The Mystery at Lilac Inn - Carolyn Keene [9]
“While you do that, I’ll fix some lunch for us,” Mrs. Gruen offered. “You must be starved. It’s two o’clock.”
Nancy went to the hall telephone and a minute later was requesting the switchboard operator at the Cleveland hotel to ring Mr. Drew’s room.
“Hello?” came the lawyer’s deep, resonant voice.
“Hi, Dad! How good to hear you!” Nancy said happily.
She gave him an account of the burglary and succeeding events. Carson Drew was greatly concerned. “Nancy,” he added in a troubled voice, “I didn’t bring your photograph with me. Your double must have taken it. She has already fooled four persons who don’t know you well. With the help of the picture, she may try something bolder,” he stated.
“You think this girl has some ulterior motive. other than faking my charge account, don’t you, Dad?”
“I’m afraid so. Be on your guard, Nancy. Try to stay with a group as much as possible, particularly after you return to Lilac Inn.”
The lawyer added that he would be home the next day. “I’ll look into the whole affair then.”
Nancy promised to be careful and said good-by. She and Hannah sat down and ate lunch. Finally Nancy said she had to pack and leave.
“But first I’m going to try locating that waitress Mary Mason.” Nancy picked up the telephone directory and thumbed through it until she reached the M’s. She called two families named Mason, but each denied having a relative Mary.
“Probably,” Nancy surmised, “Mary did not live in this area.”
Deep in thought she went upstairs and took a suitcase from her closet. Nancy quickly placed additional garments in it, then gathered up her skin-diving equipment: green rubber fins, a diving mask, and an aqualung. Finally, Nancy packed a rubber suit which would insulate her body against the cold river water, and an underwater camera her father had given her.
Nancy kissed Hannah good-by and got into her convertible. She drove to the Comings’ home and picked up Helen’s suitcase, then set out for Lilac Inn.
Her thoughts revolved around the mystery out there and also on the problem of her impersonator. “No one could look enough like me to be absolutely identical. Why, even identical twins have distinguishing characteristics,” she told herself with a smile, “such as the shape of fingernails, voice tones, and facial expressions.”
The late-afternoon traffic on the highway to Benton was becoming heavy. Nancy turned from the main road onto a very narrow, less-used one. Presently, in her mirror, she saw a red panel truck behind her coming along at an alarming speed. Nancy, at the same time, noted an arrow indicating a sharp curve ahead. She braked and motioned the truck driver to slow down.
Either he did not see her signal, or was ignoring it. Instead of slowing down, the truck’s speed increased, as if to pass her. The curve was not wide enough for two cars to go side by side. On Nancy’s right was a deep ditch, filled with water.
She had no choice but to start around the curve. To her horror, the other vehicle was already edging around her left fender. Nancy glimpsed a chrome eagle ornament on the truck’s hood.
A split second later her convertible was forced over into the ditch!
CHAPTER V
Blackout!
As NANCY’S convertible leaned precariously, its right wheels in the ditch, the panel truck roared on around the bend and out of sight. Nancy braked her car to a stop, thankful it had not turned over.
“That driver ought to have his license revoked!” she thought indignantly. She knew it would be difficult to get out of the muddy ditch. “Well, I’ll have a try,” she decided. “Here goes!”
She tried to rock the car gently back and forth to gain momentum. The right tires spun crazily and sank lower into the mire.
Nancy tried again. No use. She feared it might be some time before a car would come along in this deserted area. Finally she decided to search for some objects to force under the right wheels for traction.
Just then, Nancy heard an automobile approaching. “Thank goodness!” she murmured a moment later. “A State Police car.”
It drew up and parked at the side of the road. A young