Read Online The Case of the Photo Finish by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

of all this and find the person responsible? You’d be doing a big favor for everyone who’s worked so hard to bring the games to River Heights and make them a success.”
    â€œOf course, Mr. Hornby,” Nancy replied.
    Hornby took out one of his business cards, wrote something on the back of it, and handed itto her. “This is a note instructing anyone connected with the games to cooperate fully with you,” he said. “If there’s any difficulty, ask the person to speak to me. And good luck.”
    The opening parade had come to an end, and the competitors had scattered. Those whose events were early on the day’s schedule were warming up, while the rest watched and talked among themselves.
    Nancy found George and Bess near the shot-put area, where the first round was about to begin. Ramsay Roberts, the red-haired Canadian Nancy had met the day before, noticed her arrival and waved. She waved back.
    â€œNancy,” Bess said in a low voice, “you’ve been holding out on us! Who is that gorgeous hunk?”
    â€œHis name is Ramsay,” Nancy replied with a laugh. “He’s a shot-putter from Canada. And now you know just about as much as I do.”
    â€œI want to know more,” Bess sighed. “Much more. It’s not very far to Canada, after all.”
    â€œFar enough,” George said matter-of-factly. She watched Ramsay for a moment. “Hmm—he’s got pretty good form. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t place.” Turning to Nancy, she asked, “What was that commotion at the start of the parade? Cheryl looked pretty unhappy.”
    Nancy told them about the confrontation between Helga and Cheryl, and about Mr. Hornbyasking her to investigate. “I can’t waste any time, either,” she continued. “The way the incidents are escalating, I’m afraid somebody is going to get seriously hurt before long.”
    â€œDo you have any suspects?” asked Bess.
    Nancy rolled her eyes. “Plenty,” she replied. “But first I have to figure out exactly who is the real target of these incidents. If it is Cheryl, then Marta and Helga are obvious suspects, and the so-called threatening calls are just a smoke screen.”
    â€œI saw Marta’s face this morning,” George said, “and I can tell you she wasn’t faking. She was definitely scared out of her wits by that call.”
    â€œOkay,” Nancy agreed. “But Helga could still have made the call herself, without Marta’s knowledge. In fact, if Helga is behind the harassment, I would bet that she’d be very careful to protect Marta by keeping her in the dark.”
    â€œI guess, but—Oh, wait, your Canadian friend over there is about to make his first put.”
    Ramsay Roberts walked up to the cinder-covered shot-put circle. Holding the twelve-pound, brass-covered shot easily in his right hand, he stood at the rear of the circle. He brought his hand to his shoulder, and with the shot in his upturned palm, nestled the shot against his neck.
    â€œI wish I had a camera,” Bess whispered.
    â€œShh!” hissed George. “He’s winding up.”
    In what seemed like slow motion, the Canadian athlete balanced on one foot and bent over so far that he looked as if he would topple. Suddenly, he whirled around and hurled the brass shot away, putting his arm, his shoulder, and his whole body into the motion. He seemed about to fall, but some fast footwork brought him upright, still inside the circle.
    The spectators started to clap. The field judge who was measuring Ramsay’s throw stood up and said, “Roberts, first put, sixty feet, four and three-quarters inches.”
    Bess turned to George. “Is that good?” she asked.
    â€œYou bet,” George replied with an impressed nod. “At this level of competition, anything over fifty-five feet would probably place him in the top five.”
    Nancy had