Кэролайн Кин - Тайна загадочной лестницы [with w_cat]

[922] "No, indeed," Aunt Rosemary told her. "Many old homes where there were servants had such places. Don't forget that our country has been involved in several wars, during which traitors and spies found it easy to get information while posing as servants."

[923] "Very clever," Helen remarked. "And I suppose a lot of the people who were caught never knew how they had been found out."

[924] "No doubt," said Aunt Rosemary.

[925] At that moment they heard Miss Flora's feeble voice calling from the bedroom and hurried up the steps to be sure that she was all right. They found her smiling, but she complained that she did not like to stay alone so long.

[926] "I won't leave you again tonight, Mother," Aunt Rosemary promised. "I'm going to sleep on the couch in this room so as not to disturb you. Now try to get a little sleep."

[927] The following morning Nancy had a phone call from Hannah Gruen, whose voice sounded very irate. "I've just heard from Mr. Barradale, the railroad lawyer, Nancy. He lost your address and phone number, so he called here. I'm furious at what he had to say. He hinted that your father might be staying away on purpose because he wasn't able to produce Willie Wharton!"

[928] Nancy was angry too. "Why, that's absolutely unfair and untrue," she cried.

[929] "Well, I just wouldn't stand for it if I were you," Hannah Gruen stated flatly. "And that's only half of it."

[930] "You mean he had more to say about Dad?" Nancy questioned quickly.

[931] "No, not that," the housekeeper answered. "He was calling to say that the railroad can't hold up the bridge project any longer. If some new evidence isn't produced by Monday, the railroad will be forced to accede to the demands of Willie Wharton and all those other property owners!"

[932] "Oh, that would be a great blow to Dad!" said Nancy. "He wouldn't want this to happen. He's sure that the signature on that contract of sale is Willie Wharton's. All he has to do is find him and prove it."

[933] "Everything is such a mess," said Mrs. Gruen. "I was talking to the police just before I called you and they have no leads at all to where your father might be."

[934] "Hannah, this is dreadful" said Nancy. "I don't know how, but I intend to find Dad—and quickly, too!"

[935] After the conversation between herself and the housekeeper was over, Nancy walked up and down the hall, as she tried to formulate a plan. Something must be done!

[936] Suddenly Nancy went to the front door, opened it, and walked outside. She breathed deeply of the lovely morning air and headed for the rose garden. She let the full beauty of the estate sink into her consciousness, before permitting herself to think further about the knotty problem before her.

[937] Long ago Mr. Drew had taught Nancy that the best way to clear one's brain is to commune with Nature for a time. Nancy went up one walk and down another, listening to the twittering of the birds and now and then the song of the meadow lark. Again she smelled deeply of the roses and the sweet wisteria which hung over a sagging arbor.

[938] Ten minutes later she returned to the house and sat down on the porch steps. Almost at once a mental image of Nathan Comber came to her as dearly as if the man had been standing in front of her. The young sleuth's mind began to put together the various pieces of the puzzle regarding him and the railroad property.

[939] "Maybe Nathan Comber is keeping Willie Wharton away!" she said to herself. "Willie may even be a prisoner! And if Comber is that kind of a person, maybe he engineered the abduction of my father!"

[940] The very thought frightened Nancy. Leaping up, she decided to ask the police to have Nathan Comber shadowed.

[941] "I'll go down to headquarters and talk to Captain Rossland," she decided. "And I'll ask Helen to go along. The cleaning woman is here, so she can help Aunt Rosemary in case of an emergency."

[942] Without explaining her real purpose in wanting to go downtown, Nancy merely asked Helen to accompany her there for some necessary marketing. The two girls drove off, and on the way to town Nancy gave Helen full details of her latest theories about Nathan Comber.

[943] Helen was amazed. "And here he was acting so worried about your father's safety!"

[944] When the girls reached police headquarters, they had to wait a few minutes to see Captain Rossland. Nancy fidgeted under the delay. Every moment seemed doubly precious now. But finally the girls were ushered inside and the officer greeted them warmly.

[945] "Another clue, Miss Drew?" he asked with a smile.

[946] Nancy told her story quickly.

[947] "I think you're on the right track," the officer stated. "I'll be very glad to get in touch with your Captain McGinnis in River Heights and relay your message. And I'll notify all the men on my force to be on the lookout for this Nathan Comber."

[948] "Thank you," said Nancy gratefully. "Every hour that goes by I become more and more worried about my father."

[949] "A break should come soon," the officer told her kindly. "The minute I hear anything I'll let you know."

[950] Nancy thanked him and the girls went on their way. It took every bit of Nancy's stamina not to show her inmost feelings. She rolled the cart through the supermarket almost automatically, picking out needed food items. Her mind would say, "We need more canned peas because the ghost took what we had," and at the meat counter she reflected, "Dad loves thick, juicy steaks."

[951] Finally the marketing was finished and the packages stowed in the rear of the convertible. On the way home, Helen asked Nancy what plans she had for pursuing the mystery.

[952] "To tell the truth, I've been thinking about it continuously, but so far I haven't come up with any new ideas," Nancy answered. "I'm sure, though, that something will pop up."

[953] When the girls were a little distance from the entrance to the Twin Elms estate, they saw a car suddenly pull out of the driveway and make a right turn. The driver leaned out his window and looked back. He wore a smug grin.

[954] "Why, it's Nathan Gomber!" Nancy cried out.

[955] "And did you see that smirk on his face?" Helen asked. "Oh, Nancy, maybe that means he's finally persuaded Miss Flora to sell the property to him!"

[956] "Yes," Nancy replied grimly. "And also, here I've just asked the police to shadow him and I'm the first person to see him!"

[957] With that Nancy put on speed and shot ahead. As she passed the driveway to the estate, Helen asked, "Where are you going?"

[958] "I'm following Nathan Comber until I catch him!"

[959] CHAPTER XVI. Sold!

[960] "On, NANCY, I hope we meet a police officer!" said Helen Corning. "If Comber is a kidnaper, he may try to harm us if we do catch up to him!"

[961]  "We'll have to be cautious," Nancy admitted. "But I'm afraid we're not going to meet any policeman. I haven't seen one on these roads in all the time I've been here."

[962] Both girls watched the car ahead of them intently. It was near enough for Nancy to be able to read the license number. She wondered if the car was registered under Comber's name or someone else's. If it belonged to a friend of his, this fact might lead the police to another suspect

[963] "Where do you think Comber's going?" Helen asked presently. "To meet somebody?"

[964] "Perhaps. And he may be on his way back to River Heights."

[965] "Not yet," Helen said, for at that moment Comber had reached a crossroads and turned sharp right. "That road leads away from River Heights."

[966] "But it does lead past Riverview Manor," Nancy replied tensely as she neared the crossroads.

[967] Turning right, the girls saw Comber ahead, tearing along at a terrific speed. He passed the vacant mansion. A short distance beyond it he began to turn his car lights off and on.

[968] "What's he doing that for?" Helen queried. "Is he just testing his lights?"

[969] Nancy was not inclined to think so. "I believe he's signaling to someone. Look all around, Helen, and see if you can spot anybody." She herself was driving so fast that she did not dare take her eyes from the road.

[970] Helen gazed right and left, and then turned to gaze through the back window. "I don't see a soul," she reported.

Nancy began to feel uneasy. It was possible that Comber might have been signaling to someone to follow the girls. "Helen, keep looking out the rear window and see if a car appears and starts to follow us."

[971] "Maybe we ought to give up the chase and just tell the police about Comber," Helen said a bit fearfully.

[972] But Nancy did not want to do this. "I think it will help us a lot to know where he's heading."

She continued the pursuit and several miles farther on came to the town of Hancock.

[973] "Isn't this where that crinkly-eared fellow lives?" Helen inquired.

"Yes."

[974] "Then it's my guess Comber is going to see him."

[975] Nancy reminded her friend that the man was reported to be out of town, presumably because he was wanted by the police on a couple of robbery charges.

[976] Though Hancock was small, there was a great deal of traffic on the main street. In the center of town at an intersection, there was a signal light. Comber shot through the green, but by the time Nancy reached the spot, the light had turned red.

[977] "Oh dear!" she fumed. "Now I'll probably lose him!"

[978] In a few seconds the light changed to green and Nancy again took up her pursuit. But she felt that at this point it was futile. Comber could have turned down any of a number of side streets, or if he had gone straight through the town he would now be so far ahead of her that it was doubtful she could catch him. Nancy went on, nevertheless, for another three miles. Then, catching no sight of her quarry, she decided to give up the chase.

[979] "I guess it's hopeless, Helen," she said. "I'm going back to Hancock and report everything to the police there. I'll ask them to get in touch with Captain Rossland and Captain McGinnis."

[980] "Oh, I hope they capture Comber 1" Helen said. "He's such a horrible man! He ought to be put in jail just for his bad manners!"

[981] Smiling, Nancy turned the car and headed back for Hancock. A woman passer-by gave her directions to police headquarters and a few moments later Nancy parked in front of it. The girls went inside the building. Nancy told the officer in charge who they were, then gave him full details of the recent chase.

[982] The officer listened attentively, then said, "I'll telephone your River Heights captain first."

[983] "And please alert your own men and the State Police," Nancy requested.

[984] He nodded. "Don't worry, Miss Drew, I'll follow through from here." He picked up his phone.

[985] Helen urged Nancy to leave immediately. "While you were talking, I kept thinking about Comber's visit to Twin Elms. I have a feeling something may have happened there. You remember what a self-satisfied look Comber had on his face when we saw him come out of the driveway."

[986] "You're right," Nancy agreed. "We'd better hurry back there."

[987] It was a long drive back to Twin Elms and the closer the girls go to it, the more worried they became. "Miss Flora was already ill," Helen said tensely, "and Comber's visit may have made her worse."

[988] On reaching the house, the front door was opened by Aunt Rosemary, who looked pale.

[989] "I'm so glad you've returned," she said. "My mother is much worse. She has had a bad shock. I'm waiting for Dr. Morrison."

[990] Mrs. Hayes’ voice was trembling and she found it hard to go on. Nancy said sympathetically, "We know Nathan Comber was here. We've been chasing his car, but lost it. Did he upset Miss Flora?"

[991] "Yes. I was out of the house about twenty minutes talking with the gardener and didn't happen to see Comber drive up. The cleaning woman, Lillie, let him in. Of course she didn't know who he was and thought he was all right. When she finally came outside to tell me, I had walked way over to the wisteria arbor at the far end of the grounds.

"In the meantime, Comber went upstairs. He began talking to Mother about selling the mansion. When she refused, he threatened her, saying that if she did not sign, all kinds of dreadful things would happen to me and to both you girls.

"Poor mother couldn't hold out any longer. At this moment Lillie, who couldn't find me, returned and went upstairs. She actually witnessed Mother's signature on the contract of sale and signed her own name to it. So Comber has won!"

[992] Aunt Rosemary sank into the chair by the telephone and began to cry. Nancy and Helen put their arms around her, but before either could say a word of comfort, they heard a car drive up in front of the mansion. At once Mrs. Hayes dried her eyes and said, "It must be Dr. Morrison."

[993] Nancy opened the door and admitted the physician. The whole group went upstairs where Miss Flora lay staring at the ceiling like someone in a trance. She was murmuring: