Framed & Dangerous (9780545443128) by Kim Harrington Page A

the busiest hallway, Darcy squeezed my hand and pointed up.
    The big dance banner hung on the wall, but it looked a bit different this morning. It had been vandalized.
    More people came to stop and stare. Their whispers filled the hallway.
    â€œWho would write that?”
    â€œThis is creepy.”
    â€œI don’t even want to go anymore.”
    I ignored the comments as my eyes traveled over the words that had been painted across the banner. Words that felt like a threat.
    THE PROM KILLER IS BACK.

Clearly the Prom Killer was not stalking the halls of Danville Middle School. Whoever set that fire was either dead or eighty years old now. And why would they want to stir up trouble again, after all this time? Our fire had nothing to do with the Prom Killer. My logical mind knew this.
    The rest of the school? Not so much.
    Kids went bananas. Some were convinced that a ghost was haunting the halls. Some were even saying they were too scared to go to the dance. Rumors flew that the field house was only the first fire. The Prom Killer was going to return on the night of the dance and burn down the gym with everyone in it.
    By the end of the day, even Fiona was in a tizzy. She ran up to my locker, basically panting in panic. “There’s a rumor that Principal Plati might cancel the dance!”
    I twirled my combination on the dial and opened the locker door. “Because someone wrote something stupid on a poster?” I scoffed. I hardly believed that.
    Fiona stomped her foot. “Because people are freaking out and therefore their parents will freak out. Zane hasn’t been arrested yet. He’s still just a suspect. So people are starting to wonder if the Prom Killer story is coming true again. If history will repeat itself.”
    I felt a flicker of doubt. “They wouldn’t cancel the dance altogether, though. Right?”
    â€œYeah, they would,” Darcy said, coming up behind me. She hefted her backpack up over one shoulder. “They take this stuff seriously. If there’s even a small chance the dance is unsafe, it will be canceled for sure.”
    I could feel the blood draining from my face. Only a few days ago, everything had been wonderful. Zane was about to ask me to the dance. Then Zane was framed. We didn’t solve the case. And now the dance might be canceled.
    My throat tightened as a mixture of anger and sadness rushed through me. “It’s just so unfair. All of this.”
    â€œI know!” Fiona agreed, raising her fist in the air. “The Dance Committee worked so hard. We’re having our last meeting Wednesday afternoon to make decorations. Saturday night is going to be perfect. Unless it gets canceled.”
    â€œIt won’t if we solve the case first,” Darcy said, trying to remain hopeful.
    But I wasn’t so sure.
    Â 
    Tuesday afternoon, Darcy and I decided to try and visit the Maples Nursing Home again.
    The same woman was behind the desk. She had a big pouf of hair that she’d probably meant to dye red but looked kind of pink. She remembered us. “Here to see Helen?” she asked.
    â€œYes,” I answered. “If she’s well.”
    The woman made a face that worried me. “As well as she’s going to get, I’m afraid. Go on down the hall. She’s in the first room on your right.”
    â€œThat was kind of ominous,” Darcy whispered as we walked.
    We found Helen’s room quickly enough. It was large and homey looking, with a bright and big window, a bed, a television set, a small couch, and a rocking chair. A thin, frail-looking woman rocked in the chair while staring out the window.
    Darcy coughed into her hand. “Excuse me? Are you Helen Fallon?”
    The woman slowly turned her head toward us. She wore a flowered housedress and had short, thinning white hair. “Yes, I am,” she said, glancing from Darcy to me in confusion.
    I gingerly approached the chair, suddenly nervous. She