The Secret at Solaire Read Online Free PDF

doctor’s office, Nancy headed toward the tennis courts.
    â€œI thought we were going to the gym,” George said.
    â€œI still want to check out that ball machine,” Nancy said. “I know the staff here has looked at it, but I want to see if I can find any clues myself.”
    The girls approached the tennis courts. Oneof the pros was coaching Melina Michaels, who was scrambling all over the court and missing nearly every shot.
    â€œI thought she’d be a better player,” George said. “Melina’s the type who looks as though she were born playing tennis.”
    â€œApparently not,” Nancy said. “Can you distract those two? I want to have a look at the ball machine.”
    â€œNo problem,” George said. But as she and Nancy walked toward the courts, the pro saw them and stopped the game. Melina, looking very grateful for the interruption, left the court.
    â€œHi, I’m Lisette,” the pro said, walking up to meet Nancy and George. “Are you the one who was hurt last night?” she asked George.
    â€œI’m all right now,” George said with a shrug.
    Lisette wiped her forehead with a wristband and walked over to the ball machine. “I don’t know when it was tampered with,” she said. “It was working perfectly yesterday afternoon.”
    â€œDo you mind if we look at it?” Nancy asked, glad that the tennis pro seemed willing to talk.
    Lisette shrugged. “Look all you want, but I don’t think you’ll learn anything. This morning one of the maintenance people took it apart, oiled it, and put it back together.”
    Cleaning off all fingerprints and evidence,Nancy thought to herself. “Lisette,” she said, “who could have tampered with it in the first place?”
    Lisette ran a hand through her short red curls. “Nearly anyone, I guess. It’s not a very difficult machine to load. I—”
    She was interrupted by an announcement being broadcast over the PA system. All guests going on the hike were asked to gather in the main courtyard, wearing hiking boots or shoes with good ankle support. Those who wanted to swim were told to wear a bathing suit under their clothes.
    â€œWe’d better go,” George told the tennis pro, “but I’d like to play a match with you sometime.”
    Lisette smiled. “Sure, anytime.”
    Nancy and George soon joined the other guests who’d assembled for the hike. Bess arrived, looking slightly winded but cheerful. “I had an incredible workout,” she announced. “I’m feeling stronger and thinner already.”
    â€œGreat,” Nancy told her, trying not to smile. “Hey, look,” George said. “There’s Kim now.”
    Nancy had been hoping to speak to Kim right away about the urgent note the nature expert had given her yesterday. But Kim was walking toward them, talking earnestly to Melina Michaels. A few minutes later, Kim read off the names of the ten or so people who’d volunteered for the hike, and then theymorning sun, looking nearly opalescent. Two wide sand beaches lined either side of the rushing creek, and cottonwood trees grew in the center of the water’s path.
    â€œThis way down,” Kim told everyone. The trail had grown increasingly narrow, winding now between deep red boulders.
    â€œWe’re lucky we have this place to ourselves,” Kim went on. “Tanque Verde Creek doesn’t run all year long. When there’s water here, there are usually a lot of other people.”
    â€œIt’s kind of weird to see so much water in the middle of the desert,” George said.
    â€œMost of this is melted snow from the top of the mountain range,” Kim explained. “And last week we had some heavy rains, so the water level is pretty high for this time of year. If you want to swim, be prepared for icy water.”
    â€œI think I’ll take the Jacuzzi back at the