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ПРИЯТНОГО ЧТЕНИЯ!
Carolyn Keene
Nancy Drew Mystery Stories: Volume Eighty-Four
The Joker’s Revenge
Copyright © 1988 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Some joker is causing trouble for Danner & Bishop, Chicago's most exclusive department store, but no one's laughing. Then Nancy and friends go undercover as store employees to catch the culprit--and find themselves in trouble.
A Strange Deck of Cards
“Well, here it is,” George Fayne announced, looking up at the entrance to the large white building. “Danner and Bishop, the department store that has everything you ever wanted to buy.”
“This is one time I’m going to love working on a mystery with you, Nancy,” Bess Marvin said, throwing her arm around her friend’s shoulder.
Nancy Drew laughed. “You mean you’re going to love exploring this store and being near all those fantastic clothes!”
“You’re right,” Bess admitted cheerfully. “And don’t leave out the part about staying at the Fitzhughs’ mansion while we’re in Chicago. This is going to be great!”
“Is this the same Bess who’s terrified of danger on every case?” George teased.
George and Bess were first cousins and totally different types. Brown-haired, brown-eyed George was tall, slim, and athletic. Bess was short and slightly plump, with long blond hair and light blue eyes.
“Danger?” Bess repeated, staring wide-eyed at George. “Don’t be silly. How could there possibly be any danger in a fabulous store like Danner and Bishop?”
“I hate to say it, Bess, but it is possible.” Nancy looked at her friends, a serious expression in her blue eyes. “Mr. Fitzhugh wouldn’t have called my father and asked us to come here if there weren’t some sort of trouble.”
Nancy’s father, Carson Drew, was a well-known lawyer who had clients all over the country. He had represented Carlin Fitzhugh, the owner of Danner and Bishop, for many years.
Nancy stared up past the polished stone steps that led to the oversize revolving door. Huge marble columns flanked the entrance to the store. She had to admit that Bess had a point. Danner and Bishop was the largest, most popular store in Chicago. It seemed an unlikely place for a dangerous adventure.
The wind off Lake Michigan whipped around the girls. Bess shivered and clutched the collar of her coat tightly around her neck. “It’s really cold here. Can we go inside now?”
“Sure.” Nancy brushed a lock of her reddish blond hair away from her face. “Let’s go!”
The girls headed up the steps and pushed through the revolving door. Inside, they were surrounded by warmth and gentle music and felt deep, lush carpeting beneath their feet.
Bess sighed happily. “I love this place. It’s so much better than any store in River Heights.”
“It sure is,” Nancy agreed absently as she looked around. Spotting an information desk, she motioned for her friends to follow her. “Mr. Fitzhugh said to find the store manager, Bennett Lloyd, as soon as we got here,” she told Bess and George.
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The woman at the information desk smiled at the girls in a friendly way. When Nancy asked her where they could find Bennett Lloyd, she pointed out a small, thin man in a well-cut dark suit. He was rearranging a display of men’s hats and scarves. Nancy thanked the woman and approached the store manager.
“Mr. Lloyd?”
“Yes?” The man spun around and looked at Nancy through old-fashioned horn-rimmed glasses. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m Nancy Drew from River Heights,” she said, extending her hand. “And these are my friends George Fayne and Bess Marvin. Mr. Fitzhugh told us to look for you when we arrived.”
“Oh, yes,” Mr. Lloyd said, shaking each girl’s hand briefly. “Mr. Fitzhugh told me to expect you. He asked me to take you up to his office as soon as you arrived.” Bennett Lloyd smiled at the girls. “Will you please follow me to the back of the store? We’ll take the employees’ elevator.”
“I could spend all of my money right here,” Bess declared as they walked past long glass counters displaying a large array of cosmetics. “If I ever win the lottery, I’ll bring all my millions to Danner and Bishop.”
“And blow every cent on makeup and perfume?” George asked, shaking her head.
“Of course not,” Bess said airily. “I’d need dresses, furs, jewels...”
Nancy wasn’t paying much attention to her friends’ joking. She was scanning the store, trying to spot anything that might give her a clue to the mystery Mr. Fitzhugh had asked her to solve. But all she saw were salespeople waiting on customers or fixing up displays. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary.
The store was beautiful. Nancy noticed that the walls were painted in pastel colors and were covered with gleaming mirrors. The soft lighting shone on the merchandise displays. Even the salespeople seemed to have a polished look. They appeared efficient and very much in control.
The elevator stopped at the fourth floor. “This way, ladies,” Mr. Lloyd announced, leading Nancy, Bess, and George down a wide hallway.
At the end of the hall, Mr. Lloyd approached a woman sitting at a desk in front of a huge double door made of dark carved mahogany. He cleared his throat and said, “Ms. Drew and her friends are here to see Mr. Fitzhugh, Grace.”
The woman smiled pleasantly at the girls. “Mr. Fitzhugh has been expecting you. You can go right in.”
Bennett Lloyd hesitated, then pulled the heavy door open.
“Mr. Fitzhugh, I’d like you to meet Nancy Drew, Bess Marvin, and George Fayne,” Mr. Lloyd announced.
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“Delighted to meet you!” a hearty voice thundered. A short, stocky man stood up behind a gigantic desk. He rounded the desk and came striding toward the girls. At first sight of Carlin Fitzhugh’s ruddy face and his shock of silver-white hair, Nancy knew that he was a distinguished and important man.
“Welcome to the Danner and Bishop team,” the store owner boomed. He grasped Nancy’s hand and started pumping it up and down in a firm handshake. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Nancy. Your father has told me a great deal about the many cases you’ve solved. That’s why I’ve asked you to come spend some time here at the store.”
“I’m happy to finally meet you, Mr. Fitzhugh,” Nancy replied. “I’ve been wondering about this mystery you want us to help you solve.”
“Well, then, let’s get right down to business, shall we?” Mr. Fitzhugh motioned to three soft leather chairs arranged around his desk. “Make yourselves comfortable.”
As the girls moved farther into the room and sat down, Nancy noticed that Bennett Lloyd stayed close to the door, shifting his weight back and forth from one foot to the other.
Carlin Fitzhugh went back to his desk and sat down. He leaned forward and looked at the girls. “For the past two weeks, someone has been playing practical jokes on the customers and staff of the store.” He opened one of the desk drawers and pulled out a stack of what looked like large playing cards. He handed them to Nancy, who flipped through them quickly.
“Jokers,” she said. “They’re all the same.” Nancy looked up at Mr. Fitzhugh.
“Yes,” Carlin Fitzhugh said, nodding. “They’re our only clue to the person who is playing the pranks. Every time one of the pranks happens, a card like this is left at the scene.”
“What kind of pranks are they?” Nancy asked.
“They were harmless enough—at first,” replied Fitzhugh. “Whoopee cushions in the ladies’ lounge, all of the appliances in the housewares department turning on at once, that sort of thing—”
“Pardon me for interrupting.” A pretty blond woman in her twenties entered the office. She was dressed in a very stylish navy blue business suit.
“Girls, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Ann,” Carlin Fitzhugh said proudly. “Ann recently graduated from business school and is working here at the store now. Someday she’ll take my place and run the whole organization. I believe in having a family operation,” he added. “Annie, I’d like you to meet Nancy Drew and her friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Ann said. “I hope you’ll be able to help us put a stop to all this.”
“There are a lot of cards,” George observed. “That’s an awful lot of pranks.”
“Yes, the whole situation is getting out of hand,” Ann Fitzhugh said. “That’s why Dad thought it would be a good idea to have you start looking into this now, before any more damage is done to our business.”
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“I can’t believe that practical jokes could seriously harm a store like Danner and Bishop,” Bess said, frowning.
“They can,” Carlin Fitzhugh said. “The pranks have hurt our reputation. The whoopee cushions didn’t win us any friends, I can assure you. One time the price tags on several pieces of expensive merchandise were switched around. We tried to explain to the customers what had happened, but when they complained we had to sell the items at greatly reduced prices.”
“Don’t forget the leaking pens in the stationery department,” Bennett Lloyd put in. “What a mess that was.”
“Yes,” Carlin Fitzhugh agreed. “A lot of customers had something to say about that! We had to foot the cleaning bills for all the stained clothes, handbags, and briefcases. And that’s not all. I’m afraid we’re losing some long-standing customers who are now going across town to Paley’s, our rival department store.
“The list of pranks goes on and on,” Mr. Fitzhugh said. “But until last Saturday, they were just annoying—not dangerous.”
“What happened on Saturday?” Nancy wanted to know.
“A chandelier in the ladies’ sportswear department crashed to the floor,” said Ann.
“Oh no!” gasped Bess. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Fortunately, no,” Carlin Fitzhugh replied grimly. “But it was a very close call.” He turned to Nancy. “We discovered that the support chain had been cut. So you can see why we were so anxious to have you investigate.”
“Have you called the police about the pranks?” Nancy asked.
Mr. Fitzhugh shook his head. “If we notified the police, the newspapers would get hold of the story. That would bring even more bad publicity to Danner and Bishop. We’re in enough trouble with our customers already!”
Nancy nodded. Then she looked down at the strange oversize cards in her hand. The joker on each card was wearing a multicolored jester’s outfit. On each joker’s face was a twisted, sneering smile. The staring eyes had an evil expression in them.
Bess shuddered as she peered over Nancy’s shoulder. “That face is enough to give a person nightmares!”
Nancy noticed that every one of the cards was signed in green pen across the bottom. The signature read, “The Joker.”
“I’m sorry,” said Mr. Fitzhugh. “I know these cards don’t give you much to go on.”
“Do you have any suspects in mind? Anybody whose behavior has been unusual lately?” Nancy asked.
“No,” Mr. Fitzhugh said. “That’s what makes this so frustrating. We have no ideas at all.”
“If you ask me,” Bennett Lloyd broke in, “the culprit isn’t anyone inside the store. We have a very loyal staff here at Danner and Bishop. It must be someone from the outside.”
“Well, that’s what Nancy is here to find out.” Carlin Fitzhugh waved an impatient hand.
“Did you check these cards for fingerprints?” Nancy asked.
“Yes,” Ann replied. “We had our security staff check that. They say the person who handled the cards must have been wearing gloves.”
“I’d like to keep some of these cards,” Nancy said.
“Of course,” Mr. Fitzhugh said. He took the rest of the cards back from Nancy and carefully tucked them into the top drawer of his desk. “I thought that the best plan of action would be to place you girls undercover, working in the store. That’s why I asked you to bring your friends, Nancy. The more people we have looking for this practical joker, the more effective we can be.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Nancy said. Bess and George nodded their heads in agreement.
“Fine. We’ve tried to pick jobs that will allow you to move around the store a lot. George, I’d like you to work with the maintenance staff.”
“That’s all right with me,” George said.
Ann smiled. “And Nancy, we thought the best job for you would be as a guard on our security force.”
“Great,” Nancy said. “George and I should be able to cover the whole store this way.”
“What about me?” Bess asked shyly. “Maybe I could do something in sales, like in the shoe department.”
George rolled her eyes. “Somehow I just knew Bess would want to work in the shoe department!”
Bess’s face reddened as her friends laughed. “She probably has more than fifty pairs in her closet at home!” George added.
“Well, then I think the shoe department is just the place for you, Bess,” Ann said, laughing along with the girls. “The department is located in the middle of the store in a very busy section. You’ll be able to see a lot from your post. And, as a matter of fact, we desperately need another salesperson there!”
“I think it would be best if no one, not even your department supervisors, knew about your undercover work,” Mr. Fitzhugh said to the girls. “You’ll report back to Ann or myself about what you learn. And Mr. Lloyd will be happy to assist you in any way he can, won’t you, Bennett?”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Mr. Lloyd replied.
“I hope this mystery is solved quickly, Nancy.” Carlin Fitzhugh came around to the front of his desk. “Danner and Bishop was just a third-rate store when I took over. I’ve spent years building it into the top store in Chicago. I’m planning to pass Danner and Bishop on to my family, and I’d hate to see its reputation totally ruined because of these silly pranks.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Fitzhugh,” George said. “Nancy will put the practical joker out of action.”
“I’ll do my best,” replied Nancy. “But our joker has been very clever. He or she has been able to pull these pranks without being seen. And the incident last Saturday proves that these aren’t just silly pranks anymore.”
“What are you getting at, Nancy?” demanded Carlin Fitzhugh.
Nancy looked at him. “As you said, Mr. Fitzhugh, no one was hurt by that falling chandelier. But the next time, someone may not be so lucky!”
A Close Call
There was an uneasy silence in the room. Then Mr. Fitzhugh said quietly, “The reputation of the store is very important to me. But if anyone becomes injured by these pranks, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“We’ll just have to make sure no one does get hurt,” Nancy said with grim determination. “So, the sooner we catch this joker, the better.” She turned to Bennett Lloyd. “Mr. Lloyd, would you get us started with our ‘jobs’ now?”
Mr. Lloyd nodded. Then he ushered the three girls out of Carlin Fitzhugh’s office.
“I’ll take you two to the personnel office,” Mr. Lloyd told George and Bess as they headed down the hall. “Going through the standard employment procedures will make your presence here seem less suspicious. As for you, Nancy, Mr. Fitzhugh has asked that I personally give you a tour of the store. The security force is headed by Joe Dane. I’ve already told him that a new staff member has been hired.
“Ah, here we are,” said Mr. Lloyd, stopping in front of a glass door marked “Personnel.”
“I’ll wait outside so that no one will know we’re together,” Nancy said.
With far more confidence than the girls had seen from him before, Mr. Lloyd pushed the door open and greeted the receptionist. “Good morning, Joan. I’ve got a couple of new employees for you.”
While George and Bess stayed behind to fill out forms and learn store policies, Bennett Lloyd began Nancy’s tour of the whole store.
“We’ll start with the ground floor and work our way up,” Mr. Lloyd said. “I think you’ll be impressed with our setup.”
“Oh, I am impressed with the store, Mr. Lloyd,” Nancy assured him.
Mr. Lloyd smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’m glad you like the store, Nancy, but I was referring to the unseen side of Danner and Bishop. Behind the walls of the selling floor, we have a whole maze of stockrooms and state-of-the-art security devices.”
Mr. Lloyd led Nancy through the back rooms, pointing out the various rows of neatly stacked stock. He was especially proud of the store’s security system. It was a series of sensor devices that could tell if a shoplifter was walking off with any merchandise.
Along the way Mr. Lloyd introduced Nancy to each of the employees they encountered. Nancy kept a careful eye out for anyone who seemed bitter or unhappy with Danner and Bishop. She felt that someone with a grudge might be responsible for the pranks. But everyone Nancy met seemed friendly and pleasant. Nobody stood out as a likely suspect.
The tour took Nancy to the top floor, where the furs and jewels—the most expensive items in the store—were securely displayed.
Wait until Bess sees this department, Nancy thought as she looked at the gleaming jewelry and soft, shining fur coats and jackets. Like all the other merchandise in the store, the items on this floor were of top quality.
“This store is really incredible,” Nancy said to Bennett Lloyd.
Mr. Lloyd looked pleased. “Did you know that Mr. Fitzhugh originally planned a much different type of store?”
“Really? What did he have in mind?”
“He had wanted a smaller, more exclusive store.” Bennett Lloyd looked down at his well-polished shoes. “Actually, it was my idea to expand Danner and Bishop and make it into Chicago’s top department store. The combination of quality and quantity is the key to our success.”
Nancy noticed that the store manager was blushing shyly as he made his admission. “I’ll bet most people don’t know that,” she said gently.
“No, I suppose not many do,” Mr. Lloyd acknowledged.
“Well, your idea sure worked,” Nancy said.
“Yes, the store has been very prosperous,” Mr. Lloyd said with pride.
“Thanks to you,” Nancy said with a smile. Then, on impulse, she asked, “Mr. Lloyd, do you have any idea who might be responsible for the pranks?”
Mr. Lloyd met Nancy’s steady gaze. “To tell you the truth, I think it’s some kids from the private school down the street. We caught them shoplifting a few months ago. We reported the incident to the police and turned them over to their parents.”
“And you think the pranks might be their way of getting even?” Nancy guessed.
“I think it’s very possible. Those kids are enterprising enough to cut a chandelier chain. But I wouldn’t want to accuse them without proof.” Mr. Lloyd cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Bess should be settling into the shoe department by now. I’d like you to meet the department supervisor there.”
The shoe department was on the third floor. It was bordered on two sides by several massive mahogany display cases, which leaned against pillars.
Nancy saw that Bess was already working, which didn’t surprise her. Bess was a good worker. She had had part-time jobs at several stores in River Heights. And Ann Fitzhugh had said the shoe department desperately needed a salesperson.
“You’ll absolutely love these suede heels,” Bess was saying to a customer. “Look at the sequins! They add just enough glitter to make these shoes a standout. They’re irresistible.”
Nancy smiled at her friend’s hard-sell technique. Nancy was sure that Bess would make the sale.
Just then, Bennett Lloyd said, “Nancy, I’d like you to meet Lindy Dixon, the head of our shoe department. Lindy, this is Nancy Drew, a new member of our security staff.” As Lloyd was making the introduction, Nancy took a good look at Bess’s new boss. Lindy Dixon was an attractive young woman with bright red hair and a slim figure. And it appeared she liked to wear a lot of makeup.
“Welcome to the team, Nancy,” Lindy said in a husky voice.
“Thanks,” Nancy said, “I’m really looking forward to working here. How long have you been with Danner and Bishop?”
“Long enough,” Lindy responded dryly.
“Oh? Don’t you like it here?”
“It’s okay for now. But I’m not planning to stay forever. I’m an actress,” Lindy said.
“Oh, really?” Nancy asked. Lindy was the first employee she had met who didn’t seem to be happy with her job at Danner and Bishop.
“I guess I shouldn’t be saying all of this in front of Mr. Lloyd, should I?” Lindy smiled brightly at the store manager. “But I’m only working here to save money. Once I’ve saved enough, I’m heading to New York City. Then, look out, Broadway!”
Nancy laughed at Lindy’s enthusiasm, and even Mr. Lloyd smiled.
“How do you think our new salesperson will work out, Lindy?” Bennett Lloyd asked.
“Pretty well, I guess,” Lindy said, looking over at where Bess was wrapping up her sale. “I’ve been trying to get rid of those sequined horrors for two weeks!”
Nancy barely managed to stifle a giggle. She glanced at Mr. Lloyd and saw him fighting back a laugh, too.
They watched as Bess proudly handed her customer the shoes carefully packed in a green and gold Danner and Bishop bag. “I’m sure you’re going to enjoy these, ma’am. Thank you for shopping with us.”
Nancy watched as Bess turned toward her boss, grinned, and flashed a thumbs-up victory sign. Then Bess’s expression suddenly turned to one of horror. “Watch out!” she screamed, pointing.
Nancy turned to see one of the huge mahogany display cases toppling toward her!
Speeding Stairs
Nancy felt herself being shoved from behind onto the floor. A split second later, the display case crashed to the floor with a thunderous noise. Nancy lay on the floor for a moment, dazed. Lindy was lying next to her. Bess stood beside them, pale and panting. “Are you okay?” Bess asked.
“I think so,” Nancy replied. “Lindy, are you all right?”
“Oh, sure.” Lindy was sitting up and brushing herself off. “We’re lucky Mr. Lloyd was there to push us out of the way. Wait a second—where is he?”
Nancy got to her feet. She saw Bennett Lloyd lying motionless on the floor, partially covered by the broken wood and glass of the smashed display case.
Nancy rushed over to him and began to pull the store manager out from under the debris. “Mr. Lloyd, are you all right?”
Bennett Lloyd began to move slowly. He moaned quietly and then said, “I... I think so. Just a bit shaken, I guess.”
Nancy helped the older man sit up. She saw him wince when she touched his shoulder. “We’d better call a doctor for you. You’ve been hurt.”
“No, no,” Mr. Lloyd protested. “I’m quite all right. Just give me a moment to catch my breath. I’m fine, really.”
“But your shoulder was hit,” Lindy said.
“It’s just a bruise,” Bennett Lloyd said firmly.
By this time a large crowd was gathering in the shoe department, eager to see what was happening. Nancy heard a woman say, “This store is dangerous! Come on, Sandra, let’s finish our shopping at Paley’s!”
Nancy knew she should investigate the accident quickly before any of the evidence was moved. She decided to take advantage of the commotion around her to quietly inspect the fallen display case.
The valuable mahogany wood had splintered into pieces, and the glass shelves had shattered into bits. Certain that the heavy case could not have fallen by itself, Nancy made a thorough search of the wreckage.
She noticed immediately that the back legs were still attached to the display case. But the front legs had been cut through cleanly. Nancy wondered how long the giant cabinet had been balanced on two disconnected supports. It obviously would have been easy to push over.
Nancy carefully checked the pillar behind where the display case had stood. She knew from her tour that there were four pillars like this one on each floor of the store. They were hollow, and each one contained a sophisticated sensor device.
There was a back panel in the pillar. Nancy quietly slid open the panel and slipped into the pillar.
It wasn’t long before she noticed the hole in the side opposite where the display case had stood—a hole large enough for a hand to fit through.
One strong push was all that had been needed to push the display case over. Now Nancy was sure that the falling display case had not been an accident. And that this “prankster” was becoming dangerous.
Nancy carefully searched every inch of the wall. Then she let herself out of the pillar and went back to the display case. In the tangled mess of wood, glass, and shoes, she finally found what she was looking for—a joker card stuck to a piece of wood from the back of the case.
Nancy’s mouth set in a tight, grim line.
Meanwhile, Bess had been caught up in the commotion of customers and employees gathered at the accident site. Now she sidled up to Nancy.
“And I thought nothing scary could ever happen in a store like Danner and Bishop,” Bess whispered. “All of a sudden, this doesn’t seem like so much fun anymore, Nancy.”
“I know how you feel,” Nancy whispered back, glancing around cautiously. “But hang in there, Bess. We’ve got to catch this guy.”
Just then, the girls saw Ann Fitzhugh striding across the selling floor toward the shoe department. “Oh no!” she cried. “What in the world happened?”
Lindy told Ann the whole story. When Lindy had finished, Ann turned to the store manager.
“Are you feeling all right, Mr. Lloyd?” she asked in a concerned tone. “Maybe you should take the rest of the day off.”
“I’m fine now,” Bennett Lloyd said with a smile. “Besides, there’s too much to do. I really can’t take any time off.”
“Well, if you’re sure...”
“I’m sure,” Mr. Lloyd said.
“Then, if no one is hurt, I think we should all get back to work,” Ann said, taking control of the situation. “Lindy, please call maintenance and have them clean up this mess. I’ll get the art department to design a new display for the shoes.” She turned to Nancy. “Ms. Drew, since you were an eyewitness, I’d like you to come to my office to file a complete report of the accident.”
“Certainly, Ms. Fitzhugh,” Nancy replied.
“Let’s go, then,” Ann said.
When they got to Ann’s office, Nancy told the young woman everything she had discovered about the rigging of the accident. “And there was a joker card there, too. The same card that was left after all the other pranks,” she finished.
“Oh, Nancy, I’m really getting worried,” Ann said. “Someone could have been seriously injured—or even killed—this afternoon. We’ve got to find this saboteur quickly.”
“We don’t have much to go on right now,” Nancy admitted. “Although Bess and I were right there when the case fell, we didn’t see anyone enter or leave the security pillar. These jester cards are the most important clue I have right now. I want to try to find out where they come from. May I use your phone?”
“Of course,” Ann said. “I’d better go back downstairs and try to reassure everyone that this was just a freak accident. I don’t want the employees getting scared off as well as the customers!”
After Ann had left, Nancy looked through the Chicago yellow pages for novelty shops. She found twelve listed in the downtown area. Fifteen minutes later, Nancy left Danner and Bishop and headed for the first novelty shop on her list.
At Klein’s Novelties and Tricks, Nancy showed one of the jester cards to Mr. Klein, the store owner. “Can you tell me if this card was purchased here?” Nancy asked.
The elderly store owner studied the card closely. “Most unusual,” he said finally. “I’ve never seen a card like this. I sell a variety of playing cards here, but nothing like this.”
“Where do you think a card like this might come from?” Nancy asked.
“I have no idea,” the man replied. “But I don’t think it could have come from any of the shops around here.”
“Well, thanks for your time,” Nancy said. She left the shop and started heading toward the next store on her list.
She soon found out that Mr. Klein had been right. Nobody recognized the card, and nobody had any idea where it had come from. There was only one shop left to visit.
With a sigh, Nancy pushed open the door to the tenth shop on her list and showed the joker card to the girl behind the counter.
“I think,” the girl said slowly, inspecting the card carefully, “I think that this might be a custom-printed card.”
“You mean, it would have to be ordered specially? It couldn’t just be bought at a retail store?” Nancy asked. She realized this would mean that the practical joker had planned everything more carefully than she had thought.
“I’ll tell you who does this sort of work.” The girl pulled out a phone book and opened it on the counter. “Yeah, here it is. Pozanski Graphics—it’s over on Twelfth Street, not too far from here.”
“Thanks a lot!” Nancy said as she rushed out of the shop.
A few minutes later, Nancy was standing in the small office of Pozanski Graphics, explaining her problem to one of the designers.
“I don’t know if I can help you,” the dark-haired woman said. “I’ll be happy to take a look at the card,” she added, taking it from Nancy, “but we print so many different things here, I just don’t know if I’ll recognize one particular card.”
The woman perched her glasses on her nose and peered at the card.
“You know, I do remember this one,” she said, nodding.
Nancy felt flooded with relief. “Are you sure?” she asked cautiously.
“Oh, yes. I remember them very well. Strange looking, aren’t they? I remember wondering what in the world anyone would want such a large quantity of these nightmare faces for.”
“I’ve been wondering that, too,” Nancy said. “Could you tell me how many of these cards were made?”
“Well, let me see. I should have the purchase order here in my files.” The woman hunted through some papers for a moment and then announced, “Here it is.” She pulled a folder out of the pile and opened it. “Two dozen of those jester cards were ordered by mail.”
“By mail!” Nancy exclaimed. “Can you tell me who ordered them?”
“I’m afraid it doesn’t say,” the woman said, scanning the paper. “There was no name on the order, and the cards were paid for by money order. I don’t know what else I can tell you. I’m sorry.” The woman shrugged.
“But...” Nancy was puzzled for a moment. “Can you tell me where the cards were mailed to?”
“I wish I could help you, Ms. Drew,” the woman said sincerely, “but it’s strict company policy never to reveal any customer information. I’m sure you understand that we have to protect our customers’ privacy.”
“I understand,” Nancy said. She was so close to an answer—she just couldn’t let this opportunity slip through her fingers. “Well, thank you for your help.”
Nancy reached out to shake the woman’s hand and “accidentally” stumbled forward off balance. “Oh no!” she exclaimed as she knocked the folder out of the woman’s hand. The papers scattered on the floor.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Nancy said, crouching down to gather up the papers.
“No, no, that’s all right, dear,” the woman said, bending down. “I’ve got them.”
“Let me help,” Nancy insisted, hastily shuffling through the papers.
Finally the papers were all gathered and neatly back in the folder. Nancy thanked the woman again and walked out of the office, lost in thought.
All the way back to Danner and Bishop, Nancy thought about the startling new information she had just gathered in the graphics shop. She wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t seen it in writing on the purchase order.
The cards had been delivered to Danner and Bishop!
Back at the store, Nancy was eager to tell the Fitzhughs what she had discovered—that someone inside the store had to be involved in the pranks.
Nancy stepped onto the escalator leading up to the second floor. As she was being lifted above the ground, Nancy glanced around the first floor. There were fewer shoppers browsing around than there had been earlier. The latest prank had definitely scared more people away.
Suddenly, Nancy became aware that the escalator was picking up speed. Looking behind her, she saw that she was alone on the escalator. Nancy grasped the handrails tightly.
The escalator was going faster and faster. Nancy felt herself whizzing past mirrors and hanging plants, all going by in a blur. Ahead of her she saw an enormous marble pillar just beyond the escalator’s landing.
Nancy knew she was in danger. She tried to brace herself as the step she was on neared the top.
She realized that she would have to jump clear of the escalator at just the right moment in order to avoid being hurt.
Suddenly, the escalator jerked to a stop, catching Nancy off guard and hurling her toward the marble pillar!
Some Really Hot Shoes
Nancy lowered her head and tucked her body into a ball. She landed hard and tumbled across the tile floor, just managing to sideswipe the marble pillar. But as she came out of her somersault, she crashed into a display of mannequins, knocking them to the floor.
A saleswoman hurried over to her. “Are you hurt?” she asked anxiously.
“I think I’m all right,” Nancy said, sitting up and rubbing her elbows. “The room is spinning around a little, but that will go away in a minute.” She looked at the fallen display of mannequins. There were arms and legs strewn all around her. It looked as if a tornado had swept through the dress department of Danner and Bishop.
“I’ll call maintenance,” the saleswoman said. “And that escalator will have to be repaired right away.”
Nancy stood up slowly, still feeling a little dazed. “I’ll make sure nobody else gets on the escalator until it’s fixed,” she told the saleswoman.
Nancy walked back to the top of the escalator and blinked in disbelief. The steps were moving at normal speed.
Nancy stared at the escalator for a long time, wondering what was going on. She wasn’t sure if the speeding escalator had simply been broken, or if this was the work of the store’s saboteur. Nancy shook her head. The pattern was all wrong. There had never been two pranks on the same day before. It was beginning to look like today’s pranks were aimed directly at her!
Could someone be trying to stop her? Nancy wondered. But no one in the store was supposed to know that Nancy was a detective—no one except the Fitzhughs and Bennett Lloyd, and none of them seemed capable of rigging a runaway escalator.
Nancy had started to search the area for a jester card when two men arrived. One was wearing a maintenance uniform; the other was obviously a member of the security staff. The maintenance worker smiled at Nancy and asked, “Are you the young lady who was hurt on the escalator?”
“Yes,” Nancy said, “but I think the mannequins were hurt worse than I was. Just a few bumps and bruises for me.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” the maintenance worker said. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and Nancy guessed that he was about thirty years old.
“I’m Nick Holt,” he added. “Danner and Bishop maintenance chief. And this is Joe Dane, head of security.”
Joe Dane nodded at Nancy. He was a tall, heavyset man who looked to be in his mid-fifties. He had a short crewcut and small eyes set in a beefy face.
“I’m pleased to meet you both,” Nancy said. “I’m Nancy Drew, and I’m just starting work here at the store.”
“Oh yeah?” Nick Holt asked. “Where will you be working?”
“Security,” Nancy answered. “I was on my way up to the personnel office to report for work.”
Joe Dane looked at Nancy closely. There was a sour expression on his face. “I never heard anything about a new person in security,” he muttered. “They never tell me anything around here. You’d think I had no control over my own department. Who hired you, anyway?”
“Calm down, Joe,” Nick Holt said, giving Joe Dane a playful punch on the arm. “The lady’s brand-new on the job. Give her a break.”
Nancy looked up at Joe Dane. She knew she had to protect her undercover role and that she would have to be particularly careful around her new boss.
“Mr. Lloyd hired me,” Nancy said.
Joe Dane’s face started to turn red with anger. “Lloyd should have consulted me first,” he sputtered. “With new recruits like this, it’s no wonder the store is falling apart.”
Before Nancy could say anything, Joe Dane turned his back on her and approached the escalator. He opened a panel and began punching some buttons and muttering to himself.
Nick Holt chuckled. “I don’t know what Joe thinks he’s doing, but he’ll never be able to fix the escalator that way.”
Nancy couldn’t tell him that she was sure the escalator had been rigged for only her ride. It wasn’t really broken.
Seeing Nancy’s frown, Nick Holt said quickly, “Don’t worry about old Joe. His bark is worse than his bite.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Nancy couldn’t help asking.
“As head of security, he’s starting to look bad with all of these crazy tricks going on. In fact, his job is on the line. He could be fired.”
Nancy nodded thoughtfully. Then she watched as Joe Dane continued to fiddle with the escalator switches. He was getting more and more frustrated by the lack of results. He obviously didn’t know what he was doing.
“I’m curious about the security here, since I’ll be working in that department. Does the store have a good security system?” Nancy asked Nick.
Nick Holt nodded. “Yes, the staff here is one of the best in the business. Joe runs a tight ship. There are sensor devices on every door to catch shoplifters. There’s also an elaborate alarm system throughout the store, so if anybody breaks in after hours the Chicago police are alerted right away. And then there are the Dobermans.”
“Dobermans!” Nancy said in a shocked tone.
“You bet. We have three specially trained attack dogs. They roam the store at night.”
The thought of vicious Dobermans let loose in the store gave Nancy the creeps. Nick noticed her reaction and grinned at her.
“The dogs freak everyone out at first,” he said. “But they’re more effective than human guards because they’re quick to arrive at the scene of a crime and can detect hiding burglars by using their sense of smell. Once caught, nobody can get away from them.”
“I’m sure,” Nancy said, glad that Bess hadn’t been around to hear about this.
“I’d better get to work cleaning up this mess you made,” Nick said teasingly as he headed back to the fallen mannequins.
Nancy turned and looked at Joe Dane again in time to see him close the panel in disgust. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a large white handkerchief. As he did, Nancy saw a matchbook and some paper fall out of his pocket onto the floor.
Joe walked off without looking back, and Nancy headed for the spot where he had been standing. She bent over and picked up the items. There was a paper cigar ring, an empty matchbook, and a gum wrapper. And Nancy found something else lying near the control panel—a jester card.
“That looks pretty nasty,” said a voice behind Nancy. It was Nick Holt, peering over her shoulder. Nancy was beginning to feel that this maintenance worker was taking too much interest in her activities.
“Yes, it does,” Nancy agreed. She wondered if the card had fallen out of Joe Dane’s pocket. If he were the prankster, he could have dropped it on purpose. Or he could have placed it on the floor while he was trying to fix the escalator. But Nancy hadn’t been able to search the area around the escalator until after Joe Dane had been there, so she couldn’t be sure when the card had appeared. And Nick Holt also had had an opportunity to plant the jester.
Nancy looked at the matchbook in her hand, hoping that it might be a clue. It said “Omni Aviation” on the front. On the inside cover was a phone number.
“Here, let me throw that away for you,” Nick Holt said. He reached for the matchbook, the cigar ring, and the gum wrapper, but Nancy pulled her hand back.
“That’s okay, I’ll do it,” she said casually but firmly. She wanted to hold on to anything that might be a clue or used as evidence.
Nick Holt shrugged. “Okay. Well, I’d better get back to this mess, or my own job will be on the line.” He chuckled and then became serious, adding, “But I hope these stupid tricks stop soon before every display in the store is broken!”
• • •
That night Nancy, Bess, and George had dinner with Carlin and Ann Fitzhugh in the elegant dining room of the Fitzhugh mansion. Before dinner, the girls had been shown up to their rooms. The rooms were so beautifully decorated that Nancy had to agree with Bess that they were fabulous.
There were freshly cut flowers on the long polished table in the dining room. Two servants hovered quietly nearby. The whole room was lit by the soft light of candles. Nancy was grateful for the relaxing atmosphere after her harrowing day.
Nancy filled everyone in on the day’s events. She told them about her card hunt, the runaway escalator, and her conversation with Nick Holt and Joe Dane. The Fitzhughs seemed to be impressed by the amount of information that Nancy had been able to gather, but Nancy was quick to point out that the investigation had only just begun.
“We only have a few pieces of the puzzle so far, Mr. Fitzhugh,” Nancy said, picking up her water glass.
“But you found out something really important, Nancy,” Ann Fitzhugh said. “This joker has to be someone inside the store.”
“Or someone wants it to seem that way,” Nancy said. She took a sip of water. Then she went on, “I think it’s a good place to start, though. I want to get to know a little bit about every employee. You know, try to find out who isn’t happy at Danner and Bishop or who might be holding a grudge. That’s where George and Bess go to work.”
“You mean all we have to do is get to know people?” Bess asked, looking up from her steak. “I can handle that.”
“I’ll be able to get to a lot of people, Nan,” George assured her. “You’d be surprised how much people will say to the cleaning person.”
“Do you have anyone special in mind, Nancy?” Carlin Fitzhugh asked.
“Well...” Nancy hesitated. She didn’t want to make accusations without evidence, but she felt her clients had a right to know what she was thinking. “I do have a few suspects.”
“Already?” Ann Fitzhugh asked in surprise, her fork halfway to her mouth.
“I don’t have any concrete evidence yet, but I do have a few ideas,” Nancy said.
“Let’s hear them,” Carlin Fitzhugh said, leaning toward her.
“Well, Joe Dane is one of my suspects,” Nancy said.
“Joe Dane? That big guy who’s head of security?” George looked surprised. “He was a little rude when I met him, but he didn’t seem to be the type to pull pranks.”
“I think he may have dropped the jester card near the escalator. Also, he has access to every hidden area of the store. He’s in a perfect position to make trouble.”
Mr. Fitzhugh looked like he wanted to object, but at the last moment he refrained from commenting on Nancy’s first suspect.
“Who else do you have on your Most Wanted List, Nancy?” Ann asked.
Nancy cleared her throat before answering. “Well, Nick Holt and Bennett Lloyd are also possibilities.”
“Nick Holt? Bennett Lloyd?” Ann Fitzhugh asked in a surprised tone.
“I know it’s hard to imagine Mr. Lloyd as a practical joker,” Nancy began.
“Impossible to imagine is more like it,” Carlin Fitzhugh interrupted. “Really, Nancy, Bennett Lloyd wouldn’t have the nerve to carry out all these practical jokes. Besides, he’s dedicated to the store—I can’t imagine him doing anything to harm our business.”
“I agree with you,” Nancy admitted. “But it looks like today’s pranks were aimed at stopping me. He’s the only person besides us who knows why I’m here,” she explained.
“But, Nancy, he was the one who saved you and Lindy from the falling display case,” Bess argued. “He even got hurt himself.”
“That’s true,” Nancy agreed. “But I’m keeping Bennett Lloyd on my list of suspects just to be safe,” she stated firmly.
“Why is Nick Holt a suspect?” Ann Fitzhugh demanded.
“Just a hunch.” Nancy shrugged before adding, “And I think he knows enough about escalators to rig an accident.”
“I think that we’ve all had enough of this problem for one day,” Carlin Fitzhugh said. “I suggest we get our minds off this case by moving on to dessert. Anybody for chocolate cake?”
Nancy and George burst out laughing as Bess quickly shouted, “Yes!”
• • •
The next morning Nancy started work as a security guard. She was peeking into the shoe department stockroom on her rounds when George came up to her. She raised her eyebrows when she saw the gray uniform Nancy was wearing.
“It’s a good thing Bess doesn’t have to work in security,” Nancy said. “She’d never be willing to wear this horrible uniform.”
“You can say that again,” Bess muttered as she came out of the stockroom, six shoe boxes piled high in her arms. “Don’t you two ever work? Do you really have time to stand around chatting like this?” she grumbled.
“I am working,” George said cheerfully. “I was ordered to empty the wastepaper baskets on this floor. I’m just wandering around trying to find them.”
“How’s it going, Bess?” Nancy asked, looking out at the quiet shoe department. There were only three customers in the area, and everything seemed peaceful.
“It’s not as much fun being in the store as I thought it would be,” Bess complained. “I love to shop, but working in the shoe department is hard. I have to do everything.”
“Where’s Lindy?” Nancy asked.
“She’s never around much,” Bess replied with a shrug. “She’s auditioning for a play, and she hangs out in the stockroom practicing her lines. When Lindy does bother to come out, she doesn’t do any work. She just stands around telling anyone who will listen about how she’s going to go to New York and become a big star. Meanwhile, I have to do all of the work.”
“Well, look at the bright side, Bess,” George said. “At least you don’t have to wear an ugly uniform like Nancy’s.”
“That’s the only good part of the job,” Bess said. “I’d better get these shoes to those ladies.”
Nancy watched her friend walk out onto the selling floor.
“I guess I should start working, too,” George said. “I’ll see you later.”
As the girls stepped away from the stockroom door, two identically dressed twelve-year-old boys streaked past them and raced toward the elevator.
“Hey!” Nancy yelled as she took off after the fleeing children.
Suddenly, a piercing scream sounded from behind the shoe department’s display cases. “Get them off! Get them off me!” one of Bess’s customers was shrieking.
Nancy gave up her chase and turned back toward Bess. “What’s happening?” she called out.
“I don’t know,” Bess cried. She was watching in horror as her three customers hopped around, grabbing at their shoes as if their feet were on fire.
Jack Paley
The women screamed and jumped up and down. Finally, one of them managed to kick off her shoes. She collapsed into the nearest chair, breathing heavily.
Bess and George tried to calm the other two women, but it was impossible to get either of them to explain what was happening.
Nancy picked up one of the shoes the customer had kicked off and inspected it. Immediately she spotted a flaky white substance coating the inside. She touched the inside of the shoe carefully and felt a burning, itching sensation on the tip of her finger.
“Itching powder,” Nancy stated. “Someone has put itching powder in these new shoes!”
Bess and Nancy pulled the shoes off the feet of the other two women, who were finally sitting still. “But I just brought these shoes out of the stockroom. Nobody could have tampered with them out here.”
“My guess is that a lot of the shoes in the stockroom are full of itching powder,” Nancy said grimly.
“Nancy, those boys!” George said suddenly. “The ones who were running away. They could have done it!”
“Let’s go!” Nancy said. “Bess, you stay here and help these ladies,” Nancy called over her shoulder as she and George started running toward the escalator.
The girls scrambled down to the first floor in record time and dashed toward the front door.
“Did you see two boys come running by here?” Nancy asked a security guard by the door.
“They were both dressed in white shirts, blue pants, and blue ties,” George added.
“I saw them,” the guard answered. “They left the store about a minute ago.”
“Thanks,” Nancy called as she pushed through the revolving door. George followed closely behind her.
The girls barreled down the front steps to the sidewalk.
“Look!” cried George.
Nancy turned to see where her friend was pointing. About a block and a half away, two figures in white shirts and blue pants were climbing the steps of a building. Before the boys had disappeared through the door, Nancy and George took off after them.
They pounded down the sidewalk as fast as they could toward the building.
A sign over the door said “The Peale-Benson School.” Nancy realized that the boys’ matching clothes were the school’s uniform.
Nancy and George rushed through the door and stopped to catch their breath. Before them was a long hall with a number of doors. Their eyes scanned the empty hallway searching for any possible clue to the boys’ whereabouts.
“There,” Nancy said, pointing. “See that door at the end? It’s still swinging.”
“They must have gone that way,” George replied.
The girls moved quickly to the end of the hall and found themselves at the head of a staircase, leading down into darkness.
Nancy paused, then glanced at George and said, “They’ve got to be down there.”
George nodded. “Let’s go.”
Nancy took a deep breath. Then she reached into the dark for a banister and stepped forward.
“Stop right there!” a deep voice said suddenly. “Stop, or I’ll call the police.”
Nancy and George turned quickly to see a tall older man in gray suit glowering down at them.
“We work for Danner and Bishop,” Nancy said in her most businesslike voice. She was glad she was wearing the security uniform with the store logo identifying her. “We have reason to believe that a couple of boys who have been destroying Danner and Bishop property are hiding here.”
After Nancy had explained why she and George were chasing the boys, the man nodded his head thoughtfully.
“That does sound suspicious,” he sadly agreed. “I’m David Marks, the headmaster of the school. If some of my boys are causing trouble with local businesses, I want to get to the bottom of it. Let’s see if they are in the basement as you seem to think.”
Mr. Marks led the girls down the stairs, turning on the lights as he went. The basement was shadowy and dim, and there was no sign of the boys Nancy and George had been chasing.
“No one here,” the headmaster said after they had checked the entire room.
“Just a minute,” Nancy said. “There’s one place we haven’t looked.” She walked over to a narrow wooden door that was almost hidden behind a stand of mops and brooms. She yanked the door open. There, crouching low in the far corner of the tiny closet, were the missing boys.
“We didn’t do anything,” one of the boys protested before Nancy had a chance to say anything. He had curly red hair and a freckled face.
“Get out of there, you two,” the headmaster ordered sternly. “We’ll find out just what you did or didn’t do.”
Mr. Marks brought the boys out into the dimly lit basement. “Are these the two you saw in the store?” he asked.
“They’re the ones,” George said angrily.
“We didn’t do anything,” the red-haired boy repeated.
“Well, Ian, if you didn’t do anything we’ll know that soon enough,” the headmaster said calmly. “But these ladies seem to think you’ve been causing trouble at Danner and Bishop.”
“We haven’t,” Ian insisted.
“Then why were you running away from us?” Nancy asked.
“We weren’t running away from you. We were running because we were late getting back to school.” He turned to his friend. “Right, Tom?”
Tom didn’t say anything. He just shrugged and nodded. He was a thin, blond boy with a pale face.
“If you were late for school, why were you hiding in the basement?” demanded George. Ian and Tom looked at the floor in silence.
“Mr. Marks,” Nancy said, “have Ian and Tom ever been in trouble with Danner and Bishop before?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised,” the headmaster said. “Ian McDonough and Tom Paley are known around here as troublemakers.”
“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to bring Ian and Tom back to the store to see the general manager.” Nancy remembered Bennett Lloyd’s comment about private school boys being caught shoplifting. She wondered if these could be the same boys. “I think we’ll be able to get to the bottom of this with his help.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mr. Marks said. “I’d like to get to the bottom of this myself!” Then he turned to the two boys and announced, “I’m hoping for your sakes that today’s activities were limited to cutting class. If not, you’ll learn what trouble really means!”
The five of them walked back to Danner and Bishop, Ian McDonough insisting on his and Tom’s innocence the whole way.
Back at the store, they found Bennett Lloyd on the executive floor, just outside Carlin Fitzhugh’s office.
“I thought I told you never to set foot in this store again,” Bennett Lloyd exclaimed as soon as he spotted the group.
Nancy and George looked at each other in surprise. They had never heard the store manager sound so angry before. Even Carlin Fitzhugh stepped out of his office to see what the commotion was.
“You punk,” Bennett Lloyd continued as he approached Tom Paley. “Shoplifters are thrown out of here.” He grabbed Tom by the front of his shirt.
“It was only a little radio,” Tom muttered. “You got it back. And I didn’t steal anything today.”
Nancy put her hand on Bennett Lloyd’s arm to try to calm him down. Mr. Lloyd took a deep breath and released Tom.
“Tom,” Nancy said, looking the boy directly in the eyes. “Did you put itching powder in the ladies’ shoes?”
The boy snickered. “Why would I do a stupid thing like that?” He glared at the group. “You think that just because my father owns Paley’s you can treat me this way,” he added angrily.
There was a stunned silence. Tom’s statement had caught everyone off guard.
Nancy was the first one to speak. “Your father owns Paley’s store across town?”
“Yeah,” Tom Paley said with a grunt.
“That proves it,” Bennett Lloyd said triumphantly. “Danner and Bishop and Paley’s are in direct competition. It would make sense for Paley to want to cause trouble over here.”
Carlin Fitzhugh stepped forward and spoke for the first time. “It looks as if you’ve caught our practical joker, Nancy. I can’t say I’m surprised that he’s the culprit. Jack Paley has tried several times to buy Danner and Bishop. He wants to add it to his chain of Paley’s department stores. He’s probably hoping to make me want to sell by arranging all of these pranks.” He looked at Tom. “And he’s been sending his son to carry them out!”
“I took a radio once, all right?” Tom Paley said hotly. “But I didn’t have anything to do with those dumb jokes!”
“Well, why don’t we just call your father and see about that,” Carlin Fitzhugh said.
“I’ll make the call,” Nancy volunteered. “I’ll ask him to come over here.”
“Use the phone in my office,” Mr. Fitzhugh suggested. “Grace will give you Paley’s office number.”
Nancy got the phone number from the secretary. Then she took advantage of the quiet emptiness of Mr. Fitzhugh’s office to pull her thoughts together.
She realized that the boys couldn’t possibly have pulled off all the practical jokes. They never would have been able to rig the escalator. They didn’t have the technical know-how to do it. In any case, they couldn’t have gotten access to the controls.
Then there were the jester cards. They had been delivered to Danner and Bishop. How could the boys have gotten their hands on the cards?
But Tom’s father, Jack Paley, could have masterminded the pranks and used an accomplice in the store to carry them out.
Nancy dialed Paley’s number. When she reached the store owner, she told him about his son’s possible involvement in the problem at Danner and Bishop.
“What? He’s in trouble again?” Paley exclaimed so loudly Nancy had to jerk the phone away from her ear. “I’ll be right over to get him!” Nancy heard him slam down the receiver. She hung up and shook her head. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for Tom. His father had sounded really angry.
Jack Paley arrived at Danner and Bishop a half an hour later. He was a short, dark-haired man, and he was wearing a dark gray business suit. Paley was still as outraged as he had been on the phone.
“What’s all this about?” he demanded in a loud, angry voice. Then he turned to Headmaster Marks and roared, “What’s the matter with the teachers at Peale-Benson? He should be at school, not in this two-bit store!”
“Please calm down, Mr. Paley,” Nancy said. “I’m sure we can discuss this without—”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Paley exploded. He glared at his son. “What have you done this time?”
“I didn’t do anything, Dad, honest,” Tom Paley said. Nancy couldn’t help noticing how frightened Tom seemed to be of his father—and she couldn’t blame him.
“I’ve had it with you!” Paley bellowed at Tom. “Why can’t you stay out of trouble?” Abruptly, Paley turned to Carlin Fitzhugh. “What’s going on here, Fitzhugh? Can’t you run your store without getting me involved in your problems?”
“Well, frankly, Jack, we do have some problems, and I’m not too sure you’re not involved,” Carlin Fitzhugh said.
“What do you mean?” Mr. Paley demanded suspiciously.
“I’m sure you’ve heard about the string of mishaps we’ve been having here lately,” Mr. Fitzhugh said.
“I’ve heard rumors,” Jack Paley replied. “What does that have to do with me?”
“Your son is a suspect in the latest prank,” Nancy explained. “It seems pretty unlikely that he would want to damage Danner and Bishop. But you might want to see the store suffer.”
Paley stared at Nancy furiously. “Are you accusing me of dirty tactics?”
“No one is saying that, Mr. Paley,” Nancy replied quickly. “We just want to get to the bottom of this.”
“I run a clean business,” Paley stated angrily, “and I won’t be treated this way. I will not stand for accusations from some interfering teenager!”
“Jack, calm down, will you?” Mr. Fitzhugh said. “We only—”
“I will not calm down!” roared Paley. He turned toward Nancy. “And I’ll teach you to make false accusations against me!”
His face bright red with rage, Jack Paley lunged at Nancy!
Deadly Games
“Dad, don’t!” Nancy heard Tom Paley cry out as she stepped away from his father.
Nancy took a deep breath. “I don’t think you really want to attack me, Mr. Paley,” she said quietly, looking the angry man in the eyes.
Jack Paley stopped suddenly and turned toward Carlin Fitzhugh. Nancy could have sworn she heard the entire group sigh with relief.
“You’d better learn to keep your employees in line,” Jack Paley said loudly. “She was clearly provoking me into a fight!” His voice didn’t boom with the confidence Nancy had heard earlier.
“That’s not the way it looked to us,” Carlin Fitzhugh commented.
Paley whirled around to face him. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer about the charges you’ve been making against me,” Mr. Paley sputtered. “I’m going to sue you for slander!”
“You can try,” Fitzhugh said evenly. “But I doubt if you’ll succeed. In the meantime, the next time your son sets foot in my store, he’s going straight to jail.”
Paley narrowed his eyes. “We’ll see about that,” he said threateningly. “Come on, Tom. We’re getting out of here.”