said. “I’m afraid we’ll have to discuss the status of Ms. Allen later. I have a warrant to search these premises.” He held out a piece of paper so the producer could examine it.
Willingham glared at Allen and her cameraman. “Another one of your stunts, I suppose,” he said.
Stacia Allen shook her head. “Nope. But I’m loving every minute of it. I told you you can’t kick out the press.” She directed her cameraman to focus on Willingham as he took the piece of paper from Officer Riley.
Con Riley scanned the crowd until his eyes lit upon the Hardys and their friends. He walked over to them, looking very stiff and formal.
“Hi, Con. What’s up?” Joe asked.
“Don’t tell me that Reid character swore out a complaint against us,” Frank said.
“No, Frank,” Riley said. “In fact, I’m not here to see you and your brother at all.” He turned toward Daphne and Chet. “Ms. Soesbee,” he said, “I’m afraid I have to ask you to come downtown.”
13 The Lady of the Ring
----
Chet rose and stood between Daphne and Officer Riley. “What’s all this about?” he asked angrily.
Frank and Joe joined their friend. “Are you arresting Daphne?” Joe asked.
“I’d rather not,” Riley replied, “but I will if that’s what it takes.”
The older woman came forward and looked at Daphne with hawklike green eyes. “Is she the one?” Ms. Forbeck asked. “Is she the one who stole my ring?”
“What are you talking about?” Daphne asked. She looked both puzzled and scared.
Ms. Forbeck thrust a bony finger at Daphne. “There it is!” she said, pointing to the ring on thestring around Daphne’s throat. “She is the one. Thief! Thief!”
“Take it easy, Ms. Forbeck,” Con Riley said.
“Who is this old bird?” Chet asked.
“Be polite, Morton,” the policeman snapped. “This is Carla Forbeck, one of Bayport’s most prominent citizens.”
“And that ring was among the jewelry stolen from me fifteen years ago!” Ms. Forbeck said indignantly.
“Well, I didn’t take it,” Daphne said. “I was in preschool fifteen years ago. I just found this the other day.”
“That’s what we want to talk to you about downtown,” Riley said.
“Couldn’t you question her here?” Frank asked. “She’s competing on this show.”
“That’s okay, Frank,” Daphne said. “I think Chet and I are done for the day, anyway.”
“Well, if you’re going downtown, I’m going too,” Chet said.
“And us,” added Joe.
“Won’t that hurt your standing in the game?” Daphne asked, worry written across her pretty face.
“What’s more important: a TV show, or a friend?” Frank said.
Nearby, Ward Willingham frowned. “Well, if you’re going to haul off my contestants, do so,” hesaid. “And take those news snakes with you. They’re not welcome on my set.”
Stacia Allen smirked at him. “I think we have what we need,” she said. “The real story now is going to be told at the police station.”
“You’ll have to talk to Chief Collig about that,” Riley said. “Okay, all of you, let’s head for the squad cars.”
Daphne, the Hardys, and Chet followed the police toward the door. Stacia Allen and her cameraman followed. The brothers tried not to notice Jay Stone laughing while they left.
“Don’t worry,” said Ms. Kendall, who was standing at the doorway. “We’ve nearly finished shooting for the day. I’ll try to make sure you’re not left out.”
The four friends nodded their thanks to her.
It took only a few minutes to reach police headquarters downtown. As the cops figured out which interview rooms they were going to use, the brothers put in a call to Daphne’s mom. The Book Bank—the store the Soesbees owned—was only a few blocks away, and Kathryn Soesbee arrived at the station in no time. The police had decided to let her accompany her daughter during the questioning. Since the Hardys and Chet were involved with the discovery of the ring, they were
Willingham glared at Allen and her cameraman. “Another one of your stunts, I suppose,” he said.
Stacia Allen shook her head. “Nope. But I’m loving every minute of it. I told you you can’t kick out the press.” She directed her cameraman to focus on Willingham as he took the piece of paper from Officer Riley.
Con Riley scanned the crowd until his eyes lit upon the Hardys and their friends. He walked over to them, looking very stiff and formal.
“Hi, Con. What’s up?” Joe asked.
“Don’t tell me that Reid character swore out a complaint against us,” Frank said.
“No, Frank,” Riley said. “In fact, I’m not here to see you and your brother at all.” He turned toward Daphne and Chet. “Ms. Soesbee,” he said, “I’m afraid I have to ask you to come downtown.”
13 The Lady of the Ring
----
Chet rose and stood between Daphne and Officer Riley. “What’s all this about?” he asked angrily.
Frank and Joe joined their friend. “Are you arresting Daphne?” Joe asked.
“I’d rather not,” Riley replied, “but I will if that’s what it takes.”
The older woman came forward and looked at Daphne with hawklike green eyes. “Is she the one?” Ms. Forbeck asked. “Is she the one who stole my ring?”
“What are you talking about?” Daphne asked. She looked both puzzled and scared.
Ms. Forbeck thrust a bony finger at Daphne. “There it is!” she said, pointing to the ring on thestring around Daphne’s throat. “She is the one. Thief! Thief!”
“Take it easy, Ms. Forbeck,” Con Riley said.
“Who is this old bird?” Chet asked.
“Be polite, Morton,” the policeman snapped. “This is Carla Forbeck, one of Bayport’s most prominent citizens.”
“And that ring was among the jewelry stolen from me fifteen years ago!” Ms. Forbeck said indignantly.
“Well, I didn’t take it,” Daphne said. “I was in preschool fifteen years ago. I just found this the other day.”
“That’s what we want to talk to you about downtown,” Riley said.
“Couldn’t you question her here?” Frank asked. “She’s competing on this show.”
“That’s okay, Frank,” Daphne said. “I think Chet and I are done for the day, anyway.”
“Well, if you’re going downtown, I’m going too,” Chet said.
“And us,” added Joe.
“Won’t that hurt your standing in the game?” Daphne asked, worry written across her pretty face.
“What’s more important: a TV show, or a friend?” Frank said.
Nearby, Ward Willingham frowned. “Well, if you’re going to haul off my contestants, do so,” hesaid. “And take those news snakes with you. They’re not welcome on my set.”
Stacia Allen smirked at him. “I think we have what we need,” she said. “The real story now is going to be told at the police station.”
“You’ll have to talk to Chief Collig about that,” Riley said. “Okay, all of you, let’s head for the squad cars.”
Daphne, the Hardys, and Chet followed the police toward the door. Stacia Allen and her cameraman followed. The brothers tried not to notice Jay Stone laughing while they left.
“Don’t worry,” said Ms. Kendall, who was standing at the doorway. “We’ve nearly finished shooting for the day. I’ll try to make sure you’re not left out.”
The four friends nodded their thanks to her.
It took only a few minutes to reach police headquarters downtown. As the cops figured out which interview rooms they were going to use, the brothers put in a call to Daphne’s mom. The Book Bank—the store the Soesbees owned—was only a few blocks away, and Kathryn Soesbee arrived at the station in no time. The police had decided to let her accompany her daughter during the questioning. Since the Hardys and Chet were involved with the discovery of the ring, they were
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