Flirting with Danger Read Free

herself. Finally she murmured, “No. Rachel wouldn’t run away.”
    â€œYou’re sure?” Nancy prodded. Was the girl covering for her friend? Beth seemed as if she might be holding something back.
    She shook her head resolutely. “I’m sure. Running away is dumb, and Rachel knows that. Besides, things are good for her at home.” She stared off for a moment, then met Nancy’s eyes again. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”
    Nancy led Beth back into the crowd of graduates milling around in the gymnasium by a table spread with sandwiches and sodas. “Does Rachel know anybody named Dennis?” she asked as the girls scanned the group for any sign of Rachel. “I heard her talking to him this morning, and she sounded pretty upset.”
    Beth’s face paled visibly. “Dennis,” she said to herself in a whisper. When she saw Nancy looking at her, though, Beth recovered quickly. “He’s just a guy she hangs out with sometimes. No big deal.”
    â€œDid he go to school here at Ocean Highlands, too?” Nancy asked, being careful tokeep her voice light. She didn’t want Beth to get defensive. The girl seemed reluctant enough as it was.
    â€œNo,” Beth answered as she and Nancy approached a group of kids. “I mean, yes, but he’s older. He graduated last year.”
    â€œI see,” Nancy replied, still trying to put Beth at ease. “Are he and Rachel serious about each other?”
    Beth’s eyes came quickly back to Nancy’s face and widened. “You mean, are they in love?”
    Nancy nodded, waiting.
    Beth’s expression was troubled. “They’ve been dating for a while, but I don’t think they’d elope or anything like that. Rachel’s parents would have a fit.”
    Nancy knew Beth was right. Even if she was in trouble, Rachel didn’t seem like the type to just run off and worry her parents unnecessarily. If she had wanted to go off with Dennis, and her parents didn’t approve of him, she might not have told them, though. Dennis seemed like the logical link to Rachel’s disappearance.
    â€œDid you see Dennis around this morning?” she asked.
    Beth shook her head. There was still a scared expression in her eyes. Nancy found herself wondering again what the girl was hiding.
    She was about to ask Beth another question when a good-looking guy with wavy brown hair and blue eyes came up to them. He was still dressed in his cap and gown.
    â€œHave you seen Rachel?” he demanded angrily before Beth could say anything.
    â€œNo. I was hoping you had,” Beth said. “Mike, this is Nancy Drew, a friend of the Klines. Nancy, Mike Rasmussen.”
    â€œHi, Mike,” Nancy said.
    Nancy saw Mike’s eyes take in her turquoise sundress. “Hi,” he replied with new interest.
    Beth was tapping her foot. “Never mind the flirting, okay, Mike? Nancy and I need to find Rachel. We’re really worried about her, and her parents probably are, too. Haven’t you seen her at all?”
    Mike frowned. “She was here earlier. I saw her when I came to pick up my cap and gown.”
    â€œWas she alone?” Nancy asked.
    â€œYeah,” Mike answered. His tone told Nancy he thought it was a stupid question.
    â€œDid she seem to be worried about anything?” Nancy asked, choosing to ignore his attitude.
    Mike thought for a moment. “Well, she was a little rushed. Now that I think about it, she didn’t take her cap and gown at all. She just hung around for a few minutes, then left.”
    Nancy glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to meet Josh and Ned in the parking lot,” she told Beth. “Maybe they’ve had better luck than we have.”
    â€œI hope so,” Beth said, almost in a whisper. “I really hope so.”
    She and Nancy made their way through the diminishing crowd to the front doors of the high school. It was a big