Nancy Clue Mysteries 1 - The Case of the Not-So-Nice Nurse Page 11

  "Butch," Midge said. "It's not the butch thing to do." She pulled a book of matches from her pocket and handed them to Cherry. "Try these," she said.

  Soon they came to a space large enough for two cots and a small chair. "Why, someone's been living here," Jackie said. Indeed, the small space bore evidence of human habitation. A teacup sat on the arm of the overstuffed chair, and the cots were heaped with warm blankets, including a quilt Cherry recognized as her aunt's handiwork.

  On the floor next to one cot was a stack of books. "LookKit Karr mysteries!" Cherry cried, picking up The Kase of The Kreepy Kave. A piece of paper fell from between the pages of the book. "It's a map!" Cherry cried. "Perhaps it's a clue of some sort."

  She held a match in front of the worn piece of paper. "It's too dark in here to make it out. We'll look at it later, under better light," she declared. She put the paper in her pocket. They looked around for more clues.

  "A child's been living here," Jackie said, picking up a worn stuffed bear from the cot. "This bear's been around for a long time," she said, noting the repaired stuffed arm and mismatched glass eyes.

  "Why, it's Billy," Cherry said, gingerly taking the stuffed animal and holding it close to her bosom. "I gave this bear to Aunt Gert years and years ago, when my father kicked her out of the house. I snuck it in her suitcase at the very last minute." She tucked the bear under her arm. "We've simply got to find the child who was last with Billy," she declared.

  A quick survey of the tiny room failed to turn up any more clues. As they headed back to the entryway, the last match fluttered, and then went out. And try as they might, they couldn't find the secret button that opened the passageway. "That darn escape button was right here a minute ago," Midge scowled.

  "We're trapped!" Cherry cried.

  "Be calm," Jackie said in a soothing voice.

  "But I can't breathe," Cherry said, clutching her throat. She was beginning to feel dizzy.

  "Don't be silly, Cherry," Midge teased. "People have been living here-there's obviously plenty of air."

  Cherry blushed and realized that Midge was right. She was thankful that the darkness hid her embarrassment.

  "Where's that kid?" Midge wanted to know. She started banging on the wall for Lauren. They could hear her muffled voice coming from the other side of the wall.

  "Lauren, let us out," they called.

  "Grh mun thk?" Lauren mumbled.

  "Darn it, Lauren, swallow the darn cookie and listen!" Midge was really annoyed this time.

  The girl did as she was told. "How do I get you out?" she called.

  "It's a book on the third ...no, fourth shelf. In the middle. Just take it off the shelf," Midge replied.

  "What's it about?" Lauren wanted to know.

  "I'll tell you later," cried an exasperated Midge. "I am never having children," she added under her breath.

  They could hear the girl rummaging all willy-nilly through the shelves. A moment later the door swung open. Lauren smirked at the trapped trio, her arms folded over her baggy overalls. "Aren't you going to thank me?" she wanted to know.

  Midge just glowered at the girl.

  Cherry tried to smooth things over and offered to help Lauren put the books back. "And neatly," she added, remembering that her aunt was particular about her precious books.

  "Time for a private conference, girls," Jackie said, motioning Midge and Cherry into the bedroom next door. Lauren protested at being left behind, but, as Cherry was quick to point out, she hadn't finished putting back all the books.

  They left a grumbling Lauren to her task and went into the bedroom. Jackie settled in a comfortable mossy green chintz chair, pulled out her notepad and started to write.

  "What's up, officer?" Midge asked.

  Jackie shook her head. "Nothing adds up," she said. "I hate to admit it, but I'm stumped! Somehow all these disappearances are connected, but I fail to see how. Cherry, Midge, is there something you haven't told me?"

  Cherry flung herself on Aunt Gert's chenille-covered bed. "I don't know what else to tell you; all I know is that because of me, first Velma was kidnapped, and now Aunt Gert's disappeared." She started to cry. "I'm not only a terrible detective, I'm a danger to my friends!"

  Midge found a handkerchief in the top drawer of the mahogany dressing table and handed it to the bereft nurse. Cherry dried her eyes. She noticed the monogram "C.M." on one corner of the lace-edged hankie. "Why, these aren't Aunt Gert's initials," she thought. "Where have I seen this before?"

  Midge sat on the bed next to Cherry, looking pensive. "Maybe I should tell you..." But before she could continue, she was interrupted by a shout from Lauren.

  "Hey, you guys, guess what?" Lauren called to them from the study.

  "Not now," Jackie called back. "Midge, what were you going to say?"

  But before Midge could answer, Lauren appeared at the doorway holding a book of female nudes. Cherry grabbed the book away from the young girl.

  Lauren snatched the book back. "Now just wait a goshdarn minute," she scowled. "I've got to show you something."

  Cherry covered her eyes. "I just won't look," she told herself, but when Jackie exclaimed, "Golly!" she just couldn't help herself. She opened her eyes, and when she saw what was in Lauren's hands, she, too, gave a little shriek.

  "It's a photograph of my aunt and another woman dressed as nuns! But we're not even Catholic," she shrieked.

  "Not just any nuns, Cherry," Jackie said excitedly. "The woman she's with is the Mother Superior of the order of nuns that's been snatched."

  "And look at the car behind them!" Midge said excitedly. "Why, it's a convertible just like the car I saw Velma in earlier," Midge cried.

  Jackie checked her notebook. "That must be Gertrude Aimless's car. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Velma and Gertrude's disappearances are linked to the missing nuns case, but how?"

  She frowned. "The bad news is there have been no clues in the case of the missing nuns. Why, the detectives downtown are so puzzled, they've issued a public call through the newspapers for Nancy Clue."

  "I guess it's time we ask for the famous girl detective's help, too," Midge admitted grudgingly. "But where is she?" Midge looked at Cherry. "You seem to know a lot about this Clue girl. Where do you think she's gone?"

  "The newspaper said she's staying with relatives. I'd just check the phone book under Clue," Cherry replied brightly.

  Jackie shook her head. "We already tried that. I don't think Nancy really has anybody out here. I think she's all alone, and probably feeling pretty down about her father's murder." She paused dramatically. "There was a rumor going around the Black Cat last night that Nancy Clue had been in there earlier, hitting the bottle pretty hard," Jackie said. "I told the boys downtown that she had been spotted there, but they just laughed. I was planning on following that lead tonight."

  "That's it!" Midge cried. "Gather round, gals. I've got a plan!" Jackie, Cherry and Lauren gave their full attention to Midge as she laid out her scheme.

  "I propose we go to the convent and investigate on our own," she said.

  "Yippee!" cried Lauren. "Let's go!"

  "Hush, I'm not finished. Besides, we're not taking you with us," Midge said firmly.

  But Jackie disagreed. "Lauren knows more about Gert than any of us," she argued.

  "I think she's proven herself an invaluable help," Cherry pitched in.

  Midge scowled. "You can go only if you promise to obey all orders," she said gruffly.

  "Yes, ma'am," Lauren grinned, giving Midge the traditional three-fingered Girl Scout salute.

  "And it's just that kind of smart-alecky attitude that's going to get us all in trouble," Midge snapped.

  The air was tense. Cherry thought quickly. What could she do to smooth tensions between these two? "I'll be personally responsible for her," Cherry suggested brightly.

  Midge shook her head. "Cherry, you've got to stay in San Francisco and look for Nancy Clue."

  "Me?" cried Cher
ry. "I'll never be able to find her," she protested. "You've seen what a terrible detective I really am. Why, I wouldn't know where to begin. Why not send Lauren? She's forthright."

  "If anyone can find her, you can, Cherry," Midge said. "You told me yourself you solved a mystery at your hospital." She turned to Jackie. "All the way here, it was Nancy Clue this and Nancy Clue that. Cherry knows more about her than anyone."

  "We have faith in you, Cherry," Jackie said, putting her arm around Cherry's shoulders. "Someone's got to stay here and look for Nancy Clue. And if the rumor about her is true, this is no job for a kid!"

  * * *

  CHAPTER 15

  * * *

  A Special Kiss

  "It's up to you, Cherry. You've just got to find Nancy Clue," Jackie said as they dropped Cherry at the boarding house. Jackie's urgent words echoed in Cherry's ears as she climbed the three flights of stairs to her room. She shuddered as she thought of the places she would be investigating that evening-and all by herself! For they were sending her to taverns and dance clubs to find the wayward detective.

  As much as she hated the idea of going to these places, she was glad that at the last minute she had decided to pack her best party frock: a stunning azure silk sheath with a matching chiffon overskirt that had seen little wear in the last year. Its simple styling was timeless, and at least Cherry didn't have to worry about looking like, well, like someone from Idaho!

  She looked glumly at her current outfit. "I just wouldn't feel comfortable going out in this," she thought. She was, however, beginning to understand the allure of wearing men's trousers. She especially liked the deep, roomy pockets.

  She wished the others could have come in for a moment and helped her get ready, but time was of the essence, and the sooner they reached the convent the sooner they could solve the ever-growing puzzle.

  She quickly washed the sticky pomade out of her hair, and fluffed her short locks until they lay in a short wavy cap over her head.

  "It will be nice to wear lipstick again," she thought. She remembered that girls in San Francisco looked more highfashion than girls in Pleasantville, so she applied her cosmetics with a liberal hand.

  Before donning her evening outfit, she folded her slacks and put them over the back of a chair. In the pocket she found the map from Aunt Gert's secret room!

  "Oh, no," she groaned. "I forgot all about this!" She slipped the map into her evening bag. "It's too late now," she thought. "Perhaps this will come in handy later."

  She had just slipped into her dress when there was a knock at the door. "Yoo-hoo, it's Sally." Cherry reluctantly opened the door.

  "May I borrow a cup of sugar?" Sally wanted to know.

  "But there's no cooking allowed in the rooms," Cherry said, remembering the big sign behind the manager's desk.

  Sally just laughed and breezed past Cherry. She planted herself in the room's only chair. "Ha, ha. Only kidding. Call me silly Sally." She settled into the chair for what threatened to be a long chat, and lit a cigarette.

  Cherry anxiously looked around for a no-smoking sign, but didn't see one. How could she possibly get rid of this girl? Normally she would have welcomed some company, even Sally's goofy chatter, but she had a mission to accomplish, and she could not be distracted.

  "I'm very sorry, but I must be running along. I have an appointment," she said primly, putting her small silk clutch purse containing a lipstick, compact and clean handkerchief into the inside pocket of her dressy coat. Wrist-length gloves with cunning pearl buttons completed her outfit.

  "The right accessories can make a good-looking dress into a really smart outfit," her mother always said.

  "Your skirt's ripped!" Sally exclaimed. Cherry inspected the overskirt of her outfit. Sally was right! There was an ugly rend in the fabric.

  "I don't have time to fix this!" she wailed. "Whatever will I wear?"

  At Sally's suggestion, Cherry removed the torn overskirt of her frock, which simply unsnapped.

  "I can't wear this dress without something over it," she said, looking at herself in the full-length mirror. "Why, without the overskirt, it's practically revealing!" Indeed, the snug line of the straight dress emphasized Cherry's curvaceous figure more than she cared for. "Maybe I can just keep my coat on," she thought, realizing none of her other outfits would do for that evening's assignment.

  "Where are you going?" Sally asked.

  "Er, ah, I'm meeting friends for a drink. And I'm already late," Cherry stammered, her face all a-flush. She had never been a very good liar.

  "Well, I'll be running along then," said Sally, moving toward the door. "Maybe I'll see you later. I usually hang out at The Black Cat on Friday nights."

  Cherry recognized that name, for it was on the list Jackie had made for her, which was now stowed securely in her purse. "Perhaps I'll see you later," she said, locking the door behind her and heading downstairs.

  As luck would have it, she found a taxi right away, and within ten minutes had arrived at the first place on her list. "This is one evening I'm not looking forward to," she murmured, taking a deep breath before entering the rough-andtumble cowboy hangout. It was hard to see in the dim, smoky light. Cherry subtly checked out the crowded bar, looking for Nancy Clue's trademark mane of silky titian-colored hair. She walked around the perimeter of the dance floor, eyeing each corner of the room, but Nancy was nowhere to be seen.

  Lively dance lessons were being given, and Cherry soon found herself tapping her feet to the music. The place was crowded with many couples, and as Cherry's eyes grew accustomed to the smoke, she realized that there were no men in the bar. She had never seen girls dancing together before.

  "A perfect fit," Cherry murmured as she slipped off her coat.

  A stocky brown-haired girl dressed in jeans and cowboy boots offered to show her some dance steps, and before Cherry could say anything, the girl whisked her off her stool and onto the dance floor. At first Cherry felt foolish, as the steps were new to her, but soon she caught on, and twenty minutes passed before she sat down again.

  She and the girl relaxed over a tall pitcher of beer. Cherry kept meaning to leave, but she found the goldenskinned girl's lively chatter riveting. Cherry had never heard an accent like hers before. It sent shivers up and down her spine.

  She reluctantly left the bar to continue her search, but not before getting the girl's phone number. She was sure that when the mystery was solved and everyone was safe, her chums would enjoy meeting this girl and hearing her fascinating tale.

  "Perhaps we could all have a picnic supper together on the beach."

  Her thoughts turned to her friends, who were racing toward the convent. She said a little prayer for them and hopped in a cab. The bar Sally had mentioned was next on her list.

  Her dressy outfit was a little more appropriate here. Many of the other girls wore off-the-shoulder dresses and high heels. She was glad she had worn this dress after all, which she knew accentuated her light eyes and flattered her figure.

  "Buy you a drink?" Cherry looked up into the face of a tall redhead with a Midwestern accent. The girl sat down and introduced herself as Chris. Cherry didn't want to be rude, but at the same time she did not want to encourage the attentions of this girl. She really must look for Nancy Clue! She was searching her mind for something to say when the girl jumped up.

  "There's my girlfriend. Gotta go," she whispered hurriedly.

  A cute woman with bleached-blond hair and a perky manner hopped onto the now-vacant stool. "Buy you a drink?" she asked in a cheerful, slightly raspy voice. This time Cherry nodded. After all, she was getting a little thirsty.

  The bartender brought them each a frothy drink called a Pink Squirrel. The blonde playfully tucked the small paper umbrella that came with the drink behind one ear, wrinkled her small freckled nose and giggled. Her laugh was contagious, and soon Cherry was giggling, too.

  She looked familiar, but Cherry couldn't place her.

  "You look familiar," she said, imme
diately wishing she had said something more original. The woman just grinned and smoothed the legs of her tight-fitting white leather pants outfit. She adjusted her pink chiffon scarf, tied with a gay knot at her throat. She ran a hand through her short hair and grinned, showing off straight white teeth.

  "Why, you're in the movies. You're my mother's favorite movie star!" gasped Cherry, finally recognizing the singing movie actress. "I just loved your latest movie. I saw it three times," she gushed, searching in her purse for a scrap of paper for an autograph. As usual, she had nothing to write on.

  The actress took the umbrella from her hair and signed it. "Golly, I'm all flustered. Wait until I tell Mother," Cherry gushed.

  "Let's keep it our little secret, shall we?" the woman suggested slyly, ordering another round for the twosome.

  Cherry agreed, a little disappointed that she couldn't share this moment with anyone. Yet she was thrilled at having met an honest-to-goodness movie star.

  "What's Rock really like?" she asked, knowing her brother Charley would want to know about his favorite star.

  The actress laughed. "He's at the Stud; you could catch him there." Cherry checked, but there was no bar by that name on her list.

  They sipped their drinks. The actress got a little fresh-or was her hand on Cherry's thigh merely an accident? Cherry

  politely excused herself, and the woman got the hint. She didn't seem at all offended, which relieved Cherry, who hated to hurt anyone's feelings.

  "Que sera sera," the woman cried gaily as she hopped off her stool.

  Cherry didn't know what she meant. "Oh, why didn't I pay more attention in high school Spanish class?" she berated herself. She resolved to resume her language studies as soon as she returned home. Determined not to get into any more uncomfortable situations, Cherry decided to visit the ladies lounge and refresh her lipstick. On the way she bumped into Sally.