| was following us, Frank. I got pushed,” Joe said. “Me, too,” Frank said. “I don’t know what you guys are up to or who your enemies are,” the conductor said. “But you’d better be careful. And I’ll tell you something else. If I were you, I’d watch my back.” By eleven o’clock Frank and Joe were back in their hotel room, and Joe was calling their father in Los Angeles. Joe told him all about the case they were working on, and that they might not join him as soon as they had planned. Then they tried to get some sleep, but Joe couldn’t calm down. He couldn’t stop thinking about the “accident” in front of the cable car. “It could have just been some nut who likes to push people in front of cable cars,” Joe said, eating nachos and drinking a strawberry milk shake he had ordered from room service. “Sure, random violence is a possibility,” Frank said. “But it’s not likely. I think it’s got something to do with the fact that we’re looking for Nightmare. A lot of people know we’re on the case-and someone doesn’t like it.” “Maybe someone like Billy Morales?” Joe suggested. “He’s the logical suspect,” Frank agreed. “And he could have followed us easily. But do you really think he’s big enough to push us both into the street?” “You’re right,” Joe said. “So who?” Frank shrugged. “I don’t know. Could be anyone - someone from McCord’s ranch or from Wind Ridge. We’ll |
the Glasses what they think when we get to Stallion Canyon.” Joe checked the map. “Turn here. We’re almost there.” Frank followed his brother’s directions and found a long winding dirt road that led to Stallion Canyon. It was a small horse ranch tucked in a valley and surrounded by tall hills covered with golden brown grass. All around the property was a brown split-rail fence, but the gate was open. Frank drove in and stopped the car when they came to a house, the first of four gray wooden buildings. The Hardys stepped out of their car into the hot sun. “Now, this is more like summer,” Joe said, peeling off his sweatshirt and tucking in his T-shirt. Before they even approached the house, the front door opened and a girl came out. She was about the Hardys’ age or a little younger and was pretty, with curly dark hair and large green eyes. Her thin, graceful arms and legs looked more like a ballet dancer’s than a ranch hand’s. She was wearing jeans, riding boots, and a pale peach-colored T-shirt with a small silver and turquoise beaded necklace. In her pierced ears she wore small silver earrings. Frank immediately recognized her from the television program. She was Nina Glass. She looked at them quizzically. “May I help you?” “We’re looking for Roger and Barbara Glass,” Joe said. “We have some information about Nightmare. A look of surprise flashed across Nina’s face, making her pale skin turn even paler |
