Enemy Match

by Carolyn Keene

  Midge obediently called her father, then Nancy checked in at her house and spoke with Hannah, since her father was attending a special meeting. “We’re working as fast as we can so we can return home.”

  When they had finished, they rested while Midge watched TV and Nancy began formulating her plans for the next day. Finding John Ford was the number-one priority. Nina’s suffering was heavy on Nancy’s heart. But before she could continue the search, she wanted to go to the library and the police station to gather more details, particularly regarding the missing safe. If and when John Ford reappeared, he would be facing the bleak future of a prison term unless Nancy could find the key to clearing his name.

  The next morning, as they were dressing for breakfast, Nina called. A new threat had arrived, this time in the form of a note slipped under the Calishers’ front door. Nancy told her to bring the note and meet them for breakfast.

  When Nina arrived, she was extremely nervous. “Honestly,” she said, “the threats don’t upset me as much as they do Uncle Aaron.” “What about the police?” Nancy asked, “and did you tell the tournament officials?”

  “Yes, yes. They know. They say the police are working on it.”

  “Good. That should calm down Uncle Aaron.”

  “Not really,” Nina said and took the threatening note from her bag. She handed it to Nancy, who studied it.

  “Well,” Nancy said, “this won’t help us. Whoever wrote it used the old gimmick of cutting letters and words from magazines and newspapers so the message cannot be traced.” She read aloud:

  “Nina Ford, start losing. Lose your next match or risk losing everything.

  We are serious. One match won’t hurt. Otherwise, what happened to your father will happen to you.”

  Nancy put the note down. For a moment, she wondered whether she should tell Nina that her father had escaped the river but had disappeared again. When she looked at Nina’s sad little face, she decided to risk it.

  “Nina,” she said, “I have some good news. But you must promise not to tell anybody—not anybody. If you do, it might jeopardize my whole investigation.”

  Nina’s eyes lit up and she grabbed Nancy’s hand. “Oh, I promise, Nancy! You’ve got to tell me!

  “Midge and I befriended a man who saw your father helpless at the river’s edge. He saved him and brought him back to health. Unfortunately, your dad was suffering from amnesia and disappeared one morning from his hideout at the man’s cabin. He could be most anywhere trying to put together the pieces of his life, and he’s probably very scared. I hope it’s only a matter of time before we find him.” Nina’s face showed mixed feelings—joy that her father was reported alive, but sadness that he had disappeared again and was suffering.

  “Amnesia,” she cried. “He doesn’t know who he is? What will happen to him?”

  Nancy soothed her. “It’s not that bad. He does know who he is, because the man who rescued him and cared for him told him who he was. But that’s all he knows. He can’t actually remember anything. He said he wanted to clear himself, but until he gets his memory back, he’s not going to have an easy time of it.”

  The girls finally parted and Nancy again swore Nina to secrecy, reassuring her that things were beginning to look brighter. Then she and Midge headed for the library.

  Nancy asked about the newspapers covering John Ford’s accident and the librarian told her someone was reading those issues. She suggested Nancy and Midge sit at a nearby table and wait for the man to finish.

  Nancy glanced in the direction she had indicated and then the girls sat down. After a time, Midge began to fidget, and whispered, “Boy, it’s going to be fun at the old New Brighton Motor Lodge tonight. You know what’s on TV? Gone with the Wind.”

  The man reading the newspapers Nancy was waiting for glanced up and then stared at her. Slightly embarrassed that Midge had disturbed the man, Nancy shushed her. When she looked up again the man was still staring at her. But then he averted his eyes and Nancy could see that he was not reading but was staring into space, obviously thinking.

  The man was dressed in khaki clothes and had a bushy black beard. His black hair was receding at the top, and his eyes were hidden behind slightly tinted glasses.

  After a few minutes, the man got up, returned the papers to the librarian and was about to leave, when he stopped and stared at Nancy again. He looked as though he were about to speak when the sound of an approaching police siren made him freeze. Then he bolted from the library, leaving Nancy staring after him in amazement!

  12. The Crashing Staircase

  Nancy and Midge looked at each other. “That’s odd,” Midge whispered. “Have you ever seen him before?”

  Nancy shook her head and stared for a moment. “Midge,” she said suddenly, “you start reading those articles and I’ll be right back. Something tells me I should follow that man!” She dashed out the library door and onto the sidewalk.

  Looking frantically in all directions, Nancy finally caught sight of the bearded stranger some distance away. He had stepped from the curb and was motioning for a taxi.

  Nancy’s thoughts raced. Should I get my car? Then she realized that by the time she went to the parking lot she’d have little chance to find the cab. She started running toward the cab, darting around a parked car and waving her arm as she ran.

  The taxi door slammed shut. Nancy’s indecision had cost her precious time. Disgusted, she watched the car drive off into the heavy traffic.

  Nancy returned to the library and explained her failure and disappointment to Midge. “What did you find in the papers?” she finally asked, a bit breathless.

  Her assistant had scanned the articles on the accident and compared the details with what the girls had learned at Sam Jackson’s. There seemed to be no new clue. “I’m sorry, Nancy.”

  Both girls had been unnerved by the black- bearded stranger. Had he been looking up the story of the burglary, too? Could he have been one of those involved, perhaps the accomplice who had escaped on foot? And was he now also trying to find some clue as to where the safe had been hidden?

  Nancy returned the newspapers and thanked the librarian. “Come on, Midge,” she urged, “we can’t solve anything sitting in the library— let’s get over to the New Brighton police headquarters.”

  The girls made some inquiries and were directed to the desk of a Lieutenant Nelson. He was a stout, red-faced man with a ready smile and was forever mopping his perspiring forehead with a red handkerchief.

  “Good morning, Miss Drew,” he said. “Lieutenant Nelson.”

  Nancy introduced Midge as “Miss Watson, my assistant,” which caused Midge to nudge her and hiss, “Doctor Watson!”

  “What can I do for you?” the officer asked. Nancy explained that she was trying to find the safe containing the papers that John Ford claimed would clear his name. The detective got the file and spent almost an hour going through it with Nancy, confirming the facts she already knew and answering her questions. To Nancy’s disappointment, he could offer nothing new.

  “Thank you, Lieutenant Nelson,” said Nancy. “Let me ask you one more thing. Do you think John Ford was guilty?”

  The detective sighed. “John Ford was a fine man. The evidence indicated he was guilty. But my heart tells me he wasn’t. If that safe is ever found, I believe his name will be cleared.” Nancy didn’t push any further, as she did not want a discussion about whether John Ford was dead or alive. On the one hand, she had a duty to her client not to reveal that Mr. Ford was alive until she had had a fair chance to gather the evidence that might clear him. On the other hand, she would have to tell the truth about him if the officer asked a direct question. She prayed he wouldn’t ask!

  Nancy and Midge left the station a few minutes later and, after filling their gas tank, started off down the road the thieves had taken on that fateful night of the robbery. On the way, they quickly gobbled the sandwiches Nancy had brought from the coffee shop.

  They drove quickly to th
e point where the police had last had visual contact with the getaway car, then Nancy slowed down and she and Midge watched both sides of the road for spots where a safe could be concealed. They searched every clump of trees and every high mound of earth.

  It was slow and tedious, and it took them nearly the whole afternoon to cover the area to the point where the first car had been found abandoned. Then they retraced their route in the opposite direction, rechecking as they went.

  Suddenly Midge called out for Nancy to stop. “Look,” she said, “I didn’t notice that before.” She pointed off the road, where the ruins of an I old church could faintly be seen through the trees.

  Nancy pulled off to the shoulder and the two i girls got out. Nancy saw an overgrown and rutted road disappearing into the bushes and trees toward the church. The girls pushed through the foliage and emerged in the clearing surrounding it.

  They walked around the structure, which obviously had been destroyed by fire several years before and never rebuilt. The roof had burned through and the interior was gutted, but most of the floor remained. Cautiously they went through the charred doorway.

  “Doesn’t look as if anything has been disturbed,” said Nancy. “No marks to indicate that anyone has been here, much less dragged a three-hundred-pound safe.”

  Midge nodded. “Sure looks deserted.” She moved close to the edge where a part of the floor had caved into the basement. Nancy felt a tremor.

  “Midge, get back!”

  It was too late; as the girl tried to scramble back, the entire floor settled rather gently into the basement. It was almost in slow motion as the timbers gave way one by one with groans and snaps, but it was too quick for the girls to escape. After the dust had settled, they both found themselves sitting fifteen feet lower than when they had started!

  When they had recovered from their fright, they looked around and saw that the walls were now sheer. No loose timbers hung down that would have enabled them to climb up. But Nancy put on a brave face.

  “We’ll get out somehow,” she said, trying to sound convincing. “First let’s look for any evidence of the hidden safe.” With most of the basement floor now covered by the caved-in timbers, their search was restricted to the small area that had remained clear.

  They picked at the rubble without too much hope. A thin layer of moss seemed to indicate that no one had been in the basement for a long time.

  But then Midge cried out. “Nancy! Look! Here it is!” She pointed under a large piece of sheet metal that she had just lifted.

  Excitedly, the girls pulled back the metal and saw the safe, lying on its back, its door open and bent back. It was empty!

  “Oh no,” Midge moaned. “Someone beat us to it. The crook that got away must have found it.”

  Nancy was so disappointed she could scarcely speak. “It looks like it,” she said slowly. If this was Mr. Ford’s with the contents missing, all hope of saving him from prison would be gone.

  Disgustedly, Midge picked up the door of the safe and slammed it shut. When she did, the dust blew away and both girls stared at the words painted on the door: PROPERTY OF ST. PAUL S CHURCH.

  Nancy laughed in surprise. “It’s not our safe! This one belongs to the church. It must have been lying here for years, empty. I guess the authorities eventually returned to get the valuables and never bothered to remove the safe. What a relief!”

  “I’ll say,” Midge agreed. “But we still have to find our safe, and we’re stuck in a hole in the ground and it’s getting dark and—”

  She was interrupted by the sound of a car squealing to a stop on the nearby road. Then a car door slammed and they heard voices.

  “Hey,” said Midge. “Help’s coming. Now we’ll get out of here.”

  “Not so fast,” said Nancy. “How do we know those people are friendly?”

  Without another word, they found a door that opened into a part of the basement where the floor had not caved in. Quickly but quietly the girls walked through, closing the door behind them. Because of the gloom, Nancy had to risk shining her flashlight as they picked their way, looking for a stairway. Then, behind them, they heard cries of triumph.

  “There it is! Down there! The safe!”

  “Get a rope from the car. It’s the only way to reach it!”

  “Right, but where did those girls go?”

  “Never mind them. They’re probably hiding. We can handle them if they show their noses. We’ve got the safe and that’s all that matters.” Midge nudged Nancy and whispered, “That’s what they think!”

  Nancy pointed to the far end of the cellar. Rickety stairs were still clinging to the wall, the first few steps missing. “They don’t look as if they could hold a church mouse,’’ she said, “but it’s our only chance. When those thugs find out that it’s the wrong safe, they’re going to come looking for us!”

  “Maybe they won’t know it’s the wrong safe. I opened the door again so they won’t be able to see the name of the church at first.”

  “Oh, that’s even worse,” Nancy said. “They’ll really be looking for us—they’ll think it’s Ford’s safe and that we took its contents!” “Yipes!” Midge whispered so loudly that Nancy had to shush her. They could hear the men clambering down into the basement and realized they had only minutes to escape.

  Hastily, Nancy boosted Midge up to the dangling stairway. Midge hauled herself up carefully, keeping close to the wall as the stairway swayed dangerously. When she reached the top, she signaled Nancy, who pulled herself up to the first step. As she did, she felt the supporting bolts begin to pull out of the wall. With a prayer,

  she climbed as swiftly as she could. Just before her hand reached for the top she heard the angry bellow of their two pursuers.

  “It’s empty! They got the stuff!”

  At that moment, Nancy felt the stairs give way! With a last, desperate lunge, she caught the post at the top and, with Midge’s help, she climbed to safety as the stairway collapsed with a roar.

  The loud noise immediately alerted the men on the other side of the basement wall.

  “It’s those girls, I bet,” cried one. “Quick, through that door.”

  Nancy looked at Midge. “Run for the car,” she cried.

  “Shouldn’t we cut their rope and trap them?” Midge asked frantically.

  “We don’t have anything to cut it with,” Nancy replied, “and besides, they’re already on their way up! Come on!”

  Nancy and Midge rushed outside, knowing there were only seconds between them and their pursuers . For the first time, Midge looked scared. Panting, the girls reached their car and jumped in.

  Nancy frantically turned the ignition switch. Nothing happened! She turned it again and pumped the accelerator. The car would not start!

  13. A Familiar Voice

  Quickly Nancy checked the gas gauge. Almost full. She turned on the lights and radio. They worked fine.

  “It’s not the battery,” she said.

  “Pull the hood release,” Midge cried, then jumped out. “Trust me. And keep it in neutral.”

  She was still tinkering under the hood when the angry voices of the two crooks became audible.

  Nancy was frantic. “Midge, I hope you know what you’re doing!”

  Hit the gas!” Midge yelled. Nancy pressed her foot on the accelerator and the engine roared into life. Midge slammed down the hood and dove into her seat. In a cloud of dust, Nancy took off down the road toward New Brighton.

  ‘Midge, you’re a wonder,” she said after they were out of their pursuers’ sight. “What did you do?”

  “Oh,” Midge replied, “it was nothing, only a little mechanic’s trick. When I saw that you had enough gas and it wasn’t the battery, the next thing to do was to check the fuse box. But I didn’t have time. So I took a chance and figured I’d jump around the fuse box by running a wire from the battery to the starter motor!” Midge smiled proudly.

  “Watson, you’re a genius,” Nancy smiled.

  �
�Well,” Midge said, with unusual modesty, “not really. I was lucky.” Then she glanced in the mirror. “Oh, oh. It looks like we’re going to need a lot more luck. Here they come!” Behind them she could see the other car closing in fast.

  “What now?” Midge asked worriedly.

  Nancy furrowed her brow, then her eyes lit up. “Quick, Watson, look in the rear seat. Do you see that small bag? It’s got some of my detective equipment in it. Empty it out, please.”

  Midge vaulted into the back seat and did as instructed.

  “Okay,” said Nancy, “now stuff the bag with anything you can find. I have an old sweater somewhere and maybe a plastic bag with some trash in it.”

  Without questioning, Midge did as asked and then climbed back in front with the bag. The pursuing car was almost upon them. It attempted to pass but Nancy skillfully moved to the left and blocked it. Then it swerved back and tried to pass on the right, but again, Nancy prevented this.

  By now darkness was falling fast. At last they reached a lighted area where a row of industrial buildings loomed up on the left. Nancy dangled the bag out the open window of the car and then, as they were passing under a street light, she threw it in between two buildings.

  Behind them they heard the squeal of brakes. Nancy watched in the mirror as the pursuing car swerved to the left and made a violent U-turn.

  “They fell for it,” the girl detective laughed.

  “Wow,” said Midge. “I’m not the genius, Nancy. You are!”

  “Elementary, my dear Watson,” Nancy mimicked the great detective Holmes. “I had to take a chance they’d fall for the decoy and check it out. Right now they must be pretty furious.”

  The girls arrived in New Brighton with no further trouble. On the way to the motel, however, they stopped at a garage and had a new fuse put in the car. Later, after a hearty dinner and the usual phone calls home, they relaxed in their room.