Read Online Kiss and Tell by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

she hoped she wouldn’t.
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    Friday morning Nancy picked Bess up at ten and zoomed over to the local television studios where Esme was doing a taping for a talk show. As soon as she got in the car, Bess asked Nancy about Sam.
    â€œYou’ve been hanging around Esme too much,” Nancy said. “There’s nothing between us.”
    â€œActually, I’ve got pretty good radar,” Bess scolded Nancy. “For example, I can always tell when a guy likes a girl. And believe me, Sam likes you.”
    â€œOh, Bess,” Nancy protested, “He’s several years older than I am, and besides, I’m in love with Ned.”
    â€œThat doesn’t stop you from having a crush on someone else,” Bess said, her eyebrows raised. She picked at a stray piece of lint on her cream wool coat and retied the multicolored scarf that held her hair back. “Esme says scarves are romantic. What do you think?”
    Eager to change the subject, Nancy reassuredher friend that she looked great, as usual. “Maybe you’ll get on camera,” she said.
    â€œMy thoughts exactly!” Bess announced. After they drove in silence for several minutes, Bess banged her head with the palm of her hand and said, “I can’t believe I forgot to show you this.” Bess handed over the front page of that day’s Today’s Times. Even as she drove, Nancy was able to see that one of the lead stories was by Brenda, reporting on Esme’s press conference. When they came to a stop light, Nancy skimmed the article. What she found surprised her.
    â€œBrenda included the story about the black widow,” Nancy said. “But she wasn’t there.”
    â€œShe must have an inside source,” Bess said.
    â€œLike Janine Halpern, for example,” Nancy concluded.
    â€œRemember how chummy she was with Brenda at the press conference,” said Bess. “What if Janine is Brenda’s source? What if she’s the one who called Brenda in the first place, and got her to come to the book signing and ask Esme all those questions?”
    The light turned green and Nancy accelerated through the intersection. “I’ve thought about that. Janine doesn’t mind the negative publicity, that’s for sure. But was she the one to set the fire last night or put the spider in Esme’s suitcase?”
    Bess shivered. “She was close enough both times. If she did, she’s no friend of Esme. We should warn her about Janine.”
    â€œWe shouldn’t warn Esme about anything,” Nancy corrected Bess. “At least not until we’re sure ourselves.”
    At the studio the taping was about to begin. The girls got as far as the entrance to the studio, where they saw Giancarlo. Esme’s husband spotted Nancy and Bess and gave them both a hearty greeting.
    â€œNancy! Bess!” he exclaimed. “I’m so glad to see you!”
    With that, Giancarlo fell upon Nancy’s hand, putting it to his lips. “How can I ever thank you for not revealing our secret to Esme? Now that I know I can trust you, I want to tell you the truth. I was angry with Esme, very angry, for how she lost her temper with Kim earlier, and I wanted to make her jealous in return. She saw me passing the note to you, and it drove her mad! After the fire, we were able to settle our differences. She apologized to me and promised to apologize to Kim, too. So! You see what a favor you did us all.”
    Giancarlo kissed Nancy’s hand, and then pecked her twice, once on each cheek. Nancy felt his whiskers brush her face, and saw, up close, how clear and blue his eyes really were.
    â€œThank you, cara. I’m sorry I could not tell you the whole truth last night.”
    â€œI understand,” Nancy said, not at all sure that she did. Was Giancarlo telling her the truth now, or last night, or was the real story the one he wasn’t telling: that he really had