010 Buried Secrets Read Free Page B

had written, “that our famous local detective, Nancy Drew, should want to sink her teeth into a mystery that has remained unsolved in River Heights for the past thirty years—the death of John Harrington.
    “But maybe our detective finds a mystery in her own hometown too boring. Maybe she’s afraid she won’t be able to solve what happened to John Harrington. Or maybe she’s losing her touch.
    “Is that true, Nancy Drew? This reporter hopes not, because she has decided to solve the mystery herself. And this reporter is challenging you to an‘investigative duel.’ Do you accept, Nancy Drew? Or have you lost your touch?”
    When Nancy finished reading, she didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. She knew she wasn’t losing her touch! But a “duel”? Nancy didn’t want to get into that with Brenda.
    Of course, the Harrington case was very interesting. It would be a challenge to try to find out exactly what had happened.
    Nancy was still trying to decide what to do when the phone rang again. That time it was Ned.
    “Hi,” he said. “Sorry I didn’t call you last night. I wanted to, but I got tied up with my family.”
    “That’s okay,” Nancy told him. At least he wanted to, she thought.
    “I see you made the front page,” Ned said. “And the editorial page, too.”
    “So you saw Brenda’s challenge.”
    “She’s got nerve, you have to give her that,” Ned commented. “You are accepting, aren’t you?”
    Nancy wasn’t sure whether Ned would like it, but she knew she couldn’t resist. “I think I will,” she said. “Brenda couldn’t solve a mystery if she was handed all the clues. And besides,” she added, “you know I love a good mystery.”
    “I remember,” he said.
    Nancy still wasn’t sure whether he was happy about it, but what he said next made her happy.
    “Just be careful,” Ned told her softly. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. I’ll call later when I know what my plans are. Okay?”
    Still smiling, Nancy hung up. “Looks as though I’m on a new case, Hannah.”
    “Oh?” Hannah turned, holding two glasses in each hand. “Where will you be traveling to this time?”
    “Nowhere,” Nancy said, pointing to the newspaper. “The death of John Harrington is a homegrown, River Heights mystery.”
    Suddenly a glass slipped from Hannah’s fingers, splintering on the hard tiled floor. But Hannah ignored the shards of glass at her feet. Her face white, her eyes wide, she stared at Nancy and shook her head.
    “Stay away from that case!” she said in a shaky voice. “I beg you, Nancy, don’t have anything to do with it!”

Chapter

Three
    H ANNAH !” N ANCY CRIED . “What’s wrong? Why should I stay away from the case?”
    “I—I just mean that it’s such an old case,” Hannah stammered. “And it was solved, years ago.”
    “Maybe, maybe not,” Nancy said. “But even if it turns out that he had just fallen, why don’t you want me to get involved?”
    Hannah reached for the dustpan and brush, and began to clean up the broken glass. “Oh, never mind me,” she told Nancy. “I suppose I was just shocked to hear John Harrington mentioned again. After all, it was quite a big story back then.”
    “But, Hannah, you begged me not to get involved!” Nancy protested.
    “Well, you know me. I always worry about you,” Hannah said with a laugh. “Now let me get on with my chores, Nancy.”
    Nancy started to protest again, but then she changed her mind and headed for the bathroom to shower. Hannah obviously didn’t want to talk anymore, and Nancy knew it was useless to try—right then.
    • • •
    “Well, well.” Brenda Carlton stood up behind her desk at her father’s newspaper office and smirked at Nancy. “Look who’s here.”
    Two hours had passed, and Nancy decided to stop by the Today’s Times office to let Brenda know she was going to accept the challenge.
    “Don’t tell me you let ‘this reporter’s opinion’ bother you,” Brenda