The Mystery at Lilac Inn - Carolyn Keene [13]
“These panel openings must have fallen into disuse before I purchased the inn,” he remarked.
“One thing’s certain,” said Nancy. “The thief not only has an intimate knowledge of the original floor plan of Lilac Inn but also knew two other things: that Emily was to receive her diamonds tonight, and where Mrs. Willoughby was to present them.”
“Too bad I didn’t get back sooner tonight,” said John, frowning. “I might have met the thief. Incidentally, she must have had an accomplice to work the lighting system.”
“But how could they communicate at just the right moment if one of them was in the cellar?” Helen asked.
“I can answer that,” said Mr. Daly. “The panel board for the light control is directly under that private dining room. The floor is worn so thin that conversation upstairs can be heard down there.”
Nancy nodded. “After the person in the cellar was sure the thief was hidden again, he or she turned on the lights to make the whole thing look like a temporary outside power failure.”
“What shall we do now?” Maud asked nervously.
“Call the police immediately,” Nancy advised.
“No!” Emily cried out.
Everyone looked at her in surprise. Emily flushed, but remained adamant.
“If people hear we’ve had a robbery,” she argued, “it may discourage them from coming to Lilac Inn. Calling in the police will mean newspaper publicity. Dick and I have worked too hard to risk it.”
“It will be a shame if you don’t recover the diamonds,” Helen spoke up. “But if you report the theft, at least you can collect the insurance, Emily, and use that money for the inn as you planned.”
At this remark Mrs. Willoughby’s face again turned ash-white and the others thought she was about to faint again. “Insurance. Insurance,” she said hoarsely. “There isn’t any! I thought the jewels were safe in the bank vault and let the insurance policy lapse!”
Everyone listening was stunned and tears came to Emily’s eyes. She turned to Nancy and asked in a trembling voice, “What shall I do?”
It was Helen who spoke up. “Have Nancy take over the case of your missing diamonds, Emily. I guarantee she’ll unearth them!”
All the others backed Helen’s suggestion eagerly except Maud. The social director merely raised her eyebrows.
The amateur sleuth smiled. “I’ll be glad to do what I can, Emily, but this is a big assignment. If I don’t succeed very soon, will you promise to notify the police?”
“It’s a bargain, Nancy.”
John whistled. “Miss Nancy Drew, detective, you’re not going to have much time for skin diving.”
Nancy laughed. “I’ll find time.”
John cautioned the Willoughbys to make sure all first-floor doors and windows were kept locked at night. He himself went outside to make another tour of the grounds. Emily reassured her unhappy aunt and persuaded her to go to bed. Maud said she would follow.
The three girls decided to check the window and door locks in the various rooms. Emily took the kitchen and offices, while Nancy and Helen headed for the other rooms. Minutes later they met in the lobby to report everything locked.
Helen gave a huge sigh. “Nancy, aren’t you exhausted after all this excitement?”
Nancy admitted that she was a bit tired. “Two burglaries in one day and a car mishap are quite enough.” She smiled wearily. “Helen, what’s your theory about the theft of Emily’s diamonds?”
The dark-haired girl hesitated. “I’m sure it’s an outside job but—”
“Out with it, Miss Corning,” Nancy urged. “Whom do you suspect?”
“John McBride!” her friend blurted. “I like him very much, but he was away most of today. Yet Emily said he was here to help fix up the inn during Dick’s absence.”
“Yes, she did,” Nancy admitted. “But I can’t believe John has anything to do with either the theft or the mysterious happenings at Lilac Inn.”
The young sleuth’s eyes had been roving back and forth across the floor, since it was instinctive with her to be hunting for clues whenever a mystery confronted her. Something glinted in a corner under a chair. She went to pick it up as Emily