Read Online A Secret in Time by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

call the police,” George said, pulling her phone out of its pouch.
    Bess glanced back at the truck, which was still hanging over the water. Suddenly she burst into tears. “Oh, Nancy, I really thought we were going to . . .”
    â€œBut we didn’t,” said Nancy, giving her friend a hug. “We got out in time.”
    â€œThis time,” Bess said through her tears. “But who knows when our luck will run out?”
    Within minutes a police car pulled up, and two officers jumped out. One, a tall, heavyset man, took a look at the ice cream truck, then ran to the trunk ofthe police car and removed a coil of heavy cable. He threw it to his partner, a petite blond woman.
    â€œSecure it to the post,” said the officer, whose nameplate read Robert Walker. “I’ll radio for a tow truck.”
    Nancy turned to Bess and George. “We sure are giving the towing companies a lot of business today.”
    The blond officer, whose name was Jean Daniel, attached the cable to a hitch on the back of the ice cream truck. Then she looped the other end several times around a steel post on the bridge and secured it.
    Officer Walker spoke into his walkie-talkie and then turned to the girls. “Looks like you had a little problem here.”
    Nancy explained how they’d nearly been run off the road, giving the policeman a detailed description of the van.
    â€œAn orange van with green stripes,” Officer Walker mumbled, jotting down the information Nancy had given him. “No license plate number?”
    Nancy shook her head. “I tried, but we just couldn’t get a good look.”
    â€œI see,” said Officer Walker. “We’ll run a check and see what we come up with.”
    â€œWhen you talk to Chief McGinnis,” Nancy added, “please mention that this incident was probably related to the stolen brooch.”
    For the second time that day a tow truck appeared, dodging in and out of the stalled traffic on the bridge. The driver got out and, aided by Officer Walker,placed an enormous metal hook underneath the back of the Frosty Freeze truck. After Officer Daniel removed the cable, the tow truck slowly pulled the ice cream truck back onto the bridge. The motorists standing nearby applauded.
    Nancy, Bess, and George walked around the Frosty Freeze truck to assess the damage. The front fender and hood were dented where they had struck the railing, and the headlights were shattered. When George turned the ignition key she was relieved to hear that the engine was still running smoothly and that the merry tune still played, as well.
    â€œWhat should I do with the truck?” the tow truck driver asked. “You want me to take it somewhere?”
    George shook her head. “No, thanks. As long as I can still drive it, I’m going to take it back myself. It would look much worse if my boss saw it hanging off a tow truck.”
    â€œJust as long as your boss sees this,” the truck driver said, handing George a bill.
    George grimaced. “I’m a little nervous about showing this to Ms. Franklin, my supervisor,” she said to Nancy and Bess.
    â€œAnd I’m a lot nervous about getting back into that truck,” Bess added, her blue eyes lingering on the truck’s dented front end. “Maybe the police officers can give us a ride home.”
    â€œThe damage has already been done,” Nancy said. “I doubt the van’s going to come back for us. They probably think we’re floating in the river by now.”
    â€œWho would do such a thing?” Bess wondered. “Okay, I’ll go.” Turning to her cousin, she added, “Just do me one favor.”
    â€œSure,” agreed George. “Name it.”
    â€œTurn off that stupid music!”
    Laughing, George did as Bess had asked. Then, after thanking the police officers for their help, the three girls climbed into the Frosty Freeze truck and took off.
    As