Stop the Clock (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 12) Read Online Free Page A

That’s a wonderful idea!” I said. “I’ll take you up on that.” I’d just explain it all to Ned later. He’d understand. He might even think hereally had just forgotten. He’s used to how I operate.
    I could tell that Deirdre was a little surprised at how easily I accepted her offer, but she didn’t question it.
    Now Bess and George were looking at me as though I had lost my mind. But see, there is no way to win with Deirdre. The only way she’ll ever stop flirting with Ned will be if somebody locks her in her room—without a telephone—for the rest of her life. Of course, Ned is immune to what she thinks are her charms. I’d go ahead and let Deirdre give Ned her version of the meeting, and then I’d give him the real version later.
    Mrs. Corning’s office was beginning to feel claustrophobic. “The first thing I want us to do,” I said, slipping back into my role as chair of the committee, “is to take a tour of the library to see just where we should put all the displays.”
    “That’s an excellent idea, Nancy,” Ellis said. He stood up and turned to Mrs. Corning. “I’ll be happy to take everyone around, if you have some other things you need to attend to.”
    “Oh, Ellis, thank you, I do,” Mrs. Corning said. “With all the chaos this morning, I forgot that I have to make out the budget to give to Mrs. Mahoney. She likes to look at it before she gives it to her lawyer.”
    Just as Ellis opened the door, I heard an unfamiliar buzzing noise. The source stopped us in our tracks. The library looked more like the mall on a Saturday afternoon than it did a library.
    “Good grief!” Mrs. Corning said. “What is going on?”
    “I think I know. The news about the library clock has gotten out,” I said. “It looks as though everyone in River Heights has come here to see the scene of the crime.”
    “Well, we can’t have this,” Mrs. Corning said. “We simply can’t.”
    “It’s a library, Mrs. Corning, open to the public,” Ellis reminded her. “I don’t think you can ask them to leave.”
    Ellis was right. The noise was a little louder than you’d expect in a library reading room, but it certainly wasn’t as loud as it could have been, given the size of the crowd.
    “I have an idea,” I said. “Let’s use this crowd to our advantage.”
    “How?” Deirdre demanded. “They just look like a bunch of stupid people to me.”
    “Oh, really, Deirdre?” George said. She turned to Bess. “Isn’t that the mayor of River Heights pointing to the hole in the wall?”
    “Why, I do believe it is, George,” Bess said. “I alsosee Mr. Nickerson, Harold Safer, and Evaline Waters.” She looked at Deirdre. “I don’t think they’d appreciate being referred to as stupid people.”
    Deirdre looked as though she might explode, she was getting so angry.
    “Oh, there’s your father, too, Deirdre,” I added.
    “I think we should stick to a tour of the library,” Deirdre said. “We’re already behind schedule.”
    “What was your idea, Nancy?” Mrs. Corning said.
    “Well, these people obviously are very upset that the library clock has been stolen, or they wouldn’t have left their businesses to come here,” I said. “That means they probably have their own stories about the library clock.”
    “Right,” Bess said. “Just like the stories we were telling one another on the way over here.”
    I nodded. “You know, I think their stories of what the clock means to them would make a great display,” I continued. “While they’re here, let’s get each one of them to sit down at the tables and write down whatever they can remember.”
    “How could a silly clock mean anything to anybody?” Deirdre asked. “Won’t stories about how you looked up to see what time it was be kind of boring?”
    “Well, I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” I said. “Mrs. Corning, do you have some pads and pencils we could use?”
    “Of course,” Mrs. Corning said. “I keep a supply for our