The Geist of Meyer's mall

" What a traffic jam! " Nancy Drew exclaimed, as she drove through a tangle of cars in front of the shopping mall.

" I've never seen so many people here, " added George Fayne, who was sitting next to her. " I wonder if something's wrong? "

*'Maybe they're having a big sale, " Bess Marvin remarked from the back seat.

Nancy shook her head. " I doubt it. Business hasn't been good at Meyer's Mall for months. Not since the new shopping center opened downtown with the movie theater and the skating rink."

A policeman stood nearby, trying his best to unsnarl the tie-up. When the girls were able to inch close enough to him, Nancy stuck her head out of the window.

''What's going on, Officer? " she asked politely.

The man grinned. " Haven't you heard? " he replied. " Everyone's here to see the ghost! "

" Ghost! " all three girls remarked in unison.

The policeman nodded. " There are strange happenings in the mail these days." ' he said.

Just then, a break came in the traffic and Nancy pulled away, waving to the friendly policeman as she did.

" Hurrah! " Bess exclaimed. " We finally made it into the parking lot."

" What do you think this ghost business is all about? " dark-haired George asked.

Nancy shrugged. " Maybe we'll find out."

The girls parked the car and hurried into the mall.

" It looks as if they've painted and done repairs on the place." George commented when they walked through the glass door.

" There aren't any vacant stores anymore, either, " Bess added. " The mall is suddenly thriving! "

Nancy and her friends moved through the crowd and headed toward the Chic Boutique, where they had been buying their clothes for a long time.

All at once, people were yelling and pointing at the ceiling.

A large blob was floating fifty feet overhead, swirling above the mall, its shape constantly changing, its color a greenish-yellow with an almost fluorescent glow.

A bank of escalators rose to an open, second-floor mezzanine, with a railing lined with planters full of gladiolas. The ghost swooped down and whimsically picked the flowers, raining them upon the onlookers.

The crowd roared with glee.

" This is the craziest thing I've ever seen! " ' Bess said through her laughter. " Look over there! "

A security guard had run up the escalator, yelling at the ghost. The thing stopped pulling up plants and zoomed at the man. It knocked his hat off, to the delight of the crowd, then made his tie stand up straight in the air.

The guard turned and ran away, but the ghost stayed hot on his trail. It chased him down the escalator, pushing him into the small goldfish pond on the main floor.

The crowd laughed and applauded as the weird blob floated near them, constantly changing shape. Suddenly it turned bright red and rose quickly above people's heads, edging higher and higher to finally disappear into the ceiling.

The shoppers were talking excitedly as they dispersed, some of them heading out to the parking lot, but many staying to go into the stores.

''I'm beginning to understand why the mall is doing so well, " Nancy said.

" Sure, " George answered. " The ghost is attracting business! "

" Do you think it's a real ghost, Nancy? " Bess asked, her eyes still wide.

Nancy shook her head. " It looked real, " she said, " but I've never heard of a haunted mall before! "

With the crowds breaking up, it was an easy walk to the dress shop. When the girls entered, old Mr. Lamell, the owner, and his granddaughter, Cassie, were busy waiting on customers.

The small, gray-haired man beamed when he saw the girls. " Guten tag! " he called in his native German. " Good day to my best customers! "

" Hi! " Cassie called from the cash register. The pretty high school girl with dark hair and brown eyes was ringing up sale after sale, an event rarely seen in the Chic Boutique.

While the Lamells were busy, Nancy and her friends looked over the racks of clothes.

" What a selection! " George said, picking up a stylish pair of slacks. " Mr. Lamell always had good taste, but now his merchandise is just fabulous." She held the slacks in front of her and looked in a full-length mirror.

" Apparently business has gotten a lot better since the last time we were here, " Nancy added.

" It's because of the Geist, " came a voice from behind them.

They turned to see Mr. Lamell standing there, hands behind his back, a pixie smile on his face.

" Geist? " Bess repeated.

" That's German for ghost, " Cassie said, as she joined them.

Mr. Lamell smiled, putting a hand to his forehead. " The words, " he said. " Sometimes I get mixed up. How are my favorite customers? "

" We're doing great, " Bess said.

" And, apparently, so are you, " Nancy added.

" Can't complain, " Mr. Lamell said. " Do you know that my Cassie is going to college this fall? "

" Grandfather..." Cassie said, blushing.

" But I'm proud of you." The old man put an arm around the girl, who was already a foot taller than he was.

" What's the story on the, er... Geist? Nancy asked.

Mr. Lamell pursed his lips. " It began a couple of months ago, " he said. " The local TV station was making a... what-do-you-call-it?... a commercial, for Central Bank over at the other end of the mall. All at once the Geist swooped down in front of them. They filmed it, and followed it into the shoe store, where it pulled box after box of shoes out of the cubbyholes."

" It was the funniest thing! " Cassie giggled. " Shoes flying all over the store! "

Mr. Lamell continued. 'They showed their film on the news that night, and the Geist of Meyer's Mall has brought people here ever since. They come to see Hermie..."

" Hermie? " Nancy asked.

" That's Grandfather's nickname for the ghost, " Cassie explained.

" Why Hermie? "

The little man suddenly looked nervous. " No special reason, " he said. " It's just a name."

" Does the ghost come every night? " Bess inquired.

" No, " Cassie answered. " It's very unpredictable. But the people don't seem to mind when it doesn't show. It appears often enough to make it worthwhile for them."

" Yes, " Mr. Lamell added. " I haven't seen crowds like this since I was in show business."

" You were in show business? " Nancy asked.

" Back in the old country, " the man answered. " That was a long time ago."

" What did you do? " George inquired, fascinated.

" Variety acts, " Mr. Lamell returned. " You know, singing and dancing. I worked in the music halls... How do you call it over here? —Vaudeville."

Nancy noticed that Cassie had an odd look on her face. Why had the atmosphere suddenly become tense?

" So the ghost has helped business in the mall? " she said, changing the subject.

" Let me put it this way, " Cassie said. " When you came in and bought that party dress a couple of months ago, I figured we'd be out of business before you'd be back again. Now, we're doing so well we're thinking about opening another store! "

" That's wonderful! " Bess exclaimed. " I'll be able to tell everyone that I knew you when you were poor and struggling."

Mr. Lamell excused himself and disappeared for a moment. When he returned, he was carrying three sundresses. He handed one to each of the girls.

" I remember your sizes, " he said, then looked at Bess. " Unless Bessie's been eating candy bars again."

Bess beamed. " I'm the same size I was when I bought my last dress here."

" Take them, then, " Mr. Lamell said, " with the compliments of the Chic Boutique. You have been such good patrons for years."

The girls protested, but the small man insisted, so they finally accepted the gifts. When they left the store a few minutes later, they passed the security guard who had been drenched in the goldfish pond. He was smiling and drying his hair with a towel.

" Strange, " Nancy said, as the young detectives walked out of the mall. " That ghost business really has me wondering."

" It's the first time I've ever seen a ghost with a sense of humor, " George added.,

" Did you see how strangely Mr. Lamell reacted when he talked about Hermie and his own past? " Nancy said. " By the way, someone's been following us ever since we went into the boutique."

Bess and George turned around. Twenty feet behind them, a scruffy-looking man was staring at them through the glass doors of the mall. When he saw them looking at him, he ducked quickly into the building.

" There's more to this than meets the eye, " Nancy declared.

Later that night, she sat in her room reading up on ghosts and hauntings. Although most reports of ghostly behavior were frightening, there were cases where people had reported mischievous spirits, usually called poltergeists, or noisy ghosts. It came from the German root word, Geist.

" Nancy! " Hannah Gruen, the Drews' housekeeper, called out. " We have fresh strawberries down here! "

" Coming! " Nancy answered, putting the book down.

When she got to the kitchen, her father, Carson Drew, was already eating strawberries and whipped cream.

Hannah stood with her hands on her hips, shaking her head. " That's the fastest I've seen you move since you thought the house was on fire."

" Very funny, " Nancy said, quickly digging into the sweet delight.

" Dad, " she asked, " aren't ghosts supposed to be the spirits of people who died in a particular place? "

Her father smiled. " Well, I'm a better lawyer than a ghost chaser, " he joked, " but that has always been my understanding."

" Was there ever a house where Meyer's Mall now stands? "

" No, " Mr. Drew answered.

" Are you sure? "

" I am. When I was a boy, that property was a pasture for sheep. Then a little carnival was put up. You know, pony rides and snow cone stands. It wasn't much by today's standards, but I spent many happy hours out there. It made me sad when they finally built the mall."

" Then how do we explain the ghost? " Nancy asked.

" Maybe it's the spirit of a disgruntled sheep! " Hannah laughed.

" Maybe, " Nancy said, her mind drifting.

When she was finished eating, she excused herself and went to the phone to call Cassie Lamell.

" Hello? " the girl answered after the second ring.

" Cassie, this is Nancy Drew. Is your grandfather home? "

" No, he isn't, " Cassie returned.

" Good, " Nancy said. " I wanted to talk to you alone. Mind if I drop by? "

" Of course not, " Cassie exclaimed. " Grandfather will be at the store until late doing inventory, and I'd love the company."

Within ten minutes, Nancy was sitting next to Cassie on the Lamells' living room sofa.

" Congratulations on being accepted into college, " she said.

" Thanks, " Cassie replied, lowering her dark eyes. " I suppose I owe that to the ghost. Things had been so bad that Grandfather was afraid he couldn't afford to send me. But since Hermie appeared on the scene, things have been different."

" Your folks passed away some time ago, didn't they? " Nancy asked.

The girl nodded. " They died when I was very young. I don't even remember them."

" I noticed a strange look on your face when I was talking to your grandfather about his show business career, " Nancy said.

Cassie grimaced slightly. " I didn't realize it was that obvious, " she said. " It's just that he has never talked to me about his past very much. I knew he had been in show business, but he never mentioned exactly what he did. I've heard him singing, though, and he's got a terrible voice! "

Both girls laughed.

" Does he keep any memorabilia around concerning the old days? " Nancy inquired.

" He has a couple of trunks in the attic that might have something in them, " Cassie replied. " But he's never opened them for me. Would you like to go look? "

" Your grandfather wouldn't mind? "

" Well, he's never told me not to look in them."

Excited, the girls went up the attic stairs and pushed open the overhead door.

" Funny, " Nancy said as she climbed into the stuffy room, " the light is on. Have you or your grandfather been up here lately? "

" I haven't, " Cassie replied. " And I don't think he can climb the stairs anymore."

" Well, someone's been up here recently and forgotten to turn off the light! "

''Nancy! " Cassie exclaimed, pointing to a corner of the room. " The trunks are gone! "

The girls examined the spot where the trunks had been. There were two clear rectangles on the dusty floor, and drag marks all the way to the door.

Nancy's mind was racing. " When we left the store tonight, " she said, " the security guard who tangled with the ghost was just coming in. Do you know him? "

" He's a distant cousin of mine from the old country, " Cassie said. " His name's Gunther Martin. When he came to America, Grandfather got him a job at the mall."

" How long ago was that? "

Cassie put a finger to her lips. " Four or five months ago, I think."

Just then, Nancy saw something on the floor, yellowed with age. " What's this? " she asked, picking it up.

" It looks like an old theater program, " Cassie commented. " Maybe it fell out of one of the trunks! "

She opened up the slim, stiff paper book. It was filled with what appeared to be German writing, and in the middle of the first page was the fading photograph of a young man with intense eyes. His arms were folded across his chest and he wore a turban on his head.

" That's Grandfather! " Cassie exclaimed.

" It sure looks like him, " Nancy agreed. " But what does the caption under the picture mean? " She read, " Lamell der Grosse, und sein tanzender Geist. "

Cassie shrugged. " I'm sorry, but I don't know German."

Nancy stared at the picture. " Mind if I take this with me for tonight? "

Cassie shook her head. " Not at all. I'm getting intrigued myself."

It was late by the time Nancy returned home. She went right to bed, dreaming about strawberries and ghosts.

When she woke up the next morning, her father had already gone to work. Hannah was out in the yard, beating the dust out of a throw rug with a cane.

" Good morning, Hannah, " Nancy called.

" You mean, good afternoon, " Hannah retorted. " You've slept the morning away! "

Nancy walked up to the housekeeper, who was like a mother to her. " Don't you have relatives in Germany? " she asked.

" Some, " Hannah replied.

" I don't suppose you know any German."

" No, but my niece, Effie Schneider, does. Why? "

" I have something that needs translating, " Nancy said.

" I'll call Effie, " Hannah offered.

While waiting for Hannah, Nancy showered and put on the sundress that Mr. Lamell had given her. Then she spoke to Effie on the telephone. Thirty minutes later, she walked into the Chic Boutique with the program in hand.

Mr. Lamell looked apprehensive when he saw her. " I had a feeling I'd see you today, after Cassie told me you were over last night, " he said. " She's not here. It's her day off."

Nancy nodded. Then she opened the program and put it on the top of the counter. " Lamell der Grosse, und sein tanzender Geist" she read. " Lamell the Great, and his dancing ghost."

Mr. Lamell smiled sadly.

" You were a magician in Europe, specializing in large visual illusions, " the girl detective went on.

The man nodded. " A very famous magician, " he added.

" You hadn't practiced your trade since coming to this country, " Nancy continued, " but you kept all the magician tools in your attic. Your business wasn't doing well and you worried about how you could afford to send Cassie to college. Then along came Gunther Martin, who, unless I miss my guess, was also in show business. Another magician? "

Mr. Lamell ran a hand through his short gray hair. " He was an acrobat in the circus."

" Perfect, " Nancy said. " So, you got him the job here, and the two of you revived your famous 'dancing ghost' to advertise Meyer's Mall. You brought your trunks over here, and sometimes you stay late for 'inventory', so you can rig up your visual gags."

" It's quite an art form, " Mr. Lamell said. " A great deal of it is done with special invisible wires, popularized by Blackstone the Magician many years ago."

" And it worked, " Nancy said.

" Until now, " the man returned.

Nancy put her hand on his shoulder. " I'm not trying to cause you any trouble, " she said. " You didn't hurt anyone. You don't charge anything for your 'shows, ' and all the merchants who've been working with you on this are happy. The night I was here, everyone loved it. I think you should stop, though. You're perpetrating a minor fraud."

" You're right, " Mr. Lamell said. " I've been feeling guilty about it myself."

Nancy left soon after that. Something bothered her, and she turned around quickly. The man who had been following her and the girls the night before was back again. He stood near the door of the boutique, watching her go out of the mall. However, he did not trail her.

That afternoon, the telephone rang at the Drew home. Nancy answered to Mr. Lamell on the other end, his voice cracking as he spoke. " Nancy, something terrible has happened! "

" What? "

" I don't have time to talk. Meet me by the trash dumpster behind the mall. If I'm not there, wait for me. Please come. I have no one else to turn to."

" I'll be right there, " Nancy promised, and hung up.

Quickly, she drove to the mall. When she arrived, the area around the dumpster was deserted.

Not knowing the reason for Mr. Lamell's secrecy, she pulled her car up behind the dumpster so that it would be difficult to spot from the shopping center, and waited.

A few minutes later, Mr. Lamell appeared at the back door of his boutique, carrying a large trash bag. He looked nervously around, then walked up to the dumpster and deposited the bag.

The young detective got out of her car and approached him.

" Oh, Nancy, " he whispered, " I'm so frightened, I can hardly think."

''What's happened? " she asked.

" After you left today, a man came to me in the store. He had overheard our conversation."

" I think I saw him when 1 was leaving, " Nancy said.

" He's a crook, " Mr. Lamell went on. " He and his cohorts have been… how do you say… working the crowds, picking pockets. Now that he knows who makes the ghost happen, he wants me to rig up a special show for tonight, one that draws a lot of people, while he's robbing the Central Bank! "

" I'll call the police, " Nancy offered. " We'll catch the whole gang! "

" No! " Mr. Lamell said, horrified. " You can't. They've kidnapped Cassie! "

" What! "

" If I don't do what they say, they'll hurt her! " The man was shaking with fear. " If anything happens to that girl, I don't know what I'll do. I'm afraid to bring the police in, Nancy. Please, we have to handle this on our own! "

" All right, " Nancy agreed. " What exactly did they tell you? "

" They want me to make a big Geist display, at eight o'clock, with lots of noise, " Mr. Lamell explained. " Since it's Friday, the bank will be open late."

" What about Cassie? " Nancy asked.

" They plan to bring her here and hold her on the mezzanine, where you saw the ghost pick the flowers yesterday. If everything goes well, they'll set her free."

*'Hmmm, " Nancy said, a finger to her lips. " I have an idea, but I'll need some help. Let me call Bess and George. I also need to get hold of Gunther Martin, your assistant."

Mr. Lamell nodded, taking Nancy's hand. " Thank you, " he said, his voice catching in his throat. " I don't know what I'd do without you."

'Thank me later, " Nancy returned. " When this is all over."

That evening, the young detective stood in a darkened office that overlooked the mall area from the second floor. The glass had been removed from the window to let a mass of fine guide wires through. They converged at a panel in the office from where the Geist of Meyer's Mall was controlled during his frequent flights through the building.

" Nancy, " came George's voice over the walkie-talkie. " Can you hear me? "

Nancy pushed a button on her receiver.

" Yes, " she said. " What's up? "

" I'm positioned in the bank, " George answered through the static. " No one can see me from the lobby. So far everything's quiet."

" Okay, " Nancy said. " Keep me posted. Bess? Are you there? "

" Bess Marvin reporting in, " came Bess's official-sounding voice. " Everything's normal here at the toy store."

" Wait for my signal, " Nancy said. " Over and out."

Mr. Lamell came into the dark office. " We are ready! "

Nancy nodded and looked out the window. Just below her on the mezzanine, several crates had been set up, almost blocking the view of the mall. Only one good spot was left.

" Well, we're..." she began, but was cut off by the crackle of the radio.

" Nancy! " George whispered anxiously. " Come in! "

Nancy was about to answer when she saw two people on the mezzanine. One was Cassie! A man was holding her by the arms—the same man who had been following Nancy!

The girl detective motioned for Mr. Lamell to look out the window, then pushed the button on the two-way radio. " This is Nancy, " she answered. " Over."

" Ohhh, " George said in a crackly voice. " They're here. They're checking their watches! "

" Okay, standby! "

The pretty detective looked at Mr. Lamell. " Time to put Operation Poltergeist into effect! "

The man nodded. " Keep the fingers crossed! "

He moved to the control panel. " Got a full house out there tonight, " he said, as he pushed the lever that started the mechanical howling.

A loud, eerie moan filled the mall. Then, the magician began manipulating the wires. Precision, Mr. Lamell had told Nancy, was of utmost importance in the dancing ghost business, and he had worked on this particular trick all day long.

There was a crash, and four weird forms came

through the skylight. They were really thick plastic bags with small motors inside that propelled them around and changed their shapes while a series of lights kept alternating the internal colors.

''I'm getting into position, " Nancy said, and hurried out of the office.

On the first floor, Bess watched as the ghosts swept above the heads of the people, who were shrieking with pleasure. Then the poltergeists dipped down even more, scattering the crowds in confusion.

George watched from the well of an empty desk in the bank, as the robbers pulled guns and took money from the teller cages. No customers were entering the bank; everyone was busy enjoying the ghosts.

'They've got the money, " George whispered into her radio. " They'll be coming out any second! "

Bess picked up the message in the toy store. She turned to the three salespeople next to her. " Get ready, " she said, then picked up a bucketful of marbles. So did the others.

The four dancing ghosts dangled from Mr. Lamell's invisible wires and started spinning a circle in front of the bank, chasing all th^ watchers away. This maneuver left a large opening.

When the thieves charged out of the bank, they found themselves not covered by the crowd as they had expected, but conspicuously visible in the clear spot. Frantically, they tried to hurry away.

" Now! " Bess commanded from her position near the front of the toy store. She and the salespeople threw bucketsful of marbles onto the floor, right in front of the criminals!

The crooks ran, but with the tiny spheres underfoot, they were soon skidding ail over, finally crashing to the floor as a whole contingent of security people moved in to subdue them. The crowd laughed and applauded, thinking it was all part of the show.

The man who was holding Cassie on the mezzanine angrily dragged her away. Mr. Lamell saw it and pulled another wire. " Come on, Hermie, " he said. " Don't let me down! "

Hermie swooped from the ceiling. Gracefully but quickly, he moved toward Cassie and her abductor.

The man heard the noise, and turned just in time to see the Geist coming at him!

It hit him hard, thanks to the brick Nancy had loaded inside, and knocked him out of the way long enough for the young detective to dash out of her hiding place and grab Cassie by the hand.

The man yelled and chased the girls, who were running along the mezzanine. All of a sudden Gunther Martin swung out of the rafters on a long rope. He arced down toward the kidnapper and grabbed him by the collar.

The momentum carried both of them up and over the mezzanine rail, where Gunther let the man plummet, arms flailing, into the same fish pond that the security guard had landed in the night before.

The crowd roared. Nancy began to understand that the people had never really believed in the ghost. They had just come to enjoy the show rigged up by a master magician!

The dripping kidnapper climbed out of the pond and walked into the arms of waiting security, while sirens could be heard approaching in the distance.

Cassie and Nancy went to the edge of the rail and looked down. " Are you okay? " the young detective asked her friend.

The girl nodded and gave Nancy a hug. Just then, Mr. Lamell joined them.

" I'm glad this is all over, " he said. " But you know, I'm going to miss old Hermie! He doesn't want to go back in the trunk."

Nancy smiled, then waved her arms. " Ladies and gentlemen, " she called, and the crowd quieted down, looking expectantly at her. " I'd like you to meet the man responsible for all these wonderful effects. Here is Lamell the Great, and his dancing ghost, Hermie! "

The shoppers cheered loudly and Mr. Lamell bowed, tears in his eyes. He was happy to hear the applause of an audience again!

" You know, " Nancy whispered, " why don't you clear your act with the authorities? I can't see anyone objecting, and the shoppers would just love to see Hermie every once in a while."

Mr. Lamell's eyes twinkled. " Not only Hermie, " he said. " Meyer's Mall can have a different ghost every week! "