think?â Marcia looked up at Len apologetically.
âI always rant and rave when Iâm upset,â Len said. âItâs just the way I let off steam.â
Marcia smiled at him. âI guess I should know, but so much was at stakeâmy whole business.â
Turning to Nancy, Marcia said, âThatâs why I wouldnât talk to you this morning. I had to talk to Len first, and he didnât show up here until after lunch.â She let out a nervous laugh. âIâm just glad I talked to him before the police picked meup for questioning. At least I could tell them what really happened. And when the police called, Mrs. Kohler confirmed that Len was there until just before ten oâclock.â
Marcia still didnât have proof that she had been where she claimed to be, but her story seemed to ring true. Also, Nancyâs instincts told her that the same person was probably involved in both crimes. If Len and Marcia hadnât killed Joanna, they probably hadnât stolen her diamonds.
The wheels in Nancyâs mind were turning. Assuming that Len and Marcia werenât involved, that left Cy Baxter, his assistant Rachel, and Morgan Fowler as suspects. Cy Baxter had an alibi for the time of Joanna Burtonâs murder, but Nancy wondered about the other two.
âYou must be scaring the person whoâs responsible,â George put in. âSomeone shoved that boulder at you this afternoon. And if Marcia was at the police station, it couldnât have been her.â
Nancy quickly explained what had happened to the others. âAnd thatâs not all. Last night I received a âgiftâ of a smashed cuckoo clock with a warning note,â she concluded.
âThatâs awful,â Len said. He nodded at Nancyâs bandaged ankle. âI was so caught up in what we had to tell you that I didnât even notice that you were hurt. Is it serious?â
He seemed relieved when Nancy told him sheâd be okay.
âNancy needs to get home and rest that ankle, though,â Bess said, getting up from her chair. âLet me get us something for dinner first.â
âWe need to be going, too,â Marcia said, standing up.
When Bess returned with a huge paper bag a few minutes later, Ted fixed her with stony dark eyes. âAre you going to be gone all day tomorrow?â he asked her. The annoyance in his voice was clear.
âTed, youâll do just fine,â Bess said simply.
This was the Bess Nancy knewâthe one who wouldnât let Ted or any other guy push her around.
Turning back to Nancy, Bess said, âIâll go get the car. I have to go right by a video store on the way, so I think Iâll rent a movie, too. We can borrow your VCR, canât we, Ted?â Bess asked.
âUm, sure,â Ted said, but his expression told Nancy he wasnât happy about anything.
âIâm going with you to pick out the movie, Bess,â George insisted. âI donât want to watch one of those silly romantic things you always rent.â
Nancy started to get up, but Bess only shook her head. âOh, no, you donât. Youâre not moving an inch until we come back with the car.â
âWeâll only be a few minutes,â George promised. Then she and Bess hurried out of the restaurant.
Ted stared angrily after Bess and George, then stormed back into the kitchen. Nancy was glad, though, that Bess had stuck up for herself.
After a few minutes Nancy got fidgety. âIâll just walk down and find Bess and George,â she murmured, getting to her feet.
She tried to ignore the incessant throbbing in her ankle as she left the café and started down Ocean Avenue. Spotting the video store Bess had mentioned about halfway down the block, she limped over to it and peeked in through the window. Bess and George were there, all rightâtalking to Morgan Fowler!
Great, Nancy thought. This was a chance to find
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