Nancy's next stop was the main branch of the River Heights Public Library, where she proceeded to go over microfilmed back issues of the Stockton Gazette until she came to the one she was looking for .

There was the article, all right . Except that the photograph in it wasn't of Nila Kirkedottir at all ! The woman pictured had dark hair and horn-rimmed glasses, and the article identified her as Ellen Ramsbottom . Nancy noted that both names, Ellen Ramsbottom and Nila Kirkedottir, were of about equal length . The forger would have had to substitute one name for the other, finding a similar type font, and then simply switch a photo of Nila for one of the guilty nurse .

That is, if there had even been an altered article . Nancy only had Eleanor's word for it . Eleanor, who'd been there in the hallway, standing over Nila . Eleanor, who'd known Nancy was a detective before anyone else did . Eleanor, who'd eavesdropped on her conversation with Pierce and knew he'd drafted a new will . . . . .

Nancy ran off a copy of the article and left the library, heading straight for the Pierce mansion . She'd been gone for only a few hours, but in that time, the butler told her, Philip, Jack, and Karen had all gone out . Mr. Bishop had also left . Nila had gone to bed, as had Cecilia .

Well, they'd all had a long and stressful night, Nancy thought, although she herself was too wired to feel the least bit sleepy . "Where's...