A Date with Deception Read Free Page A

look—what is the word? Fabulous?”
    â€œThank you,” Bess said with a blush. “Fabulous is more than I hoped for.” She gave Sasha the salad forks and a big smile. “So, how do you like the house where you and Marina and Dmitri are staying? It’s in the village, isn’t it?” He nodded. “Is it comfortable?”
    â€œVery comfortable,” Sasha said. “And I can bicycle to the institute every day.”
    Without saying anything, Nancy slipped away, leaving Sasha to Bess. Carrying her plate into the living area, she noticed that George, Gary, and her aunt Eloise were standing with a plump, middle-aged woman with graying brown hair. Her aunt caught her eye and waved Nancy over.
    â€œNancy, here’s someone I want you to meet,” Eloise said, turning to the woman. “This is Eileen Martin. Eileen’s the secretary of the Cultural Society. She’s been very friendly to me since I arrived in the Hamptons. Eileen, this is my niece, Nancy Drew. She’s my brother Carson’s daughter.”
    â€œNancy, I’m so glad to meet you,” Eileen said warmly, shaking Nancy’s hand. Her brown eyes were unexpectedly shrewd. “I understand you were at the airport earlier today—I guess you witnessed Gary’s incredible landing.”
    â€œI sure did,” Nancy said. “It was amazing,but I hope I don’t see another one like it for a long time.”
    Tall, sandy-haired Gary grinned at her. “I hope I don’t, either,” he admitted. “Eileen’s a senior engineer at Jetstream,” he explained to Nancy.
    â€œNow,” Eileen said, patting him on the hand. “You come with me. I’m going to fill your plate, Mr. Powell. You need to put on some weight.”
    Without waiting for an answer, Eileen led Gary off to the buffet table. George rolled her eyes and followed them.
    Eloise smiled fondly. “Eileen mothers all the young men at Jetstream,” she told Nancy. Then she lowered her voice. “Her own son was only twenty-one when he died in an accident two years ago, and I’m sure that’s the reason she’s a bit of a mother hen.”
    Nancy was about to ask what kind of accident when Eloise excused herself to greet some new arrivals.
    Left alone for the moment Nancy wandered through the rooms, meeting the dancers and listening to their conversations. After a while she decided to get some fresh air and carried a plate and a glass of cider out onto one of the decks.
    The lulling sound of the ocean was strong out there. Nancy set her plate and glass down on a table and walked over to lean against thedeck railing. She took a deep breath of the salty air.
    â€œI was hoping to find you,” a lightly accented voice said behind her.
    Turning around, Nancy saw Sasha standing in the doorway. Well, she could hardly tell him to go away, but she hoped he wasn’t planning to flirt any more. “I thought I left you with Bess,” she said.
    â€œYes, but I’m afraid Bess left me for someone else.” Moving onto the deck, Sasha leaned against the railing a few feet from Nancy. “It’s beautiful out here,” he said, looking up at the crescent moon.
    â€œYes, it is,” Nancy agreed. “In River Heights all we have are a few lakes—and the river, of course. But there’s nothing like the ocean.”
    â€œRiver Heights? That’s your home?”
    Nancy nodded. “It’s in the Midwest.”
    â€œWhat do you do in the Midwest?” he asked.
    â€œI’m an amateur detective,” she answered.
    Sasha’s eyebrows rose. “A detective? No joke?”
    Nancy smiled. “No joke.”
    â€œThis is amazing!” he said. “Tell me, are you on a case at this very moment?”
    â€œNo, thank goodness,” Nancy said with a laugh. “I’m just on vacation.”
    â€œIt must be very difficult, this detecting,” he said.