Ghost of a Chance Read Online Free PDF Page B

picking the piece of brown fur off the thistle.
    â€œGene and Lloyd can probably help us identify it,” Joe pointed out.
    The three spent a few minutes more looking around the inside of the shack but found nothing. Then they returned to the truck, and Frank drove them back down the overgrown path to the dirt road leading to Crosscook.
    â€œWe shouldn’t have any trouble finding the hospital,” Frank said as they pulled into a small residential area. “In a town this small, there’s usually a sign with directions posted on the edge of town.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Terry said. “There it is.” Frank slowed the truck so they could read the information. Three green-and-yellow signs were stacked on a pole. One said Welcome to Crosscook. One said Sheriff, with an arrow pointing right. And one said Hospital, with an arrow pointing left.
    Frank turned left and four blocks later, pulled into the hospital parking lot. The hospital lobby was small but new and sparkling clean. After a quick check at the Information desk, the Hardys and Terry headed for the elevator.
    Cleo was on the fourth floor—the top floor—in a private room in the corner. Windows on two walls looked out onto the quiet dark streets of Crosscook. The room was not very big, but it was furnished more like a living room with a bed than like a regular hospital room.
    â€œOh, I’m so glad you came!” Cleo said when they walked in. She was still wearing her pink sweatsuit. “Can you believe this place? Not bad for a town halfway up a mountain.”
    Cleo sat in a dark blue velvet recliner in the corner of the room. Her bandaged ankle appeared to be very swollen, and a pair of crutches leaned against the wall next to the chair. There were already three bouquets of flowers on tables around the room.
    â€œSo how are you feeling, kiddo?” Terry asked.
    â€œRight now I feel wonderful,” Cleo said, “butthey gave me some pretty strong medicine. I was thrilled to hear that my ankle isn’t broken. It’s just a bad sprain. I’ve had my share of those—one more won’t kill me. They’re making me stay overnight for observation—to make sure everything else is okay. I’ll be out for a few days, but not out of the movie.”
    â€œThat’s good,” Terry said. “I feel really bad about what happened.”
    â€œHey, it wasn’t your fault,” Cleo said. Her face then twisted into a mean expression. “It wasn’t, right?” she repeated.
    â€œNo, no,” Terry assured her. “Well, actually we’re not sure exactly what did happen.”
    Cleo’s face brightened again. “I was just kidding—see what a good actress I am?” She flashed them all the famous wide grin that they had seen on magazine covers. “So what do you think happened?”
    Terry glanced at Frank and Joe as if to ask how much he should say. Frank pulled up a chair and sat next to Cleo.
    â€œYou might be able to help us piece that together,” Frank said. “The note you received earlier—you said you didn’t know who might have sent it to you.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Cleo said. Her warm smile froze and her eyes widened. “You’re not saying …” She gazed at the others. “Wait a minute.” She squirmed in her chair.
    â€œDon’t get excited, honey,” Terry said.
    â€œAre you saying that what happened to me during the stunt
wasn’t
an accident?” Cleo asked Frank.
    â€œLet’s just say we’re trying to look at all sides of this,” Frank said.
    Joe crouched next to Cleo’s chair. “We just want to make sure there’s no connection between the threats you’ve been getting and the stunt failure,” he said.
    â€œWho are you guys anyway?” Cleo said. “What’s your interest in all this?”
    Quickly Terry filled her in on the