Dangerous Relations Read Free Page B

Hayden and Natalia started dating.”
    Nancy asked, “Would you say Natalia’s as good a flyer or better than Katrina?”
    â€œKatrina’s a seasoned performer. Her tricks are clean and controlled,” Joseph said.
    â€œBut Natalia’s younger and more exciting to watch,” Eduardo added. “She’s gutsy. She’s determined to do the triple in the show this year. She’s already done it in practice.”
    â€œThat’s three somersaults before the catch,” Eduardo put in. “It’s a really tough trick.”
    Joseph nudged his brother. “We’d better get back to polishing our bikes.”
    When the Pomatto brothers had gone, Nancy said to her friends, “Sounds like Katrina’s got a couple of reasons for wanting Natalia out of the way.”
    â€œNobody likes having her boyfriend stolen,” Bess said.
    â€œOr losing her star status,” George added.
    Nancy thought for a moment, then glanced at her watch. “We’ve got half an hour. Let’s go see Lieutenant Green.”
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    Nancy and her friends found the police station with the help of a city map. At the mention of Carson Drew’s name, Lieutenant Green was friendly and helpful. Nancy left the towel and the tissue. She gave him the number of the motel where they were staying, then drove back to the circus grounds.
    The big top, standing now, dominated the lot.The men were raising a sideshow tent next to it.
    â€œIt’s after eleven. We’d better hurry,” Nancy said, leading the way toward the trailers.
    Just then Marshall Keiser rode past in a dusty old circus truck. He jolted to a stop and backed up. “Nancy Drew, I want to talk to you!”
    Startled by his tone, Nancy asked, “Is something wrong?”
    Keiser glowered at her from the lowered truck window. He jabbed an accusing finger at her. “What’s this about you jumping Katrina at the cookhouse?”
    Nancy replied in a level voice, “I asked her some questions about this morning’s accident, if that’s what you mean. You heard about Natalia’s fall, didn’t you?”
    Impatiently Keiser said, “I heard. And I don’t like her making excuses for her falls instead of taking responsibility.”
    â€œIt wasn’t an excuse,” Nancy protested. She told him about the towel and tissue she’d dropped off to have analyzed.
    Keiser’s jaw tightened. “None of my people would purposely cause an accident.” He shifted the truck into gear and added, “Nerves are jittery enough around here. I won’t have you stirring up trouble between my performers. Stick to looking for Natalia’s father and leave the circus to me!”
    â€œHe sure was quick to take Katrina’s side,” Bess said indignantly after the truck was gone.
    Nancy nodded. “It’s obvious from the way he talks about Natalia that he’s angry,” she mused. “I wonder why?”
    â€œAngry enough to oil the bar?” George asked.
    Nancy shrugged. “Who knows? It doesn’t seem likely he’d sabotage his own circus. And it could just as easily have been Katrina who fell.”
    The three girls resumed walking. Could Keiser be involved? Nancy wondered. Suddenly a possible motive occurred to her. “Maybe he’s got a lot of insurance on his key performers.”
    â€œYou mean, he’d stand to make some money if one of them got killed?” George looked doubtful.
    â€œRight. It’s called a key man policy,” Nancy said. Her boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, worked for an insurance company during the summer between college terms. She’d learned a lot about insurance from him.
    Hanging plants bloomed beneath the awning that shaded the entrance to the pink trailer. Hayden invited them in. Nancy’s gaze skipped from the Russian lace covering the tabletops to the colorful curtains and carpet.
    Hearing