A Ghost in the Closet: A Nancy Clue and Hardly Boys Mystery by Mabel Maney

Author:Mabel Maney [Maney, Mabel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Parodies, Humor, Form
ISBN: 9781573442282
Google: qGm3NCN_5LYC
Amazon: 1573442283
Publisher: Cleis Press
Published: 1995-01-01T23:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER 28

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What Luck!

"I don't know how you kids stand the suspense of detective work. Why, I can barely attend an auction without fainting in anticipation during the bidding," Uncle Nelly admitted as he paced up and down the living room all atwitter, practically wearing a path in the antique Turkish rug. "Oh dear, oh dear," he fretted whilst wringing his hands together. "What if Frank and Nancy are lying in a heap, all broken and bruised?" he wailed.

"Uncle, you know Nancy and Frank are seasoned detectives," Joe consoled the nervous Nelly. "Why, they've been through far worse than this and always return victorious with nary a hair out of place."

Still Nelly couldn't rest. "If anything should happen to either one of you boys, your father would never forgive me. Why, you're the apples of his eye!"

"Nelson, why not sit down and have a hot soothing drink?" Willy urged as he came into the room with a tray of nourishing snacks and steaming hot coffee. He had busied himself in the kitchen making a selection of sandwiches in case the errant detectives required sustenance after their underground ordeal. "And I've brought a plate of your favorite anise cookies," Willy tempted his touchy chum.

"I couldn't possibly eat a thing," Uncle Nelly protested. "Well, maybe just one," he murmured, adding, "This may be a long night; I'd best keep up my strength." Uncle Nelly took a cookie from the plate and nervously nibbled at it. "Drat!" he exclaimed as he dropped some crumbs on the carpet. He raced to the kitchen and returned with a small whisk broom and a dustpan.

"While I'm at it, I might as well get to these dirty windows." He took a bottle of window-cleaning solution and a clean cotton rag from his pocket and feverishly attacked the front pic ture-glass. "Oh, dear, I liked this fabric when I picked it out, but now I think it looks all wrong in this room," he bemoaned as he glared at the chintz drapes. "Will, do you think we need new curtains?" he cried.

"It's up to you, dear," Willy said. "Your uncle always redecorates when he's upset," he added in an aside to Joe. It was best, Willy knew, to keep out of Nelly's way in times like these. "How's your ladder coming along, Joe?" Willy asked, eager to lend the lad a hand. As an ex-merchant marine, Willy knew practically all there was to know about hitches, knots, slings, splices and lashings. He carefully checked Joe's work and found it to his liking. "This will hold you for sure," he said approvingly as he examined Joe's handiwork. Joe was turning out to be a lad after his own heart!

While Joe anchored the ladder with an anvil, Jackie slipped on a knapsack containing food, medical supplies and extra flashlight batteries. They had called down to Frank and Nancy but received no response, so Jackie and Joe were going down after them.

"You'll need a warm, sensible sweater," Cherry reminded Jackie softly.

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