063 Mixed Signals (2 page)

“I’ll say,” Kristin agreed, her eyes wide with amazement. “It must feel awful to break up in front of an audience. And on homecoming weekend, too.”

“I feel sorry for Danielle,” Bess commented as she stuffed a piece of pink paper into the wire mesh. “But she can’t force him to go out with her.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple for a girl like Danielle,” Kristin explained. “She’s very status conscious. I got to know her a little when I tried out for the cheerleading squad. Believe me, she’s got a pretty inflated opinion of herself, not to mention a nasty temper. She doesn’t get mad—she gets even.”

Nancy’s gaze shifted to the other side of the shed, where Randy was stirring a bucket of papier-mâché. He was surrounded by other guys wearing Emerson team jackets. Nancy guessed they were football players, too, working on their team’s float.

“Have Danielle and Randy been dating long?” she asked, turning back to Kristin.

Kristin shook her head. “Just a few weeks. But they’ve been a popular couple because Randy’s on the team and Danielle’s a cheerleader.” She sighed, then said, “Listen, I’ve got to dig up some more recruits. See you later.”

The girls spent a couple more hours working on the skirt for the drill team’s float. Ned checked on them whenever he wasn’t called to one of the other floats.

“It looks great!” he told Nancy and Bess when the skirt was finished. “You’ve definitely done your duty here,” he added. “Come on. We just have time to grab a burger at the student center before the rally gets under way.”

“Great.” Bess slid off the platform and pulled on her jacket. “I’m starved.”

The three climbed the hill and returned to Packard Hall so Nancy and Bess could put on thick sweaters and gloves. Then they headed for the student center, where they gorged on cheeseburgers and french fries. By the time they left for the rally, Nancy noticed that the wind had risen. A full moon hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow over the campus.

“Brrr,” she said, putting up the collar of her jacket.

“It’s a good thing we ate all that stuff,” Bess commented, zipping her jacket up over her sweater. “We’re going to need the calories to stay warm at the rally.”

“The wind is brutal up here on the oval,” Ned said, “but it should die down once we reach the sports complex.”

Nancy cocked her head to one side, listening. “Hey, they’ve started,” she said. “I hear drums!”

When they rounded the gymnasium, Nancy was surprised at the size of the crowd. Hundreds of people filled the parking lot behind the gym. Near the center of the lot a large wooden platform had been constructed, and a podium with a microphone stood at the front edge of it, near a set of stairs. The area in front of the platform was cordoned off, Nancy noticed. A huge bonfire roared in the protected section, several yards from the podium.

Emerson’s cheerleaders, up on the platform, were spurring on the crowd, their purple-and-orange skirts swirling as they jumped and cheered. The Emerson mascot, a student in a wildcat costume, skipped around the perimeter of the cheerleaders, waving a purple-and-orange pennant.

“Go, Wildcats, go!” Bess shouted, joining in.

Nancy, Bess, and Ned threaded their way through the crowd until they found a spot near the protected area around the bonfire. From there, they could see the cheerleaders’ faces more clearly. Danielle Graves was on one end, her black hair flying out as she moved. Nancy was relieved to see that she was smiling brightly. She seemed to have recovered from her scene with Randy.

“See the dark-skinned girl in front, the one with the short, curly hair?” Ned asked, pointing. Nancy found the tall cheerleader in the front line, then nodded. “That’s Tamara Carlson, Susannah’s sister.”

“One of the finalists for homecoming queen, right?” said Nancy, and Ned nodded.

Nancy clapped along as the cheerleaders finished and ran down the steps, still waving their pom-poms. From its place beside the platform, the band played a rousing song, and the crowd clapped along in time.

A handful of school officials took the platform now, and Nancy recognized the bearlike figure of Dean Jarvis among them. One of the others, a tall, hefty man with slicked-back silver hair, stepped up to the podium.

“Who’s that?” she asked Ned. “I don’t remember seeing him before.”

“He’s new. Dale Mitchell, coach of the football team,” he told her, clapping along with everyone else.

The coach raised his hands and waited for the noise to die down. “I hate to start off on a negative note, but I’m sure you’ve all heard the bad news. It’s true, our quarterback has been benched for this game.”

Several groans rose from the crowd. Nancy nudged Ned and asked, “Randy’s benched?”

“No,” said Ned, bending to speak into her ear. “Randy’s the second-stringer. He’s been moved up to play quarterback for this game. The first-string quarterback is Josh Mitchell, the coach’s son.” Ned gave Nancy a meaningful look before adding, “Josh has been put on academic probation because of his grades.”

“No matter what you’ve heard,” Coach Mitchell’s amplified voice rang out again, “I’m here to promise you that we haven’t given up the fight. On Sunday afternoon we’re going to give Russell University a beating they’ll never forget!”

“Yeah!” the crowd roared.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the coach shouted above the cheers, “I’m proud to present the members of Emerson’s winning football team!”

The cheers rose to a roar as the players, wearing their purple-and-orange jerseys, filed up the wooden stairs at the front of the stage. Their heavy footsteps pounded against the boards, making a rumbling noise that added to the excitement. They stood in a single line that stretched across the back of the platform.

“All right!” Bess shouted. “Let’s hear it for the team!”

“I’ll start with this week’s quarterback,” Coach Mitchell announced. “Number nineteen, Randy Simpson—”

A loud cheer erupted as Randy emerged from the group, jogged to the front of the platform, and waved at the crowd.

One by one, the other players ran up and waved as each of their names was announced. Nancy looked up at the sea of color formed by the team jerseys. The orange on the jerseys glowed brightly in the flickering light of the bonfire.

“Number thirty-four, wide receiver Jerry McEntee—” the coach announced.

“Hooray!” Bess shouted, jumping up and down. A tall, slim player sprinted to the front of the platform and saluted the audience. “He’s just as adorable as ever,” Bess murmured to Nancy.

Nancy had to agree. The wind tossed Jerry’s thick, light brown hair, pushing a few wild strands over his forehead, and his smile was warm.

When the entire team had been introduced, the players and speakers filed off the stage, and Dean Jarvis took the podium alone. He made a short speech about Emerson’s pride in scholastic and athletic achievement. “Before you head off to the victory party in the gym,” the dean concluded, “let’s hear one more cheer for our new quarterback, Randy Simpson!”

Randy dashed back up onto the platform and leaned into the microphone. “Thanks!” he said. “I just want you to know that the team appreciates your support, and I promise to do my best to lead the Wildcats to a homecoming victory.”

Dean Jarvis patted Randy on the back, then walked down the stairs to leave him in the spotlight alone.

“Ran-dy! Ran-dy!”
The students chanted as the band began to play again. The drill team formed a line in front of the platform, behind the bonfire.

“Those outfits are great!” Nancy commented, noticing the purple suede boots and sequined uniforms the drill team wore. They split their line in two, marching off symmetrically. The crowd yelled loudly as Kristin Seidel appeared in between the two lines, twirling a flaming baton.

“That’s amazing!” said Bess.

Yellow flames danced around both ends of the stick as she twirled it and lightly tossed it into the air. The crowd gasped, then applauded as she caught it and flung it back up between her legs.

A wide smile covered Kristin’s face as she caught the baton, marched backward, stopped just two feet in front of the platform, and threw her baton thirty feet into the night sky. Whistles and cheers filled the air.

As the baton descended a moment later, however, fire leaped from one end of the stick and fell onto the stage. Nancy’s mouth dropped open in horror as the flames swept across the tissue paper decorating the front of the platform.

Terror froze on Randy’s face as the flames danced at his feet. Before anyone could move, the entire front of the wooden stage was being consumed by fire.

Randy was caught behind a blazing inferno!

Chapter Three

“
R
ANDY’S IN TROUBLE
!” Nancy cried, grabbing Ned’s arm. “Come on!” Her pulse was racing as she cut through the crowd to reach the cordoned-off area.

Some people in the audience were still cheering—apparently they couldn’t see exactly what was happening. But then more and more screams rang out. Nancy and Ned were just ducking under the rope when everyone started shouting and shrieking in panic.

They raced as close to the burning platform as they dared. At first Nancy couldn’t see Randy through the cloud of black smoke that enveloped him, but at last she did spot him.

Coughing and choking from the smoke, Randy had stumbled back a few steps until he was in the center of the platform. His fists were raised, and he was flailing wildly at the smoke, as if he could beat it back. Flames licked up, almost singeing his jeans. From his erratic movements, Nancy guessed that he had to be in shock.

She gasped as a creaking noise rose from the wooden platform. “It’s going to collapse!” she shouted to Ned.

She raced around to the rear of the stage, where the fire hadn’t yet spread. “Randy!” she shouted, waving her arms to get his attention. “You have to jump off the back!
Now!
”

The platform was about ten feet high, but Nancy knew the jump wouldn’t be a problem for an athlete like Randy—if she could only get him to move. She felt desperate as Randy continued to thrash about like a zombie. “Randy!” she shouted again. “You have to jump!”

All at once Randy seemed to snap out of his daze. Nancy saw his eyes focus on her. A second later he scrambled to the back of the platform and plunged off the edge. As he fell to the ground Nancy reached out to grab his shoulders and ease the impact of the fall. She felt herself being pulled to the pavement beside him.

“He’s on fire!” Ned yelled from a few yards away.

Scrambling to her feet, Nancy saw that a small flame rose from Randy’s pants. He was crawling along the pavement, still coughing. Without pausing, she whipped off her leather jacket and threw it over his legs. Then she pushed him so that he rolled over and smothered the flame.

“Help me grab him,” Nancy called to Ned as soon as she was sure Randy’s clothes were no longer burning. “We need to drag him clear of the stage.” Working together, they tugged Randy a safe distance away from the roaring flames.

“Look out!” someone shouted. At the same time, a loud crack sounded from the flaming platform.

Nancy raised her head just in time to see the wooden stage shift. The front of it collapsed, sending sparks and flames high into the nighttime sky. Nancy shuddered, imagining what would have happened if Randy had waited a minute longer to jump.

She knelt down next to Randy, who was sitting on the concrete, his head in his hands. Ned was on Randy’s other side. Nancy’s jacket was on the concrete beside him. She could hear the wail of a siren in the distance as she asked, “Are you okay?”

Randy focused on her, a haunted look in his eyes. “I think so. That was so weird. I’ve never seen anything catch fire so fast.” He shook his head as if to clear away the confusion.

Nancy opened her mouth to agree, but was interrupted when Dean Jarvis rushed over, followed by the coach, who was lugging a heavy fire extinguisher.

“Fire trucks are on the way, and so is an ambulance,” said the dean. The coach was already dousing the fire.

The dean leaned down to Randy. “How do you feel?”

“I feel all right,” Randy insisted. “I’m all right,” he repeated, smiling weakly, “thanks to this girl’s quick thinking.”

Dean Jarvis smiled as he recognized Nancy. “If it isn’t Nancy Drew. I should have known that Emerson’s favorite private detective was responsible for saving the day.” He gave her an appreciative smile. “Thanks for helping us out—again.”

“It’s the least I could do,” Nancy told him. She was going to thank him for arranging the suite for her and Bess, but the husky dean was already rushing off to greet the fire fighters who were arriving.

Nancy became suddenly aware of the groups of students who were clustered around the parking lot, talking anxiously. She’d been so intent on helping Randy that she’d forgotten all about them. A handful of fire fighters were keeping everyone back from the cordoned-off area, while others used a hose to douse the flames.

“Please move on to the gymnasium for the victory party,” Dean Jarvis’s amplified voice boomed out. He was speaking through a bullhorn that he’d apparently borrowed from the fire chief.

As the students were dispersing, an ambulance arrived. Nancy, Bess, and Ned lingered nearby while Randy was checked out. Although the hair on his hands was singed, he had managed to escape without injury.

“You were lucky, kid,” Nancy heard one of the medics tell Randy.

“That’s for sure,” Nancy whispered to her friends. “That platform burst into flame so suddenly, you’d think it was—”

Her words were cut off as Kristin Seidel pushed past her and Ned to make her way over to Randy. Nancy noticed that Kristin had tears in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry!” Kristin said in a trembling voice. “I’ve done that routine dozens of times, and I’ve never had any problem.”

Although Randy was still shook up, he tried to reassure Kristin. “Hey, I’m okay. Don’t worry about it.”

Her mind racing, Nancy turned from Kristin to the fire fighters, who were searching through the embers of the platform. In all the excitement she hadn’t had time to really consider what had happened. But now that she did, something seemed odd to her.