Double Crossing, Page 2

  He kept looking at Nancy as if he were afraid she'd be angry with him.

  "You're traveling with four friends, aren't you?" Nancy said.

  "Yes! How did you know?"

  "I saw you earlier by the elevator. I was standing with the ship's photographer," she explained.

  "Of course! I thought you looked familiar. My name is David Carlyle." He grinned and offered his hand.

  "Hi, David," Nancy said. She put out her hand and shook his. "Your friends weren't very friendly today, by the way."

  "Sorry about that. I guess some of us are a little spoiled. We're all diplomats' kids."

  Diplomats' kids—there was an interesting

  A Nancy Drew Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  phrase. Nancy's lawyer father, Carson Drew, had told her once that diplomat could be a code word for the CIA.

  Nancy was silent, remembering what she had just overheard under the stairs. "Your father works for the CIA," the man with the accent had said. A coincidence? Nancy had stopped believing in coincidences many cases ago.

  "Well, so far," David said, "I know that you're a great kisser and a very understanding person. Do I get to know your name?"

  "Nancy. Nancy Drew."

  "Oh, you're the detective. Hi, Nancy. Well, can I help you find anything on your list? That's the least I can do, since you helped me."

  Nancy thought that maybe he could help her—but later. "No, thanks. I'd better be getting back," she said. "See you around."

  Nancy turned and hurried straight to the ballroom to find George and the Hardys.

  She had to zigzag her way through the scavenger hunt dancers on the large ballroom floor to get to George, who was sitting behind the judges' table. Glints of light from the enormous glass chandelier shimmered on the walls and over the dancing couples.

  "Nancy," George scolded, "where's your tie line?"

  "I forgot it," Nancy said. She leaned over

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  and whispered urgently in George's ear. "Tell Frank I've got to see him. Something very strange is happening on this boat."

  "Hi," David said from behind her.

  Nancy turned around, startled. Was he following her?

  "Hi, again," Nancy said. "David, I'd like you to meet George Fayne. George, this is David Carlyle."

  "Oh, hello," said David, obviously impressed with George. "That's a very unusual name, especially for such a great-looking girl," he went on, not realizing he was poking George's sensitive spot.

  "I was named after my father. His name was Fayne too." George smiled wearily, but David just laughed.

  "I'm really doing a great job of making a fool of myself tonight. Sorry," he said with a shy smile.

  "George is always making jokes," Nancy said. "You'll get used to her."

  "Well, maybe we could start right now," said David, taking George in with appreciative eyes. "May I have this dance?"

  George blushed under her terrific tan. "Sure," she said, shooting a look at Nancy.

  Nancy watched as George and David swept across the dance floor to a hot Latin beat. Their eyes were locked together, and it wasn't

  A Nancy Drew &> Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  hard to tell that they were getting very interested in each other.

  Nancy scanned the floor looking for David's other friends, but she didn't see any of them.

  When the song was over, George and David found Nancy near the judges' table. "That was fun," George said breathlessly. "But I'd better get back to work. See you later," she said, and smiled at David.

  "See you," said Nancy.

  "Later," said David, concentrating on George as she walked back to her table. "Your friend is quite a girl—really something else—"

  "I know," Nancy said.

  "You wouldn't happen to know if she has a boyfriend, would you?" he asked a little fearfully.

  Nancy couldn't help smiling. "Not anyone serious, if that's what you mean."

  "That's exactly what I mean." David sighed with relief.

  "How about you?" Nancy asked. "Is one of the girls in your group your girlfriend?"

  "No," David said, relaxed now. "They're just friends. Marcy—the one with red hair— goes with someone. And Gail's got a thing for Demetrios. Except he hates the world too much to even notice her."

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  "That's too bad," said Nancy.

  "Oh, it's all his parents' fault," David said, only half joking. "He—and all of us—have been raised with so many secrets—"

  "What kind of secrets?"

  "Don't ask." David laughed. "Everything's a secret in our parents' world. My mother's been with the State Department for fifteen years, and I still don't know what she does. And most of our parents are traveling all the time too. Marcy's dad is somewhere in Central America, and Gail's father is in Spain. It can get kind of hard to keep track of them."

  "Sounds pretty bleak," said Nancy.

  "Ah, it's not that bad. Well, not for me, anyway," David replied.

  Just as Nancy was about to ask what he meant, Frank Hardy came striding up to them.

  "Hi, Nancy," said Frank. "You wanted to see me about some pictures?"

  "Right," said Nancy. "Well, I'll see you, David."

  "Sure," said David. "Maybe I'll go hang around the judges' table. . . ."

  Frank took hold of Nancy's arm and led her to a quiet spot on the dance floor.

  "I would have waited," Frank said softly in her ear. "But George said it was important."

  "It is," Nancy whispered back while pre-

  A Nancy Drew &> Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  tending to smile. "Frank, are you and Joe working on an espionage case or something having to do with the CIA?"

  "No way." Frank laughed. "We're trying to catch one of the crew members who steals from passengers in his spare time."

  "Well, tonight I overheard two people talking about selling CIA information," Nancy said.

  Frank's hand suddenly tightened on Nancy's arm. "Sorry," he said. "My father just lost a good friend who worked for the CIA. He was killed because someone sold him out. A lot of people think these espionage deals are just games. But they're not. Real people get hurt."

  "I know," Nancy said seriously.

  "Sorry for the lecture," Frank said, shaking his head and recovering. "Come on. I think Joe should hear about this too."

  He steered Nancy over to a table and they sat down. He touched his right ear twice, and in a moment Joe Hardy carried over a water pitcher and glasses for the table.

  "I couldn't see them," Nancy said, explaining the whole thing as Joe hovered over them, acting like a busboy. "But I think the man who wants to buy the secrets is posing as a crew member or is a crew member. He had a Spanish accent. The girl might be in that group we ran into this afternoon, Frank. I think

  Double Crossing

  they're all CIA kids. Maybe they're all in on it."

  "Even that guy dancing with George?" Frank asked.

  Nancy turned to look at the dance floor. George was wrapped in David's arms again as the band kept up its romantic beat. George looked so happy. How would Nancy feel if she had to tell her that David might be a traitor?

  "I don't know if David's in on it or not. The only thing I know for sure is that the people I overheard arranged an exchange tomorrow morning at six on the Princess Deck."

  "Well, that'll give Frank and me some time to mix with the crew tonight," Joe said. "A lot of them are from Latin America. And we'll be there tomorrow morning on the Princess Deck."

  "Good," Nancy said. "I was hoping you'd say that."

  Joe moved away quickly and started picking up empty punch glasses from around the room. He had already stood talking too long with Nancy and Frank.

  "I'd better get back to work too," Frank said. He looked at Nancy's taut, somber face and said, "Smile. No one even knows we're on the case."

  Just then, a piercing scream echoed through the ballroom, stopping all conversation cold.


  A Nancy Drew &> Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  Everyone turned to look at the entrance, where an elderly woman, her hair wild and her evening gown disheveled, had run blindly into the room, shrieking.

  "Somebody! Help!" the woman cried. "I've just been attacked." And with that, she fell to the floor.

  Chapter Three

  X he band stopped playing, and the Scavenger Hunt Dance came to a full stop, like a merry-go-round after someone has pulled its electrical cord.

  No one moved. They all stood staring at the elderly woman who had collapsed in the middle of the ballroom floor.

  Nancy and the Hardy brothers pushed their way to the center of the crowd surrounding the woman and saw that she was starting to regain control of herself.

  At the same time, from the opposite direction, a tall, rugged, silver-haired man in his

  A Nancy Drew &> Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  fifties wearing a stiff white uniform made his way quickly through the knot of people.

  "Step aside, please," he repeated in a commanding yet warm voice. The crowd parted for him.

  "It's Captain Helgesen," Joe told Nancy.

  The ship's captain knelt beside the woman. "What seems to be the trouble, Mrs.—"

  "Miss Lillian Hallock," said the woman, clutching at the captain's jacket. "And the trouble is I walked into my cabin tonight and was attacked by a man wearing a vampire mask."

  "I'll need two crew members as escorts," Captain Helgesen said, standing up. "You two"—he pointed to Frank and Joe—"help Miss Hallock back to her cabin." The Hardys assisted the older woman to her feet.

  Then the captain turned his attention to George, who was standing with David. "Ms. Fayne," said the captain, "please see if you can get this party going again."

  "Yes, sir," George said. With a smile of regret George dropped David's arm and rushed to speak to the bandleader.

  As soon as the band started playing, people began dancing again. Frank and Joe quietly led Miss Hallock out of the ballroom, with Captain Helgesen and Nancy following.

  At the elevator Captain Helgesen turned to

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  Nancy. "I appreciate your concern, miss," he said. "We'll take care of this situation now."

  "Captain Helgesen," Frank said. "This is Nancy Drew. She's a good friend of ours—"

  "And a great detective too, sir," Joe added.

  The captain said no more, allowing Nancy to accompany them. He was in a great hurry to get to Miss Hallock's cabin.

  "Are you traveling alone, Miss Hallock?" Captain Helgesen asked as they walked down the corridor.

  "Certainly not. It's not safe for a single woman to travel alone," she said with an ironic laugh. "My friend Faith Whitman is accompanying me."

  When they reached Lillian Hallock's room, Captain Helgesen knocked on the door.

  "You'll have to knock louder," Lillian said. "Faith is hard of hearing."

  Captain Helgesen knocked loudly, and a sweet voice on the other side called, "I'm coming."

  Faith Whitman opened the door in a fluffy robe. She was in her early seventies, but unlike Miss Hallock, she was small and frail, with stooped posture.

  "Faith, I've brought the captain. Are you all right?" asked Miss Hallock loudly.

  Faith nodded meekly. Her eyes grew wide with surprise as the three teenagers and the

  A Nancy Drew 6» Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  ship's captain walked in and began to search her cabin.

  Joe examined the cabin door first, while Frank and Nancy surveyed the room. The cabin wasn't large. It was just one room with a long, mirrored dresser, two bed tables, two chairs, and two twin beds, one of which had been slept in. The other had a flannel nightgown and bathrobe folded at the foot. Everything seemed to be neatly in its place.

  Frank paced the room and asked, "Miss Hallock, please tell us exactly what happened."

  "I left the dance and came back here ready to go to bed," she said. "All the lights were out because Faith was already asleep. I didn't want to disturb her by turning on the overhead light, so I walked toward the dresser to get to the small vanity light—"

  Miss Hallock led Frank to the mirrored dresser. "The man was standing here," she said, pointing to a spot on the floor. "He grabbed me before I could reach the light."

  "Did you notice anything special about him?" Frank asked.

  "The vampire mask!" Miss Hallock said.

  "I mean anything else?" Frank asked. "A limp? A distinctive aftershave, maybe, or a weird piece of jewelry? Did his digital watch beep the hour? Anything?"

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  "I don't know. It was dark. His mask was all I really saw before he shone a flashlight in my eyes," Lillian said. "He grabbed me and shoved me aside before he ran out. The whole episode took only ten seconds."

  Frank looked down at the carpet and shook his head. If this were a garden or a park or a country house on a rainy night, there would be footprints. But there were no clues in the carpet.

  "Was anything stolen?" Captain Helgesen asked.

  Miss Whitman shook her head rapidly. "Oh, no, no. Nothing at all."

  "Are you absolutely certain?" asked the captain.

  "Oh, yes, I checked everything," she said. "Honestly, I don't know what a thief would want with us. We don't have much money, and certainly no jewels." Her voice was quiet and hesitant, in direct contrast to Miss Hallock's.

  "Miss Whitman," Nancy asked politely, "where were you tonight?"

  "Me? Why, I was—I was right here," the quiet older woman answered.

  "You were here during the whole break-in?" Frank prodded her.

  "Oh, yes, all evening," Miss Whitman replied. "I started reading a new mystery novel in bed. It was terribly exciting, and then, my

  A Nancy Drew &> Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  goodness, I looked at the clock and saw it was after ten, so I turned off the light."

  Nancy noticed a book with a red leather bookmark on the night table. "And you didn't hear anything unusual?" she asked.

  Miss Hallock pointed to her own ear. "After Faith removes her hearing aid for the night— well, you could have held the dance in this room, and she wouldn't have heard it," she said.

  Miss Whitman nodded.

  "Well, the door wasn't forced," Joe said. "Our thief probably had a passkey, which means it may be someone on the crew."

  "Of course it was someone on the crew," Miss Hallock said. "He was wearing one of your white uniforms. Didn't I say that? I saw it when he ran past me. He had dark hair, a white uniform, and a face like a vampire."

  "We'll find him, I assure you," Captain Helgesen said to quiet the women. But as he bid them good night, he also asked a favor. "Ladies, I would appreciate it if you would not tell anyone else that Frank and Joe here know each other. They're working for me, but I want it kept secret. All right?" They nodded and Captain Helgesen thanked them.

  Back in the hallway, however, he stepped out of his cool attitude. "It was bad enough

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  having a thief on board, but now he has actually attacked a passenger," the captain said angrily. "Boys, I want this solved and fast—before the passengers begin to panic."

  Joe gave the captain a reassuring salute.

  "Ms. Drew, if you can do anything to help, also, I'd appreciate it," Captain Helgesen said.

  Nancy began to say something but then stopped herself and just smiled. It didn't seem like the right moment to tell Captain Helgesen that he also had a couple of spies running around his ship.

  "We could use a computer printout of the crew's schedule," Frank said. "To see who was on break between ten and ten-thirty."

  "You'll have it in ten minutes," Captain Helgesen said.

  But Helgesen was a superefficient captain, and they had it in five. The three friends took it to the ship's library, which was totally deserted during party time.

  From the printout they learned that there were forty people on break at that time. The capta
in had narrowed the suspects down to eleven by eliminating anyone who didn't have dark hair. That was all that could be done with a pencil. Now Frank and Joe would have to check alibis in person.

  "You'll still have to double-check, to make

  A Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys SuperMystery

  sure someone didn't take an unscheduled break," Nancy said.

  "Right," Joe nodded.

  "Well, you know these guys better than I do," Nancy said. "I'm going to follow up a different angle—the vampire mask."

  "We'll meet back here in an hour," Frank said.

  "Midnight," Joe said. "The hour when vampires come out."

  The ship's big clock was tolling midnight as Frank and Joe returned to the library. On the twelfth bong Nancy and George walked in.

  "Hey, George," Joe called. "You were looking good out there on the dance floor tonight. Who's the big blond guy?"

  George's face flushed a little, and Nancy could tell her friend already had a crush on David. And that could turn out to be a big problem.

  "I thought George might be able to help me," Nancy said, reaching into her tote bag and pulling out a vampire mask.

  "Hey, nice work, Drew," Joe said, applauding. "And you too, George. Where'd you find it?"

  "It was in storage with the other costumes for the ship's masquerade dance," George

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  answered. "Someone 'borrowed' it tonight, using a passkey."

  "How do you know it was tonight?" asked Joe.

  "It was out of place when we checked the costume room," George said. "It's always hung with a big black cape, but someone had put it on the scarecrow costume."

  "And it was still damp inside from the guy breathing into it," Nancy added.

  "Well," said Frank, "we were busy too. We did a lot of checking, and we're down to three names on the list. Rick, one of the bartenders in the casino; Julio, a steward; and Esteban, a busboy in the dining room. Everyone else on the list has an airtight alibi."