Strangers on a Train (Nancy Drew Diaries #2)(20)

“No way,” Alan spoke up. “Go ahead and sit down, Nancy. After what you’ve just been through, you deserve the window seat. I’ll sit right here with you and keep an eye out for any more trouble.”

"Um, thanks.” I sat down.

Across the aisle, I could see Bess and George with their heads bent close together, talking in whispers. I wished I could be over there with them, discussing this latest twist in the case. Because it had to be related, didn’t it? There was no way it was a coincidence that broken glass had turned up on my seat.

A moment later my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and found a text from George.



BESS & I THINK U SHOULD GET CHECKED OUT BY A MEDIC WHEN WE GET TO DENALI, JUST IN CASE.



I didn’t bother to text back; I just leaned forward so I could see past Alan to their seat. Both Bess and George were staring back at me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

A moment later, another text came:



SRSLY, NANCY. WHAT IF A. IS RIGHT AND SOMEONE PUT SOMETHING ON THE SHARDS? COULD BE THE SAME PERSON WHO PUSHED U OFF THE WALKWAY IN K.



This time I typed a return text:



LIKE U SAID, G, THE GLASS WASN’T ON MY SEAT. IT WAS ON YOURS.



George texted back again:



HM, GOOD POINT. MAYBE THE BAD GUY IS AFTER ALL OF US NOW.



I realized I hadn’t thought of that. Just then Alan glanced over.

“Who are you texting?” His voice sounded impossibly loud.

"Um, nobody,” I said. "I mean, I’m just sending a note to Ned. My boyfriend.”

“Oh, right.” Alan nodded. "I met him that time we all went out to dinner together, remember? Nice dude.”

I smiled weakly until he turned his attention back to the scenery. Then my fingers flew over the tiny keyboard.



WHY WOULD SOMEONE BE AFTER U GUYS NOW?



The response came quickly:



MAYBE WE R GETTING TOO CLOSE TO THE TRUTH.



I leaned back, feeling troubled. Could my friends be right? Were we all in danger now?

After a moment I texted them again:



SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO?



The response:



U SHOULD STAY PUT. B & I ARE GOING TO INVESTIGATE.



I frowned and texted:



NO! IF SOMEONE IS AFTER U TOO, IT’S TOO DANGEROUS. WE NEED TO COME UP W/A PLAN.



I sent the text and waited for the response. Instead I heard the sounds of activity across the aisle. Glancing over, I saw Bess and George getting up.

“Where are you two going?” Alan asked before I could.

"Just taking a walk,” Bess said sweetly. “Keep an eye on Nancy while we’re gone, okay? She needs to relax and recover.”

"Absolutely.” Alan reached up and squeezed her arm as she went past.

“Hey!” I called as my friends hurried up the aisle. But neither of them responded. "Let me out,” I told Alan. "I’m going with them.”

"Ah, ah, ah!” He shook a playful finger in my face. "You heard the lady. Relax and recover time.”

I gritted my teeth, tempted to kick him in the kneecap and make my escape. But I held myself back. He was only trying to help. Besides, how much trouble could my friends get into on this train? I decided to let them go. Maybe I could convince Alan to lower his voice enough for the two of us to discuss the case. A fresh perspective might be just what I needed.

“Okay,” I said, turning to glance out the window. "If anything can help me relax, it’s looking at all this.”

"I know, right? Beautiful.”

We spent the next few minutes chatting about the scenery we were passing. At some point I realized it was probably the first time I’d ever had a real conversation with him, just the two of us. It was kind of weird. But kind of nice, too.

After a while Tobias appeared. Seeing my friends’ empty seats across from us, he flopped into the aisle seat. “Hey, Alan,” he said. “My dad says Mount McKinley is the tallest mountain on the whole continent. Is that true?”

Alan grinned at him. “Hey there, little man,” he said. "I bet your dad is right.”

“Oh.” Tobias looked impressed. “Do you study mountains and stuff in your classes, or just animals?”

"We study it all,” Alan replied. "The whole shebang.”

I looked at him. For a while, I’d almost forgotten that he wasn’t on this trip only because of Bess. He was also supposed to be getting a head start on his college research project for the next year.

"That reminds me,” I said. “Have you had any ideas for your big sophomore project yet?”

“Not really,” he said. “But it’ll come. I’m just taking it all in, letting it simmer.”

"Need any help brainstorming?” I offered. "I’m usually pretty good at coming up with ideas for stuff like that. What are the parameters of the project?”

Tobias sat up and perched on the edge of the seat. "Do you have to write a report for school?” he asked Alan. "You should write about spiders! I got an A on the report I did about Hazel.”

"Cool,” Alan told him. Then he glanced at me. “And thanks. Maybe sometime, I guess.”