Nancy Clue Mysteries 2 - The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend (16 page)

"Why, the next time I see a suspicious character, I'll run and get someone immediately!" Cherry vowed.

"And I can tie 'em up with my rope," Lauren planned as she practiced her double-hitch square knot.

The once gay little group, now sobered by the run-in with the thief, made its way back to the room. Cherry peered around every corner and even jumped once when she heard a sudden moaning noise from behind her. She was relieved when she realized it was only Midge and Velma.

"I've got to keep my wits sharp and my eyes open," Cherry thought, a chill of terror racing up her spine. She was determined, having been neglectful once, not to make the same mistake again!

"Coffee. Hot and black," Midge ordered as she slid her lanky frame into a booth at the DoubleD Diner. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. It was practically against her religion to get out of bed before nine o'clock in the morning, but she figured it was the only way she could get some muchneeded privacy.

"I haven't been up at the crack of dawn on purpose since that time my grandfather took me fishing when I was ten," she remembered. "Once every twenty-five years or so I'll get up and watch the sun rise," she vowed. "Builds character!" She yawned again. Between Nancy's tossing and turning and Lauren's snoring, Midge had gotten precious little sleep.

The waitress, a shapely number in a tight-fitting pink costume and frilly apron, smiled at Midge as she placed a cup of steaming coffee on the chipped Formica table. Midge took a big gulp of her favorite beverage.

"Not too strong, I hope?" the waitress purred, lingering at Midge's side even though the diner was quickly filling up with early-morning fishermen.

"Perfect," Midge replied. The waitress bent close to Midge and refilled her cup. Midge surveyed the curve of the girl's breasts under the thin cotton material of her uniform. "Er...ah...I'll need a few minutes to look over the menu," Midge stammered. She noticed that a large man wearing a loud plaid jacket was gesturing frantically at the waitress.

"Take your time," the girl replied in a smooth manner. "I'm here until two. That's when I get off. Two o'clock. In the afternoon-"

Midge hurriedly pointed at the menu. "I'll have this," she said, not even caring what she was ordering.

The girl took the pencil from behind her ear and flipped open her order book. "One Dish of the Day," she murmured. "Would you like anything else? Anything at all?"

Midge blushed and shook her head. She watched the waitress walk away, swaying to the country music coming from the jukebox. "I'm not used to getting so much attention from other girls," Midge thought. "I've practically got the word `married' stamped on my forehead!" She gulped down the rest of her coffee and lit her first cigarette of the day. "Can everyone tell that I'm starved for romance?" she wondered. She counted the days on her fingers. She realized with a start that she hadn't been alone with Velma for two days.

"Two whole days!" Midge moaned.

Her thoughts of Velma were interrupted by the waitress, back with a platter of food. "Sausage, flapjacks, fried eggs, grits, bacon, ham, homemade biscuits, jam, and grapefruit juice. Can I get you anything else?"

Midge shook her head dumbly, overwhelmed at the feast set before her. "At least I can eat all I want," she sighed, cracking the yolk of an egg with a fluffy biscuit before stuffing it into her mouth. She turned her attention to the newspaper she had picked up outside the diner. She was relieved to see no mention of Hannah's trial.

"What are you doing, Midge? Reading the newspaper?" Lauren slid into the booth and tried to get Midge's attention.

Midge groaned. What was Lauren doing up?

"Trying to," Midge replied. She was determined to have one quiet breakfast. Why, since they had begun their journey, she hadn't had one minute to herself.

"Can I have the comics?" Lauren wanted to know. She reached across the table, and clumsily knocked over Midge's coffee.

"Darn it, Lauren," Midge yelled, hastily trying to mop up the hot liquid with her thin paper napkin. "Cherry's rightyou are headed for reform school." Midge had to grin a little when she said this. More and more, Lauren was beginning to remind her of herself.

The waitress appeared. She quickly mopped the table top and provided Midge with a fresh cup of coffee. "Would your little friend like some milk?" she asked.

"Milk?" Lauren scowled. "I'll take a cup of coffee. Make it black," she snapped.

"Milk," Midge mouthed. She noticed Lauren eyeing her plate of food, and pushed it across the table. "You can have some," she said, "but only if you promise not to do anything but sit there and eat."

"I promise. But, Midge-"

"Not another word," Midge scowled. "I want total silence." She took a sip of her coffee.

"But-" Lauren started.

"Not one word," Midge grumbled.

"Fine, but just don't blame me 'cause I didn't give you Velma's message."

Midge hastily put down her cup. "Velma gave you a message to give to me? Why didn't you say so?"

Lauren shrugged and took a big bite of ham. Midge looked annoyed.

"She wants to see you back in the room," Lauren finally spit out.

Midge jumped up from the table. "Stay here," she said. "Finish your breakfast and sit until I get back." Midge raced out of the diner and headed for their room.

"Hi, Midge," a cheery voice called out. Cherry, crisply outfitted in a pink poplin jumper and white blouse, was standing next to their newly repaired car, a paper sack in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

"That nice mechanic just dropped off the car," she reported. "Nancy has gone to sell our piece of gold and settle the repair bill. I'm going to tidy the car before we begin the last leg of the trip," she planned aloud. "And that nice motel manager gave me some boxes so I can organize Lauren's rock collection."

"Good!" Midge cried as she raced past her. She took care not to be seen by the manager and was relieved when she made it through the door. Midge's heart melted at the sight of Velma, curled up in bed, a pile of warm blankets near her feet. She kicked off her loafers, peeled off her shirt, and slipped under the covers.

For a moment Midge lay quietly, enjoying the way her body fit so perfectly with Velma's. She gently put her hand on Velma's hip and kissed the back of her neck. Velma moaned and wriggled closer to Midge.

"I've been waiting for you," she sighed, rolling over to face her girlfriend. She wrapped her arms around Midge's neck and pulled her close.

"Lauren took forever to give me your message-otherwise I would have been here minutes ago!" Midge cried out excitedly.

Velma grinned, roughly rolled Midge on her back, and climbed on top of her. "Did you lock the door?" she murmured.

Midge nodded as she worked feverishly to rid Velma of her pink satin pajama trousers.

Velma grabbed her purse from the bedstand. With one hand she swiftly emptied its contents on the floor. "I swiped this from Miss Gertz," she explained, holding up her yellow bandanna from last night's square dance. Within seconds she had expertly bound Midge's wrists to the decorative cattle horns on the headboard. "Nancy's not the only one who earned her Rope-Trick Badge," Velma grinned.

"I could use a free hand," Midge protested mildly.

Velma ignored her. She ran her tongue over Midge's breasts.

"Just for a minute?" Midge pleaded.

Velma bit her softly but said nothing.

Midge groaned and closed her eyes. She knew when she was licked.

A sudden knock at the door startled them both.

"Ignore it," Midge groaned, locking her strong legs around Velma's waist. Velma did her best, but it was difficult to ignore what came next.

"River Depths calling Miss Nancy Clue," a man's voice rang out. It was the motel manager. Both girls had the same thought. It must be an emergency!

"We're coming," Midge yelled, trying to stop the man from shouting again. The last thing they needed was for those nosy reporters staying just three doors down to discover that Darcy New was really Nancy Clue!

Velma leapt out of bed, jumped into her clothes, and headed for the door. She whirled around and raced back to the bed. "Sorry, honey," she said, as she quickly untied Midge. Then she raced out the door.

Midge groaned and buried her head in the pillow. She was as close to tears as she'd ever been!

When Velma returned a few minutes later, she had a horrified expression on her pretty face. "Oh, Midge!" she cried. "The most horrible man was on the phone!"

Midge leapt from the bed where she had been anxiously awaiting Velma's swift return and raced over to her girlfriend. She held the trembling girl close.

Velma's story tumbled out in gasps and sobs. "When I went to the phone ...I intended... to say.. .that I wasn't Nancy... but before.. .1 could say... any more than `hello,' a dreadful voice... came on the line. He said the most awful things," Velma gasped. She repeated his exact words. " `Nancy Clue... if you know... what's good for you... you'll stay.. .away from River Depths lest a tragic fate... befall you.' Then he said ...he'd make... sure... she spent the rest of her life... behind bars... if she didn't... keep... her... mouth... shut!" Velma cried. "Oh, Midge, what are we going to do? We can't let Nancy go back there now!"

"I will, too, go back," Nancy declared. They were surprised to see Nancy standing in the doorway, holding a sack of groceries, her cheeks aflame with anger. "I don't know why someone would try to scare me off, but it's not going to work," she declared. "I will not go to jail for the murder of my father when it was clearly a case of justifiable homicide!" she exclaimed. "What did the man sound like? Could you identify an accent or any unusual characteristics?" she quizzed Velma.

Velma shook her head. "It was hard to make out his voice," she admitted, adding, "It was all muffled. But I did hear a slight buzzing noise in the background. It must have been a bad connection."

"So he was disguising his true identity," Nancy deduced. "He was probably using the old handkerchief-over-thereceiver trick. It's popular with crooks who use telephones in their wicked misdeeds."

Nancy put her bag on the bed and took off her scarf and dark glasses. "When I called Chief Chumley yesterday, I gave him the phone number of the motel. Some criminal must have stolen it from a pad of paper on his desk. I'll bet he overheard the Chief talking to me and hatched his evil plan. My best guess is that he's setting a trap for blackmail," she concluded. "When we get to River Depths, this petty thief will probably be the first to contact us. I will simply turn his extortion attempt over to the Chief, and we will be done with him," she declared.

"Not a word of this to Cherry," Nancy pleaded. "You know how much she worries."

Just then, Cherry skipped into the room. She spied the bag of groceries. "Oh, good, you got the money and purchased food. Well, I've been a busy bee, too, while you've been gone. I've tidied the car and updated our driving schedule. Barring any more breakdowns, we should be in River Depths in exactly twenty hours and seven minutes, not counting rest stops and meals. Oh, Nancy!" she cried, throwing her arms around her favorite date. "I have such a good feeling about today. I just know that once we get to River Depths, everything will be okay!"