Sisters in Crime

by Carolyn Keene

  To Fran she said, “You can tell Lori I’ll be right there.”

  Satisfied, Fran left to carry the message to Lori.

  Nancy raced down to the front porch to tell Susan and Ira what was happening, but they weren’t there! After a quick look at the dance floor and the kitchen, Nancy felt discouraged—and a bit worried.

  Nancy raced back upstairs and wrote a note she hoped they would see. “Lori’s room, 11:15,” it said.

  As Nancy approached Lori’s third-floor room, Fran was creeping out. When she saw Nancy, her gray eyes narrowed.

  Nancy tapped gently on the closed door.

  When she answered it, Lori was no longer wearing the soft dress she had chosen for the party. Like Nancy, she wore jeans, a jersey, and running shoes.

  “Come in,” she said, sounding friendly. “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”

  As soon as Nancy entered, Lori’s hand closed around her wrist. She turned Nancy, bending her arm painfully behind her back. Automatically Nancy leaned forward, and with one motion untwisted her arm and grabbed Lori’s chin to force her to the floor. But Lori didn’t fall. She threw Nancy off and remained upright.

  In her hand was a sharp metal rock-climbing pick, and she held it with the point lying against Nancy’s throat.

  “Now, I think we can talk,” Lori said, nudging Nancy back against the wall.

  “Is this what you did to Rina?” Nancy asked.

  “No. With Rina Charles I didn’t need anything but my hands. But you’re strong. Strong and clever.” Nancy could feel the pick still lying at the base of her neck. “But I won’t have you ruin my life,” Lori hissed.

  “She knew you had falsified the financial records and was going to turn you in, wasn’t she?” Nancy asked.

  “Actually, Rina helped me do it. I told you she was a good friend,” Lori answered. “But then that pitiful creature decided to run home to Mommy and tattle.” She slowly drew the pick across Nancy’s neck.

  “And she told you before she did it?” Nancy asked to keep Lori talking—to keep the metal point from sliding into her throat.

  “Let’s just say that I saw signs of her weakening.” Lori kept her eyes glued to Nancy. “I understand character.

  “You, for example. I didn’t believe for one minute that you were visiting the school.” Lori smiled. “Not with all your questions about Rina Charles.”

  “What does Mike Jamison have to do with all this?”

  “Oh, now we’re getting a little personal, aren’t we?” Lori said. “Well, I’ll tell you, because soon it won’t matter one bit what you know.” Lori tossed back her head as she explained. “Mike does what I ask of him. Happily. If I ask him to rough someone up, he doesn’t ask why. If I tell him to make sure Susan Victor and her boyfriend are occupied, he says, ‘Sure, honey.’ How’s that for a good guy?”

  Nancy didn’t answer. It was her turn to worry. To worry about what Mike and Peter were doing at that very moment to Susan and Ira. Nancy worried, too, about how she was going to get out of this situation without their help.

  “And if you told him to shoot darts at someone,” Nancy asked, her back against the wall, “he’d happily do that, too?”

  “I suppose he would,” Lori said, her eyes gleaming. “But some things a girl likes to take care of on her own.”

  “You’ve got quite an aim.”

  “I like to do things well,” Lori said simply.

  Without Nancy’s asking any more probing questions, Lori continued. “This is all my baby. Every penny is for my training. It’s going to buy me a spot in the training camp. And in the Olympics.” Lori’s smile faded as she said, “The biggest mistake of my life was telling Rina Charles. But nobody else knows.” Glancing at the metal that was at Nancy’s throat, Lori added, “And never will.”

  Nancy stared into Lori’s eyes as she quietly said, “You’re something, Lori Westerly.” Then she raised her knee and slammed it into Lori’s stomach.

  Taken off guard, Lori buckled but stayed on her feet. Her hand did fall away from Nancy’s throat for a second. But instantly she picked it up and forced Nancy into a kneeling position. Dropping her pick, Lori raised her hands and placed her thumbs on two points in Nancy’s neck. A tremendous amount of pressure was all Nancy felt before she fainted.

  Chapter

  Seventeen

  WHEN NANCY CAME to, she was lying facedown on a pier, the cold ocean air against her face helping to revive her. She was alert enough to know not to move one muscle as Lori Westerly untied the ropes that had bound her ankles and wrists.

  The rest of her body was not cold, and without opening her eyes, Nancy realized that she had been clothed in a wet suit while she was unconscious. The movement she felt on her back was undoubtedly an air tank—empty—that Lori was adjusting. Nancy could feel a bulky weight belt around her waist. That would certainly take her deep into the Pacific Ocean.

  Time, Nancy thought. I need a little more time to get my strength back. Just take your time with the finishing touches, Lori.

  But Lori seemed in a rush. In less than a minute, she was finished. Nancy could sense her standing up and heard her brush her hands against each other, as though she had just completed a job well done.

  Nancy’s hands felt numb and cold from the lack of circulation when they had been tied at the wrist. She’s untied me now, though, Nancy thought, so when my body is found, there won’t be ropes around my hands and feet.

  But my body isn’t going to be “found,” Nancy thought with determination and rage. It’s going to walk out of this situation and be alive enough to turn Lori Westerly in!

  With that, Nancy powerfully swung out one leg and sliced into Lori. At the same time she grabbed one of Lori’s feet and yanked with all her might.

  Caught completely off guard, Lori fell back. Despite the weight of the air tank and heavy belt, Nancy jumped to her feet. Plunging into Lori with all her strength, Nancy pushed her down flat onto the pier.

  “You are dead,” Lori hissed, and pushed Nancy back with remarkable power after grabbing her wrists.

  “No, I’m not!” Nancy insisted, one knee on the pier and one knee pushing into Lori’s solar plexus as she held her down. “This is what you did to Rina, exactly what you did to Rina. But not again, Lori Westerly!”

  Suddenly the night was filled with light, and both Nancy and Lori had an instant of shock. Then Nancy heard a voice, Susan’s voice, screaming out, “Nancy! Nancy! Are you here?”

  “On the pier!” was all Nancy could shout. Lori struggled with incredible strength as Susan and two police officers got out of a Jeep and ran toward them.

  “It’s all over, Lori,” Nancy said, moving her knee. “One murder is enough.”

  As the officers surrounded them, Lori began explaining, “She’s flipped out. She asked me to help her with her diving equipment, and then she attacked me.”

  One officer looked at the air tank that was strapped to Nancy’s back. “Can we see that?” he asked.

  Nancy slipped off the air tank, and as he examined it she took off the heavy weight belt as well.

  “Empty,” was all he said as he snapped handcuffs on Lori. “We need to take you down to the station now.” They led Lori, her face turned away from the others, to the waiting Jeep.

  “Are you all right?” Susan asked, her voice cracking. “Oh, I’m so glad we found you!” she said, hugging her friend.

  “I’m fine,” Nancy said, “How did you ever figure out where to find me?” she asked Susan.

  “Before I went out to the porch to meet you, I went in to use the bathroom,” Susan explained. “Ira was to go out to meet you. But when I got outside, he wasn’t there; neither were you.”

  Susan took a breath as she continued her explanation, and Nancy saw that there was another policeman standing at the foot of the pier. He looked as if he was waiting for them. “I saw your note,” Susan continued. “Then I went to Lori’s room and saw it was in a shambles. I knew something terrible had
happened. So I decided to think like Nancy Drew”—Susan looked at her friend—“and it worked.”

  Nancy smiled. But Susan didn’t return her smile. She looked worried. “They still have Ira,” she said.

  “Who has Ira?” Nancy asked, alarmed. But then she answered her own question. “Mike and Peter!”

  Susan nodded. “It must be them. They must have taken him as he walked out the front door.”

  “Yes. Lori said they were supposed to keep you occupied,” Nancy said out loud, remembering. Then she declared, “Well, now it’s time to search for him!”

  The two girls walked together to the end of the pier.

  “I’d like to take you home now, girls,” the policeman said.

  “Thank you,” Nancy agreed, looking down at the heavy rubber wet suit she was still wearing. “I’d better get in some clothes.” She and Susan went with the officer to the police car that was on the pavement above the beach.

  As the police radio gave out reports in the car, Susan nervously asked their driver, “Did you hear anything about my other friend yet?”

  “Nothing yet, but don’t you worry, miss,” he said, trying to reassure her. “We’ve got a slew of men out looking for him.”

  “We want to join the search,” Nancy declared. “As soon as I can get out of this thing.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” the policeman said protectively. “I’m heading back to the station to go off duty. I was supposed to go home three hours ago. Did you know it’s two in the morning?” As he pulled into the sorority house parking lot, he said, “You two just get some sleep now. We’ll let you know as soon as your boyfriend shows up.”

  Nancy and Susan headed up the stairs of the dark, silent house. “Get some sleep,” Susan whispered angrily. “Is he kidding?”

  In their room Nancy and Susan spoke in hushed tones as they tried to piece together what they knew.

  “That’s how Lori murdered Rina, isn’t it?” Susan asked sadly. “Exactly the way she was trying to murder you.”

  “Yes,” Nancy said, her hand moving up to her neck. “She pressed on my throat until I passed out, just as she had done to Rina.”

  As Nancy unzipped the tight diving suit, she said, “But I had a whole lot more warning. I knew I was dealing with a potential killer. Rina thought she was with her best friend.”

  “And Mike,” Susan asked, her voice shaking. “Is he a killer, too?”

  “No. Absolutely not. He has no idea about any of this. Lori told me it was ‘all her baby.’ ” Looking at Susan, Nancy said, “I’m sure Ira is safe. Mike and Peter just do what they’re told.”

  “Same as Rina,” Susan added, shaking her head. “Lori Westerly is one powerful person.”

  “How did she ever get me into this thing?” Nancy mumbled, trying to pull the tight sleeves off her arms. “Especially unconscious.”

  “They all just followed orders,” Susan said, helping Nancy. Thoughtfully, she added, “It sure makes you think about following your own beliefs and not someone else’s orders.”

  Changing into her gray running pants and jacket, Nancy nodded her agreement.

  As Nancy began to tie her shoes, Susan said, “You have no intention of staying here and waiting, do you?”

  Nancy smiled. “What’s that you just said about following your own beliefs?”

  Susan laughed with relief.

  “The only question now is, where do we go?” Nancy asked, dressed and ready. “Mike and Peter could have taken Ira anywhere. They could have just gotten in the car and driven him up the coast. Lori’s instructions were only to keep him occupied.”

  “I just had an idea,” Susan said with some hesitation. “It may be a little off the wall, but—”

  “Go ahead,” Nancy said eagerly. “Sometimes in this business, those leads that just come to you out of the blue are the very best ones.”

  “Well,” Susan said, “I was thinking that the captain of the swim team might have a key to the gymnasium. What do you think?”

  “I agree!” Nancy said, and headed to the door, ready to go.

  • • •

  There was silence on the campus at that hour, and deep silence around the huge gymnasium. Susan and Nancy circled the building and tried every entrance, hoping to find one unlocked.

  “That car,” Nancy whispered to Susan, pointing at a light blue sedan that had been parked in a tow-away zone near the back of the gym. “That car was in the sorority parking lot during the party, I’m sure of it.”

  “Then they are here!” Susan exclaimed, keeping her voice down.

  “Maybe,” Nancy whispered. “At least somebody is here that was at Delta Phi earlier today.”

  The girls headed over to the car to see if there was anything in it that might identify who owned it. A sound startled them as they had just about reached it, and instantly Nancy grabbed Susan’s wrist, dragging her into the dark shadows behind the car.

  “She didn’t say we had to baby-sit for him all night,” a voice said out loud, totally unaware of being overheard. Peter’s voice. Nancy recognized it.

  “There’s no place he can go now, anyway,” Mike agreed. “Not in the condition we left him. I’ll free him before practice tomorrow.”

  Putting his key in the passenger side of the car to let Mike in, Peter said, “I don’t like that guy. You should have seen him tonight in Drew’s room, pretending he was a big hero.”

  Silently the girls watched in terror as Nancy feared that Peter would walk around the rear of the car to go to the driver’s seat.

  But Peter stayed where he was as he asked Mike, “Do you think Lori will care that we didn’t get the girl?”

  From inside the car, Nancy could hear Mike respond, “Nah, I think it was your girlfriend she was after. Lori has had business with that Nancy Drew since she got here. Something about her being sent from the national office to cut back on Delta Phi’s finances.”

  What a story, Nancy thought. Susan shook her head in disbelief.

  “Lori just needed some time to straighten her out,” Mike added. “I’m sure she’s had enough by now. It’s the middle of the night.”

  As Peter headed toward the front of his car, Nancy felt her own rapid heartbeat.

  In moments the car had pulled away, leaving Nancy and Susan alone on the dark pavement. As Susan began to head toward the gymnasium, Nancy said, “Stay down, they have a rearview mirror.”

  When the car had safely pulled away, the girls stood up and headed for the gymnasium. They were frightened for Ira’s safety. What had Peter and Mike done to him?

  As Nancy was examining a low, barred window, a flashlight hit the building directly in front of them, and a voice called out, “What’s going on over there?” Swinging around, Susan and Nancy saw a campus security guard approaching.

  “Our friend is in there,” Susan explained, almost talking too fast to be understood. “And we’re afraid he’s been beaten up. Please help!”

  “This building’s been locked since nine o’clock,” the guard said, a pile of keys jangling on his hip.

  Briefly and as calmly as they could, Nancy and Susan told him what had happened and of the two boys who had just pulled away.

  “Yeah. I heard the car,” the guard admitted. “That’s why I came by to check.” Taking the keys off his belt, he said, “Okay. Let’s see what we’ve got in here.”

  Entering the pool area, the three of them searched the bleachers. Susan, her heart pounding, made herself look at the bottom of the pool, and was relieved to see nothing.

  “The locker room,” Nancy suggested. The girls headed back there as the guard continued to search the pool area.

  “Listen,” Susan said, her movements freezing.

  “To what?” Nancy asked after a moment of silence.

  “I thought,” Susan said, “that—”

  Nancy and Susan heard the moans at the same time, but Susan was the first to scream, “Ira!”

  “He’s in a locker!” Nancy
shouted, and then ran for the guard. “We need the keys, quick!” she called to him.

  Susan stood outside the small locker. “We’re here, Ira. We’re here. We’ll get you out!”

  The guard moved as fast as he could to find the right master key for the lock.

  Finally he forced the locker open and there was Ira, stuffed into the cramped small locker, gagged and bound, his face bleeding.

  Chapter

  Eighteen

  IN THE INFIRMARY, Ira got his face cleaned and bandaged, his bruised ribs taped, and some pain-killing medicine pumped into him before the girls took him back to his apartment.

  Although Nancy and Susan got only a couple hours of sleep, by eight the next morning they were awake and talking in their beds.

  “When Ira hugged me,” Susan said, “I think that may have been the happiest moment of my life. To know that he was alive, and not badly hurt.” Shyly Susan added, “He’s wonderful, isn’t he?”

  Nancy fluffed up the pillow behind her head and smiled at her friend. “He does seem pretty wonderful,” she agreed.

  “I’ve been thinking about your cover,” Susan said to Nancy. “I wish it were true. I wish you were considering coming to SDU.”

  Her bright reddish blond hair shining against the pillow, Nancy smiled. “I’m afraid I love my work too much,” she answered. “But it has been wonderful to be with you again. I’m glad you brought me in on this case.”

  “You were incredible, Nancy.” Susan rolled onto one elbow and looked at her friend. “I truly will never forget this experience. I appreciate your work so much! If I hadn’t found out the truth about Rina’s death, I couldn’t have lived with myself.”

  At the gentle knock on the door, Susan called out, “Come in.” Debbie and Patty, dressed, and carrying a thermos and mugs, came in.

  “Perfect,” Nancy said, sitting up and smelling the hot coffee. “Just what I need to get me out of bed and packing.”

  “We heard you talking,” Debbie explained apologetically.

  “And there are rumors flying around this place a mile a minute already,” Patty added. “You have to duck if you don’t want to get hit with one.” Setting the coffee on the desk, she said, “So we thought we’d better come to the source of the controversy.”