High Risk Read Online Free Page A

irresponsible. Nan, the only way I’ll ever get Biggs off my back is to prove to him that I was right all along.”
    â€œBut Packard made it clear that he believes in you,” Nancy pointed out.
    Ned shook his head. “Mr. Packard is a terrific guy, but I can’t let him fight my battles for me. I have to follow this up, don’t you see? Will you help me?”
    In a flash, Nancy saw her summer with Ned being swallowed up by this investigation.
    Then she mentally kicked herself for selfishness. She thought of all the times Ned had stood by her. How could she say no to him now? And besides, she’d been complaining about how she never saw him. This was her chance to spend more time with him.
    â€œOf course I’ll help, Ned,” she promised.
    â€œYou’re terrific!” Ned said, breaking into a smile. Drawing Nancy into his strong arms, he planted a kiss on her lips.
    â€œMmmm. I’ll go along with that,” Nancy murmured. A pleasant shiver slid along her spine as he held her. “So what do we do first?”
    Ned laughed. “Boy, it feels funny to hear you asking me that instead of the other way around. Okay, here’s the plan. I want to stake out this Foyle guy’s house, starting now.”
    â€œWhat, no dinner again?” Nancy complained in a teasing voice.
    â€œI know a deli that makes great sandwiches,” Ned retorted. “I’m treating.” He went into his office to straighten up his desk. “I got Foyle’s address off his claim form,” he continued, talking over his shoulder. “I figure we’ll spot him entering or leaving. Then, after we make sure it’s the same guy we saw in the restaurant last night, we’ll take a photograph.”
    â€œSounds like a good start,” Nancy told Ned as they walked down the stairs. “But will that prove anything? All that shows is that it’s the same guy. It doesn’t prove anything about his head injury either way.”
    â€œAh! That’s phase two,” Ned told her. Heraised a finger to wave good night to the security guard. “I’m going to follow our friend T. N. Foyle around with my camera until I can get a shot of him doing something that he absolutely could not do with a serious head injury.”
    â€œLike what?” Nancy asked.
    â€œLike dance. If only I’d thought of this last night! Didn’t you hear Foyle and his girlfriend make plans to go dancing?”
    Nancy nodded. “Sounds good to me.” She thought of warning Ned that his plans would involve long hours of tracking, on top of the time he put in at work. But all she said was “Let’s go!”
    First they went to Kirshner’s delicatessen, where Ned bought thick roast beef sandwiches and cans of soda. Then, following Ned’s instructions, Nancy drove to 421 Beechwood Street, the address T. N. Foyle had listed on his claim form.
    Foyle’s home was in an undistinguished-looking town house on a narrow one-way street near the center of Mapleton. A few lights showed in the first-floor windows. Nancy parked under some low-hanging branches across the street.
    â€œSo tell me about this claim,” she urged Ned as they ate their sandwiches.
    Ned sipped his soda. “Well, according to the report, Foyle was driving at night and skidded on an oily patch on the road. The car went out of control, and he slammed into a barrier and hit his head. He managed to walk to a house to call for an ambulance. A few days later he threatened to bring a suit against Mapleton for not keeping its roads clean. His claim was that the town’snegligence had caused him injuries that made it impossible to do his job—he’s an accountant. Mutual Life insures the town for liability, so that’s where I came in. Mr. Packard said the court costs and all would be horrendous, so we decided to offer him a settlement, which he accepted.”
    â€œSounds pretty