The Haunted Carousel by Carolyn Keene

Author:Carolyn Keene [Keene, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

11. Romany Rendezvous

The more Nancy considered the question, the more certain she felt that the boat thieves were, indeed, the midnight intruders in the park. Rather than run out into one of the lighted streets that bordered Riverside Park on three sides—and thus run the risk of being spotted and captured—they had cleverly made their getaway in the darkness via the river, in the stolen boat.

“Did you ever get your boat back?” Nancy asked Vic Marsh.

“Oh yes, it was found abandoned the next morning, just a little ways downriver.”

“And where is it now, Mr. Marsh?”

“Back on its trailer, in my driveway at home.”

“How was it returned to you?” she inquired. The gas station operator looked puzzled. “I went and picked it up myself, after the cops called me. Why?”

“Because if no one else handled it in between times, it may still have the thieves’ fingerprints on it.”

Vic Marsh’s eyes lit up. “Hey, that’s a smart idea!”

“Any objection if I ask the police to go to your house and check the boat?”

“Be my guest!”

Nancy called Police Chief McGinnis from a booth just outside the service station and explained her notion.

“Right you are, Nancy. I’ll send one of our experts out to dust for prints this afternoon.” The chief sounded enthusiastic. “I’ll let you know the results.”

Nancy drove directly home, hoping for a quiet hour or two in which to catch up on some chores. As she entered the house, the telephone was ringing.

When she answered, a pleasant woman’s voice asked to speak to Nancy Drew.

“This is Nancy Drew,” the girl replied. “Miss Drew, you don’t know me, but I’m the woman in the silver car whom you saw driving away from the Trent house this morning.”

Nancy felt a thrill of excitement, but struggled to keep her own voice calm and casual. “Oh yes, I remember. But how did you know who I was, or where to reach me?”

“Because I recognized you from your picture in the newspaper story about the haunted carousel.”

“I see. May I ask who’s calling?”

There was a moment’s hesitation at the other end of the line. “I’d rather not answer that question for the moment, Miss Drew, if you don’t mind. It happens that I need your help. I wonder if I could meet with you somewhere.” Nancy was only too eager to learn more about her mysterious caller. “When did you have in mind?” she asked.

“Right away—or as soon as you possibly can,” the woman answered in an urgent voice. “Very well. Would you like to come here?” “Oh—thanks but no, I’d prefer someplace else. If you could meet me at the Romany Tearoom in ten or fiften minutes, I’d appreciate it.”

“Okay, I’ll be there,” Nancy promised and hung up.

The tearoom was located among a busy stretch of small shops on the fringe of downtown River Heights. After parking her car, she entered and saw the woman caller waving to

her from a small, candle-lit table by the big, beige-curtained window.

“It was very good of you to come, Miss Drew.

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