Read Online 039 The Suspect Next Door by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

through the grinder, that one.”
    “Well, I’m just getting to know him, and I thought it might be nice to meet you.”
    Not only did Mrs. Taylor swallow this, she seemed overjoyed. “He’s a wonderful boy, Nancy. We’re very proud of him,” she gushed, setting a glass of apple juice on the table and motioning for Nancy to sit. “Not many boys have achieved what Danny has.”
    Nancy smiled pleasantly but tilted her headquestioningly. “Dan’s so modest,” she murmured. “I guess I don’t know much about his, um, achievements.”
    “Oh, well, he’s a real success at that store. He’s only been there a short time, and he already has a very responsible position. They send him on business trips, and he does a lot of decision making for them. Oh, my, Danny’s got a real future there. He’s good friends with the store manager, and everybody there loves him.” Marie Taylor was beaming.
    “Do you mean at Vanities?” Nancy ventured.
    “Yes. It’s a lovely store. I walked by once, but I felt strange about going in. Danny doesn’t like it when I interfere in his life. Boys are like that. But I’m so pleased to meet you,” she said, still beaming. “That other one, Nikki. What a liar. She was always calling me up to tell me all kinds of things about Danny.”
    Nancy wasn’t sure how to play this. But she knew one thing: someone had to alert Mrs. Taylor to the fact that her son was in trouble. Dan’s mother had obviously been taken in by his lies.
    “You’ve got a lot more maturity about you than she does, Nancy, and you’re every bit as pretty. I don’t want to pry, but how did you and Danny meet?”
    Nancy wasn’t about to tell Mrs. Taylor about the night before and how she had really met Dan Taylor. “Mrs. Taylor,” she said gently, “I’ve gotto level with you. I’m worried about Danny. That’s why I’m here.”
    Marie Taylor’s features darkened. “What’s the matter? Is something wrong?” Maybe underneath all that overdone pride, Mrs. Taylor sensed the truth—that Dan wasn’t the big success he claimed to be.
    “Have you noticed anything strange about Dan lately?” Nancy asked gently.
    “Strange?” Dan’s mother looked confused. “Oh! You mean the bruises? He got those yesterday, Nancy. He was out of town for the day on business. Would you believe a shelf fell on top of him at the store he was visiting? Isn’t that something!” Marie laughed nervously. “You poor kid. You probably saw those bruises and thought he’d been beaten up by somebody!”
    “If he was in trouble, you’d want to help him, wouldn’t you?” Nancy was leaning across the table, her eyes fixed on Dan’s mother.
    “What are you talking about? There’s no trouble, Nancy!” his mother told her. She sat up straighter in her chair. “The only problem Danny ever had was that girl Nikki. She had him so confused he didn’t know what he was doing. Then she dumped him, just out of cruelty. I’m so glad he’s met somebody else.” Mrs. Taylor gave Nancy a sad smile.
    Nancy finished her apple juice and sighed. Dan’s mother already had made up her mind, and a few hard truths about Dan weren’t going tochange anything. There was no way she’d be able to give Nancy any honest information.
    “Will Dan be home soon?” Nancy asked. Her last hope was to have a long talk with Dan. She didn’t believe he was bad, deep down, but he certainly was in some kind of trouble.
    “He said something about going to a party at Jeremy Pratt’s house tonight,” Mrs. Taylor told Nancy. “He and that Pratt boy are best friends, you know.”
    Nancy froze solid. Jeremy Pratt’s? Nikki was going to be at Jeremy’s party. She was probably there right now!
    Nancy stood up and grabbed her purse. “Thanks for reminding me. I was supposed to meet Dan there. Do you have a phone book? I must have left the address in my other bag.”
    “Oh, certainly, dear,” Mrs. Taylor said, hurrying to get a phone book from under a pile of