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An Unexpected Offer






 

Nancy landed with a thump on the thick green turf, shaken but unhurt. As she fell, she saw the squint-eyed man drop a small reddish object. But she caught only a glimpse of it, because the fellow snatched it up before running off.

Other spectators hurried to Nancy’s assistance and several began chasing after the sneak thief. But he was too fleet to be caught.

One young caddy returned, gasping, “I lost him in the underbush and shrubbery outside the gates! ”

“Golly, are you sure you aren’t hurt? ” Bess inquired anxiously.

“Yes, honestly, I’m quite all right.” Nancy laughed. “Thank you all again, ” she said to the two or three persons who were still hovering near.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay, ” George chimed in, “but your dress isn’t. It has a big grass stain on it.” She held out the white skirt to show the ugly green smear on it.

The interview with Kim Vernon seemed to be over, and she and the club pro were walking swiftly toward Nancy. They were followed by one persistent reporter who was saying naggingly, “Don’t you think you owe your public an explanation for dropping out of the tournament? ”

The golf star retorted firmly, “I’m sorry, but I’ve said all I’m going to say on the subject. Please don’t pester me anymore.”

Giving up, the reporter turned away with a grumbling remark under his breath.

As she reached the three girls, Kim said to Nancy, “I do want to thank you for stopping that fellow. I thought he was going to steal my golf bag.” With a smile, she added, “I’m Kim Vernon.”

The club pro, Buzz Hammond, put in, “Kim, this is Nancy Drew, our local super-sleuth. She and her father are members here at the club.”

Nancy smiled and held out her hand to the pretty black-haired golf star. “I’m happy to know you, Miss Vernon. My two friends are dying to meet you, too. Bess Marvin and George Fayne.”

After chatting for a few moments, Buzz had to leave to give a golf lesson. The girls turned to walk to the clubhouse, with George and Kim intently discussing the fine points of the course. The caddy picked up Kim’s white bag and followed.

As they walked along, Bess remarked to Nancy, “That thief must have been crazy to try to steal Kim’s bag in full view of all those people! ”

“Well, ” Nancy said quietly, “remember that almost everyone’s eyes were on Kim. We don’t often get a celebrity like her at the club. Besides, I wonder if he really was trying to steal anything.”

“He must have been! What else would he have been doing with her bag? ”

“Perhaps he was trying to put something in it.”

Bess gasped. “A bomb? ”

“No, nothing that frightful, ” Nancy said with a brief smile. “But he did have something in his hand---something small and reddish. Whatever it was, it was important enough for him to stop and pick it up.”

Nancy mused in thoughtful silence for a moment, wondering what the object could have been.

As they entered the clubhouse, Kim took her bag from the caddy, then turned to Nancy and her chums. “If you girls wouldn’t mind waiting a few minutes while I wash and change my shoes, we could go upstairs and have some refreshments.”

Kim was a soft-spoken young woman, whose sparkling brown eyes and relaxed manner the three friends found very appealing. She seemed genuinely to want their company. So Nancy and George smiled and nodded as Bess exclaimed, “Oh, that would be lovely. I’m Parched! We’ll go find a table.”

Soon all four were sipping iced tea, while Kim kept them talking about River Heights. “I’m staying in a cottage near the river that a friend lent me, ” she explained. “Besides, I really like this twin, and it’s close to Bradley, where my brother lives.”

The girls tactfully refrained from questioning her.

Suddenly George glanced at her wristwatch.

“Oh dear, I’m going to have to leave! I promised my mother that I’d go with her to the eye doctor for her checkup this afternoon. Mom claims she can’t see properly after she gets those drops in her eyes.”

“I must be going too, ” Nancy said, “so I’ll drop you at your house, George.”

Bess decided to go with them, rather than miss out on a ride home.

“Can I drive you anywhere, Kim? ” Nancy added.

The golf star declined, saying she had a car and also had something to attend to in the pro shop before leaving the club. “But we must do this again soon, ” she added with a charming smile.

As Nancy and her two friends were walking through the club lobby on their way to the parking lot, a stocky, middle-aged man called out, “Oh, Miss Drew! ” and came hurrying toward her.

“We’ll go on out and wait in the car, Nancy, ” Bess murmured.

After taking a moment to place him, Nancy recognized the man who had just called her by name. He was Simon Shand, a rather notorious businessman often in the newspapers, who had grown rich in trucking and shipping and who had recently, according to some unkind members, bought his way into the country club.

Shand was expensively and loudly dressed in a wine-colored silk blazer and pink slacks, with a gaudy ascot knotted under his jowly jaw. Although he tried to be polite and amiable, his tough, ruthless manner tended to show through.

“Miss Drew, I saw you stop that thief a little while ago when he was after Kim Vernon’s golf bag.”

“Oh, did you? ” Nancy said with a cool smile.

“Yes, and any young lady who shows that kind of spunk deserves to be congratulated. What’s more, I hear you’re quite a detective. So I’m offering you a reward right now---and a good-sized one, let me add---if you can find out who that hood was or turn up any information against him.”

Nancy’s curiosity was aroused. Why would this trucking tycoon, who was sometimes reputed to have connections of his own to the underworld, be interested in catching a small-time thief?

“Why, thank you, Mr. Shand, ” she said aloud.

“I don’t usually work for rewards. Crime detection just happens to be my hobby. I’ll certainly do my best to try to bring that man to justice, though. But do you mind telling me why you’re willing to pay for such information? ”

“I’m just a concerned citizen, little girl, that’s why.” He smiled toothily at ancy, but she noticed that his smile did not reach his eyes.

The titian-haired young sleuth walked thoughtfully back to her car in the parking lot.

“Well, that didn’t take long, ” said George.

“Come on, Nancy! ” Bess giggled. “We’re dying to know what that character wanted.”

“Believe it or not, he offered me a reward to find the man who tried to tamper with Kim Vernon’s golf bag, ” Nancy replied.

As she backed out of their parking spot, Nancy glanced in her rearview mirror. A slight frown creased her forehead as she noticed Simon Shand talking t Kim Vernon near the pro shop.

After dropping George and Bess off at their houses and promising to play golf with them soon, Nancy arrived home to find Hannah Gruen busy with chores. The kindly housekeeper had been with the Drew family ever since Mrs. Drew had passed away when her little daughter was only three. From that time on, Hannah had been like a second mother to Nancy.

“Ned’s taking me out to dinner, but he won’t tell me where, ” the pretty teenager shouted, leaping upstairs. “I have to get ready.”

Hannah merely shook her head, letting a smile crease her face. She smiled again when the door chimes rang and Nancy flew out quickly to greet Ned and hop into his car.

“Still won’t tell me where we’re going? ” Nancy teased as they started off in his car.

“Nope. But it’s a restaurant that just opened, and it’s not more than two miles from River Heights.” Ned laughed. “Those are your clues.”

It turned out to be called the Russian Bear, and Nancy was delighted with his choice. After they had made their selections from the delicious menu, Nancy found herself telling Ned about the sneak thief at the country club, as well as her encounters with Kim Vernon and Simon Shand.

When she finished speaking, Ned’s eyes twinkled. “Well I’ve got another surprise for you. Someone wants to meet you! ”

“Oh Ned! I can’t stand any more suspense today. Who is it? ” Nancy asked.

“Kim Vernon’s coach! ”

 


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