Nancy Clue Mysteries 2 - The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend (4 page)

"Brrr, it's getting chilly, isn't it?" Cherry, cried. She buttoned her sweater all the way up to her chin and rubbed her hands together. But her thin cotton sweater proved to be poor protection against the evening mountain air.

"Let's see if I've got something warmer," Nancy said. She went to the trunk of the car and removed the largest of her three-piece powder blue travel set. She snapped open the suitcase. "Velma, this black cashmere topper coat will look nice with that yellow sheath you're wearing," she said. The hiplength coat fit Velma to a tee. "And, Cherry, this is a little dressy for your summer frock, but it will keep you warm," Nancy said as she handed Cherry a pink wool coat with dolman sleeves and a big shawl collar. Nancy shrugged on an old red car coat, explaining ruefully, "It's this or a brocade evening stole."

Cherry stared in amazement at Nancy's suitcase, which was stuffed with all sorts of fashionable frocks and gay accessories. Cherry had left home in such a hurry, she hadn't had time to pack any spare outfits, and she was frankly nervous about having to wear her lovely taffeta frock with its dressy shirred skirt and tight-fitting bodice, all the way to Illinois. Taffeta wrinkled so!

"Help yourself to anything in there, Cherry," Nancy offered. "While your dress is pretty as pie, it might not be the best travel get-up. Besides, the weather can be capricious, and to be really comfortable while traveling, one should be equipped with two sets of day clothes and warm evening togs."

"You mean I can wear anything in this suitcase?" Cherry exclaimed. Why, outside of a department store, she had never seen so many lovely things! Cherry squealed in delight when Nancy shook the wrinkles out of a red and white polka dot sleeveless cotton frock and handed it to her.

"Pair this with my white broadcloth jacket, lined in red satin, and a red cinch belt, and you've got a summer classic," Nancy pointed out. "Or, if you'd like something more playful, how about a rickrack-trimmed, bright cotton broomstick skirt, perfect for patio parties? Or don this black linen scoop-neck sheath with a simple strand of pearls, and you're ready for a night at the symphony."

Cherry grew wide-eyed with wonder as she surveyed the contents of Nancy's suitcase. A sea green creamy crepe dress with a tulle stole; long and short soft gloves in the three most necessary colors; piles of cool, zip-up-the-back ladylike shirtwaists with matching belts and coordinating handkerchiefs; stylishly simple linen shifts with matching shortie jackets lined in satin; full-skirted sundresses just right for gay summer frolics; and shoe bags stuffed with velvety mules, satiny sandals, foldable flats, canvas espadrilles, ankle-strap high heels, and corksoled sandals with uppers of soft calf.

Cherry fingered a deliciously soft, snow white angora sweater set with matching pearlized buttons-the exact same one she secretly longed for each time her birthday rolled around, but had never been lucky enough to receive. And there was one each in minty green, pale pink, creamy yellow, powder blue, luscious lavender, and sophisticated black, too.

"I'm afraid I was in somewhat of a tizzy when I packed," Nancy explained in a bemused manner. "Some of these things are last year's fashions!"

But Cherry was too busy to pay any attention. She wondered what it was like to have an angora sweater set for each day of the week. Suddenly her pink taffeta frock, which had seemed so daring and sophisticated two years ago when her mother had made it, now seemed downright dowdy!

"I may not have Nancy's nice things, but I do have one thing that is never out of fashion," she realized. "I have something I wouldn't trade a suitcase full of matching angora sweater sets for-the proud uniform of a registered nurse!

"Besides, when I'm wearing my whites, I never have to worry about looking out of place," she consoled herself as she stroked the soft angora sweaters. "My crisp uniform, cunning cape, and perky cap draw admiring glances wherever I go!"

Cherry swelled with pride as she thought of her cartrip uniform tucked securely in the bottom of her travel firstaid kit, next to a freshly polished pair of sturdy white shoes and an extra cap. Nurse Cherry Aimless was ready to swing into action the minute the call to duty came!

She almost reached for the uniform right then and there when she saw Midge and Lauren walking toward the car and realized with alarm that Midge was all bent over! To Cherry's great relief, it soon became clear that Midge was doubled over because she was carrying a big rock and not because she had hurt herself. "Phew!" Cherry thought.

"Guess what we've got?" Midge groaned as she unceremoniously dropped the small boulder on the ground next to the girls. "Midge, be careful!" Lauren hollered.

"It's just a big dumb rock," Midge shot back. "You can't hurt it."

"Can, too! " Lauren argued as she carefully placed her armload of smaller, yellow stones on the rear floor of the convertible before running to retrieve the large rock. "This is a fine specimen of a serpentine rock, and I don't want it chipped," she said, polishing the dark green, white-veined rock with the sleeve of her dirty red sweatshirt.

"She was mountain-climbing and wouldn't come down until I agreed to let her bring some of the Pocatello Peaks with her," Midge explained. She stared at Velma's new coat with keen interest. "This is nice," she murmured to Velma, stroking the front of her thick, luxurious wool coat. "Did you girls go shopping while we were gone?" Midge joked.

Just then, Cherry noticed the glare of oncoming headlights about a quarter mile down the road. "There's a car coming our way," she yelled, adding, "Maybe they'll give us a ride to town, and Midge won't have to push the car after all."

They turned on their headlights and honked excitedly so the driver would see them, but, to their utter amazement, the middleaged man wearing dark glasses and a straw hat pulled low over his face zoomed past!

"Yoo hoo! Help! " Cherry yelled as she raced after the dusty brown Impala. The woman in the passenger seat turned around, and Cherry got a good look at her frightfully overbleached hair, garish red head scarf, and white plastic sunglasses before the car picked up speed, leaving the girls in a cloud of dust.

"How terribly rude! " Cherry cried as she took a clean hankie from her purse and wiped her face. "I know they saw us! Why, that woman looked straight at me!"

"When we get to River Depths, I'll have Police Chief Chumley run a check on all known dusty brown Impalas," Nancy said hotly. "I'll bet they've many outstanding traffic citations. Someone needs to explain the rules of the road to them."

The episode had lit a fire in Nancy. She traded her corksoled wedge sandals for a pair of ballerina flats and positioned herself behind the car.

"Heave ho, girls!" she cried.

Midge gave a great big satisfied sigh. "Those were the best mashed potatoes I've ever had," she groaned as she licked the last of the gravy from her fork and pushed her plate aside.

Cherry beamed. "Idaho is the Land of Famous Potatoes, Midge!" she cried before taking another bite of her delicious, creamy Potatoes Au Gratin-perfectly baked spuds smothered in a rich cheddar cheese sauce and topped with a mound of sour cream.

"How are your French Fried Potatoes, Lauren?" she asked their teen-aged friend, who was hungrily gulping down thin strips of fried potatoes smothered in catsup. Lauren nodded and kept eating. She was especially hungry after her rockclimbing adventure.

Cherry glanced anxiously at Velma, who was busy checking her makeup in her compact mirror. "Her Hash Browns are getting cold," Cherry worried, knowing that the dish was most delicious when eaten piping hot. Cherry noted, too, with dismay, that Nancy had barely touched her plate of Scalloped Potatoes-generous slices of potato floating in a delectable mushroom sauce. "Although she has managed to consume two vodka martinis, that's not nearly enough nutrition for a girl on the go." Cherry knew Nancy was anxious to know the fate of their damaged automobile, now in the hands of a capable mechanic at a garage just around the corner from the Pocatello Potato Palace, where the little group was enjoying the fine local cuisine.

The nice mechanic had promised to report back to the group as soon as possible as to the condition of their vehicle. While Cherry sincerely hoped the damage would require no more than a simple repair job, she had to admit she wouldn't at all mind staying the night in Pocatello, a lovely little town nestled in a peaceful valley, ringed by the famous Pocatello Peaks.

"Nancy could surely benefit from some of this refreshing mountain air," Cherry thought, taking a peek at her chum. Nancy was staring anxiously into her empty martini glass. "If I don't stop her, she's going to worry herself sick about Hannah," Cherry realized with alarm.

"Isn't it lucky we met a mechanic willing to work this late on a Friday night, and for no extra fee besides?" she remarked in a cheery tone, trying to get Nancy to look at the bright side of their predicament. "We were fortunate to meet such a helpful person."

"Mel thought you were pretty swell, too," Midge grinned. "Especially when you dropped your purse and bent over to pick up your things just as that gust of wind blew through the garage."

Cherry flushed hotly, and promised herself she'd never remove her undergarments again, no matter how hot the day!

"A true professional is on call twenty-four hours a day, Midge," she retorted, hoping Nancy wasn't taking Midge's teasing seriously. "Nancy must be terribly jealous," Cherry thought. "Why, Midge as much as said I deliberately used my feminine wiles to charm the auto mechanic!"

Cherry put her arm around Nancy, hoping to squelch any doubts as to her loyalty to her one and only true love! "Ignore Midge," she wanted to cry. "I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have."

Cherry noted with relief that Nancy wasn't paying one bit of attention to her. She was, in fact, busy scribbling notes on the paper coaster that had come with her drink.

"I was just writing down what I intend to do when we get to River Depths," Nancy explained. "When I'm working on a case, it helps to keep track of things." She showed them her list.

1. Get Father's letters from secret hiding place

2. Confess to killing Father

3. Pick up Hannah from prison

"Although I probably won't really need the evidence, since the Chief will believe me based on my fine reputation alone, immediately free Hannah, and declare the shooting a case of justifiable homicide," she pointed out, putting a question mark next to the first line.

Midge groaned, rolled her eyes, and shot Velma a disgusted look. Velma gave her a placating smile. Although Midge hadn't come right out and said it, Velma could tell her girlfriend was none too keen on Nancy's plan.

"Nancy, I'm not so sure-" Midge started, but Velma cut her off.

"Why don't you call the Chief now and tell him the whole truth? Then we won't have to rush so to get to River Depths," Velma suggested.

"Oh no, Velma," Nancy replied. "I must tell the Chief in person, and I must hand him Father's letters as I'm telling him, so that he understands fully the gravity and delicacy of the situation. But," she added as she rifled through her summer straw bag then tossed it on the table. "If anyone has any nickels I could borrow, I am going to try and contact Bess and George again."

Cherry handed over her red leatherette coin caddie, which she always kept filled with an assortment of change. Nancy jumped up and raced for the corner telephone booth situated in the rear of the restaurant.

Nancy had so far been frustrated in her attempts to contact her friends George and Bess, and inform them of her impending arrival. George Fey, a girl with a boy's name, and Bess Marvel, a giggly, plump girl with a sweet nature who was never far from George's side, had been Nancy's closest friends for years, and together the three chums had solved many an exciting mystery.

Midge sighed and shut her mouth. For now she'd hold her tongue about Nancy's plans. Besides, wasn't Velma always saying she was too quick to jump to conclusions? Midge leaned over the table and speared a potato from Nancy's plate. "It's a sin to let good food go to waste," she declared as she gulped down a big bite of Nancy's yummy Scalloped Potatoes. Cherry was just about to warn Midge about the health hazards of sharing food when she noticed that Midge had turned her attention from the plate and was now staring at the front of the restaurant with a bemused grin on her face.

"What does Midge find so amusing?" Cherry wondered. She looked across the crowded restaurant and was startled to see their mechanic standing in the doorway; only, in place of the oily overalls and cap favored by those whose work brought them in contact with many greasy items, Mel had changed into pressed, pleated trousers and a crisp white shirt.

And she was headed straight for their table!

"I'm going outside for a smoke," Midge declared suddenly, jumping up from the table and racing toward the door.

"I'm going to powder my nose," Velma said, following Midge.

"I'm gonna go to the garage and make sure my rocks are safe," Lauren said, hot on the couple's heels.