Moonlight Intruder

Nancy’s declaration about Cliffs ring caused Mr. Drew to smile. “I assume, then, you are planning a trip back to Mr. Jhaveri’s shop, ” he said.

His daughter grinned. “First, however, I’m going to do a little investigating around the Flannery house. Ned said he’d go with me.”

“When is that scheduled for? ”

“In about two hours, ” Nancy said.

“Tonight? ” the attorney questioned in surprise.

Nancy related her visit with Mrs. Flannery and her determination to find out whether the man who called himself by the same name was her husband.

“He wasn’t there this morning, ” Nancy said, “but I figure he ought to show up eventually.”

Although the young detective would have liked to reveal everything that had occurred during the day, she chose not to. She knew, for instance, that Mr. Hillyer’s reaction to her would upset her father unnecessarily, so she avoided the subject.

“I think I’m on the way to convincing the mayor of my innocence, ” Mr. Drew said unexpectedly.

“That’s terrific, Dad, ” Nancy replied.

It was the first time he had even made reference to the situation in a while. Yet, despite the note of optimism, Nancy did not see an observable change in her father’s face. He still seemed distressed.

“So I don’t want you to worry anymore, ” he continued.

Had he only told her half the truth in order to allay her fears? Nancy wondered. But she didn’t ask any questions, allowing the rest of the meal to pass quietly.

Before long it was nine o‘clock, and Nancy slipped into a jacket, thinking Ned would arrive punctually. To her surprise, though, half an hour had elapsed when the bell finally rang.

“I tried calling you this afternoon, but all I got was a busy signal, ” Ned said. He explained that his parents had asked him to do a number of errands and he knew he’d be late.

Nancy promptly recalled how the phone receiver had slipped off the hook as she slept next to it.

“I wonder if I missed any other important calls, ” she said, waving good-bye to her father.

“Well, if you did, I’m sure they’ll call back, ” Ned declared.

The couple strolled across the driveway to Ned’s car, unaware for the moment of the silver hatchback that was parked a short distance up the street. In spite of the moonlight that glinted on the hood, it remained concealed under a low-hanging tree. The driver, however, kept his gaze steady on the Drew house.

When Ned finally backed the car out onto the street, the hatchback’s headlights turned on and the engine started to purr. The driver waited several seconds before pulling away from the curb, then followed the young detectives.

They headed for the Flannery house. Ned had paid only scant attention to the car in the rearview mirror. It had maintained a fair distance, but when Ned’s car halted at the end of a block, the hatchback suspended the chase, waiting for the pair to emerge.

“The downstairs lights are still on, ” Nancy said to Ned as she gazed at the Flannery house.

“If we see the guy you’re looking for, ” Ned said, “do you want to talk to him? ”

“I’m not sure. Let’s play it by ear.”

“Okay. You’re the boss on this one.”

“Gee, thanks, ” Nancy smiled.

Together, they stole up the driveway, hiding behind a tree trunk when Mrs. Flannery moved in front of the living room window.

“Did she see us? ” Ned asked.

“I don’t think so.”

But the girl knew their shadows could be seen on the pavement. She shrunk back, leaning against the bark. From where they stood, they were able to see a back window as well, and as one light in the front turned off, others switched on in the kitchen.

“Somebody’s eating, ” Ned commented. He had craned his neck to peer between the lower branches and caught sight of black hair. “Come on. Let’s get closer, ” the boy said.

They ducked out from their secret place and edged forward, stopping only when they heard the kitchen window being cranked open. Instantly, the two young people dodged discovery, pulling next to the house and accidentally stepping into a garden of petunias.

“Yuck, ” Ned said as he shook dirt off his sneakers.

Nancy, however, was more concerned about the footprints that might be noticed, and sprang to the ground to cover them up quickly. As she did so, voices drifted outside. One was low, yet recognizable.

“That is the man we saw at Swain Lake Lodge! ” she told Ned.

After all the mysteries she had solved, she had learned to use all her senses with amazing accuracy.

“How can you be so positive? ” Ned whispered.

“Trust me, ” the girl said, raising a finger to her lips.

Then, even Ned heard Nancy’s name! But what precisely was being said about her?

Nancy closed her eyes to concentrate, but the whistle of a boiling teakettle interfered. She was also oblivious to the figure crouched behind the front hedge. It was the driver of the hatchback. He had crept up the sidewalk when the couple moved up the Flannery’s driveway and darted behind bushes before coming to a standstill.

Ned, in the meantime, had let Nancy slip forward under the kitchen window.

“If she comes snooping around here again, ” the man was saying, “you know what to do.”

“Sure, and I’ll dump her at the lake.”

Nancy winced, imagining another horrifying night in the forest shelter. Or worse, she thought.

“Well, she won’t be back, ” Mrs. Flannery continued. “Good thing you waited until now to come home.”

“When she trailed us out to the house on River Lane, ” her husband said, “I figured she’d turn up here sooner or later.”

There was a clatter of cups and saucers and the sound of running water which interrupted the conversation temporarily. Then the lights went out, plunging the driveway into total darkness.

Instantly, the figure behind the hedge bolted toward Ned and seized him from behind, chopping a well-placed blow to the neck. The boy sank to the ground without a cry.

Nancy let out a shriek, quelling it as the boy dived for her too!

Now the lights went on in the kitchen again, and the back door opened and closed.

“Who’s out there? ” came Flannery’s deep voice.

Nancy turned as the boy’s fist shoved her down on the pavement, causing her to roll within inches of the man’s feet. He grabbed her quickly, and dragged her into the backyard, and up the porch steps, letting her attacker escape.

“Let go of—” she cried, but he covered her mouth with his hand.

“What about her friend in the driveway? ” Flannery’s wife said.

“Just leave him. We’ll be gone from here long before he comes to.”

Nancy struggled as the pair secured her to a chair, binding her arms and legs so tightly she felt almost nauseated.

“You can’t get away with this, ” the girl said, causing Mrs. Flannery to stick a soft roll in her mouth.

Nancy bit into it angrily, gulping down part of it. The rest broke off, dribbling crumbs on the floor.

“Was that good? ” the woman sneered. “Here, have another piece.”

She took a larger chunk of bread this time and stuffed it in Nancy’s mouth.

“Where’s Singh’s car? ” the woman now asked her husband.

“Up at the retreat.”

As the young detective listened, questions whirled through her brain. What was the men’s connection with the retreat? Was Ramaswami involved with them and the retreat merely a cover-up? Or was the swami being used in some evil way?

If only the Flannerys would reveal more information! Nancy thought.

But they disappeared upstairs, leaving her alone for almost twenty minutes. The sound of hurried footsteps creaking across the floor above convinced her they were packing.

Maybe Ned would come to sooner than they expected, Nancy hoped, but that did not prove to be the case.

It was almost two hours later before the young man regained consciousness. A dull ache drove across his spine as he realized he was lying along the edge of the Flannery’s driveway. A stray petunia wrapped around the toe of his sneaker reminded him of the sequence of events.

“Nancy? ” he muttered weakly, but there was no answer.

He lifted his head slowly, the pain doubling rapidly and forcing him to drop it again.

“Nancy, where are you? ” he cried out louder than before.

But the only response was the pad of a cat across the driveway into the yard of an empty house, causing the young man to roll on his side. He looked toward the kitchen window that was closed now. Nancy, who had stood under it, was gone! Surely she would not have left Ned as she had unless someone had overtaken her, too! Who was it—the same stranger who had attacked Ned?