038 The Final Scene (8 page)

Nancy shook her head as Brenda walked away. “Leave it to her to get in the last word.”

“Look,” George said. “Brady and Deirdre are going into the Palms Restaurant. Do you want to ask Brady where he and Simon were earlier?”

“You bet,” Nancy answered.

The girls followed the couple out of the lobby and into the elegant restaurant, Nancy leading the way.

Once inside, Nancy stopped abruptly, and George barreled into her.

“What is it?” George whispered.

Nancy pressed her finger to her lips, then pointed right ahead of them.

Brady and Deirdre had escaped the reporters and fans by retreating into a quiet alcove that led to the telephones and rest rooms. They were talking in urgent, hushed tones, but the girls were close enough to hear every word.

“I think we should tell her, Brady,” Deirdre was saying. Her pretty face was drawn into an expression of deep concern, even fear. “It’s too important.”

“We can’t say anything. It’s not as though we have proof of anything.”

Deirdre’s voice rose in frustration. “Brady, if you don’t tell Nancy, I will!” Her whole body was tense, her hands clenched into fists at her side. “That girl’s life could depend on it!”

N
ANCY’S HEART LEAPT
into her throat. They were talking about Bess. One look at George told Nancy that her friend knew the same thing.

She stepped forward between Brady and Deirdre. “What is it, Deirdre?” she asked, glancing from her to Brady and back at Deirdre. “What did you want to tell me?”

Deirdre looked at Nancy, then at Brady, and then down at the floor. Her beautiful eyes filled with tears.

“I . . . I mean we . . . ” she murmured.

“Deirdre, think about what you’re doing,” Brady warned. Nancy saw he was holding on to Deirdre’s hand tightly.

“Brady,” George said with a shaky voice. “If you know anything that might help us find Bess, please let Deirdre tell us.”

Brady looked as tormented as Deirdre. “Don’t you think we’d tell you where Bess was if we knew?”

“I don’t know,” George said. “Would you?”

“Of course we would,” Deirdre said.

“But you do know something,” Nancy insisted. They were close to finding out the truth. Now wasn’t the time to go easy.

Deirdre opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes locked on something over Nancy’s shoulder and she quickly swallowed her words. Deirdre and Brady looked like children who had been caught in some mischief. Nancy turned to see Simon Mueller hurrying into the alcove.

When he saw Nancy and George talking to his stars, his face flushed red.

“What’s going on here?” Simon demanded, giving Nancy a dark look. Then he turned to Deirdre and Brady. “I’ve been looking all over for you two. The limo’s waiting to take you dancing and—”

“Simon, I’m exhausted,” Deirdre said. “I’m just not up for going out.”

“But the reporters are waiting at the club. I’ve got it all arranged.”

“So, unarrange it!” she snapped. “I’m tired, and I’m going to bed. Good night.” The tears in Deirdre’s eyes spilled down her cheeks as she turned and walked out of the restaurant, leaving everyone silent in her wake.

“Well!” Simon said with a snort. “That’s gratitude for you. What got into her?” he asked Brady.

“She’s tired, Simon, and worried,” Brady said. His usually expressive eyes were empty, drained of emotion. “This thing is taking a toll on all of us.”

“What are you talking about?” Simon demanded. Then he caught a glimpse of the glare Nancy was giving him. She found it hard to hide her distaste for the man.

“Oh, you mean the kidnapping,” Simon said nonchalantly. “Sure, it’s a rotten thing to have happen, but we’ve done what we could—offering the reward and all. Take it easy and realize why you’re here. You’re a star, Armstrong. This kidnapping doesn’t involve you.”

“I was there when he grabbed her! I could have stopped the whole thing. That makes me
involved, Simon. Why do you have to be such an insensitive jerk?” Brady whirled around and stomped out.

“You kids have forgotten who you’re talking to!” Simon bellowed, following Brady. “I put you on top and I can bring you down!”

Nancy watched as a photographer who was wandering around the lobby took the opportunity to snap some shots of a very angry Simon Mueller.

“I wonder what Deirdre wanted to tell us?” George mused.

“I don’t know,” Nancy said, “but whatever it was, Brady didn’t want her to say it. Why don’t you stay here. Keep an eye on Deirdre, Brady, and Simon. Try to get Deirdre alone. She’s dying to tell us something. Pretty soon she’ll get up the nerve.”

“Gotcha. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going back to the theater,” Nancy said. “I want to see if there’s any news.” Actually, she was hoping Nicholas would be there, picketing. She wanted to talk to him, but she wasn’t sure if she should tell George. Better to keep it to herself, she thought.

As Nancy headed back to the theater she felt a rising tide of panic. Nothing in the case was breaking, and they were reaching the end of
the line. In one day Bart Anderson was going to tear down the Royal Palladium, and she wasn’t even one step closer to finding out who had wanted to prevent the demolition enough to kidnap her friend.

She scanned the picketers for Nicholas. No luck. A phone call to his grandfather was in order. Nancy could check out whether or not Nicholas had been to see him the day before.

In Joseph’s office, Nancy found him lovingly dusting his old oak desk. When he looked up at Nancy, he wiped a weary look off his face and gave her a halfhearted smile.

“Hello, there, young lady,” he said, sitting down. “What brings you back here?”

“Actually, I wanted to use the phone,” Nancy said honestly. “And I’m finding it hard to stay away,” she added simply. Nancy felt she could admit to Joseph, if no one else, how helpless she felt.

He nodded. “I understand what you mean. It’s awful to think about what she must be going through.”

The telephone rang, and they both jumped. Joseph grabbed for it. “Hello? Yes, she’s right here.” He handed the phone to Nancy.

Nancy was surprised to hear Deirdre’s voice on the line.

“Nancy, I’m glad I found you. I have to talk to you,” she said.

“Are you still at the hotel?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be right over.”

“No.” Deirdre sounded very nervous. “I don’t want anyone to see us together. I’ll meet you in the theater’s auditorium.”

“I’ll be waiting. And, Deirdre,” Nancy added, “I should tell you that George is keeping an eye on the hotel lobby. Explain to her when you see her that you’re coming to meet me.” Nancy didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

Deirdre caught the drift of what Nancy was telling her. “Otherwise, she’s going to think I’m up to something suspicious, right?” she asked with a laugh.

“I hope you understand,” Nancy said.

“It’s okay, Nancy. See you in ten minutes.”

As Nancy hung up the phone she looked up to see Joseph watching her anxiously.

“Good news?” he asked.

“Sort of.” She wanted to tell him about the call, but she didn’t want to break Deirdre’s confidence. Deirdre had said specifically that she didn’t want anyone to know they were getting together.

Nancy picked up her purse and tucked it under her arm. “I’m going to take another look around the theater before I go home,” she said.

“I wish you wouldn’t,” Joseph said, concern registering on his wrinkled face. “After what happened to George this afternoon, I’m worried about you girls.”

“I’ll be careful, Joseph. I promise.”

Joseph stood up from his chair. “If you’re really going to do it, I’ll go with you.”

Nancy thought of Deirdre. “No, really,” she said, trying to stop him. “You don’t have to.”

“I don’t mind a bit. I’m going to lock up anyway.”

Nancy could see that no matter what she said, Joseph was going to tag along with her. She hated to lie to him, but she couldn’t see any way out.

“Well, if you’re going to look around yourself,” she said, “I suppose I’ll just go on home.”

He seemed relieved. “That’s a good idea. You’ve been through a lot these past twenty-four hours. Some rest would do you good. Just leave the search up to me. I probably know where to look better than anyone else anyway,” he said with confidence.

“Good night.” Nancy hurried out the office
door across the lobby. At the front door she turned and looked back toward the office. Joseph was standing there waving goodbye. She returned his wave and walked out the door.

Once outside Nancy rounded the building and ran to the side door, hoping to get there before Joseph locked up for the night. She made it.

Nancy was surprised to see Deirdre already there, standing off to the side on the stage. Deirdre seemed nervous.

“How did you get in here?” Nancy whispered as she climbed the steps up to the stage. She motioned Deirdre back into the shadow.

“I sneaked in the back door. I didn’t want anyone to know I was here. I told everyone I was going to bed early because of a headache.” She pressed her hand to her forehead. “And it wasn’t a lie—about the headache, I mean.”

“Do you want to sit down?” Nancy asked, motioning toward a couple of folding chairs in the wings.

“No, thanks. I’m fine standing.”

“So, why did you want to see me?” Nancy asked anxiously.

“I wanted to tell you this earlier, but Brady said I shouldn’t,” she said. “It’s about Simon.”

“Yes?” Nancy tried not to appear too eager.

“I think he may have kidnapped Bess.”

“I think he may have, too,” Nancy said. “Tell me why you think so.”

“Because I heard him and Brady talking the other morning on the plane when we flew in. Actually, they were arguing.”

“About what?”

Deirdre nervously bit the tip of her manicured fingernail. “I’m not sure, exactly. I heard Simon say something about a publicity stunt, but Brady violently shook his head. When I asked Brady about it later he said that Simon was only asking the two of us to pretend we were in love.”

“But you didn’t believe Brady?”

“No,” Deirdre answered, looking down. She toyed with the fringed edge of the emerald green scarf that was knotted around her slender waist. “There had to be more to it than that because Brady seemed really upset. And the romance gimmick is done all the time. I don’t think he would have objected so strongly to it.”

Nancy chewed on her lower lip as she considered this new information. “But Brady wouldn’t tell you the real story?”

“No. That’s what he and I were arguing
about in the restaurant. I told him that if he knew something he had to come forward, but I think he’s afraid that Simon will drop him as a client.”

“Would that be so bad?”

Deirdre shrugged. “Brady seems to think so.” She glanced around nervously. “I have to go. My mom will be calling from L.A. pretty soon, and if I’m not in my room, she’ll call Simon.”

“Thanks for your help, Deirdre. If you can get anything at all out of Brady . . . ”

“You’ll be the first to know. And, Nancy,” she added. “I don’t want Simon to know I’ve been to see you.”

“Don’t worry, Deirdre. He won’t, I promise.”

They said good night, and Deirdre left to go out the back door.

Nancy stood on the stage for a moment, thinking about what Deirdre had said. The more she heard about Simon Mueller, the more she thought he had to be the kidnapper.

Then she heard a creaking sound. She wasn’t alone. From the wings to her left the noise grew louder. Metal screeching against metal.

Every nerve in her body tensed as she slowly made her way toward the noise.

Abruptly the sound stopped. Nancy stood, quietly waiting, straining her ears. But only thick silence greeted her.

A flash of silver above her made her flick her eyes up. Just in time to see a heavy object come falling from the ceiling. A movie screen hit her then, striking her on the head.

Nancy fell to the floor. As she lay there, she felt a suffocating darkness close in.

She tried to move, but her legs were pinned under the screen.

She tried to scream, but she couldn’t make a sound come out of her throat. It was a nightmare.

Then the darkness became a black void that swallowed her, and she slipped into unconsciousness.