Threats

PORTERLY, Wangell, and the Juarez couple dragged their prisoners from the hut, and through some dense underbrush to a clearing.

The captives were ordered to sit side by side. Juarez began to dig in the earth with a shoveL

Nancy’s heart sank, but she was determined not to show it. There was one gleam of hope. Only two of her group had been spotted from the plane. These people did not know that Fran and Jack had gone for the police!

“It won’t do you any good to dig up the tablet, ” Dr. Pitt said. “You can’t translate the message.”

Juarez gave him a sneering look. “You’ll tell us. We’ll use Nancy Drew as a new means of persuasion, ” he said meaningfully.

“The police know all about you, ” Terry warned him. “For instance, they know it was Porterly who knocked me out at the hotel, stole my papers, and then broke into the Drew home.”

“And they know, too, ” Nancy added, “that Juarez calls himself Conway King. That’s how we found out you caused our accident on the road to Emerson! ”

“Count me in on that.” Wangell smirked.

Nancy wished she could look at her watch. It seemed a long time since Jack and Fran had left to go for the police.

“They ought to come any minute, ” Nancy thought. “We must play for time.” Aloud she said, “You tried to break into our home in River Heights one night, Juarez.”

“That old woman of yours with her homemade burglar alarms! ” Juarez growled. “If it hadn’t been for her, I’d have got the key that night.”

“But we have it now! ” Mrs. Tino cried, showing it to her husband.

Juarez’s face broke into a smile. He signaled Wangell to take over the digging. Then he came and stood in front of Nancy.

“Even if you hadn’t walked into this trap, I had plans for taking care of you.”

“I know, ” Nancy said quietly. “You sent a note to Wilfred Porterly. But he didn’t do a thorough job when he burned that letter in Florida City.”

Just then Wangell’s shovel made a ringing sound, and a moment later he lifted a large stone slab from its hiding place. It was decorated with grotesque carving and mysterious symbols.

Nancy’s heart was pounding. Now that these thieves had the tablet, they might leave the island and take their prisoners along. And the police had not arrived! She must delay these people if she could.

“Well, I guess we’re ready for our trip, ” Juarez said. “First my boat, then the plane.”

Even seconds counted now! Nancy asked calmly who had mailed the fake letter from Baltimore, using an innocent old man’s name.

“A friend.” Juarez smiled in satisfaction. “But nobody could ever prove it.”

Juarez made a sign to his companions, picked up the stone tablet, and proceeded down a narrow path. The Tinos, Wangell, and Porterly followed with their three captives.

The path led to the opposite side of the island from the one where Nancy’s party had landed. A cabin cruiser was anchored a short distance out.

The prisoners’ ankle bonds were removed, and they were forced to splash through the water and go aboard. They were crowded into the cabin, then the ropes were replaced and tightened securely. Wangell started the motor.

“You know where to head, ” Juarez said. “Porterly’s place.”

As the cruiser pulled away from Black Key, he chose a seat on a bench between Nancy and Dr. Pitt.

“Now, Joshua Pitt, ” Juarez sneered, “tell us what you know. Where’s the ancient treasure? ”

Nancy cried out, “Don’t tell him! Don’t tell—”

Juarez raised his hand as if to strike Nancy.

“Stop! ” Dr. Pitt cried. “I’ll tell you. Go to Mexico. You’ll find the treasure in Mexico.” He named a site near the center of a little-known jungle region.

Juarez got up and stood over Dr. Pitt. “You’re going with us to Mexico. Tomorrow morning we start looking for the treasure! If your directions are wrong, Professor— you’ll be to blame for what we’ll do to Terry Scott and Nancy Drew! ”

By this time the boat had reached another Key. A red-faced, nervous woman, whom Nancy recognized as Mrs. Wangell, met them. She cried out in astonishment upon seeing Terry.

“It can’t be! It can’t be! ” she wailed.

“Shut up! ” Mrs. Tino commanded. “Help me take the girl.”

Nancy was half dragged, half carried through a grove to a yellow cement bungalow. Terry was brought in by Juarez and Wangell, while Porterly remained on the boat to guard Dr. Pitt.

An evil smile contorted Juarez’s face as he turned to leave. “My little wife, you know what to do with these prisoners.”

He and Wangell left, closing the door behind them. A few minutes later Nancy and Terry heard the cruiser churning away from the dock. They were lined against the wall, while the women surveyed them.

“See here, ” Terry said. “Be reasonable. Those ropes are cutting Miss Drew’s wrists.”

Mrs. Tino’s face set grimly. “We’d better separate these two.” Motioning to Mrs. Wangell, she said, “Take the girl into the bedroom.”

Mrs. Wangell did as she was directed. The door swung shut behind them.

“Maybe I can get her to talk, ” thought Nancy. “She’s not cruel like the others.” Smiling disarmingly, she said, “I know you don’t want to do things like this, Mrs. Wangell.”

The woman looked at the floor. “No, I don’t. But Earl makes me. Oh, I don’t know what to do. He and Juarez shouldn’t have kept Dr. Pitt a prisoner. It might have killed him.”

“It’s a serious offense, ” Nancy said. “By the way, Mrs. Wangell, where did you get that interesting old diary? ”

The woman became silent, as if listening for eavesdroppers from the other room. Then she whispered, “Juarez stole it from a man named Evans. After he tore out some pages, he gave it to me.”

“And asked you to have Terry Scott figure out from it where a certain fortune was? ”

Mrs. Wangell admitted this, saying he also wanted to keep Terry busy, so he would not hunt for Joshua Pitt.

Nancy heard an airplane. It came closer, flying so low over the bungalow that the walls vibrated. Mrs. Wangell ran to the window.

“There they go! ” she exclaimed. “Oh, I hope Dr. Pitt’s wrong that something dreadful is going to happen when they find the fortune! Earl is so foolish! ”

Nancy pressed her advantage. “Mrs. Wangell, why are you so afraid of your husband? ”

The woman hung her head. “I once stole something. But only Earl and Juarez know about it.”

“I see, ” Nancy said. “Nevertheless, I advise you to turn state’s evidence when the police round you all up. You’ll get off easier.”

Mrs. Wangell looked frightened. “Earl didn’t mean to be bad after he got caught once.”

“About the paintings? ”

“Yes. It’s just that he hooked up with Juarez. Juarez knew Earl had me in his power. He used to play the black keys on the piano to remind me of Pitt being a prisoner. Then Earl took it up. It was awful—”

The door burst open.

“You’ll pay for this, Lillian, you tattletale! ” cried Mrs. Tino. “I’m going to fix you and the Drew girl after I’ve taken care of Terry Scott! ”