Nancy Clue Mysteries 3 - A Ghost in the Closet (6 page)

This was a worrisome thought, indeed.

Jackie checked the return address on the envelope Cherry had dropped on the ground. "This envelope's been stamped Pleasantville Sanitarium," she pointed out.

Cherry gasped. "I know Mother is suffering from a case of hysteria, or in layman's terms, an unconscious attempt to escape from some unpleasant reality. Could it be she's suffering from delusions, too? Oh, no," she cried, throwing up her arms up in alarm. "I must get in touch with Doctor Joe and let him know!"

Jackie tried to comfort the nervous nurse. "I'll bet your mother's just pretending to be on vacation so she doesn't spoil yours," she guessed.

Cherry considered this. Jackie had a point. "It would be just like Mother to keep a stiff upper lip," Cherry agreed. She paused a moment in quiet contemplation. The words from her nursing school manual came back to her: Faith is a real remedy, good cheer is a powerful medicine, and confidence is part of the cure for every nervous patient who gets well.

"So if Mother chooses to pretend she's at a resort, perhaps it's a good thing after all," Cherry decided aloud. Suddenly she had a grand thought. "I'll write back to Mother pretending I believe her little ruse. I'll ask her to describe the colorful people she has met and the nature hikes and other entertainments. That way, she'll write me cheery, therapeutic letters which will speed up her recovery. Then she'll regain her confidence and, in no time at all, be back to her normal contented self."

"What about what your mother mentioned at the end of her letter?" Jackie blurted out. Would Cherry decide to go back to Seattle and resume her place on the Women's Psychiatric Ward, or worse, would she choose to settle in River Depths and play nurse to Nancy's detective? Jackie's heart was pounding with anticipation. What would Cherry do?

"Oh, I think my woolen nurse's cape can stand another season's wear," Cherry assured her.

"No, I mean about going back to Seattle," Jackie blushingly stammered.

"When I arrived in River Depths, I wrote the hospital asking for a short leave of absence, at no pay of course," Cherry informed her. "I've got plenty of time."

"But I don't," Jackie was tempted to cry out, forgetting for a moment Midge's helpful advice. Let Cherry come to you. She's stuck on you for sure, but she needs to get over Nancy first. Just give it time.

"My vacation's up soon, and I'll have to return to San Francisco," Jackie explained in a calm voice that masked her thudding heart. If she left Cherry behind, she'd surely lose her to Nancy!

Cherry looked at the downcast expression on Jackie's handsome face and suddenly realized the longer the goodlooking detective stayed in Illinois, the longer she was kept away from her vitally important police work. Cherry knew only too well that crime, like illness, accidents and disease, never took a holiday!

"If only I could make up my mind," Cherry chided herself silently. "I know I have feelings for Jackie that lead me to suspect I'm in love with her, but what about Nancy and the night of passion we shared? I can't just turn my back on that without first thinking things through long and hard. Plus, Nancy really needs me now. Why, she's got so much to do, what with inheriting this house and selecting her fall wardrobe!"

Cherry had realized just how much work it was to be Nancy when two days earlier, a dressmaker had wheeled in racks of the latest fall fashions. Nancy had spent the entire day running about the house in various stages of undress while she selected the outfits she would need for the coming year: pretty daytime frocks, sleek going-to-town suits, modest bathing costumes, vibrant ski togs, sophisticated evening sheaths and fancy off-the-shoulder gowns just right for a country club dance. The next day, Velma, Cherry and an exhausted Nancy had lain about the living room sipping refreshing iced tea and pouring over fashion magazines, selecting shoes and handbags, scarves and gloves to round out Nancy's new wardrobe.

"I could be a real help to her here," Cherry told herself. "After all, I did take a vow to go wherever I'm needed most! "

Jackie clutched her porcelain figure in her large, strong hands. She felt she couldn't wait one more minute to find out if Cherry shared her feelings! "Cherry, I've got to know. Will you-" Just then Nancy swept onto the porch carrying a tray loaded with all sorts of goodies, and wearing a black felt poodle skirt with white and pink appliques that showed off her trim waistline. Her pert bosom was covered with a snug white topper and on her petite feet were black patent leather slip-ons.

"You look charming!" Cherry cried as Nancy set down the tray and spun about to unfurl the circumference of the fetching skirt. Nancy stopped twirling, however, when she got a look at the dog statue in Jackie's hands. A peevish look crossed her pretty face.

"It's a swell gift, isn't it?" Jackie boasted, fingering the hand-painted figurine proudly. It would look fine sitting on the mantle in her small but cozy apartment. "Our apartment," she thought dreamily as she gazed at Cherry.

Nancy gulped. She had assumed Cherry was purchasing the statue for a nurse chum. Her wide blue eyes narrowed in anger. "There's another skirt just like this one in cherry red lying on someone's bed," Nancy cried out in a forced cheery tone. She was talking to Cherry but glaring at Jackie.

"A poodle skirt for me?" Cherry flushed excitedly. "Oh, Nancy, you shouldn't have! Why, they're so expensive!" She kicked up her heels and raced upstairs, secretly relieved that her conversation with Jackie had come to an end, at least for now. Cherry had the feeling that Jackie was about to ask her a very important question, the kind of question a girl dreamt of, only Cherry wasn't sure what her answer would be!

"When will you be sure?" she leaned in close to the mirror and asked the girl in the darling new outfit peering back at her. All Cherry knew was that each time Jackie looked at her, she lost her ability to think clearly. "But is it true love?" Cherry wondered, "or merely a hormonal surge coursing through my body, and impairing my ability to think straight? And when, oh, when will I know for sure?"

CHAPTER 6

Thwarted Again!

"You're looking mighty chipper this morning!" Cherry announced as Nancy came into the kitchen clad in a darling sports outfit consisting of lightweight cotton plaid pedal pushers and a crisp white blouse with a Peter Pan collar. Her trademark titian hair had been brushed until it shone and the charms on her gold bracelet, one for each mystery she had solved, jangled cheerfully on her wrist. In one hand was a picnic hamper and in the other a soft blanket. "Are you going on a picnic?" Cherry wondered.

"We're going on a picnic," Nancy grinned. "We're going back to Lake Merrimen!"

Cherry smiled. Only moments before, she had been sitting alone and confused at the kitchen table. Why, a trip to the lake and a yummy outdoor meal was exactly what she needed! "I'll make sure everyone's up and dressed in casual clothes in no time at all," she promised. Before she could see the enraged look on Nancy's face, Cherry had raced out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"Darn and double darn!" Nancy cried as she hurled her picnic hamper across the linoleum floor. She slammed out the door, saw the morning edition of The River Depths Defender on the porch and gave it a good kick. She flopped on the porch swing, and only then did she notice that the front page was carrying a familiar story.

"Hmmn," Nancy thought as she bent to pick up the paper.

POODLES SAVED FROM PERIL!

River Depths, Illinois-A fiendish dognapper struck yesterday at the Lake Merrimen Dog Show, but was thwarted when well-known detectives and Illinois residents Frank Hardly and Nancy Clue moved quickly and saved the day. The culprit, however, escaped and may continue to plague the Central Illinois area as he has for the past two months.

Nancy gave a little start, then remembered her own Gogo was upstairs asleep on the foot of her bed.

"It's a horrible crime," Nancy sighed as she threw the paper down next to her. Normally, the inquisitive girl would have jumped on the case, but at the moment, she had little patience for sleuthing; the police would have to tackle this one without her. She had her own precarious predicament to resolve.

Meanwhile, clad in crisp summer lightweight frocks, Velma and Cherry were in the kitchen, preparing delicious food meant to be eaten out-of-doors and chatting happily about the fun day ahead. "Twenty sandwiches should be enough for the five of us, don't you think?" Cherry asked as she placed the last cold meat sandwich in the hamper next to the celery sticks, deviled eggs and molasses cookies.

"I think four is Midge's limit," Velma grinned. "Speaking of my husband, where is she?"

"I imagine she and Jackie snuck out for a smoke," Cherry tattled, surveying their fare. "Now all we need is fruit and we've got a well-rounded meal."

"I'll get some cling peaches from the pantry," Velma offered. When she opened the door to the walk-in closet at the far end of the kitchen, she was surprised to find Midge and Jackie inside with their heads together.

"What are you two scheming about?" Velma teased.

The girls jumped apart. "We're talking about the poodlenapping incident that happened yesterday," Midge said innocently.

"Sure," Velma twitched her lips. "More likely, you're talking about the poodle skirt incident of yesterday," she countered.

Midge gave Jackie a little wink; Jackie grinned and left the pantry.

"Midge, do you remember what you promised me?" Velma warned in a low tone as she searched the shelves for peaches.

"To love, honor and obey?" Midge answered slyly.

Velma frowned. She put her hands on her curvy hips and mustered her best glare. "You promised not to interfere with other people's love lives," she reminded her.

Midge arched one brow and leaned against a shelf. "Don't get that tone of voice with me, Miss Velma Pierce," she grumbled. They had all been up late socializing, and Midge was in no mood for a fight, let alone a picnic! All Midge was doing was helping out a buddy, and if Velma didn't see how truly made for each other Jackie and Cherry, were, well-

"Exactly what tone is that?" Velma demanded to know, her green eyes ablaze with anger.

"That I'm-right-and-you-know-it tone!" Midge snapped back.

Velma stood on tiptoe, put her arms around Midge's neck and pulled her close. "Let's not fight, honey," she whispered as she planted little kisses on her girlfriend's neck. Midge moaned and snuggled close.

"You spend entirely too much time thinking about Cherry and Nancy and Jackie," Velma chided her, adding, with a smile, "when you could be thinking about me."

"I'm glad we're an old married couple," Midge smiled. She gave Velma a soft, slow kiss and ran her hands up and down her curvy figure.

Midge unzipped Velma's summer frock and caressed her smooth back. Velma blushed as Midge pulled down the top of her dress to reveal her soft shoulders and bountiful bosom. "What if someone comes in here?" Velma moaned as she let her frock slide to the floor, standing unclothed except for a nylon half slip and a cream-colored lacy bra.

Midge kicked the door shut. The latch clicked into place. She dropped to her knees, pushed up Velma's slip and began mouthing the soft flesh of Velma's inner thighs. "I think of you all the time, Velma," she sighed. "Some days it's all I can do to walk and talk in your presence," she laughed ruefully as she slowly pulled down Velma's panties. A minute later Velma forgot all about their angry exchange.

There was a timid knock at the door.

"Velma, Midge, are you in there? We're ready to leave." It was Cherry and she was sounding frankly frazzled.

"Woyhl ae hrfg ix a mutnim," Midge cried, her voice all muffled.

"What?" Cherry cried. "Midge, I can't understand a thing you're saying."

"We'll be out in a minute," Midge repeated. She waited for the sound of receding footsteps, but none came.

"Why don't you go ahead and we'll catch up," Velma suggested.

"But you don't know where we're going," Cherry was quick to point out.

"Leave us a map!" Midge moaned.

"Oh, if you only knew what was going on out here!" Cherry cried, sounding on the edge of hysteria. "George's jalopy won't start and Jackie says she's not riding in Nancy's car with just the three of us, so if you don't go, Jackie won't go, and I'm not sure I really want to be alone with Nancy, and if you don't go and Jackie doesn't go and I don't go, Nancy will have to go alone and she'll be awfully disappointed and besides, we've got a whole hamper of food that will spoil! I know you two are busy smooching in there but could you please come out right now!" she pleaded with all her might.

Midge groaned. "The next time I stick my nose in other people's romances will you please remind me of this moment?" she begged her girlfriend as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve and got to her feet.

Velma slipped into her panties. There was nothing she needed to say. This time, Midge had learned her lesson for sure!

CHAPTER 7

A Surefire Scheme