A Secret in Time by Carolyn Keene Page A

toward Nancy, holding her hand out for the note. After she’d read it, she let out a low whistle. “This is very serious.”
    Officer Brody had also risen from the table and stood behind his partner, reading over her shoulder. Hannah was in the doorway, her arms crossed in frontof her chest and her lips pressed together in a thin line. Bess and George looked confused until Sergeant Rudinsky passed the note to them.
    â€œIt could actually be a good thing,” Nancy said.
    Everyone looked at her as if she were crazy.
    â€œThink about it,” Nancy said. “The thief would never have come near the house if he thought the police were still here. That means there’s a good chance he’ll come back tonight.”
    â€œAnd with us inside the house,” Officer Brody added, “there’s no way he’ll get away this time.”
    â€œAs long as we’re not too busy eating on the job,” Sergeant Rudinsky said, chuckling.
    â€œDon’t torture yourself,” Bess said, with a laugh. “You were tempted by Hannah’s cooking. I don’t think anyone could have resisted it.” As if to prove her point, she ate another forkful of chicken salad.
    â€œYou know, Nancy,” George said, “I bet there’s something else you can do to help lure the thief here tonight. I thought of it while I was reading the note. It sounds like the thief is trying to scare you. So what if you act scared?”
    Bess paused, her fork in midair. “Huh?”
    â€œMake it look as if you’re too scared to stay in the house tonight,” George explained.
    â€œThat’s a great idea,” Nancy agreed excitedly. “We could make a big show of leaving—Hannah, my dad, and I. We could turn out the lights, drive the car a couple of blocks away, then sneak back in.”
    â€œOh, I get it,” said Bess. “The thief will think the Drews and the police are gone.”
    Sergeant Rudinsky nodded. “It makes sense,” she said. “We can let you in through the back door. Unless you’d rather stay away all night, of course.”
    â€œI never thought I’d say this,” Hannah said slowly, “but I’d rather come home. Even if the thief does show up, I’d feel safer here in the house with the police than I would anywhere else.”
    â€œThen it’s settled,” Nancy said.
    â€œWhat’s next, Nancy?” asked George. “Do we just wait for tonight?”
    Nancy shook her head. “No. I think it’s time we paid another visit to Kimberly Burton.”
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    â€œIt sure looks old,” said Bess. She was in the back seat of George’s car, examining the pearl-handled knife. “Do you think it might be one of Kimberly’s?”
    â€œThat’s what I want to find out,” Nancy said.
    â€œShe does have a big collection of weapons,” Bess recalled with a shiver.
    Nancy had called ahead, saying she wanted to take another look at Kimberly’s globe brooch. When the girls pulled up in front of the big stone house, Kimberly was waiting for them with the front door open.
    â€œI knew we’d meet again,” she said.
    Nancy felt uneasy as she introduced George. Again she found herself searching Kimberly’s face for somedouble meaning. Why was Kimberly so sure they’d be back? Was she simply confident about her jewelry, or had she set it up so the girls would have to come back?
    Determined not to show her uncertainty, Nancy decided to play along with Kimberly. “Isn’t it funny how certain paths seem to cross?” Nancy commented.
    â€œLife is full of surprises,” said Kimberly, looking right into Nancy’s eyes. “Don’t you think?”
    â€œOh, I try never to be surprised,” Nancy said lightly. “I like to stay one step ahead.”
    â€œNot this time,” Kimberly said. She motioned for the girls to follow her down the