Read Online Hidden Meanings by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

room. If Bess was off duty, maybe George was, too. She decided to check upstairs.
    Stepping off the elevator on the seventh floor, she looked down toward room 707. Ned was stationed on a folding chair outside Gina’s door, drinking from a can of soda. Realizing she never did get to find him earlier, Nancy decided to go tell him what she’d learned about the oleander skewers.
    As she headed down the hall, Nancy felt her pulse speed up. Ned looked up, saw her, waved, and grinned. Nancy broke into a grin, too. I’m not being fair to Ned, she told herself. Her stride quickened.
    But just then, the door to Room 707 opened. Gina leaned out, hanging seductively on the doorjamb. Her glossy dark hair swung alluringly over her face.
    Nancy felt her entire body go rigid. She half hid in a doorway, a few yards away.
    â€œNed,” Gina cooed, “I’m hungry. I just couldn’t eat a bite at dinner, not after what happened to that poor boy. I thought I’d order a plate of pasta from room service. Can I get you anything? I feel so bad for you, stuck out here.”
    Ned smiled up at Gina. Watching him, Nancy thought how much she loved the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled—and how awful it was to see those eyes crinkling at someone else.
    â€œThanks, Gina, I’m fine,” Ned told her. “Sally brought me a huge plate of food from the buffet—no shish kebabs, luckily,” he added with a chuckle.
    Gina pouted. “Can’t I get you something to drink from the minibar?” she asked.
    Ned shook his head. “I just got a soda from the vending machine.” He showed her the can. “Thanks, anyway.”
    Shrugging her delicate shoulders, Gina swung back into the room and slammed the door. Ned looked guiltily at Nancy. “She’s a very thoughtful employer,” he said, joking weakly.
    Nancy tried to look unconcerned as she walked up to him. “Maybe I should check out that room-service order before she gets it,” she suggested. “If our culprit is willing to poison a whole banquet—”
    â€œI’ll check the food when it gets here,” Ned said. “Go look around the hotel. I’ve got things covered here.”
    Nancy drew back, hurt. “This is a very clever person we’re dealing with,” she argued. “And he—or she—clearly knows how to operate in the kitchen downstairs. It wouldn’t be hard to find out about that room-service order and poison it.”
    â€œYes, Nancy, but this is my job,” Ned said. “Or don’t you think I’m up to it?”
    A hurt silence fell between them. Their eyes met. “It’s not that—” Nancy began weakly.
    Ned’s voice lowered. “Or don’t you trust me being around Gina? That’s really it, Nan, isn’t it?”
    Nancy felt her ears burn. Ned knew her so well! She hated to admit that she could be thrown off balance by jealousy, but she was.
    Nancy sighed. “It’s Gina I don’t trust,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t do my best to solve this mystery.” She spun around and walked away. She didn’t dare look back at Ned.
    Turning down the service corridor, Nancy pushed the button to call the service elevator. It took her down to the kitchen. Even though it was past dinnertime, the kitchen was still a hive of activity.
    Paul Lampedusa, working at a nearby counter, waved. “Hi, Nancy, what’s cooking?” he joked.
    Nancy strolled over to join him. “Still working?”
    â€œI’m on the night owl room-service shift,” Paul explained. “It’s a choice assignment—you get good tips. Banquet waiters get no tips at all.”
    â€œThat’s a coincidence—a friend of mine just called down an order for room service,” Nancy said, trying to keep her cover. “Room 707?”
    Paul leaned over and looked at several slips of paper