Fatal Attraction (12 page)

“What is it?” she asked.

“We're too late,” Mr. Carlton said dully, thrusting the note at her. “Brenda has run away—with Mike McKeever!”

Nancy took the note out of Mr. Carlton's hand. With Ned looking over her shoulder, she read it aloud.

Dear Daddy,

I am writing this so you won't be worried. The most wonderful guy in the world has asked me to go away with him. Mike is a very talented entertainer, and I'm sure that with a little help from me, he'll be a real star. I know that if I'd told you about this, you
would have tried to stop me. I'm doing it this way to make it easier for all of us. I'll let you know when we get where we're going. Don't worry—I
know
Mike will take good care of me.

Love,

Brenda

M
R
. C
ARLTON BURIED
his face in his hands. “Take good care of her,” he repeated hollowly. “Yes—the same way they took good care of Darla DeCamp!”

Nancy glanced around. “It looks as if she didn't take her luggage,” she said, pointing to a suitcase still in the closet.

Mr. Carlton wasn't paying attention. “I'd never have believed she'd do something like this without telling me first,” he said, almost in tears.

Nancy surveyed the room. A jewelry box lay open, exposing the empty velvet tray. Obviously,
Brenda had grabbed all her jewelry hastily—one garnet earring lay forgotten beside the box.

Ned spoke up. “Maybe we can catch up with them before they get out of town.”

“There isn't a moment to lose,” Nancy agreed. “We'll cover more ground if we split up. Ned, would you pick up Bess and get over to the Ridgeview Motel? George and I will check out Charlie's and see if they've been there. Mr. Carlton, could I borrow your car? Mine's still in the shop in Batesville.”

Mr. Carlton nodded. “Should I come along?”

“No, you stay here. We need a command center. We'll call here as soon as we have anything.”

A moment later Ned and Nancy were racing to separate cars. Nancy was glad she'd alerted George and Bess. Every minute counted if they were ever going to see Brenda alive again.

Ten minutes later, Nancy and George, in Mr. Carlton's black Lincoln, pulled up outside Charlie's. George went to check the parking lot in back as Nancy dashed inside.

Even though it was early, the place was crowded and the music was loud. A big sign that said
BENEFIT TONIGHT
hung over the door. But the stage was empty and Nancy realized that the music was coming from a PA system. There was no sign of Mike or Brenda, and she made her way
quickly to the office, where the manager was just hanging up the phone.

“Have you seen Mike McKeever?” Nancy asked.

“Yeah, I've seen him,” the manager growled, running both hands over his bald head. “The jerk pulled out just a little while ago and left me holding the bag for tonight's benefit. And now I'm being overrun by his fan club!”

“His fan club?”

“First that dark-haired girl he hangs out with, and now you,” the manager snapped disgustedly. “When he told me he was leaving, right out of the blue like that, I told him I wouldn't pay him. He didn't seem to care. He was more worried about me remembering to give his note to his girlfriend.” The manager's irritation was growing. “She tore in here just a minute ago, grabbed the note, and took off.”

Nancy was beginning to feel alarmed. Unless they knew where Mike and Brenda were headed, they could search all night with no success. “Did you get a look at the note? What did it say?”

“I don't know and I don't care. I'm just glad they're gone. You might check the motel.” The phone rang and he reached for it. “Now get out of here! I've got a business to run!”

Just inside the door, Nancy stopped at a pay phone and dialed the Carltons' number. Mr. Carlton answered. He had just heard from Ned.
Mike had already left the motel, Mr. Carlton reported. Ned had stationed Bess there in case Brenda showed up, and was headed over to the trailer park.

“We've drawn a blank at Charlie's,” Nancy said.

“Where do you think he's taking her?” Mr. Carlton asked worriedly.

“I don't know yet,” Nancy said, trying to keep her voice light. “But we're on our way to check out a couple of possibilities.”

“
What
possibilities?” George asked as they climbed into Mr. Carlton's car.

Nancy threw up her hands. “
I
don't know,” she confessed. “Where would
you
go if you wanted to meet somebody without being seen?”

George thought for a minute. “How about the camping area down by the river?”

“Good idea,” Nancy said, turning the key in the ignition. “Let's take a look.”

But the camping area was deserted except for a couple of tent campers. It was beginning to get dark, and the fireflies were dancing through the dusky shadows along the river.

Nancy sat quietly, considering their options. “Well, we can't stay here on the off chance they might show up.” She shook her head, frustrated. Where could they have gone? For a minute she watched the fireflies flickering in and out of the trees. Suddenly something clicked.

“Of course! That's it!” she exclaimed.

“
What's
it?” George asked, staring at her.

“Flannagan's Farm!” Nancy said, starting the car. She pulled out of the park, scattering gravel. “That deserted farm would be a perfect place for Mike and Felix to deal with Brenda.”

George's face was pale. “What do you think they'll do to her? Just dump her?”

“No,” Nancy said grimly. “She knows too much. They'll have to do something to—shut her up.” She pressed the accelerator to the floor.

Ten minutes later they were driving down the lane that led to the abandoned farm. Nancy cut the lights and headed toward the knoll that overlooked the barn lot. Below them everything looked just the way it had when Nancy and Ned had walked in on Brenda the last time.

Carefully, Nancy scanned the barn lot again. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something looked different. There was a dark, boxy shadow behind the barn. As the moon came out, Nancy could see the shape of wheels.

“Look! Over there!” Nancy said excitedly, pointing to the shadow. “That's Felix's travel trailer! It looks like it's hidden under a tarp or something. But there aren't any other cars—that must mean they'll all be along soon.” She thought quickly. “George, take the car and get Ned at the trailer park. Pick up Mr. Carlton, too. And bring them back here, fast!”

George nodded. “What are
you
going to do?”

“Check things out down there,” Nancy told her. “If our gang shows up, I'll keep them busy until you get back with reinforcements.” She slipped out of the car and into the darkness.

Nancy made her way quietly toward the dark, boxy shadow she'd seen from the knoll. It
was
Felix's trailer.

She looked around. No one in sight. She took a deep breath and headed for the barn.

Inside, the light was dim as the moon shone through the window. When her eyes adjusted, Nancy noticed a wooden ladder leading up into the shadowy heights of the loft.

Well, the loft is as good a place to wait as any, Nancy thought to herself, climbing the shaky ladder. Above, a section of the roof shingles had blown away, and the loft was flooded with pale moonlight.

The loft—or at least that part of it that still had a roof—was being used to store hay. It rustled as Nancy walked on it. In the center of the loft, there was a large trapdoor. The door was closed now, and fastened shut with a hasp and a wooden peg, a thick cord tied to one end. It wasn't high-tech, Nancy thought, but it obviously worked. You'd tug on the cord to pull the peg, the trap would swing open, and you could pitch the hay down onto the floor below. Suddenly inspired, she scooped up armfuls of loose, dusty
hay and piled them onto the trapdoor. If she needed a diversion, she could open the door and drop hay onto someone standing below.

But Nancy's work was interrupted by the sound of motors. Headlights were crossing the meadow. Quickly, she lay down on her stomach and found an opening in the loft floor that gave her a good view of the barn below.

After a moment, she could hear Brenda's petulant voice. “I don't understand why we're coming back here,” she was demanding, over the noise of Mike's motorcycle. A car door slammed. Brenda must be getting out of her car.

“Come on inside and I'll explain it to you.” It was Mike's voice. “And bring the money.”

Brenda came through the main double doors of the barn. She was wearing dark slacks and carrying a small quilted cosmetics case. She sat down on an overturned bucket and opened the case. In the moonlight, Nancy saw the glint of gold.

“What's this junk?” Mike exploded, staring at it.

“Junk?” Brenda asked, offended. “This isn't junk!”

“It sure isn't cash,” Mike said sullenly. “I told you to bring money—enough to keep us going for a couple of years, at least. Breaking into show biz doesn't come cheap!”

“But it was Saturday afternoon,” Brenda said,
in a whiny voice. “The bank was closed. And besides, this stuff is worth a fortune.” She held up a glittering bracelet. “See those diamonds?” Brenda bragged. “They're all real.”

“I don't care how real they are,” Mike growled. “They're not worth a nickel if they can be traced.”

“Traced?” Brenda asked, in genuine confusion. “But who would want to trace it? The jewelry is mine—it's not stolen. I've got a right to sell it and spend the money any way I please.” She laughed lightly. “Don't worry, Mike. I
told
you—I left a note for Daddy. He's not going to bother us. Why don't we just get out of here? On Monday we can sell a few of these pieces and we'll have
lots
of cash. And you can get a job playing—”

At that moment, a third figure—a man—stepped through the barn door. Without a word he struck a match against one of the massive timbers and lit an ancient kerosene lantern hanging on a nail. In its soft, golden light, Nancy could see the sinister smile on Felix's face. There was a small pistol in his hand—and it was pointed right at Brenda.

A
CTUALLY
, M
S
. C
ARLTON
, you're not going to get a chance to help us spend that money.” Felix stepped forward and seized her cosmetics case.

“Not going to . . . ?” Fearfully, Brenda looked from Mike to Felix and then back to Mike. She stood up, the bracelet falling from stiff fingers. “Mike, who
is
this guy?” she asked, her voice quavering. “What's he talking about?”

Mike stood where he was, making no move toward either Brenda or Felix.

“There's some rope over there in the corner,” Felix said, gesturing with his head. “It's moldy, but it'll do the trick. Get it and tie her up.”

“Mike?” Without taking her eyes off Felix, Brenda began to back away from him. “Mike? What's going on here? Don't let him take my jewelry!” She turned to Mike, her voice growing shrill with panic. “Mike, tell me this isn't happening! What's going on here?”

Felix threw back his head and laughed. Nancy could see the scar on his cheek.

“Him? Help you? Brenda, my dear, I'm afraid our friend Mike Johnson isn't the type to mess with somebody who's got a gun. Believe me, under all those muscles there beats the heart of a true coward.” His laugh was grating. “Anyway, you're missing the point. He wouldn't help you. We're on the same team. Aren't we, my boy?”

“Mike
Johnson?
” Brenda's voice had dropped to a horrified whisper. She was staring at Mike, but he was looking at the floor. “But that's not your name! He's lying—all of this is a lie!”