looked honestly bewildered. “In for you?” she echoed.
    â€œThe guys in the mailroom just told me that only someone from the paper could have placed that ad. And there’s only one person on this paper—as I figure-—who wants me out of here. You.”
    â€œBut I don’t want you out of here anymore,” Lena protested. “Haven’t we been through this already? I had nothing to do with that ad!”
    â€œYou’re the only person who could—” Nancy stopped short. She had just caught sight of a piece of stationery on Lena’s desk. The reason she noticed it was that it had Lena’s initials on it. And some kind of message—a message that didn’t look friendly.
    Nancy reached over and picked up the piece of paper. “Hey!” Lena protested, but Nancy was already reading aloud. “ ‘Dear Lena: Enclosed is a message for next week’s Personals column. Thanks for bending the deadline this once.’ ” Nancy glanced quickly at Lena, who looked stunned. “ ‘And the message,’ ” she continued,