Read Online Moving Target by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page A

The other side held only an alarm clock.Jennifer was sleeping in the second bed, the blanket drawn up to her chin.
    â€œWe’ll talk to her in the morning,” Nancy whispered, motioning for George to back out.
    Suddenly Jennifer sat up, startled, grabbed a book, and flung it at them. George held up the stuffed animal to deflect the book.
    â€œJennifer, it’s okay. It’s Nancy and George.” Nancy reached over and quickly flicked on the overhead light.
    â€œOkay?” Jennifer’s voice wavered. “You scared the life out of me! What are you doing in here?”
    â€œLook, we’re sorry we frightened you, but we saw the light on,” said George. She picked up the book from where it lay in front of her and handed it back to Jennifer.
    Jennifer’s voice trembled. “Seeing a light on doesn’t mean you can barge into someone’s room.”
    â€œI know. We’re sorry,” Nancy said quickly. “We shouldn’t have come in, but the door was unlocked.”
    â€œThe door was unlocked because Kendra came back from the fair to get something, and she left her key on the bed when she went out again.” Jennifer pulled her knees up and tucked the blanket around her legs. “What do you want her for?”
    Nancy moved closer to the bed. “Actually, Iwanted to talk to you. I was curious about why you asked at the store about a bus—”
    â€œAnd why you were looking for a post office,” George chimed in.
    â€œWhat?” Jennifer said. “Since when is it a crime to ask about a post office? Or a bus schedule?”
    â€œI thought you might be planning to check out on us,” Nancy replied. “A lot of strange things have happened in the last twenty-four hours, including George’s ‘accident.’ ”
    â€œI didn’t have anything to do with that!” Jennifer’s eyes darted from one to the other, and an undertone of fear crept into her voice. “You believe me, don’t you?” She looked away. “It’s none of your business, but the truth is I’m not having much fun on this trip. I was thinking of cutting it short.”
    â€œBut the store owner said you wanted a bus that wasn’t going back to Emersonville,” George said.
    Jennifer shrugged. “Where else would I go? He must have misunderstood. And as for the post office, I have a monthly tuition plan, and the payment is overdue. Now are you satisfied? You can believe it or not.”
    â€œI’d like to believe it,” Nancy said. “I really would.”
    For a minute she considered asking Jennifer why she’d lied about working at the diner the night before, and whether she knew the nightmanager who’d been arrested for the burglary. But then she reconsidered. Jennifer didn’t seem ready to open up just yet.
    George, who was standing silently by the bed, looked down at a newspaper thrown on the blanket. It was folded to the article about the burglary on the Emerson campus. Jennifer’s eyes followed George’s gaze and traveled back up to her face.
    â€œPlease leave,” she said in a low voice.
    â€œJust one more thing,” said Nancy, turning as she reached the door. “Where’s Kendra?”
    Jennifer shook her head. “I have no idea. Somewhere with Michael.”
    â€œSee you tomorrow,” Nancy said, and opened the door.
    â€œWhew!” whispered George, once they were out in the hall and the door to Jennifer’s room was closed. “That’s one nervous lady. Do you believe the story about the tuition payment?”
    â€œNo,” Nancy said. “I think she’s scared and lying. But why? That’s what I can’t figure out.”
    â€œDid you notice what she’d been reading in the paper?” George went on.
    Nancy nodded. “The article about the Emerson burglary. Everybody seems to be interested in that crime. First Michael, with his