Illusions of Evil by Carolyn Keene Page A

for Ned to call back?” her father asked.
    â€œI don’t know where he is,” she explained, anxiety tightening her voice.
    Carson frowned. “Just be careful. This case is getting pretty ugly.”
    â€œI know,” Nancy agreed.
    â€œI’ll try not to be home too late,” he went on. “But if you’re in bed by the time I get there, remember we have to be at the courthouse at nine-thirty tomorrow morning.”
    Nancy said goodbye. As she was leaving the office, she took a last glance over her shoulder at Carson and Adriana. Their heads were bent over the desk together conspiratorially. Nancy made a silent wish that her father wasn’t setting himselfup for disappointment as far as Adriana Polidori was concerned.
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    All the way back to Conklin Falls, Nancy’s mind was on Ned. It was strange that no one had heard from him since late that afternoon. She kept trying to think through his steps. He’d gone to Matthews’s office, the Hall of Records, back to the realtor’s—and then? Had he learned something important from Matthews? And could it have gotten him into trouble?
    On the other hand, maybe he ran into a friend. Maybe they went out and lost track of time. Maybe that was why he didn’t call his dad to tell him he couldn’t make it to the racquetball court.
    Before Nancy had left her father’s office she’d looked up Matthews Realty in the telephone book and written down the address. The office was in downtown Conklin Falls. Nancy drove as if her life depended on it, arriving at the realtor’s twenty minutes later. She pulled to a stop in front just as the sky was turning dark.
    She climbed the three steps to the building, tried the glass door, and found it locked. After knocking for several minutes, Nancy spotted a light as it was clicked on and saw a woman approach the door.
    â€œWe’re closed,” she called without opening up. She was dressed in a tailored blue business suit, and her platinum blond hair fell around her heart-shaped face in a flattering style. Nancyguessed she was the secretary Ned had spoken with. The woman started walking away.
    â€œPlease!” Nancy shouted. “You’ve got to help. I’m in trouble, and I need to talk to you.”
    Now the secretary stopped in her tracks and turned back. “What do you want?” she asked suspiciously.
    â€œMy boyfriend’s in trouble,” Nancy said, desperation straining her voice. “Please. I think you met him earlier today.”
    The woman stared at Nancy for several long moments. Finally she opened the door for her. “Are you talking about the guy who wanted to know who’s trying to buy Riverfront?” she asked. Her eyes narrowed as she waited for Nancy to reply.
    â€œCan I come in?” Nancy pleaded. Without waiting for an answer, she stepped past the woman and into the office.
    Inside, the walls of the realty office were lined with photographs of old Conklin Falls buildings. Behind the reception area were five desks, all covered with big binders and stacks of paper. A computer terminal stood in one corner along with a fax machine.
    â€œWhat kind of trouble is your boyfriend in?” the woman asked.
    â€œI need to know if you saw him later on today. Did he come back?” Nancy pressed.
    The woman seemed to be really confused now. “Yes, he did,” she said at last. “But by then Mr.Matthews was in. So your boyfriend met with him.”
    Nancy took a deep breath. “I think something’s happened to him because of what he learned from your boss. You have to tell me who’s trying to buy Riverfront Park!”
    The secretary shook her head firmly. “No way. That’s confidential information. And I don’t see what it could have to do with your boyfriend.”
    Nancy was losing her patience. “Then let me call Mr. Matthews.”
    â€œHe went out of town late this