085 Sea of Suspicion

by Carolyn Keene

  "I didn't know that Morley was an active treasure hunter—"

  Nancy broke off as Sean's voice came crackling over the radio. The signal sounded very weak.

  "You two better come back to the surface right away," he said, urgently.

  "What's up, Sean?" Talia spoke into the microphone.

  A burst of static came over the speaker. There was a garbled transmission, and then Nancy thought she could make out the words bad storm.

  "I'm not sure what he said, but it sounds serious," Talia said.

  There was another burst of static, and then Nancy distinctly heard the word sinking.

  "I don't know what you made of that," Nancy said to Talia, "but it sounded to me as though Sean just said the Lady Jane is sinking!"

  Chapter Eleven

  Could the Lady Jane actually be sinking? It seemed impossible to Nancy.

  "We have to get back to the surface as quickly as possible/ 9 Talia said. She pointed to an emergency toggle switch on the sub's control panel. "We can blow out the air tanks, which will shoot us to the surface like a rocket," she said. "But it can make for a pretty scary ride."

  "Let's do it," Nancy agreed quickly, checking her seat belt.

  Talia flipped the emergency switch. They heard a loud whooshing from the back of the sub. Then it started spinning and rising like a bubble.

  Moments later the sub broke through to the surface. Huge ocean swells immediately picked up the tiny craft and tossed it around like a piece of driftwood. Angry black clouds overhead spattered sheets of rain onto the sub's view window.

  Catching an occasional glimpse of the Lady Jane, Nancy could just make out Sean, George, and Bess standing at the rail. The Lady Jane appeared to be weathering the storm much better than they were.

  "The Lady Jane looks okay." Nancy breathed a sigh of relief. "We must have got Sean's message wrong."

  "Thank goodness," Talia replied. "It's going to be hard to get back on the boat in this weather," she added in a worried voice. She explained the docking procedure to Nancy. "Zach will maneuver the boat as close to us as possible while Sean tosses us a rope." Talia said, pulling back the bolts that fastened the sub's entry hatch. "Catching the rope is the tricky part."

  When the ship got close to the drifting sub, Talia lifted the hatch and got drenched almost instantly. Sean tossed a line toward her, and after several tries, Talia caught it and fastened it to a hook on the side of the sub. Sean reeled them in using a portable winch, and then he and Talia labored together in the downpour to tether the sub to the side of the ship.

  "What's going on?" Nancy asked Sean as soon as they were back on board in dry clothes. "We heard you say something about a boat sinking. Is there a problem with the Lady Jane?"

  "No, it's the Sea Scorpion that's in trouble. We just received a distress signal from Leif Doming," Sean said breathlessly.

  "Oh, no!" Talia gasped, and stopped toweling her hair dry for a minute.

  "We have to try to locate him," Sean said.

  They went to the pilothouse, where Zach was bent over the radio. The rain was a mere mist now and the ocean swells had flattened out a little. The Lady Jane was riding almost smoothly in the still, gloomy darkness.

  "I've got the Sea Scorpion's coordinates," he said. "The Coast Guard is on the way, but we're less than a mile away, so I think we can reach her first."

  "What happened?" Nancy asked.

  "All we know is that the Sea Scorpion is taking on water. We got a distress call about twenty minutes ago," Zach replied.

  Sean threw the engine into gear, and the Lady Jane surged forward. Meanwhile, Zach radioed Doming to say that the Lady Jane was on its way.

  Nancy, George, and Talia went out on deck to scan the horizon for a glimpse of the black-hulled boat.

  "There it is!" Talia cried out after about ten minutes.

  As they drew alongside the Sea Scorpion, Nancy could tell it was in serious trouble. The vessel had already taken on a lot of water—its stern was sinking fast. Already the top deck was more than a foot underwater. Nancy could see Leif and his crew of three men loading equipment onto a motorized dinghy.

  "We have to concentrate on getting everyone off safely," Sean said. "Then we'll unload as much equipment as possible." It was a long, dangerous process because the wind had kicked up and the sea was rough again with giant waves breaking over both boats. The two crews used the dinghy to ferry equipment onto the Lady Jane.

  Doming was the last person to leave the sinking vessel. Once on board the Lady Jane he hugged Talia as he focused on his ship with an agonized expression.

  "I can't understand what happened," he said. "One minute everything was fine—the next minute we were swamped."

  Before long a Coast Guard rescue helicopter came into view and hovered above them. Since everyone had gotten off the Sea Scorpion safely, there was little for it to do.

  It was nearing the end for Leif's boat. Nancy and the others watched silently as it slipped away. Its graceful bow rose high in the air, then began its slow slide into its final descent. The Sea Scorpion vanished forever.

  After a moment of silence Sean walked up to Doming.

  "I know how you must feel, Doming," he said with a catch in his voice. "I'm sorry it happened."

  "Are you?" Doming asked with a trace of hostility. "I owe you one for rescuing my crew, Sean. But I haven't forgotten your little raid on my ship the other night."

  "Did you notice anything unusual today before you started taking on water?" Nancy asked Doming, ignoring his criticism of her.

  Doming glared for a moment without answering, then he sighed and answered. "Not really. This morning we were all so excited—one of my crew members had found a gold doubloon. We thought it might be from the Ninfa Marina."

  "You found a gold piece from the Ninfa Marina this morning?" Sean echoed excitedly.

  Doming nodded. "After we found it we went back in to refuel at Hank Morley's and have an early lunch. After lunch we went back out, and that's when all the trouble started."

  "So you left the ship unattended at Hank's shop for a while," Nancy said thoughtfully.

  "Well, Hank kept an eye on it." Doming shrugged. "I still don't understand what happened. There was a cracking sound, and then the bilge pump wouldn't work. Water just kept rising in the hold. We couldn't even find the leak."

  "Do you think the leak could have been the result of sabotage?" Nancy asked.

  Doming shrugged. "Maybe," he said in an exasperated tone.

  One of Dorning's crew had been standing and listening with his eyes wide and staring. "It must have been the curse," the burly sailor said in frightened hushed tones. "The curse of the Ninfa Marina!"

  "Keep a lid on it, Murphy," Doming snapped. "You know I don't have any patience for that kind of talk."

  Nancy saw Zach approach the man, and the two men began an intense conversation about the curse of the Ninfa Marina.

  Nancy turned away and walked by herself. She wanted a moment alone to think things through. She was recalling that Talia had said that Zach and Hank Morley were close friends, and now it appeared that Morley had access to the Sea Scorpion just before it sank.

  George and Bess came up and joined her. "What do you think all this means, Nancy?" George asked.

  Nancy looked over her shoulder to make sure no one could overhear. "Until yesterday, Doming was high on my list of suspects. Now it seems that he's been the victim of sabotage—just like Sean."

  "Where does that leave us?" Bess asked.

  "The only person I know is involved in all this is that bearded guy—the one who left me the skull and the warning note," she said. "And so far, all my information about him has come from one source—Hank Morley."

  George's brown eyes lit up with understanding. "And Doming has just told us that Hank Morley was alone with the Sea Scorpion before she sank today."

  Nancy nodded. "Exactly. The question is, how does Hank Morley tie into Rusty's murder? I think it's time I did a little check
ing on our friend Mr. Morley."

  When they arrived back at the marina, Sean and Dorning's crews began unloading the equipment that had been salvaged from Dorning's ship. "This'll keep us busy for a few hours," Sean said to Nancy.

  "We'll head back to the inn and pick up Ned," she replied. Nancy, Bess, and George drove directly to the Sunset Cove Inn to find Ned waiting on the front porch.

  "Hi, Bess. Hi, George. Hi, Nan," Ned said, greeting Nancy with a kiss. "I feel great now. See?" He held his hand up to show them all that the swelling from the scorpion bite had disappeared.

  Bess and George excused themselves to change for dinner.

  "Are you sure you're okay?" Nancy asked softly after the girls had gone.

  Ned picked her up in a bear hug and swung her around. "Does that answer your question?" he said lightly.

  "Enough! I believe you!" Nancy protested laughingly. "And after I rest and get changed for dinner, I'll even put you to the test."

  "A romantic test, I hope?" Ned asked teas-ingly.

  She grinned. "That, too—but right now I'm talking about my case."

  Ned turned serious. "What happened today?" he asked.

  Nancy filled him in on the developments of the day, including the sinking of the Sea Scorpion. "I have a hunch that was no accident," she asserted. "I may need your help to do a little snooping around Hank Morley's shop."

  "Consider it done," Ned replied.

  Nancy smiled. "Thanks," she said. "But first, I think we're entitled to eat some dinner, don't you?" Ned nodded vigorously. "After I shower and change," she added.

  "I'm too stuffed to do any spying tonight," Bess said a couple of hours later, pushing back from the table. She, Nancy, Ned, and George had just polished off a huge crock of spicy chili and corn muffins, with pitchers of iced tea, at Mile Marker 4, a tiny roadside cafe along Highway 1.

  "That's all right, Bess," Nancy said. "You can wait for us in the car at Hank's place. We'll need a lookout, anyway." Nancy had asked Bess and George to join them spying that night.

  A kindly-looking woman with short gray hair suddenly appeared beside Bess's chair. Nancy recognized her as the hostess who had seated them. "Does anyone here drive a white convertible?" the woman asked.

  "I do," Nancy replied.

  The woman held out a folded square of paper. "Someone left a note that your lights are on," she said.

  "Thanks," Nancy said, pocketing the note. "I can't believe I did such a dumb thing," she said lightly. "I hope the car battery hasn't run down."

  "What a pain," Bess sympathized. "I know because I leave my lights on at least once a month."

  "I'll be right back, guys," Nancy said, rising and making her way through the front door to the restaurant parking lot. She glanced at her car and was puzzled to note that the lights were not on.

  Whoever left the note must have been mistaken, Nancy thought. She shrugged and started back toward the front door. Then, on second thought, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the note the hostess had given her.

  Nancy drew in a sharp breath. The heavy scrawl on the note—it was the same handwriting that had been on the threatening note she'd received the day before. It was the bearded guy again! Nancy realized with a jolt. He must have lied about the headlights to lure her outside.

  Just then she heard a rustling noise off to her left. Instinctively, she ducked and dove behind a car, but it was too late.

  Nancy saw the flash of a gun at the same moment she heard a muffled shot ring out. A split second later she felt a searing pain in her left arm. Oh, no, she thought. I've been hit!

  Chapter Twelve

  Nancy winced and grabbed her left arm. Gritting her teeth, she made herself check the wound. Then she let out her breath on a rush of relief.

  The bullet had grazed her upper arm. Despite the burning sensation, Nancy could tell it wasn't really serious.

  Ned and George came bursting through the restaurant door, followed by Bess.

  "Nancy! Are you all right?" Ned cried out, kneeling beside her. "You've been hurt."

  "A bullet just grazed my arm. I'll be okay," Nancy assured him.

  "I'll go get some towels to use as a compress," Bess said. She hurried back into the restaurant.

  George bent over Nancy anxiously. "Did you see who fired at you?" she asked. "Was it the bearded guy?"

  Nancy nodded. "I didn't see him. But I just realized that the handwriting on this note the hostess gave me matches the writing on the note in the skull. So I'm sure it had to be the bearded guy. It looks like this time he meant business."

  By now some of the restaurant staff and other guests had gathered in an anxious circle around Nancy. Bess pushed through them as she returned with the towels.

  "We'll use these to stop the bleeding," she said, pressing a towel gently against Nancy's arm. "Someone inside already called the police and an ambulance."

  "I don't need an ambulance," Nancy protested, but Ned shook his head.

  "That arm needs to be looked at right away," he said firmly. "Nan, when I think of what might have happened . . ." Ned choked up and was unable to finish his sentence.

  Within minutes the police and ambulance arrived. As the paramedic bandaged her arm, Nancy described the attack to a detective. She mentioned the case she was working on, including a description of the bearded guy. Nancy and the detective talked with the restaurant hostess. The hostess confirmed that the man who left the note about Nancy's car lights being on had had a beard.

  The detective dispatched a description of the man and his gray sedan. If spotted, he should be stopped for questioning in connection with the shooting.

  An officer found the bullet that had grazed Nancy embedded in a tree. He dug the slug out and dropped it into a plastic evidence bag.

  "I'll make a note on my police report about a possible tie-in to Sean Mahoney's case," the detective said to Nancy. "That's about all I can do at this point."

  The paramedic finished bandaging Nancy's arm, then handed her a prescription for antibiotics. "There's a risk of infection, even with a minor gunshot wound," he explained. "You'll need to take it easy for the next twenty-four hours."

  After the police and paramedics left, Nancy returned to the car with Ned, George, and Bess.

  "I still want to check out Hank Morley's place tonight," she said to her friends. "Somehow I feel he's the key to everything that's been happening.

  "No way," George and Ned said in unison.

  "You heard what the paramedic said, Nancy," Bess said. "Your health could be at stake."

  "That's right," Ned insisted. "We're going to pick up this medication and head straight back to the hotel."

  Nancy could see there was no use arguing with them. "All right, you win," she said. "But just for tonight."

  Nancy was out of bed before anyone else the next morning. Her left arm ached underneath the bandage, but she forced herself to ignore it and pulled on a long-sleeved T-shirt to hide the bandage.

  By eight o'clock, Nancy, Ned, George, and Bess were on board the Lady Jane. Sean was visibly upset about the attack on Nancy the night before.

  "The police called me last night," he said. "I don't want you to take any more chances, Nancy," he said anxiously. "I'd feel awful if anything else happened to you."

  Nancy brushed off Sean's concern. "Last night's attack tells me that the bearded man and his accomplice know we're closing in on them," she told Sean. "We can't afford to back off now."

  While the crew got the Lady Jane ready to go, and George, Ned, and Bess made a run to the doughnut shop, Nancy went off to survey Hank Morley's shop and was disappointed to find him already at work. There would be no chance to nose around until that night.

  When Nancy got back to the ship, Zach was just heading for the pilothouse to start the engine and cast off. Nancy looked around. Everyone seemed to be in a lighter mood, maybe because the sun was out.

  Talia was demonstrating to Bess how the submersible worked. Next to them, George and Sean had t
heir heads bent together, whispering. Nancy saw George peer up into Sean's eyes and smile.

  "How are you feeling, Nancy?" Ned handed her a cool drink that he had just brought up from the galley.

  "Good, thanks," Nancy replied, taking a sip of the lemonade and sitting in a deck chair. She was watching Talia with a troubled expression.

  Ned followed her glance. "Something's bothering you," Ned said in a quiet voice. "What is it?"

  "I still haven't figured out who's working with the bearded man—Talia, Zach, or Hank Mor-ley," Nancy said. "I know that guy wrote the note that lured Sean to the scene of Rusty's murder, and he's probably tied in to the sabotage, too. That makes me positive he's working with someone on the inside. And the fact that Dorning's ship went down yesterday makes me worry that we're running out of time."

  "I know you'll figure it out," Ned said. He leaned over and gently stroked her cheek.

  "Thanks, Ned," she said gratefully.

  Nancy rose from her chair. "I'm going to find Zach," she said to Ned. "I never had a chance to talk to him about the scorpion incident the other day. I want to make sure he didn't have a hand in it."

  Nancy went to the door of the pilothouse and opened it to find Zach using the ship-to-shore radio. He appeared startled to see Nancy and stopped talking abruptly. He hung up the radio mike.

  "I was just getting a weather report," Zach said quickly. "Do you need something, Nancy?"

  "I wanted to ask you about that scorpion we found in my trunk the other day," Nancy said. "Does that sort of thing happen often around here?"

  Zach nodded. "Scorpions are kind of shy little creatures. That's why you usually find them in dark, out-of-the way places, like closets."

  "I think someone may have put that scorpion in my trunk deliberately," Nancy said slowly.

  "Then Fd say you've jumped to conclusions," Zach said, his eyes flashing. "And if you're thinking that / had anything to do with it, you're dead wrong."

  Just then Sean entered the pilothouse, interrupting their conversation. "I want to take another look at the Ninfa Marina's anchor on the scanner," he said to Zach. "We'll fan out from this spot in concentric circles to search for the treasure."