The Cheating Heart Read Free Page B

Nickerson would have, Nancy thought to herself. “I’d like to speak to her anyway,” Nancy told him.
    â€œI think she starts work, down the hall, around now,” Tavakolian said. “I’ll see if I can find her.” He went out the door.
    While he was gone, Nancy conducted a careful inspection of the office. First she searched through the other two drawers of the file cabinet. The professor seemed to have a well-organized filing system, she noticed. Each file had a neatly typed label and was in perfect alphabetical order.
    Next she moved to the large double-sash windowthat overlooked Emerson’s central lawn. The glass rattled loosely in the wood frame, but the old brass lock fit tightly. No one had climbed up to the second floor and entered that way.
    Stepping over to the office door, Nancy inspected the lock there. It was a cylinder lock, set into the wood. She recognized the brand name and knew it was a good, sound lock, almost impossible to pick. It didn’t seem as though anyone had broken into the office.
    Just then the professor returned, leading a middle-aged woman with graying blond hair. Over her slacks she wore a flimsy mustard-colored smock. Her deep-set blue eyes reflected her fright.
    Nancy offered her a seat, but the woman shook her head and stood beside the chair. As Nancy gently questioned her, she said her name was Sophie Maliszewski. She’d worked at Emerson for twelve years, ever since coming to the United States from Poland. Showing Nancy her large ring of keys, she said that she cleaned the professor’s office every weeknight, usually between seven-thirty and eight.
    â€œThe professor says something’s missing from his office—a piece of paper,” Nancy said.
    â€œThe professor have many piece of paper here,” Sophie joked weakly.
    Nancy smiled. “We think someone may have stolen the answers to a test.”
    â€œAnd if there was cheating going on, the students will have to take the test over again,” Tavakolian said.
    Suddenly Sophie’s pleasant round face went absolutely white. “Oh, no!” she cried out, greatly agitated. She collapsed into the chair beside her, and her head fell forward. Nancy rushed to her side. Sophie was about to faint.

Chapter

Three
    S OPHIE GAVE A WEAK PUSH to Nancy’s arm, indicating that she would be all right. Nancy stepped back and watched the woman closely, wondering why she had reacted so strongly. Two or three seconds went by, then Sophie lifted her head and stared at the wall in a daze.
    â€œWhat did you say?” Nancy asked her gently.
    Sophie shook her head. “I am sorry. I just—I feel sorry for the students, they work so hard, to take this test a second time . . .”
    â€œDo you know something about the missing test answers?” she pressed.
    Sophie shook her head with vigor. “No, I know nothing. I never see any paper.”
    â€œI believe her,” the professor said quickly. “Sophie, you go on back to work. Thanks for talking to us.”
    As soon as the woman was out of earshot, Nancy turned to the professor. “Professor, you were the one who wanted this incident checked out,” she reminded him. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t interfere with my work.”
    Tavakolian reacted with surprise. He clearly expected all teenagers to be in awe of him. “I wouldn’t dream of interfering,” he said. “But don’t you think you ought to interrogate Ned Nickerson? He is our prime suspect, not this poor laborer.”
    Nancy stifled a smile. “Yes, I agree. I’ll go interview Ned Nickerson right now.”
    â€œGood,” the professor nodded. “Now, if you’ll excuse me—I have a lot of tests to grade.”
    After saying goodbye to the professor, Nancy walked back to the Omega Chi Epsilon house, hoping to find Ned. As she expected, he had gone back there and was waiting for her in the