Nancy Clue Mysteries 3 - A Ghost in the Closet Page 3

  Midge leapt over an enormous Irish wolfhound in an effort to catch the suspect, who, despite his heavy burden, was slipping away. He would have disappeared around the next corner had he not become entangled in the leash of a miniature smoothcoated dachshund who had unwittingly blocked his path.

  "Curses!" the man cried, dropping the black trunk as he struggled to free himself. Just as Midge was closing in on him, he glared at her with a fierce mocking gaze, opened his umbrella over his head and-poof! In the wink of an eye, the man disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke!

  Cherry gaped at the spot where the man, just moments before, had stood. "Why, he's gone!" she shrieked. "The trunk is moving!" Cherry then cried. The trunk was indeed bumping about on the slick tile floor, seemingly of its own volition!

  Midge, her wits still intact, raced over to the trunk but found it locked. Using Velma's nail file, she was soon able to break the lock and fling open the lid. Midge grinned with glee when six nervous poodles in various stages of disarray hopped out and covered her face with little wet kisses. The crowd gave a happy sigh of relief when they saw the missing pups. True, two poodles' topknots had been tangled beyond ready repair, and Mrs. Meeks' Precious would surely benefit from a good bath-and quick-but on the whole, the six missing dogs seemed to be in fine fettle.

  "Frank Hardly's saved the dogs!" the crowd cried. "Hip, hip hooray!"

  * * *

  CHAPTER 4

  * * *

  Thwarted!

  "Despite our queer encounter with that devious dognapper, all in all I'd say it's been a lovely day," Cherry exclaimed as she slipped off her ballerina flats and stretched out on the wide back seat of Nancy's snappy canary-yellow convertible. It was a soft summer night and the little group was as happy as could be. Nancy and Cherry were contentedly curled up in the back seat while Midge was behind the wheel, expertly steering the automobile down the country lane leading to River Depths. She had one arm around Velma, who was humming a gay tune.

  The girls had made quite a day of it; first the Dog Show and the exciting rescue of the purloined poodles, then a leisurely supper at a quaint restaurant overlooking the lake, and to top it off, a romantic movie at the Royale followed by scrumptious chocolate sodas at an inexpensive but clean corner drugstore.

  Midge grinned. She had a crisp new fifty-dollar bill in her wallet-her reward for returning Mrs. Meeks' diamond dog collar-and her girl by her side.

  "It's been a great night, hasn't it?" Velma sighed contentedly as she snuggled closer to Midge.

  "Sure has," Midge replied. That evening had been fun, but their earlier experience at the Dog Show had left her feeling uneasy. Who could relax knowing innocent dogs all over town were in danger of being snatched? "If only we could have caught that fellow," Midge thought to herself. "Nancy, do you think-" but she stopped when she realized no one in the back seat was listening. Cherry and Nancy appeared to be lost in their own world, one of summer evenings spent round a windswept lake.

  "Lake Merrimen is certainly one of the loveliest bodies of water I've ever seen," Cherry chirped happily, recalling the sight of the large, limpid lake ringed by giant paper birches, the best-loved tree in America. As dusk fell, the inky black water reflected the starry skies and the creamy white bark of the tall, elegant trees shimmered in the moonlight. Cherry made a mental note to write a letter that very night to her nurse chums back in Seattle describing the high white clouds, deep blue water, boats and passengers in bright summer clothing that dotted the calm surface of the crystal-clear lake.

  Cherry, an Idaho girl, secretly wondered what it would be like to be a Lake Resort Nurse and spend her summers cautioning vacationers about the dangers of sunstroke, or to be a Prairie Nurse in a nifty tan uniform warning people about the hazards of grass allergies. Either job, Cherry knew, would be a challenge!

  "Why, I could be happy being an Illinois Nurse," she suddenly realized. She snuck a peek at Nancy, who was leaning on the door of the car, her titian-haired mane blowing in the warm breeze. Her eyes were shut, but Cherry could tell by the contented expression on her face that she was having the very same thought!

  "Golly," Cherry gulped. All day long, she had wished Jackie was with them, but now she couldn't get over how lovely Nancy looked in the warm glow of the midsummer moon. Suddenly the tender feelings she had once had for Nancy came flooding back.

  Just then Nancy opened her eyes and gave Cherry a winsome smile. "Lake Merrimen is everything I said it would be, isn't it?" Nancy asked softly.

  "It certainly is," Cherry enthused. "Imagine seeing for myself a Midwestern lake whose water is purported to cure chicken pox and halitosis," she cried.

  "Next visit, we'll use my boat, the Swift Sleuth, and I'll take you to the spire of rock that juts up from the middle of the lake. It's called Treasure Island," Nancy promised with a twinkle in her eye.

  "Now I know firsthand why they call this part of the country America's Playland," Cherry chirped. "Why, a girl could spend years exploring all its natural wonders!"

  Nancy gave Cherry's hand a warm squeeze. "I was so hoping you'd say that," she sighed happily.

  Golly, was Nancy asking her to stay in Illinois? To spend her life bringing comfort to sick Midwesterners? Cherry quickly fumbled about for a topic that would steer the conversation away from a future of which she was still so unsure.

  "Although you explained it earlier, I still don't understand how that man managed to vanish in a puff of smoke," she began. "It simply isn't possible. Why, it defies all known laws of gravity and science!"

  All he had left behind was the large black trunk now safely stowed in the trunk of Nancy's convertible, and a small pile of pink powder which Nancy had scooped up in her handkerchief and stowed in her purse for later analysis.

  "While his disappearing act was certainly a clever trick, it's one any professional magician could replicate," Nancy reasoned, switching in a flash from a starry-eyed romantic to the levelheaded detective known and loved by all. She added, "Why, when I was working on The Case of the Ill-Timed Illusion, I went to Professor Casmire Cardini, the world-famous magician, for help. He taught me one important lesson: things are seldom what they seem."

  "But he disappeared in a cloud of smoke," Cherry insisted. "He opened his umbrella, smoke appeared and he was gone. I saw it with my own eyes!"

  At this, Nancy chuckled. "That's what makes it seem like magic," she said. "He most likely used the smoking powder as a diversion so he could slip away, change his outfit and walk out of the arena disguised as your average dog lover. It's an old illusionist's trick. In fact, I've seen stage shows where master magicians have made elephants, lions and even whole houses seemingly disappear!

  "Why, Professor Cardini once demonstrated an illusion in which a woman was transformed into a man!"

  "Goodness," Cherry cried. As a trained nurse, that was something she'd certainly like to see!

  "Many is the time I've found a mystery to be nothing but an illusion hiding the truth. This is frequently true of cases involving ghostly hauntings," Nancy told Cherry in a modest tone.

  Cherry shivered. She was by nature logical and clear-thinking, but still, the thought of ghosts sent a little shiver down her spine. She pulled her thin summer cardigan around her shoulders. Nancy, seeing her distress, put her arms around her chum and held her close. She began stroking Cherry's neck with a slow, gentle motion that made Cherry quiver in the queerest way.

  Just then Midge swerved into the circular drive in front of the stately Clue residence. Cherry flew right out of Nancy's arms.

  "Sorry," Midge grinned. "I almost missed the driveway. Oh, look, Jackie's home," she cried enthusiastically upon spying a light from Jackie's second-floor bedroom in the charming three-story brick house. "Hey, Jack, we're back," she hollered.

  "Honey, you'll wake the neighbors," Velma cautioned.

  Midge nipped her girlfriend gently on the ear. "I'll wake the neighbors? Who's the noisy one in this family?" she teased. Even in the moonlight, C
herry could see Velma turn bright red. The flushed girl hopped out of the car and headed inside the house, Midge hot on her heels.

  "I simply must get out of this dusty dress," Nancy murmured in Cherry's ear. "Shall we go to my room and find something cool to slip into? I've got two pairs of shantung silk lounging pajamas-one creamy white, and the other, the palest of pink. They would be divine on a warm night like tonight."

  Cherry had to admit she was feeling decidedly wrinkled. "I'll take the ice cream to the freezer first," she volunteered. Housekeeper Hannah Gruel, who was tucked in bed recovering from the heart attack she had suffered while in prison falsely accused of the murder of Nancy's father, would turn seventy-two in just two days, and the girls were planning a quiet celebration to honor the woman who had been like a mother to Nancy since the death of her real mother twentytwo years ago.

  "Swell," Nancy breathed excitedly. "I'll meet you in my room."

  While Nancy raced upstairs, Cherry deposited the freshchurned frozen concoction in the deep freeze of the cheerful modernized yellow and white kitchen. "This is the very room in which Carson Clue was shot," she shivered, staring at the linoleum in front of the Frigidaire where the well-known attorney had lain. She had to admit she was still a little shaken up by all the talk of ghosts. Just then Cherry felt something brush her calf. "Eek!" she cried, spinning around to find, much to her relief, that it was only Nancy's little terrier, Gogo, playfully nipping at her ankles.

  "Phew," Cherry breathed with relief. She reached for the box of crunchy dog biscuits at the back of the counter and accidentally knocked a tea cake off the platter piled high with treats that Velma had baked especially for Hannah's birthday party. Gogo immediately pounced on the sweet, and quick as a bunny, pushed open the screen door and fled. Cherry raced after her.

  "I hope she doesn't make herself sick," Cherry thought worriedly as she searched the fragrant garden for the small dog. She had stomach-ache potion in her firstaid kit, but she had no clue how much to give a terrier. It didn't matter-Gogo was long gone.

  Cherry sighed. From where she stood, she could see Nancy's bedroom window, her light ablaze. "I'd better get upstairs before Nancy starts to fret about me," Cherry thought. But she couldn't bring herself to go inside just yet. Somehow, she just didn't feel ready to face Nancy-or those shantung silk lounging pajamas!

  * * *

  CHAPTER 5

  * * *

  A Difficult Decision

  "I'll sit for a moment first and enjoy these lovely flowers," she told herself, plopping down on the wroughtiron bench overlooking Hannah's award-winning begonias.

  "Just last week, I sat on this bench with Jackie," Cherry remembered. "She held my hand and looked into my eyes and-" She blushed when she recalled the day Jackie had asked her to return with her to San Francisco. Detective Jackie Jones had already spent a week in River Depths, and her vacation time was running out fast. Cherry knew she was waiting around for an answer-but what answer would she give her? Would Cherry travel west with the dashing police detective or would she choose to stay in this Midwestern fairyland in an attempt to recapture her lost love?

  "Oh, Cherry Aimless, Registered Nurse, you're such a silly goose," Cherry cried aloud, as she was wont to do when faced with a particularly puzzling predicament. As a nurse, Cherry had made many a tough decision and always reacted with lightning-quick action and a cool head, earning her the respect of nurses everywhere. But in matters of the heart, never before had she been so unsure of her feelings.

  "Well, just that once, when I had a mad crush on Miss Peebles, the School Nurse, and mother explained to me that when a girl likes an older girl, it's not a crush in the romantic sense, but rather it's that she admires the way the older girl carries herself: her poise, charm and attractive, modern way of dress," she mused.

  Cherry chastised herself loudly. "You're acting like a lovesick schoolgirl!" She shook her head and resolutely jumped up off the bench. "A cool bath and a fresh outfit might be just what I need," she reasoned. She headed for the house, but as she mounted the back stairs she got a sudden surprise. Jackie was lounging on the wide porch swing, gazing at the sparkling night sky.

  Cherry turned bright red. "Oh, hi," she smiled weakly, wondering if Jackie had been witness to her tortured murmuring. She turned redder still, after she got a good look at Jackie, who had recently stepped out of a refreshing bath. Her jet-black hair was slicked close to her head, and she was clad in a pair of old, soft-looking dungaree trousers and a snug white tee-shirt that showed off her bulging biceps to their best advantage.

  Jackie returned her stare, then smiled warmly. "I've been sitting here enjoying the meteor showers," she explained. "They say when you wish on a falling star, your wish comes true," she continued in a soft tone. "Know what I wished for?"

  Cherry turned scarlet. "I got you something at the dog show," she cried, fishing around in her patent-leather clutch for the brown paper bag that contained Jackie's souvenir.

  Jackie gave a bemused grin when she opened the bag and held up a handsome braided red leather collar and matching leash.

  Cherry blushed. "Oh, that's Midge's," she cried. "This is yours," Cherry said, handing Jackie a small brown bag. Inside, wrapped in layers of protective tissue, was a handsome porcelain figurine of a collie, its head cocked to one side. "The eyes and the ears were painted by hand," Cherry explained. The figure had cost a pretty penny, but the look of delight in Jackie's eyes told Cherry that it was six dollars and fifty-nine cents well spent.

  "It looks just like the dog I had as a kid," Jackie grinned with pleasure.

  Cherry's heart started to pound uncontrollably. "I got my mother cute plastic coasters in the shape of Scotty dogs," Cherry babbled nervously. "And I got Lauren a book about dogs who have rescued people from peril."

  Jackie smiled at the mention of the youngest member of their little gang, sixteen-year-old Lauren Rooney. The troublesome teen had accompanied the gang east from San Francisco, and although she was often underfoot and was too fond of unhealthy snacks, she had proven herself an invaluable aid in times of danger.

  "I hope Lauren's having some good clean fun at camp," Cherry continued. "Wasn't it nice of Bess and George to secure her a scholarship so she could spend a week out-of-doors learning necessary craft skills?" Nancy's oldest chums, Bess Marvel, a giggly girl with a pleasingly plump figure and a sunny disposition, and George Fey, a girl with a boy's name, had left a few days before for their annual stint as counselors at nearby Camp Hathaway, an exclusive girls' camp situated on nearby Clear Lake.

  "The house sure is quiet without her," Jackie admitted.

  "Even Midge seems a little lonely since she's been gone," Cherry marvelled. "I had no idea she could be so maternal."

  Jackie laughed heartily at this notion. "Speaking of maternal, I believe that letter is for you," she said, pointing to a small cream-colored envelope lying on a nearby wroughtiron glasstopped circular table.

  Cherry gasped in delight when she spied the familiar neat handwriting. It was a letter from her mother, Mrs. Doris Aimless of Pleasantville, Idaho! Cherry eagerly ripped open the envelope. Ever since she had spoken with her twin brother Charley, a successful interior decorator in New York City, and received the shocking news that both their parents had had complete and utter nervous breakdowns, Cherry had been on pins and needles awaiting word of their progress. Perhaps this would be it! She eagerly read the missive aloud.

  27 July 1959

  Dear Cherry,

  You'll never believe it, but your father and I have gone and done the most unexpected thing! We've checked into the lovely Tamarack Lodge, "Where Friendly People Go To Frolic!," a delightful resort with comfortable accommodations, inspiring scenery and the best cuisine.

  We've met the most congenial people, and we are participating in all sorts of fun activities. Don't be surprised if you get a darling set of pot-holders for your birthday!

  I hope you are having a relaxing holiday as well. Your brother Charley says
you're visiting a new girlfriend in Illinois. That's nice, dear. My friend Mavis Minot once visited her cousin Marjorie in Ohio for the Snow Carnival. Are you anywhere near there?

  How long can you be away from the hospital? Remember, August comes sooner than you think. Shouldn't you be getting your fall wardrobe together? I heard Kloppman's is having a sale on woolen nurses' capes, and if 1 remember correctly, you're due for a new one.

  Well, I could go on and on about the fun we're having, but it's time for luncheon. Today it's oxtail soup, boiled fish, jellied vegetable rang and orange sherbet. Your father says to say hello.

  Love,

  Mother

  P.S. If you're wondering whether to stop in Pleasantville on your way back to Seattle, you needn't bother. Mrs. Henry next door is watering my zinnias and Miss Lily Bee from the bridge club is watching Snowpuff.

  Cherry looked mighty puzzled. "Charley told me Mother and Father had been taken to a nearby, thoroughly modern sanitarium staffed by the finest doctors using the most up-todate equipment available to treat nervous disorders, and here they are, already returned to normal and on vacation," she cried out. She knitted her pretty brow. "Perhaps I'm not as up-to-date on nervous disorders as I imagined. I had no idea they were so curable!"

  This was a worrisome thought, indeed.

  Jackie checked the return address on the envelope Cherry had dropped on the ground. "This envelope's been stamped Pleasantville Sanitarium," she pointed out.

  Cherry gasped. "I know Mother is suffering from a case of hysteria, or in layman's terms, an unconscious attempt to escape from some unpleasant reality. Could it be she's suffering from delusions, too? Oh, no," she cried, throwing up her arms up in alarm. "I must get in touch with Doctor Joe and let him know!"

  Jackie tried to comfort the nervous nurse. "I'll bet your mother's just pretending to be on vacation so she doesn't spoil yours," she guessed.