Read Online Update On Crime by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online

assistant in tow.
    Now Nancy had her chance! She slipped into the representative’s waiting room, then hurried over to a door marked Private. It was locked, but Nancy quickly got it open with her special tools.
    Steve Gilbert’s office was furnished with a heavy oak desk, a leather couch and matching chairs, file cabinets, and bookshelves. Nancy quickly went to work, searching for anything that might tie the man to the threats against Hal Taylor.
    First she flipped through Gilbert’s senate calendar, hoping to find notes of meetings with anyone from WRVH. Nancy felt her heart skip a beat. On the previous Wednesday, Gilbert had scheduled a meeting with Marilyn Morgan! Nancy jotted down the time and location of the meeting—a restaurant called the Proud Bird in River Heights.
    Next Nancy’s glance fell on Steve Gilbert’s pencup. One of the pens in the cup looked familiar, so she picked it up. It was a novelty pen with a truck that slid back and forth when you shook it—just like the one she had discovered in the tape feed booth.
    Nancy peered closely at the pen. The lettering on this one was clearly legible: KSM Express.
    â€œBingo!” she whispered softly. KSM Express was on the top of Hal’s list of companies that were bribing Steve Gilbert!
    She quickly copied the address of the company onto a slip of paper. Then she put the pen back into the cup and listened at the door. Hearing nothing, she stepped out of the office into the waiting room.
    â€œWhy, Nancy Drew,” Nancy heard a voice announce. “We meet again!”
    Nancy whirled to see the triumphant face of Brenda Carlton, who was sitting in a wing chair next to the aide’s desk. “You’d better give me the whole story this time,” Brenda continued acidly, “or I’ll tell Steve Gilbert all about your little breaking and entering adventure!”

Chapter

Eight
    N ANCY STARED AT B RENDA , a feeling of dread welling up inside her. Brenda certainly had a way of showing up at the worst possible times!
    â€œI don’t suppose it matters now, but how did you know I was here?” Nancy asked.
    Brenda regarded her with a self-satisfied air. “You’re not the only one who can play detective, Nancy. I had a hunch you were doing more than ‘interning’ at Channel Nine, so I waited near your house and followed you this morning,” she said. “Now, what’s the scoop? Why are you so interested in Steve Gilbert?”
    Nancy sighed. She knew she’d have to placate Brenda somehow—she couldn’t afford to have her cover blown.
    â€œLet’s get out of here before someone finds us,” Nancy said, motioning for Brenda to follow her. As they stepped into the corridor, the two girls almost bumped into Steve Gilbert’s aide, who was returning to the office. Fortunately, the aide was looking down at some papers in his hands. He didn’t notice the two girls.
    â€œNow, Nancy, I want to know exactly what you’ve got up your sleeve,” Brenda demanded after they ducked into an empty rest room.
    Without mentioning the threats that had been made against Hal Taylor, Nancy admitted that she was working on a case at WRVH. “I’m helping Hal work on a story involving Steve Gilbert, but we haven’t come up with anything worthwhile yet. Actually, I think his story is going to be a bust,” Nancy lied. “So there’s nothing I can tell you at this point.”
    Brenda looked skeptical. “Sounds like Hal Taylor’s trying to dig up some dirt on Steve Gilbert.” She pulled a folded newspaper from her purse and waved it in Nancy’s face. Gilbert’s face was on the front page.
    â€œThis is the first installment of my series on Steve Gilbert as an up-and-coming political figure,” Brenda said. “I can use whatever you find out about him for my next article. So you’d better keep me informed—or I’ll tell him