Cutting Edge Read Online Free Page B

will all stop.”
    â€œI hope you’re right,” Nancy replied, trying to keep the skepticism out of her voice.
    â€œI mean, the last thing I need is one more upsetting incident,” Veronica went on. “Tomorrow are the compulsories. They’re my weakest area, even when my coach is around. I really need to concentrate on my skating, not on some stupid note.”
    â€œI can imagine,” Nancy said sympathetically.
    â€œI’d really appreciate it if you’d come watch the compulsories,” Veronica said, almost pleading with Nancy. “They’re the first thing tomorrow. I heard Trish say you’re a detective, and I’d feel better knowing you’re around.”
    â€œIf you think it’ll help at all, I’ll be there,” Nancy promised.
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    â€œBut, Nan,” George lamented the next morning as the two girls drove to the arena from River Heights. “If you go to the women’s compulsories, you’ll miss the freestyle pairs skating! Kevin even said we could watch from the Worldwide press box.”
    â€œI hate to miss the pairs,” Nancy said, “but I promised Veronica I’d be there. After her fall and that note, she’s feeling extra vulnerable.”
    â€œI wonder who could have written that note,” George mused. “Somebody must really have it in for her.”
    â€œSee what you can find out today, okay?” Nancy urged, as she rolled down her window to take a ticket from the parking-lot attendant.
    â€œOf course,” George said with a grin as Nancypulled into a vacant space. “I’ll look for you after the first part of the pairs program. It says in the press kit there’ll be a break late in the morning.”
    â€œGreat,” Nancy said as she and George headed for the staff entrance. “Meet me at the small rink then,” she told George. “It’s in the east wing.”
    â€œIf they have a break in the compulsories at the same time we can check out the restaurant in the west wing. Kevin said it’s pretty good,” George said. With a wave, George hurried into the main rink, while Nancy went around to the east wing.
    The smaller rink was just that—smaller than the main one, though it was still quite large. Nancy arrived just as the compulsory event was about to begin. She could feel the tension in the room. Nine judges wearing white ribbons stood on the ice, just inside the railing, talking quietly with each other. On the far side of the rink, waiting in a nervous little cluster, were the male singles skaters.
    Too bad for you, George, Nancy thought to herself with a smile. You missed a close look at a bunch of gorgeous guys!
    Checking the stands, Nancy was surprised at how few onlookers there were. Just a few dozen people had come. Nancy guessed that most of them were probably connected to the skaters, and the others were reporters. The general public would be far more interested in the music, costumes, and spectacular skating of the pairs competition.
    Nancy scanned the rink for Veronica or any of the other female skaters, but they hadn’t emerged from the locker room yet.
    â€œThe men’s compulsories will be our first event,” a voice over the loudspeaker told the spectators. “We ask for absolute quiet during the figures, so the skaters can concentrate fully. Skaters will be judged by the shape they trace on the ice and the smoothness of the cut they make. Each of the nine judges will score the competitors on a scale from zero to six. The high and low scores will be dropped, and the total of the remaining seven scores will be multiplied by a factor and credited to the skater. Starting the program will be Boyce Miller.”
    Breaking away from the group of men, a tall, handsome blond skater slid onto the ice. He gave a quick wave and wink to an older couple in the stands. Nancy guessed they were his parents.
    Nancy moved closer to the