Read Online Dance Till You Die by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

Etienne,” George said somberly.
    Nancy nodded. “There’s no question we’re probably dealing with an extremely dangerous person, George.” She was excited by the discovery of the connection between the two crimes, yet puzzled. What on earth could the connection be? Nancy knew she didn’t have much time to figure out the tie-in between the two crimes. But it seemed almost certain that Bess’s kidnapper was also Etienne’s killer and would stop at nothing—not even murder.
    George shivered. “Bess is very lucky to be alive,” she said in a shaky voice. “When I think that she could have been in the hands of a psycho last night, whoever he is . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    â€œOr she,” Nancy reminded her, thinking of Charity Freeborn. “In fact, a woman might be even more likely to use a knockout potion like ether than a man, to compensate for lack of physical strength.”
    A River Heights Police Department patrol car pulled up outside. As B. D. Hawkins, the tall, lanky detective, climbed out of the front seat, Nancy and George went out to greet him. Behind the wheel was T. Jones, the officer who had responded to Nancy’s call at Bess’s home the night before.
    â€œHi, Nancy! What’ve you got here?” As usual, B.D. got right down to business.
    â€œMurder by strangulation, it looks like. The victim is Etienne Girard, who worked at the Razor’s Edge dance club. He’s in the kitchen,” Nancy said, leading the way back into the apartment.
    B.D. followed Nancy into the kitchen, where he knelt and briefly examined Etienne’s body. “You’re right. He was strangled,” the detective stated. “The coroner’ll be along in a little while.” He stood up and stared down at Nancy. “I know you well enough to know that you’ve probably already taken a look around,” he said with a ghost of a smile. “What have you turned up?”
    â€œI caught a whiff of something that smelled like ether,” Nancy answered. She filled B.D. in about Bess’s kidnapping the night before, and the probable use of ether in that incident.
    â€œThen whoever kidnapped your friend could have murdered this guy, as well,” B.D. said thoughtfully. “Is there motive?”
    Thoughts of Tom Kragen, Gaetan, and Charity raced through Nancy’s mind. “I have suspicions, but no solid evidence,” she told the detective. She handed him the photo she’d picked up at Tom Kragen’s, the one that showed Gaetanand Etienne fighting. She briefly described who Gaetan was. “Gaetan’s girlfriend said he was never at the Razor’s Edge last night. But this photo clearly shows he was there, and that he was probably having a nasty argument with Etienne.”
    B.D. peered at the photo. “Hang on to that photo, Nancy. I may need it later as evidence,” he said. “We now have to treat everything we turn up as part of an official murder investigation.”
    Just then the wall phone in Etienne’s kitchen rang. Motioning for the others to remain quiet, B.D. answered the phone. He listened for a moment and then hung up. “It was just someone soliciting business,” he said.
    â€œThat phone call gives me an idea,” Nancy said. “I wonder if Etienne has an answering machine. Maybe he has some old messages that will give us a clue about what happened, or what he was up to.”
    George nodded. “There is one. In his bedroom,” she said.
    Nancy, George, and the two officers went into Etienne’s sparsely furnished bedroom. A slim black answering machine sat on Etienne’s desk.
    B.D. pressed the Play button. They heard the metallic gibberish of the message tape rewinding.Then a heavily accented voice, distorted with rage, came over the speaker.
    â€œEtienne, you better pay me the money you owe me, or I’m coming after you! I’m going to kill