Secrets Can Kill Read Online Free PDF Page A

picture brought a smile to her face. As long asshe was at Bedford High, she thought, she might as well have some fun. And Daryl Gray was the perfect person to have it with.
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    By the time her last class of the day was over, Nancy’s head was a blur of names and faces, a jumble of bells and pounding feet. As she’d expected, she hadn’t done much detecting at all. Only two people—Carla and Jake—stood out in her mind as possibly connected to the vandalism and to the videotape she’d received.
    She wanted to find out more about both of them, but first she wanted to take a look around the video lab to see if she could discover any connection between the missing equipment and the mysterious tape.
    She wasn’t taking any chances on getting lost a second time—she asked a teacher for directions and, after stashing some books in her locker, made her way to room 235.
    The door was locked. Probably only the teacher has a key. Well, Mr. Parton had given her permission to do “whatever it takes,” she thought. She reached into her duffel bag and pulled out an extremely handy little device—a credit card—and took a careful look down the hall.
    Connie Watson was walking straight toward her.
    â€œHi, Nancy!” Connie called. “I’ve been lookingfor you. The football team’s got practice this afternoon and I thought you might want to go to it with me.” Connie blushed and bit her lip. “You don’t have to, though. I mean, if you’re too busy, that’s okay,” she said quickly, as if she were used to being rejected.
    â€œNo, I think I’d like that,” Nancy said, pocketing the credit card. Maybe she’d get a chance to talk to Walt Hogan. She was very curious about the cryptic conversation she’d overheard on the stairs. “Let’s go.”
    The weather was warm for early October, and several dozen kids were sitting in the bleachers watching the players and the cheerleading squad. Nancy and Connie arrived just in time to see Hunk Hogan getting chewed out royally by the coach. Nancy couldn’t hear what was being said, but she wondered if Walt was in trouble because he’d arrived late. If that was it, then it was probably his voice she’d heard in the main hall that morning, pleading with Jake. She hadn’t recognized it when she met him, but if it was Walt, then she had more reason than ever to talk to him.
    The cheerleaders were energetic and colorful in their bright orange and white uniforms. Nancy admired their routines and even had to admit that Carla, who seemed to be the captain, was very good.
    Beside her, Connie sighed. “I’d give anythingto be a cheerleader,” she confided. “Of course, I’m too fat, so it’s not worth thinking about. Besides, even if I were skinny, I’d never make it. Not with Carla Dalton in charge. She can’t stand me.”
    Nancy nodded sympathetically. “She’s not too crazy about me, either, but I don’t have a clue why.”
    â€œOh, that’s easy,” Connie said. “Ever since you arrived at Bedford High, Daryl Gray hasn’t taken his eyes off of you, and Carla can’t stand competition.” She put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “Personally, I love seeing Carla get what she deserves.”
    â€œYou mean Carla and Daryl have a thing going?” Nancy asked. That explained the funny look on Daryl’s face when Carla’s name had been mentioned. Nancy couldn’t picture Daryl being interested in someone like that, but she really didn’t know him all that well.
    â€œOff and on,” Connie told her. “It’s been off for a couple of weeks, but when you showed up, I guess Carla decided you were invading her territory.”
    So Carla’s jealous, Nancy thought. That might make her nasty, but it didn’t make her a criminal.
    â€œActually, I’m