Nancy Clue Mysteries 1 - The Case of the Not-So-Nice Nurse (8 page)

"No charge. Gift wrap is free with any purchase," Mr. Stanley replied in a genial manner. He swiftly wrapped the book, topping off the package with a thin gold ribbon. He used a small scissors that he kept on a chain around his neck to transform the flat ribbon into a cascade of curls.

"It's lovely! " Cherry exclaimed. Nurse Marstad's package no longer resembled the plain, brown-paper parcel Cherry had begun her journey with, but at least she wouldn't have to hand over an unwrapped book.

"Now all I have to do is find a quiet telephone booth where I can begin my search for Midge," she thought. As she left the shop, she heard a cry for help. An elderly woman lay injured on the sidewalk!

Cherry raced to her side and found that the woman was alert but badly frightened. After determining that she had no broken bones, Cherry gingerly helped her to her feet. "What happened?" Cherry cried. "I'm a nurse!"

"A rude man knocked me down!" the woman declared. Cherry looked around, but saw no one. She led the woman, who was attired in a smart gray worsted wool suit with pearl accessories, into the sweet shop and seated her in a comfortable chair. While Cherry talked to the woman in soothing tones, she efficiently took her pulse, using her sturdy nurse's watch. "She's upset, but not dangerously so," Cherry decided.

Mr. Stanley brought a tray of tea and ladyfingers. "Now what happened, dear?" he asked.

The elderly woman took a lace handkerchief from her modern black handbag and wiped her brow. "I had just had my hair set by Mr. Francis across the street, and I was headed here to get some vanilla wafers, when I had the unfortunate luck to collide with a terrible man wearing a long black coat! Mr. Stanley, I think he was headed toward your shop. When I called for help, he ran the other way. Goodness, he was in a hurry!

"I'm not hurt, but I fear he's ruined my hair!"

"Your hair looks fabulous," Mr. Stanley enthused. Cherry took her compact from her purse and showed the woman that her upswept hair-do was indeed in perfect order.

The woman shook her head. "The police ought to round up all the rude men and put them behind bars!" she declared. Mr. Stanley nodded in agreement. "Why, I had an encounter with a rude man just the other day," Cherry remembered.

The woman sipped her tea, and in a few minutes, her cheeks were rosy again. "I'm Miss Masie Miller, and thanks to you two, I'm feeling much better. I'd like both of you to be my guests at dinner tonight."

Much as Cherry wanted to join the fun, she had a mission to complete. Mr. Stanley admitted that he didn't keep an upto-date telephone directory in his shop but directed Cherry to a nearby establishment that was sure to have what she needed.

After bidding her new friends good-bye, she walked briskly two blocks east. She found the Miraloma Club and was surprised to find that Mr. Stanley had directed her to a tavern-and a dimly-lit one at that!

Cherry stood at the curb and ate a coconut creme candy. She realized it would be dusk soon. "If I'm going to find this Midge person, I should start soon, while it's still daylight." Still, she hesitated. She hadn't the courage to enter the dark place all by herself.

She frowned. "Cherry, you're being a big baby," she scolded herself. "Nancy Clue wouldn't be afraid to go anywhere if she were hot on the trail of a clue!"

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and went inside.

Cherry paused in the narrow entryway of the bar while her eyes adjusted to the dim light. She was looking around the room for a friendly face when a handsome girl playing billiards smiled at her.

Cherry smiled back and walked over to the girl. "I'm looking fora telephone," she said.

The girl took a cigarette from the pack rolled in the sleeve of her white T-shirt. She lit it, leaned against the wall and took a good long look at Cherry. "Why not stay awhile and have a drink?" she suggested, patting the seat of the bar stool next to her.

"Thank you, but I'm not thirsty," Cherry said. "What I need is a telephone."

"I've got a telephone back at my place," the girl replied, between puffs on her cigarette. "You're welcome to it."

"What a nice girl," Cherry thought, realizing that it might take several phone calls before she located Nurse Marstad's friend. A private telephone would certainly be more convenient.

"That would be great!" Cherry cried. "I don't mean to be pushy, but can we go right now?"

The girl whistled low under her breath. "I like pushy," she said, throwing her cue on the pool table and slipping on her leather jacket.

"Brenda is going to kill you!" one of her chums warned her.

"Brenda is visiting her mother in Ohio, remember?" the girl retorted. "So how's she going to know?"

Her friend laughed. "Mickey, you're a fool if you think you can do anything without Brenda knowing about it. Last time you thought you got away with something, you weren't allowed out for a month, remember?"

Mickey scowled and took off her jacket. She looked at Cherry and sighed. "Maybe another time," she said sadly.

Cherry wasn't sure what had just happened, but she had a feeling she was no longer welcome to use the girl's telephone. She returned to the entryway to puzzle over her next move when someone came charging through the door and knocked her right off her feet!

The girl made a gallant attempt to stop Cherry's fall, but she only succeeded in grabbing onto her dress. Cherry blushed when she heard the unmistakable sound of tearing fabric. "Mother's right. Always wear a slip," she thought glumly as she lay on the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" the girl cried, holding out a hand to help the hapless Cherry. "And I've torn your pretty dress!"

When their eyes met, both girls gasped.

"Why, it's like looking into a mirror!" Cherry cried. With her curvaceous figure, dark curly hair and bright green eyes, this girl could be her twin!

"You do look just like me!" the girl agreed, helping Cherry up and inspecting her closely.

"Why, we could be sisters!"

Cherry studied the girl's stunning scarlet shift.

"I've never thought of wearing that color!" she exclaimed. "But it looks so good on you!"

"I was just admiring the color of your dress," the girl laughed. "It's buttercup-yellow, isn't it? Gee, I hope I didn't ruin it."

Just then a handsome blond-haired girl, nattily attired in men's slacks and a white cotton button-down shirt, gave Cherry a teasing pinch.

"Hi, baby," she whispered, in a familiar manner. "Did you miss me?"

When Cherry jumped and squeaked "Who are you?" the girl realized her mistake.

"Golly, there's two of you? I can't believe what I'm seeing!" she exclaimed, quickly taking her hand off Cherry's hip. "Velma, you didn't tell me you had a sister!" she cried, looking rather flustered.

Cherry and her look-a-like burst into peals of laughter.

"Neither did my parents," Velma joked. "What a funny thing! I come in to meet you and end up meeting my long-lost twin!"

"It was the queerest thing," Cherry added, explaining the circumstances of their meeting.

Velma suggested they step outside so she could assess the damage to Cherry's dress. On the way out, the tall blonde bumped into the girl with the pool cue, and soon a heated discussion ensued. Velma pulled at her friend's shirt sleeve. "Let's get out of here," she said. But the girl didn't budge. Cherry hoped there wasn't going to be a fight!

Velma put her hands on her hips and stomped her daintilyclad feet.

"You promised you wouldn't fight any more!" she cried. "I'm leaving!" She grabbed Cherry's hand and marched out the door. The tall blonde raced after them, trying to explain.

"That pool shark made a filthy remark about you being twins!" she cried. "I was just defending your honor."

Velma pouted prettily when she heard this. Cherry could see all was forgiven.

"Okay, Miss Midge Fontaine, but in the future..."

"Your name is Midge?" Cherry cried. "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm supposed to deliver a package to someone named Midge, only I don't know her last name. Are there a lot of Midges in this town?" she wondered aloud, adding, "My boss, Head Nurse Miss Marstad, asked me to deliver a package on my way to San Francisco."

"I have a friend named Nurse Marstad!" Midge cried. "Why, that package must be for me!"

"This is almost too good to be true!" Cherry said, relieved to be finally delivering the package. She took the giftwrapped book from her purse and presented it to Midge.

"How odd," Midge said. "My birthday's not for another month." She looked quizzically at the fancy package. "Peg's gone all frou-frou on me," she joked, tearing at the pinkstriped paper. When she saw the book, she exclaimed, "How queer! This is the same book she sent me last year! She must be losing her memory."

Cherry waited anxiously for Midge to open the book and find the note, but Midge just slipped it into her jacket pocket.

"Should I tell her about the note?" Cherry wondered. She shifted uncomfortably in her shoes. "That note was private," she thought guiltily. "Maybe I'd better not. Maybe Midge will find it," she hoped. "But what if she doesn't! Golly, that note seemed important!"

Velma broke into her thoughts. "Why don't you come home with us, and we'll get that rip in your dress sewn up," she suggested brightly. "We live just around the corner, and Midge just bought me a nifty new sewing machine."

"That would be swell!" Cherry cried. She looked glumly at the long tear in her skirt. "I do have a sewing kit in my purse, but this is an awfully big rip to mend by hand." Secretly she was relieved at her luck.

"I'll find a way to get Midge to look at that book," she schemed. "If by the end of the evening she hasn't discovered the note on her own, I'll confess."

"My, it's getting chilly," Velma remarked, taking a white chiffon scarf from her purse and wrapping it around her hairdo. "Let's go," she said, linking arms with both girls and propelling them down the sidewalk.

"At least now I can tell you two apart," Midge grinned. She stopped in her tracks. "But wait! I like to know a girl's name before I bring her home," she cracked.

Velma playfully punched Midge on the shoulder. "Yes, what is your name?" she asked.

"It's Cherry."

Midge laughed, then hastily covered up her laugh with a cough. "Uh...that's an unusual name," she said.

"The summer I was born my mother's cherry pie won first prize at the county fair. I'm just lucky it wasn't rhubarb." Cherry grinned. The girls laughed.

"Speaking of pie, I sure could use a snack," Midge declared.

Cherry had an idea. "I have a hamper full of delicious food waiting in my car," she exclaimed. "Maybe later we can have a picnic. But I'll need help finding my car. I'm all turned around. I'm afraid I may be lost."

At this, Midge chuckled. "You don't have to explain to us that you're lost. Why, you look like a kitten who's wandered too far from the litter."

Cherry blushed.

Velma laughed and squeezed Cherry's arm. "Oh, don't let Midge bother you; comparing you to an animal is one of her highest compliments."

"I didn't mean any harm," Midge said soothingly. "You just come with us."