Circle of Evil by Carolyn Keene

wondered about his behavior, but for just a minute. It was the worst possible time for a phone call. She’d miss Mike. Besides, she’d never be able to hear—the bar was three deep in people.
    Just as she reached the bar, a sudden realization hit Nancy. Zach was purposely trying to keep her from following Mike. Could he be in on it, too? He has to be, Nancy thought. And he did practically shove me over here.
    Nancy turned and faced Zach. He was still smiling, but his eyes weren’t twinkling as they usually did. She forced herself to smile back.She didn’t want to let him know that she suspected him. It was much too soon.
    Calmly, Nancy moved past the crowd and walked behind the bar to pick up the phone.
    â€œHello, Nancy,” a female voice said. “I see you decided not to take our advice and get off the case.”
    Although she tried to disguise it, the voice belonged to Rita!

Chapter

Fourteen
    N ANCY TOOK A slow, deep breath, hoping her voice wouldn’t shake when she accused the person on the other end. “Hello, Rita,” she said, surprisingly steadily.
    â€œYou couldn’t stay away, could you?” Rita asked, dropping her disguise. “You just had to keep on trying to help your little friend, Joanna.”
    â€œRight,” Nancy said. “Well, Rita, it’s been nice talking to you, but I’ve really got to hang up now.”
    â€œNice try,” Rita said with a laugh. “But, Nancy dear, here’s what’s really going to happen.First, say goodbye to anyone you know at the bar in a real friendly way. We don’t want anyone suspecting anything.”
    Nancy glanced over at the door leading to the pool, hoping to see Ned or George out there. No luck. She had told them to stay with Cindy, and that’s exactly what they were doing.
    â€œAnd then,” Rita continued, “you’ll do exactly what Zach tells you to do.”
    â€œWhat if I don’t?” Nancy asked.
    Rita laughed her usual friendly laugh. “Why don’t you take a look at everybody’s favorite bartender?” she suggested.
    Nancy looked. Zach was standing right beside her. In one hand, he held a glass of soda. But in the other hand, hidden from everyone’s view but Nancy’s, was a gun, pointed straight at her. When he saw her notice the gun, Zach winked.
    â€œOkay, I’ve seen it,” Nancy told Rita. “What are you telling me? That if I don’t do what he says, he’ll shoot me? Right here in front of all these witnesses? That’s pretty hard to believe.”
    â€œWell, you’re welcome to put him to the test,” Rita said. And she didn’t laugh this time. “But I guarantee you’ll be very disappointed.”
    For a second, Nancy was tempted to calltheir bluff, if it was a bluff. But then she looked at the gun again and saw that its barrel was longer than usual. Looking more closely, she realized that it wasn’t an extralong barrel; it was a normal barrel with a silencer on the end of it. The lounge was so crowded and noisy that a gunshot would sound about as loud as a pin dropping on the carpet.
    â€œAll right,” Nancy said to Rita. “You win. For now, anyway. What do you want me to do?”
    Rita chuckled. “As I said, do whatever Zach tells you. And no tricks, Nancy, or you’ll be very sorry.”
    I’m sorry already, Nancy thought, hanging up the phone. Turning to Zach, she said, “Well? What’s the plan?”
    For an answer, Zach draped a dishtowel over his wrist, concealing the gun. Then he nodded toward the direction of the locker room stairs. “I’ll be right behind you,” he said, smiling so that everyone would think he was enjoying the company of a pretty girl. “Let’s move, Nancy, okay?”
    As slowly as she could, Nancy walked toward the stairs. But it wasn’t slow enough. Ned and George didn’t suddenly appear in the lounge to