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Hazy Report






 

Instead of jamming on the brakes, which would have been Nancy’s instinct, Ned lurched the car forward. The sports wagon careened past the rear bumper, barely missing it before coming to an abrupt halt.

“Why don’t you watch where you’re going? ” the driver yelled back at Ned, then sped around the corner.

Nancy, meanwhile, had sunk against the car seat, feeling the tension in her muscles spin out in a shiver.

“Oh, Ned, ” she gasped, as he urged the pedal again. “I thought we were going to get crumpled for sure.”

“Oh, ye of little faith, ” Ned said, squeezing her hand lightly. “Now, don’t tell me you think I’d foul up a chase by getting us into a car accident.”

Nancy shook her head, smiling. “Where did that hatchback go, anyway? ” she asked.

“He was heading for the River Heights Theater, and I figure we ought to as well.”

“But definitely, ” Nancy said, straightening up in the seat.

It was amazing how the incident at the intersection, despite the fact that their own car had never stopped moving, had given the hatchback enough time to vanish completely.

“Maybe he turned off onto one of these side streets, ” Nancy declared. She gazed down the ones they passed, looking for some evidence of the silver car. “I don’t see it anywhere, ” she said at last.

But when they reached the theater, they noticed a trail of engine oil in the driveway and followed it.

“There! ” Nancy exclaimed, spotting the elusive hatchback.

It was sitting in a parking space near the manager’s office. Ned pulled in next to it and as he shut off the ignition, Nancy stepped out. Ned walked close behind her as she dashed to the door, opening it quickly and announcing herself to an officious-looking secretary.

“Mr. Hillyer is in conference at the moment, ” was her reply.

Was he talking with the boy whom Nancy suspected had attacked Vince? She and Ned waited a few minutes before interrupting the woman again.

“It’s really urgent, ” Nancy said, half surmising that the manager had given instructions not to admit Nancy.

“As I told you, Mr. Hillyer is tied up. I have no idea how long he will be, and I suggest you call for an appointment.”

Nancy strode quickly past the woman, knocking on the office door. She heard two voices clouded by the partition and stepped back, somewhat embarrassed.

The receptionist was on her feet by now and glaring at Nancy. “I suggest you leave, ” she snapped.

“We can‘t, ” Ned returned with equal brisk-ness.

The woman gritted her teeth and pressed the intercom, advising the manager, “Miss Drew is here and she refuses to go.”

“I’ll be right out.”

As the man emerged in the doorway, Nancy observed someone in the visitor’s chair. His hair peeked out from the high back.

“Shall I have you thrown out of here by our security guards? ” Mr. Hillyer rasped.

Nancy overlooked the comment. “I have reason to believe that the young man in your office clubbed Vince over the head last night.”

“That is absolutely preposterous, ” the manager said.

“But I told you before how a boy almost knocked me down as he came out of the sound booth only minutes before I found Vince.”

Hillyer had intentionally closed his ears. “He happens to be the son of a fine family from Castleton. He called me this morning about a job. He’s had some experience in summer theater and we may hire him, especially since he just completed course work at Oberon with honors.

“Frankly, Miss Drew, knowing that we don’t have your wholehearted support on the subject, I probably will hire him.”

“But—” Nancy said, still trying to capture the man’s attention.

“Good-bye, Miss Drew, and please don’t bother me again.”

Nancy knew it was useless to inquire about the boy’s name, because neither Hillyer nor his receptionist would volunteer it. Nonetheless, she had picked up some interesting tidbits which she stored for future reference.

“Come on, Ned, ” she said, pausing to look at the performance schedule on an outside bulletin board.

The word POSTPONED had been stamped across two programs, including a spectacular trio of violinists and what had been advertised as the rare appearance of a famous jazz pianist. The Jansen production, however, seemed to be continuing.

“I’m game for another round of Oklahoma, ” Ned smiled. “Maybe we can at least see two scenes worth—”

“Before the stage collapses? ” Nancy laughed. “Well, I had something else in mind for this evening—like a trip to the old Flannery homestead! ”

“I knew you wouldn’t give up on that one, ” Ned sighed. “In that case, I’d better do a little weight lifting this afternoon to build up these tired muscles.”

“And I’m going to put in a call to the swami’s retreat, ” Nancy said.

They returned to the Drew home, where they agreed on a time to meet later.

“See you at nine, ” Ned said, and drove away.

Nancy hurried into the house, where to her amazement she found Hannah in a complete dither. She had personally called Chief McGinnis to inquire about the ongoing search for Cliff.

“The police think they’ve found him! ”she exclaimed.

“What? ” Nancy replied.

Could it be possible that the young man and his intriguing ring had been discovered the same day?

Hannah bobbed her head excitedly. “Yes, it’s true. It’s true. The chief says someone saw him hitchhiking. The description fits, according to what he told me.”

“Where is he now? ” Nancy pressed.

“We don’t know, exactly, ” Hannah said, losing some of the animation in her face. “All they have is a report, and they’re scouring the area where he was seen.”

Nancy now dialed headquarters, asking to be put through to the chief at once. Within seconds, she was told a similar version of the story.

Chief McGinnis chuckled, however. “We get reports like these all the time, you know, ” he said, “and I’m afraid Hannah has been so worried about Cliffs kidnapping that she didn’t hear my final comment before she hung up.”

“What was it, Chief? ” Nancy inquired.

“Just that eight out of ten reports on missing persons don’t usually lead anywhere.”

The disappointment Nancy felt was no less than Hannah’s when she related her conversation.

“No matter what the chief says, ” Nancy remarked, “I intend to remain optimistic.”

“Good girl, ” Hannah said, hugging her. “And when that young man comes back, I’m going to bake him the biggest coconut layer cake he ever laid eyes on! ”

“Mm, sounds delicious, ” Nancy said, sniffing the faint odor of something else in the oven.

“Oh! The tarts! ” Hannah cried. “They’ll burn for sure! ”

She dashed into the kitchen, leaving the young detective alone to mull over the numerous details in the mysteries that beset her. Suddenly, she realized that only she and Ned knew about the unexpected return of Cliff ’s ring, and she raced upstairs to her room. She sprawled out on the bed, resting the telephone alongside her.

She called Bess and George first, then her father. All of them were ecstatic about the discovery.

As it entrenched itself in her mind, Nancy finished her conversation with Mr. Drew and closed her eyes. She saw the gold ring swirl vigorously around the figure of a man whose face was indistinct. But as she ran toward him, a beard grew along the chin, then floated away, leaving a smooth complexion and large eyes several shades darker than his skin.

“Jhaveri, ” Nancy murmured before slipping into a deeper sleep.

When she awoke, she discovered the phone partly off the hook and a twilight haze creeping between the trees outside her window. She jolted out of bed, resetting the receiver, and changed into slacks and a light sweater.

The dinner hour faded quickly as the young detective let a large noodle slide off her fork.

“Why didn’t I think of it before! ” she exclaimed.

“What, dear? ” Carson Drew inquired.

“The ring! ” Nancy said excitedly.

In the course of her nap, two elements of the mystery had joined themselves—Cliffs jewelry and Mr. Jhaveri’s jewelry store. Flannery, alias DeNiro, had been there on one occasion, at least. Had he tried to sell the ring to Mr. Jhaveri after stealing it from Bess and George?

“I have an idea that Mr. Jhaveri wanted to ship it back for some reason, ” Nancy said. “Since the man had introduced himself as Dr. DeNiro from Oberon College, Mr. Jhaveri sent the ring there! ”

 


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