The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene [Keene, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-11-05T18:54:50+00:00

CHAPTER XII

“Try to Catch Me!”

AT Mr. Simpson’s announcement all eyes turned in his direction, and there were gasps of astonishment.

“You actually met Gus Woonton’s parents?” Nancy asked.

The actor smiled. “A Gus Woonton. He may not be the person you’re looking for.”

“Oh, I’m sure he is!” Bess said excitedly.

George remarked, “It’s a rather uncommon name. Where did Mr. and Mrs. Woonton say their son is?”

“They didn’t say.”

Hannah Gruen spoke up. “That’s not surprising, if he was a problem child. It isn’t exactly a subject they’d be likely to talk about to strangers.”

George asked, “Where do Mr. and Mrs. Woonton live now?”

The actor shook his head, saying he had met them in St. Louis about four years before but had never seen them again.

“I heard through some friends of mine I knew in the theater that both the Woontons had passed away.”

“Poor Gus,” said Nancy. After a moment she added, “Mr. Simpson, have you any idea when this happened and where?”

“Sorry, but I haven’t. If it will help you, I might try to track down some information through those same friends.”

Nancy thanked him but suggested that he not bother until after she had talked with her father.

“Perhaps he can find out. St. Louis is a good lead.”

“I understand,” the actor went on, “that the Woontons I met had a great deal of money in savings accounts and securities. This fact should help you in tracking down the couple.”

Nancy smiled. “It’s a very good clue, Mr. Simpson. I’ll phone my father in a little while and tell him.”

Dinner was over a short time later. By tacit arrangement Miss Carter and Mr. Simpson were left alone in the living room. Mrs. Bealing and Hannah went into the kitchen, while Bess and George carried out the empty dishes from the table.

Nancy telephoned her father who was amazed at the progress she had made on the case. He promised to call the Beverly immediately and to let Nancy know what he found out.

“I can’t wait to hear,” she said.

In about an hour Mr. Drew telephoned his findings. He said that the owner of the Beverly, Dr. Norton Jones, had been astonished to learn that Mr. and Mrs. Woonton had passed away.

“Dr. Jones told me,” the lawyer went on, “that no checks for services to Gus had come for several months before the young man had run away. The owner had not been surprised at this. He had assumed Gus’s parents were on a long trip and would eventually pay.

“He was amazed when I told him what we suspect about Gus, saying the Beverly had tried without success to find him. The doctor had thought possibly Gus knew where his parents were and had gone to them.”

Nancy and her father talked for a long time, speculating on whether Gus had flown to St. Louis or some other place to claim the money which probably had been left to him.

“If he did,” Nancy said, “why would he have come back here? Dad, I think perhaps Gus doesn’t know his parents have passed away.

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