Melissa gasped. ''How cold-blooded! What did you do?"
"The only thing I could," Ned answered simply. "Nancy's life was more important than the emeralds. So I waited until Ribeiro and Randy were gone, and then headed over to Sugarloaf as fast as I could go. And I was almost too late," he added, his face grim. "Randy and Nancy were in the cable car already—it was taking off and I just barely managed to jump on the roof."
Nancy leaned over and gave Ned a huge hug. "As usual, Nickerson, you did exactly the right thing. If you hadn't been there, I probably never would have made it to the top alive!" She shivered.
"What a mind!" Melissa said. "To think Randy had that whole plan worked out so carefully."
"Yes," Nancy agreed. "Randy is a brilliant criminal. If it hadn't been for a couple of unforeseeable hitches, he would have pulled it all off."
"But he's so young and—and handsome!" Melissa wailed. Matt gave her a shocked look and everybody laughed.
"Melissa, you sound just like a friend of mine back in River Heights," Nancy said. "Speaking
of whom, I promised a lot of people I'd bring back some colorful pictures of life in fabulous Rio. Ned, do you have your camera with you?"
"Right here,'' Ned answered, holding it up.
"Great. What do you say we start working on a photo essay—right now, on the beach?''
"Let's go. See you later, everyone!"
As Ned and Nancy walked down the steps to the beach, Ned put his arm around Nancy's shoulders. "Hey, Nan?" he asked.
"Hmmmm?"
"I didn't think Randy was really that good-looking. Did you?"
Nancy stared at Ned in astonishment. Then she began to laugh. "He's not even in your league," she said.
"Positive?" Ned looked relieved.
"Definitely. There's no one in your league, Ned. Now, kiss me, you fool."
As Ned's arms slid around her waist, Nancy melted against him with a happy sigh. Romantic Rio with the guy she loved. What more could she want?
Carolyn Keene, 028 The Black Widow
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