Framed & Dangerous (9780545443128) Read Free

Zane blurted, shocked. “You guys are always together! You’ve been best friends for years.”
    This intense meeting with Zane had temporarily pushed out the sadness I felt about my fight with Darcy. But now it was back.
    Darcy had said Partners in Crime was “over,” but here was someone who really needed the agency’s help. Could I take on the case without Darcy? I didn’t know. I’m smart, but Darcy’s the technology pro. She has special software and computer stuff that can figure out things I’d never be able to. Like who sent that e-mail.
    Panic started to creep into the back of my mind. I dropped the rest of my sandwich, not hungry anymore. I looked up into Zane’s blue eyes. I couldn’t let him down. Not when he could be in real trouble.
    Focus, Norah , I told myself. You can do this.
    â€œMy fight with Darcy is complicated,” I said. “But don’t worry. I’ll help you myself.”
    Â 
    On Tuesday morning, we were told to skip homeroom and head directly to an assembly. I took a minute to stop at my locker and toss my backpack and jacket inside. Everyone was rushing toward the auditorium. Kids had never been this excited about a school meeting before. But they wanted details about the fire.
    I was one of the last students to get to the auditorium. I walked through the doors and scanned the rows of seats, looking for any friendly face. I saw Maya, but there were no empty seats near her.
    Then, two rows behind Maya, I saw Darcy. She had Hunter Fisk on one side and an empty seat on the other. Only a few weeks ago, Hunter would’ve beenthe last person on earth that Darcy would ever sit with. But he was starting to change a bit, for the better, thanks in part to the last case we’d solved.
    Hunter must’ve said something funny because Darcy threw her head back in laughter. Then Hunter held out his fist and Darcy bumped it.
    Jealousy rose up inside me. The fist bump was our thing. A hollow in my heart ached, the empty space where my best friend belonged.
    Then Darcy noticed me, straightened in her seat, and stared. My nerves went crazy, from my stomach to my fingers, and I thought there was a real chance that I would lose my breakfast right there in front of everyone.
    Then she looked away.
    The seat beside her was empty. What would she do if I sat there? Yell at me? Ignore me? Or … maybe we’d make up. Maybe she felt just like I did.
    I stood frozen for a moment, not knowing what to do. I decided to make a deal. If she looked at me again, I’d go over there.
    Look at me. Look at me.
    A voice behind me said, “Norah, over here!”
    Fiona Fanning waved at me with one hand, while using the other to save the seat beside her. Fiona was the prettiest, most popular girl in school. Today, her long brown hair fell in stylish waves along the shoulders of her red cashmere sweater. Meanwhile, my dark-blond hair hung limply down the back of my gray hoodie. I was an astronomy-obsessed nerd and she was destined for the fashion runway. But we’d bonded over a Partners in Crime case and were unlikely, but real, friends.
    That budding friendship had caused a rift to form between Darcy and me. But our fight also involved miscommunications and other best-friend drama. None of which was Fiona’s fault.
    I adjusted my glasses on my face and made my way over to the seat beside Fiona. Before I could whisper hello, Principal Plati immediately walked to the podium.
    â€œAs you all know,” he began, “our brand-new field house has been destroyed. The brave firefighters did their best against the flames, but we will need to completely rebuild. The area around the field house is roped off. It is unsafe. And the fire department isinvestigating. So no student is allowed near what’s left of the building. Is that understood?”
    We all nodded.
    Principal Plati cleared his throat, as if the next part was harder to say. I squirmed in my