Circle of Evil Read Free

he’s at the end of a very bad day.
    â€œI thought I knew just about everyone in the department,” Nancy said after introducing herself. “You must be new.”
    â€œI’ve been working in Chicago,” he said shortly. Looking past Nancy and Joanna, he nodded at the crowded party, which was still going strong. “Nobody’s gone home, I hope. We’ll have to question everyone.”
    â€œOh, do you really have to?” Joanna asked. “These are all my friends. They wouldn’t have stolen the necklace.”
    â€œYou don’t know that for sure,” Detective Ryan told her. “Did you tell anyone here about it?”
    Blushing, Joanna nodded. “Just about everyone,” she admitted.
    The detective looked grim. “You’d be surprised what some people will do for money, even so-called friends,” he said.
    â€œShe didn’t tell anyone about the safe, though,” Nancy said, trying to be helpful. “All she said was that her father had brought back a necklace. I don’t think anyone knew exactly where it was. Besides, whoever got into that safe had to have been a professional. I’m positive that no one that I know here could have done it.”
    Still not smiling, Detective Ryan gaveNancy a long look. “Thanks for your opinion, Ms. Drew,” he said finally. “Now, if it’s all right with you, I’ll get on with the official investigation.” He told the other police officer to start questioning the party guests, then turned back to Joanna. “I’d like to see the safe now and get a good description of the necklace.”
    As the three of them walked to the study, Joanna leaned close to Nancy and whispered, “I thought you said you got along great with the police. So why is this guy treating you like you’re contagious?”
    â€œI’m not sure,” Nancy whispered back. “He doesn’t know me, so maybe he thinks I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
    â€œWell, tell him who you are, then!” Joanna said. “Once he knows, he’ll probably be glad to have you on his side.”
    Nancy turned and sneaked a look at Detective Ryan, who was a couple of steps behind the girls. He was frowning, and his handsome face looked as if it were carved out of stone. “I think I’ll wait,” she said. “I get the feeling he wouldn’t be impressed even if I were Sherlock Holmes.”
    As Detective Ryan checked out the safe and talked to Joanna, Nancy kept her mouth shut, but she watched him closely and listened carefully. He knew what he was doing, that muchwas obvious. He asked all the right questions, and he even got Joanna to admit that she might have told a few people about the safe. Not anyone at the party, but maybe some people at the River Heights Country Club, where she had been spending her days.
    â€œJoanna!” Nancy couldn’t help butting in. “You didn’t tell me about that. You said nobody knew about the safe.”
    â€œI guess I forgot.” Joanna looked embarrassed. “But I promise, Nancy, that nobody—absolutely nobody—knows the combination.” She looked at Detective Ryan. “I’ve also asked Nancy to help solve this case, and she said she would. She’s a detective, too, you know.”
    As Nancy had predicted, Detective Ryan wasn’t impressed. In fact, he looked disgusted. “A detective?” he asked, looking at Nancy.
    Nancy nodded.
    â€œAn amateur detective, I take it?” Detective Ryan said.
    Nancy nodded again. “But I’ve done pretty well for an amateur,” she told him. “And as Joanna said, I promised her I’d help. So, please, let me know what I can do.”
    When he didn’t answer, Nancy continued, saying, “It really doesn’t look much like amateur work, does it, Detective? You did take a good look at that safe, didn’t you? I thinkwe’re