Read Online 041 Something to Hide by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Keene
Tags: Mobilism
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ceiling.
It was no good. Stretch though she might, there was still a six-inch gap between her fingertips and the ceiling panels.
Nancy jumped down lightly and lifted the chair onto the table. This would be trickier, but it was the only way to get the height she needed.
She balanced the chair against the wall, then climbed onto it. Now she had no trouble touching the ceiling. With both palms flat, shelifted a ceiling panel and slid it to the side.
She had to swallow a shout of relief. The space was just as she’d hoped!
Like those of most commercial buildings, the Asco offices had dropped ceilings. Removable tiles rested on metal gridworks, which left a two-foot space between them and the plaster ceiling. The space was designed for heating ducts and telephone wires.
It also offered enough room for an escape route.
Nancy carefully hoisted herself into the crawl space and stretched out on her stomach to support her weight. The metal gridwork was strong enough to support the ceiling tiles, but Nancy had no way of knowing whether it would hold her.
Holding her breath, she slid forward an inch at a time toward the other room. There she removed another ceiling tile—and then lowered herself into the room.
Nancy raced to her toolbox, grabbed her lock picks, and opened the door to the file room again. Then she climbed back onto the table, this time to replace the ceiling tiles.
When she was sure that both rooms looked the same as before, Nancy closed the file-room door for the last time.
• • •
“Is that dust in your hair?” Ned asked her a little while later. Nancy had called him afterleaving Asco, and they’d agreed to meet for a soda. After that, Nancy planned to go home for a late dinner and bed.
She reached up to pat the top of her head. “Could be,” she said. “I’ve been all over since I saw you last.” She leaned back against the back of the booth and yawned.
“What do you mean? Where were you?”
Nancy grinned. “Checking out a hunch— the hard way.” Quickly she filled him in on her adventure in the Asco personnel offices.
“I can’t believe it!” Ned marveled. “You’re lucky you didn’t get caught!”
Now that it was over, it didn’t seem to Nancy as though she’d been in much danger. She shrugged. “The only risky part was jumping down from the ceiling. That’s where my judo training was useful. If there’s one thing I learned in those classes, it was how to fall softly.” She chuckled. “Believe me, Ned—it was a long way down.”
“But you didn’t find out anything?” he asked.
“That’s the strange thing. I don’t understand why Justin’s file was missing. It makes me wonder if there’s some kind of cover-up. Do you suppose Asco really has something to hide?”
“Like what?” Ned asked as the waitress put down their sodas.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it. Ascostands to gain more than anyone if Spotless is discredited,” Nancy explained. “Clearly is Spotless’s main competitor. If Spotless never makes it to the market, Clearly will keep making a fortune for Asco.”
Ned nodded. “I still can’t picture Justin being part of something illegal, though,” he said. “It just doesn’t seem like him.”
“You noticed him at the mall this afternoon,” Nancy countered. “Even I was scared of him.”
Ned’s dark eyes looked concerned. “I didn’t watch what was happening very closely—I was too busy talking to Brad. I thought Justin and Heather were playing around. They’ve always been good friends. It isn’t that they’ve dated, but they’ve been buddies since I’ve known them. Well, they’re under a lot of strain—especially now that Spotless may be causing all this sick mess. I hope McGinnis finds out soon who or what’s to blame.” Ned paused a moment, then quickly added, “Oh, I dropped our remaining samples off at police headquarters.”
“Good. The sooner we know, the better. Heather said she felt down enough to drop out
It was no good. Stretch though she might, there was still a six-inch gap between her fingertips and the ceiling panels.
Nancy jumped down lightly and lifted the chair onto the table. This would be trickier, but it was the only way to get the height she needed.
She balanced the chair against the wall, then climbed onto it. Now she had no trouble touching the ceiling. With both palms flat, shelifted a ceiling panel and slid it to the side.
She had to swallow a shout of relief. The space was just as she’d hoped!
Like those of most commercial buildings, the Asco offices had dropped ceilings. Removable tiles rested on metal gridworks, which left a two-foot space between them and the plaster ceiling. The space was designed for heating ducts and telephone wires.
It also offered enough room for an escape route.
Nancy carefully hoisted herself into the crawl space and stretched out on her stomach to support her weight. The metal gridwork was strong enough to support the ceiling tiles, but Nancy had no way of knowing whether it would hold her.
Holding her breath, she slid forward an inch at a time toward the other room. There she removed another ceiling tile—and then lowered herself into the room.
Nancy raced to her toolbox, grabbed her lock picks, and opened the door to the file room again. Then she climbed back onto the table, this time to replace the ceiling tiles.
When she was sure that both rooms looked the same as before, Nancy closed the file-room door for the last time.
• • •
“Is that dust in your hair?” Ned asked her a little while later. Nancy had called him afterleaving Asco, and they’d agreed to meet for a soda. After that, Nancy planned to go home for a late dinner and bed.
She reached up to pat the top of her head. “Could be,” she said. “I’ve been all over since I saw you last.” She leaned back against the back of the booth and yawned.
“What do you mean? Where were you?”
Nancy grinned. “Checking out a hunch— the hard way.” Quickly she filled him in on her adventure in the Asco personnel offices.
“I can’t believe it!” Ned marveled. “You’re lucky you didn’t get caught!”
Now that it was over, it didn’t seem to Nancy as though she’d been in much danger. She shrugged. “The only risky part was jumping down from the ceiling. That’s where my judo training was useful. If there’s one thing I learned in those classes, it was how to fall softly.” She chuckled. “Believe me, Ned—it was a long way down.”
“But you didn’t find out anything?” he asked.
“That’s the strange thing. I don’t understand why Justin’s file was missing. It makes me wonder if there’s some kind of cover-up. Do you suppose Asco really has something to hide?”
“Like what?” Ned asked as the waitress put down their sodas.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it. Ascostands to gain more than anyone if Spotless is discredited,” Nancy explained. “Clearly is Spotless’s main competitor. If Spotless never makes it to the market, Clearly will keep making a fortune for Asco.”
Ned nodded. “I still can’t picture Justin being part of something illegal, though,” he said. “It just doesn’t seem like him.”
“You noticed him at the mall this afternoon,” Nancy countered. “Even I was scared of him.”
Ned’s dark eyes looked concerned. “I didn’t watch what was happening very closely—I was too busy talking to Brad. I thought Justin and Heather were playing around. They’ve always been good friends. It isn’t that they’ve dated, but they’ve been buddies since I’ve known them. Well, they’re under a lot of strain—especially now that Spotless may be causing all this sick mess. I hope McGinnis finds out soon who or what’s to blame.” Ned paused a moment, then quickly added, “Oh, I dropped our remaining samples off at police headquarters.”
“Good. The sooner we know, the better. Heather said she felt down enough to drop out
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