Nancy Clue Mysteries 3 - A Ghost in the Closet (30 page)

"Okey-dokey," came a cheerful male voice over the crackling wires.

Midge and Jackie exchanged grins. That sounded just like Joe! Midge cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she said. "I think you should know-"

"No talking!" the man said curtly. Midge was miffed but she kept her mouth shut. If Velma hadn't been there, why, she would have taken a swing at the rude fellow!

"Now do as I say or the little fellow gets hurt," the man snarled. Midge gulped. He meant Velma! She shot her girlfriend an anxious look. "You are never coming along on another adventure again, no matter how much you pout!" that look said.

"Get in that room!" the man said, pointing to a steel-plated door. They were ushered inside a chemical laboratory where the Hardly family sat lashed to bare metal chairs.

Midge suddenly leapt into action. She shoved Velma aside, then turned and socked the guy with the gun right on his square jaw. The man lurched backward against a table, and flasks, condensers and test tubes went flying in all directions onto the concrete floor, shattering to bits.

Jackie grabbed his wrist and squeezed until he shrieked in pain and dropped his gun. The strong girl then grabbed him by his lapels and shook him. "Who are you and-" But before she could continue, the Hardly family jumped up, their restraints falling away. They hadn't been tied up after all, only made to look that way!

Frank hurled his body between Jackie and the man. "Don't hurt him!" Frank cried. He took a clean hankie from his pocket and held it to the man's split lip. "Oh, Agent Andy, are you all right?"

"This is Secret Agent Dwight 'Andy' Anderson," Mr. Hardly rushed over to explain.

"He's one of us!" Joe crowed. The boys then tumbled all over themselves trying to fill the girls in on everything they had learned.

"This place-" Joe started.

"-is a secret rocket ship and moon walk operation-" Frank cut in.

-our own government-"

"-never any Russians-"

"-the clues were fake-"

"-they've run amok with the public's trust-"

"-spending millions developing rockets that won't even take off-"

"Wait a minute-I'm getting dizzy, fellows," Agent Anderson protested. He was still a little weak from the sock on the jaw he had just taken.

"Lean on me, Agent Andy," Frank urged. The goodlooking secret agent guy looped an arm over Frank's shoulder and rested heavily on him. "Thanks, Frank," he said. "Say, this is much better. I ought to take you with me everywhere I go."

Frank beamed. The thought of entering government service was becoming more and more attractive as time went on.

While Agent Anderson caught his breath, Mr. Hardly outlined the strange case. "It's a complicated tangle of secret agents, double agents, faulty rocket ships, kidnapped poodles and hidden explosive devices," he said in a calm tone that let them know he would soon have the situation under control. Mrs. Hardly clutched her husband's arm. While he gave her a comforting hug, Agent Anderson began talking. The girls plopped themselves on chairs and listened to the man's incredible tale.

"I'm with a secret government organization. I can't tell you which one. This all started when I got a call from Fennel. We'd worked together on a case a few years back-"

"So this place is a United States government laboratory," Jackie said.

"That's right," Agent Anderson said. "It's been here since the war. For years, it's functioned without a hitch, first as a weapons research laboratory and then, in the last few years, as a space rocket laboratory." He gratefully accepted a cigarette from Midge. After a few puffs, he continued his tale.

"Fennel sends me a coded message. Something's queer here. He'd been following the dognappings and found the link to NASA. Then I get a call from my boss. Can't say who he is. He wants me to come here and investigate a local detective-"

"He means our dad," Joe interjected.

"-who was rumored to have gone over to the other side-"

"Become a spy for the Russians!" Joe translated.

"I took on the case so I could protect Fennel and Mrs. Hardly, but I got here too late. Someone had already taken it upon himself to pull in the Hardlys, and they had done a pretty rough job of it, too," Agent Anderson continued. "I'm not sure who we can trust," he finished.

"Certainly not Judge Milton Meeks," Jackie announced. "He's issued a warrant for Fennel's arrest on charges of espionage. What's more, he had someone plant false clues linking Fennel to the Russians.

"But what's this blast that's scheduled for tomorrow?"

Fennel P. Hardly spoke up. "Girls, our government is planning to launch a faulty rocket ship manned by dogs, then blow it up over Lake Merrimen and blame it on the Russians!"

"We've got to save those dogs!" Midge cried.

"But that doesn't make any sense," Jackie exclaimed. "Why would we want to blow up our own rocket?"

"For the publicity?" Velma guessed cynically. "If we don't launch something soon, people might become wary of the space program. Funding would be cut. Instead it will look like we were ready, only our foes caused us to fail. Everyone will worry even more about losing the Space Race, and NASA's future will be safe."

Midge said nothing, but leaned over and kissed Velma on the top of her head.

"I never thought our government could devise something that devious, and that a court official would falsify evidence to help carry it out, but that's exactly what's going on," Frank sadly shook his head.

"Only they're going to blame it on you, too, Father," Joe cried. "We've got to stop the blast, find evidence that will expose Judge Meeks for what he is and clear your good name."

"Our good name," Frank said, giving his father a manful one-armed hug.

"But how do we get you out of here without alerting anyone?" Agent Anderson mused. "Meeks has to have cohorts down here working this end of his evil plan. I don't know who they might be. We've got to be very careful."

"You've kept us safe this far," Frank pointed out with adoration.

"How did you know to intercept us, anyway?" Jackie wondered.

"We contacted Willy on Andy's communications device, and he told us you were headed down here," Frank said. "It was sheer luck that Andy found you before one of Meeks' men did."

"When I saw Midge in that white coat I was afraid for a second that Frank had snuck out to do some investigating on his own," Agent Anderson admitted with a smile.

"Although Frank and I could be brothers, I'm just a friend of the family," Midge grinned.

"I am, too, now that I've gotten to know all of them," the man exclaimed, sneaking a significant look Frank's way.

Midge lit another cigarette and grinned. She gave her girlfriend a happy squeeze. They weren't the only ones in that room who were in love!

"Let's be speedy about this," Jackie pleaded. "We've got two chums working undercover at the River Depths Sanitarium and they've got to get out before nightfall," she told the man.

Agent Anderson's face grew rigid with concern. "They sure do," he cried, "for that place is unsafe!" He explained. "I've been investigating Dr. Fraud for months, and was going to move in on him after I cleaned up this operation. He's got a government contract to test space drugs, but I've uncovered evidence that he's really developing dangerous mind-control substances. See, I suspect-"

"Give us the details later," Jackie urged. "The girl of my dreams is in that sanitarium!" She was about to race out the door when Midge grabbed ahold of her. "If we get captured, who's going to rescue Cherry and Nancy?" Midge warned her.

"Is there any way to contact them? To tell them to get out?" Agent Anderson asked.

"No, but they are carrying a tracking device that could lead us to them," Frank announced. "My watch has a built-in receiver."

"I'm getting you all out of here right now," Agent Anderson decided. "But how to move seven people through the laboratory without raising any suspicion?" he mused.

At this, a clever look came into Velma's eye. "I have an idea," she said. "I'll need a sharp knife, some string, that bolt of silver fabric over there, those portraits from the hallway and seven glass fishbowls."

Midge grinned. She had a feeling this was going to be good!

CHAPTER 49

"It's John Glenn!"

"Why, it's the Mercury 7 astronauts come to pay us a visit!" a scientist cried. He put his work aside and waved hello to the brave men who would someday ride their rockets into space.

"Look, everyone! It's John Glenn! " someone else exclaimed. A cry went up throughout the caverns. Men everywhere put down their clipboards and rulers, protractors and compasses and blinked their eyes in profound disbelief. The seven bravest men in America, wearing their shiny silver suits and protective bubble-shaped headgear, were walking through their rocket rooms, accompanied by Agent Anderson!

Voices rang out. "Hi Wally!" "Hi Gus!"

A mathematician began to clap, and within minutes, the room was thundering with applause. The astronauts waved manfully before getting into the transport elevator.

"Did you see? Scott Carpenter looked right at me! " a rocket chemist beamed. "Now I'm too excited to get anything done today."

"Come back to Earth, Chip," his chum teased. "We've got that big launch tomorrow. You want to come out on top, don't you?"

The rocket chemist shook his head. "I still think it's premature to launch the MaxxThruster this early in the game. We're going to look like awful fools if this thing doesn't fly, plus we'll lose the public's confidence, and we can't afford to do that."

"Don't worry," his chum assured him. "You don't think they'd let it go up if it wasn't a tight ship, do you? Besides, if the government wasn't one hundred percent confident, do you think they'd bring the Mercury 7 fellows here?"

CHAPTER 50

To the Rescue!

"I can't wait to get out of here and into some fresh air and open sky," Midge complained as she yanked off her glass headgear and pushed up her John Glenn mask. "Phew. That's better. I'm beginning to feel claustrophobic from being down here, especially with this thing over my head."

"Better put your disguise back on, in case someone gets on the elevator," Joe warned.

Midge complied.

"Velma, you are brilliant," Jackie said through the air holes in her mask. "I've always suspected as much, but now I'm certain of it. Why, putting these photographs of the Mercury 7 astronauts over our faces was a stroke of genius."

"Finding that map and making your way into these caverns took acts of brains and courage far exceeding anything you've ever done," Mr. Hardly said to his sons. "I want you boys to know that I've never been more proud of you." Mr. Hardly's voice was thick with emotion. "I'm proud to be your father."

"We'll always be proud to be your sons," Frank assured him. Father and son exchanged strong, silent glances. No words were necessary.

"Father," Frank then said softly.

"Yes, son?"

"Father, I've got some things to tell you. So much has happened since I saw you last. You need to know-Father, I'mI'm-not the boy I used to be."

Mr. Hardly glanced at the handsome fellow by Frank's side and smiled. "And I'm not the man you think I am," he told his eldest son. "As soon as we're back home, safe and sound, we'll have a good long talk over a piece of your mother's famous peach cobbler."

Frank smiled happily. Somehow he just knew everything would be okay!

"We're here," Agent Anderson spoke out as the elevator came to a halt. "Now, our aim is to get to the tunnel headed northwest. That's the direct link to the sanitarium. Word has no doubt spread that the Mercury 7 astronauts are visiting, so remember to wave but move quickly."

"People really like these guys," Midge remarked as men jumped out of their path, pointed and waved their handkerchiefs.

"In these get-ups, we could probably eat free anywhere in town," Jackie replied in a low tone.

"Or rob a bank," Midge chortled.

Agent Anderson gave them a look of mock horror.

Frank grinned. "You'll get used to these two," he whispered.