She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Danielle practically admitted that she’d do anything to get even, even if it means that Emerson loses the big game. She could have set the fire and sent Randy that threatening note.”
“There’s no limit to how far a scorned boyfriend or girlfriend will go,” Bess said dramatically, licking chocolate from her fingers. “A broken heart can make people do strange things.”
“I knew I could count on you for the romantic point of view,” Nancy said with a laugh.
There were other suspects, too, Nancy reminded herself, remembering Zip Williams and the other Pirates, as well as the guys on Emerson’s team. Starting the next day, she was going to check all of them out.
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!” Nancy called from the doorway of Bess’s room. She was already up and dressed, wearing a thick ivory-colored sweater and a suede skirt in a deep shade of green. She held a paper bag in one hand.
Bess cracked an eye open. “What time is it?” she asked, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. “Did I miss breakfast?”
“It’s almost nine. I couldn’t wake you before, so I went and had breakfast with Ned.”
“Guess I was really tired,” Bess said, sitting up in bed. “But now I’m starving!”
“Don’t worry,” said Nancy, grinning as she held up the paper bag. “I brought you some hot chocolate and turnovers. But you have to promise to hurry. We’ve got a busy day ahead.”
After Bess washed and pulled on a denim skirt and pink sweater, she joined Nancy in the living room of their suite.
While Bess ate, Nancy explained her plans. “I have some more questions for Randy, and I want to try to track down Zip Williams at Russell U.”
“What about the homecoming events?” Bess asked, reaching for a flyer on the table. “I don’t want to miss anything.”
Putting a hand on Bess’s arm, Nancy said, “Ned already gave me the rundown. The homecoming queen and king are announced after lunch. Ned says that it’s really no big deal, but I wouldn’t mind seeing it. And tonight, there are lots of parties around campus.” She checked her watch. “If we leave now, we should be able to work on the case and fit in all the homecoming stuff.”
“Great,” Bess said, polishing off a mouthful of pastry. She took one last sip of cocoa and jumped up to get her jacket. “Okay, I’m done. Where to first?”
“I already called Randy’s dorm,” said Nancy. “His roommate told me that he spends every morning working out at the sports center. I want to try to catch him before he leaves for a class.”
Although Nancy had been inside the sports center on previous visits, she knew that the multistoried building contained dozens of rooms, including an indoor track and pool.
“We’ll have to find someone to direct us to the weight room,” Nancy said as she and Bess approached the complex.
Inside the main entrance, a security guard directed the girls to the weight-training room, on the first floor, beyond the gymnasium and down a hallway. Pushing through a pair of swinging double doors, Nancy saw that they were at one end of a sizable room. Huge steel Nautilus machines were lined up along the mirrored wall nearest the girls. At the far end was a selection of free weights and barbells.
She was surprised to find the room so deserted. Two guys were taking turns on a bench press in one corner. Randy was sitting at a machine in the center of the room, pushing at a lever with his feet. His gray T-shirt was damp with perspiration.
Randy was so wrapped up in his workout that he didn’t notice the girls until they were standing right beside him. “Oh—hi, Nancy,” he said, glancing up. Nancy introduced Bess.
“Your roommate told us we’d find you here,” Nancy said.
“Yeah.” Randy pulled his legs back, grunting as he pumped three more times. Then he stood up and wiped the sweat from his face with a towel.
“I like to spend this hour here,” he explained. “The place is packed most of the day, but it’s reserved for the players for this one hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. There’s always a trainer nearby, but he usually leaves me alone to follow my own routine.” He slid the towel around his neck and walked to the far end of the room, where the free weights were.