Read Online 004 Smile and Say Murder by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B

needed just then! At least Nancy managed to avoid her again.
    Scott opened the door to Yvonne’s office. “There it is,” he said, motioning to the hole above the desk.
    Mick’s eyes widened. He was speechless.
    Nancy had to admit Mick was doing a great job of seeming flabbergasted. But it had to be an act . . . didn’t it? A tiny sliver of doubt crept into Nancy’s mind.
    “So Yvonne’s all right?” Mick asked.
    “Luckily,” Scott replied.
    “And she went home to calm down?”
    “Yup.”
    “Wow, this is so strange,” Mick said, his tone incredulous. “I’ve got to talk to Yvonne. She must be too flipped out for words!”
    Nancy watched Mick in amazement. Heseemed so sincere! Suddenly a blood-chilling thought crossed her mind. Maybe Mick really was a split personality! One side of him was wild and funny and concerned with people’s feelings. The other side was the crazed killer who could set up the severed head and rubber ax to scare Nancy—or try to shoot his partner and longtime friend in cold blood!
    Nancy, Mick, and Scott left Yvonne’s office, closing the door behind them. Mick disappeared into his office, while Scott headed toward the reception area.
    Nancy started to follow him, then said, “Scott, I’m going to work in the darkroom for a while.”
    “Okay,” Scott answered.
    When Scott was out of sight, Nancy tiptoed to Mick’s office. As quietly as possible, she turned the doorknob. She pushed open the door without the slightest creak and peeked in, praying to be invisible.
    Mick was opening his bottom desk drawer. Nancy had seen him stash his camera there before. All at once a look of utter confusion swept across his handsome face. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a small silver revolver!
    Before the rational side of her brain could stop her, Nancy had thrown open the door and was dashing across the room. She threw herself across Mick’s desk and tackled the art director.
    “Hey!” Mick cried, struggling.
    “Drop it, Mick,” Nancy advised. “Make iteasy on yourself.” She grabbed Mick’s arm and twisted with all her might.
    “Ow!” Mick yelled, but he kept an iron grip on the revolver, hugging it to his chest.
    “I’m sorry to have to do this to you, Mick,” Nancy panted. Then she socked the art director as hard as she could in the stomach.
    Mick doubled over at the same moment that the gun went off. He fell to the ground, and the gun tumbled out of his hand and onto the shiny wooden floor.
    Nancy stared in horror at Mick’s prone figure. “Oh no,” she whispered. “What have I done?”
    “All right,” came a shout from the doorway. “Freeze!” Nancy looked up—and into the cocked gun of Officer Bellows. “Nancy Drew,” she cried, “you’re under arrest!”

Chapter

Ten
    G ET YOUR HANDS in the air.” Officer bellows ordered Nancy. “And don’t touch that body,” she said, indicating Mick, who was immobile on the floor.
    Slowly Nancy raised her hands and stepped back from Mick and the gun. She felt helpless and terrified and confused. It had all been an accident, but would that matter to a court of law? She’d been caught red-handed in what looked like murder!
    Nancy heard the pounding of feet in the hallway. Officer O’Hara burst into Mick’s office, gun in hand. To make things worse, most of the Flash staff arrived, too. Ned was there, standing protectively close to Sondra. Suddenly Nancy caught her breath. Brenda Carlton hadappeared and was looking at her with a disturbingly triumphant smile on her face. Oh no, Nancy thought, can anything else possibly go wrong?
    “Well,” Brenda said smugly, “if this isn’t the scoop of the year! I can just see the headlines. ‘Amateur Detective Nancy Drew Murders Top Exec.’ ”
    Nancy felt sick. Brenda had just blown her cover in front of the entire Flash staff!
    “She’s a detective?” Sondra cried. “Then Yvonne did hire you to spy on my brother— and now you’ve killed him!” Sondra burst