(#16) The Clue of the Tapping Heels (4 page)

She had just started dressing when the front doorbell rang. No one answered. It rang again.

Nancy waited to see what Hannah would do. She remained resolute in her resolve. The caller pushed the button for the third time and kept his finger on the bell. It rang for a whole minute, then finally the person gave up.

“Just the same I wish I knew who that was,” Nancy thought.

She finished dressing and came downstairs to help Hannah with the dinner. As Nancy passed through the front hall, the telephone rang. Was the man with the high squeaky voice calling again?

“I’d better answer, anyway,” Nancy decided. “It might be Dad and he’ll be worried if he gets no answer.”

Nancy picked up the phone and said hello in a low voice.

“Nancy?” Then the caller went on, “Remember me? I’m supposed to have a date with you tonight to take you to the rehearsal.”

“Ned!” Nancy shouted. The relief in her voice as well as her delight were very evident to Ned Nickerson, an Emerson College student and star football player, whom she dated frequently.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “I arrived early and rang and rang your bell but nobody would let me in. I’m at your neighbor‘s, Mrs. Humphrey. She was sure something awful must have happened to you.”

Nancy laughed. “I’m perfectly all right and so is Hannah. Come on over and I’ll tell you why the shades are down and we wouldn’t let anybody in.”

“Okay. I’ll do a little staccato on your doorbell so you’ll know who it is.”

Within five minutes the handsome, dark-haired Ned walked in. “Can’t wait to hear the reason for all this secrecy,” he said after greeting Nancy warmly.

When Ned heard about the demand made by the mysterious caller he became alarmed. “Nancy, if this ties in with a new mystery of yours, don’t you think you should give it up?”

When Nancy did not answer, Ned shrugged. “I suppose there’s no use asking you that. Well, where does the mystery stand now?”

While she was telling him about the ghostly tapper and the cat thief, she kept wondering if the strange caller would arrive. But another half-hour went by and he did not appear.

Finally Nancy chuckled. “Ned, I believe you kept that other man away from here. Thanks a lot.”

The couple heard Mr. Drew’s key in the front door and soon afterward everyone was seated at the dinner table. Hannah had prepared a delicious meal of roast lamb, peas, and raspberry tarts.

Conversation was almost entirely about the mystery. When Nancy and Ned were ready to leave the house to attend the rehearsal, Mr. Drew suggested that the two exchange cars after they returned home. He added, “It might keep that man in the black sedan off your trail, Nancy.”

“Glad to do it, Mr. Drew,” Ned said, and Nancy nodded in agreement.

“Another thing, Nancy,” her father said. “Whenever you leave this house, I want you to wear dark glasses and a scarf that completely covers your head. It may be an unnecessary precaution, but please do it for me.” Nancy kissed her father and went upstairs to get a scarf and sunglasses.

When she and Ned reached the high school auditorium where the rehearsal was to be held, Ned seated himself about halfway down the center aisle. Nancy went up the steps that led to the stage.

Several members of the cast were rushing around, some mumbling their lines to themselves, others reading from the script. The orchestra was tuning up and the director was giving last-minute instructions to the actors and actresses.

The play was a variety show with a thin thread of plot running through it. Nancy was to appear three times in tap numbers; once in the first act in a dialogue with a young man. In the second she would dance with a group of girls. First each one would perform an intricate step, then dance together.

Just before the finale, in which everyone would sing, Nancy was to perform her solo.

The director, Mr. Skank, was very exacting. By the time the first act had been rehearsed over and over, nearly two hours had gone by.

“We’ll be here all night,” complained a girl standing near Nancy.

“It looks so. But I hope not. A friend of mine is waiting for me. Poor boy! He has a long drive after he takes me home. Maybe the second act will go faster.”

It was not long before the group of dancers came onstage and one by one the girls began to perform their numbers. Soon it would be Nancy’s turn.

She glanced out into the auditorium just in time to see Ned leave his seat hurriedly. Her eyes followed him up the aisle and into the corridor. As Ned emerged into the hallway, a pudgy man jumped him and shot a well-aimed blow at Ned’s jaw!

CHAPTER V

Mysterious Key

“Miss Drew, what’s the matter?” Mr. Skank cried out. “It’s your turn. Dance!”

Nancy paid no attention. She dashed across the stage, leaped down the steps, and ran up the center aisle of the auditorium to the main corridor.

As she burst through the door and looked down the hallway, she recognized Ned’s assailant as the pudgy man who had followed her in the black sedan.

He was reeling from a blow Ned had delivered, but the man retaliated with a swift punch that staggered Ned. Seeing Nancy, the intruder ran out the front door.

She hurried after him, but by the time Nancy had covered the distance to the outside of the building, he was not in sight. She knew it was hopeless to try finding him and disappointedly returned to the corridor.

“Ned, what happened?” she asked. “And are you all right?”

He smiled grimly. “Yes. That fellow sure delivers a mean uppercut,” he said.

Nancy asked Ned why he had left the auditorium so hurriedly. He said that a boy had come down the aisle and handed him a hand-printed note. Ned pulled it from his pocket and gave it to Nancy to read.

You are to get out of the picture. Nancy Drew has another steady now. Come to the corridor and you will find out.

“Of course I went to see what it was all about,” Ned explained. “That pudgy guy let go with a punch and knocked me off balance. But what brought you to the corridor?”

“I just happened to see that punch,” she replied. “I feel responsible, Ned, and I’m dreadfully sorry.”

Ned grinned. “Just so long as you don’t have another steady date, I’ll forgive you for anything.”

Nancy laughed. “Thanks. Ned, why don’t you go to my house and put something on that jaw? Dad can pick me up later.”

“Nothing doing. I’ll go find some ice water in this building and doctor myself. You go back to rehearsal. That director must be furious.”

As Nancy turned to leave she noticed a key on the floor.

“Is this yours, Ned?” she asked.

“No. When I knocked that man down, the key must have fallen out of his pocket ”

“It looks like a car key,” Nancy said. “The key might lead to your attacker. Ned, will you call the police and ask them to come here?”

“All right.”

There was a telepnone booth nearby and he headed for it while Nancy went back to the auditorium. When she returned to the stage, Mr. Skank had some pretty harsh words for her.

He ended by saying, “I don’t relish staying here all night and you’ve certainly held up the works, Miss Drew.”

Before Nancy had a chance to explain, one of the girls in the cast called out, “You don’t know it, Mr. Skank, but Nancy is an amateur detective. She probably had to leave in a hurry in connection with some case.”

“Is that true?” the director asked.

Nancy nodded but did not offer any other explanation. Mr. Skank made no further comment about the interruption. “Do your dance, Miss Drew. Music, please.”

Nancy, desiring to make amends for her sudden leave-taking, performed perfectly. Grudgingly Mr. Skank praised her.

The rest of the rehearsal went smoothly. Nancy felt that in her final tap number she had not danced so well as she could. She mentioned this to Ned as they started for home.

“I didn’t notice anything wrong,” he said, “but if you weren’t satisfied, I’m sure it was a combination of weariness and excitement. You’ve had a big day!”

Nancy had to admit that it did seem long and she was ready for a good night’s sleep. When they arrived at the Drew home, Nancy’s father was watching a late movie on TV.

He looked at Ned and asked, “Were you in an accident?”

“No, Mr. Drew, but I had a chance to wallop that guy who was following Nancy this afternoon.”

The lawyer grinned. “Good for you. Did you put him in the hospital?”

“Wish I had,” Ned responded, then explained what had happened.

Mr. Drew insisted that Ned stay overnight. The young man accepted and said he must be off very early in the morning.

“But I’ll be back tomorrow night to take Nancy to the rehearsal,” he added.

Hannah Gruen quickly prepared a snack and then announced that she knew just the thing to put on Ned’s jaw. She went to get a soothing lotion and soaked a bandage with it.

“Keep this wet compress on all night and I guarantee that tomorrow morning you’ll look like yourself again,” she said.

The housekeeper’s prediction came true. Breakfast was served early and Ned showed no effects of his fight with the pudgy man except one little black-and-blue mark on his cheek. Hannah was pleased and said she had used a homemade remedy of hers that never failed.

Ned smiled. “Maybe you should patent it and go into business. Quick cure! Quick money!”

“I’ll think about it,” Mrs. Gruen said, chuck-ling.

Ned left in a few minutes and Nancy helped Hannah with some household chores. Then she set off for Berryville in Ned’s car. On the way she stopped at River Heights Police Headquarters to find out if the officers had traced the owner of the key she had picked up at the high school. Sergeant Rothman, who was on duty, said that it had been determined it was not a car key and he doubted that anyone would claim it.

“Would you like it back?” he asked Nancy.

“Yes, I would.” She had a strong hunch that the key might lead to something important in regard to the pudgy man.

Nancy put the key in her purse and left headquarters. When she arrived at Miss Carter‘s, Nancy parked Ned’s car in front of the garage.

Hearing voices inside the building, she called out, “Hi! I’m back!”

Bess and George greeted her as she stepped into the garage.

“How’s everything?” Nancy asked.

Bess heaved a sigh. “Okay, but I’m so tired of opening cans of cat food, I never want to see another one in my whole life.”

“Let me help you,” Nancy said. “Suppose you girls take a rest while I serve the cats their breakfast and you tell me about your evening.”

George grinned. “All we can report is a big zero. No thieves, no tappers, no prowlers, no intruders, not even a mouse. How about the rehearsal, Nancy?”

When Nancy finished telling about her eventful evening, the cousins looked at each other in amazement. George remarked, “Wouldn’t you know Nancy would have all the excitement?”

“That suits me,” said Bess. “I got a good night’s sleep and have nothing to worry about.”

Nancy went into the house to put on blue jeans, loafers, and a shirt so she could help Bess and George clean the cage. It took them until late morning and Bess declared she was absolutely starved.

“I hope Mrs. Bealing has a good lunch for us,” she said, leading the way into the kitchen. “Umm! Chicken salad with fresh tomatoes. And girls, look at that big, big chocolate cake!”

“Bess Marvin,” George said severely, “you leave that chocolate cake alone. Every time you take off a few pounds, you put them right back on.”

Bess looked at the cake wistfully. Should she pay attention to George who, she knew, was right, or should she enjoy the luscious dessert?

To herself she said, “I won’t decide now. Maybe—just maybe—I’ll be satisfied with the chicken salad and a little bitsy piece of cake.”

This did not prove to be the case and later when Bess cut a slice for herself it was so wide that even Miss Carter had to laugh. She eased the tension, however, by saying, “I’ve always felt that the place to diet is in one’s own home, not in someone else’s.”

Bess beamed at her. “I could hug you for that, Miss Carter.”

After lunch the actress was carried upstairs for her nap. The girls helped Mrs. Bealing with the luncheon dishes, then the nurse said she would like to run downtown.

“A kind neighbor across the street has offered to take me shopping. Will you girls please answer the phone and the doorbell.”

“Yes, indeed,” Nancy replied, and Bess added, “Bring home something extra special to eat, will you?” Mrs. Bealing laughed.

When she had gone, Nancy suggested that the girls go to the basement once more to try to find out why the tapper had been there.

“I’m sure he was hunting for something,” she said, and reminded the others about the mysterious telephone caller. “He may have meant secrets to do with this house.”

She led the way to the basement. The door to the kitchen was left open so they could hear anyone who might call.

A second intensive search of the room was begun. Except for occasional conversation among the girls there was total silence in the house.

They were investigating a far corner when Bess suddenly grabbed Nancy’s arm. “I hear it!” she said in a hushed voice. “The tapping! It’s upstairs somewhere!”

On tiptoe the girls dashed to the steps and rushed up to the kitchen.

CHAPTER VI

The Secret Room

THE three girls quickly went through all the first-floor rooms, opening closet doors along the way. No one was hiding and there were no visible footprints or fingerprints to indicate that anyone from the outside had sneaked in.

“The tapping must have come from the second floor,” Nancy whispered. “I wonder if Miss Carter heard it or if she’s asleep.”

Bess and George went up the back stairway to the second floor, while Nancy took the front. Each bedroom was investigated but there was not a sign of an intruder. Finally they arrived at Miss Carter’s closed door. No sound came from within.

“Even if she’s asleep, I think we should wake her up,” Nancy said.