Beware the Young Stranger by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online

away, staring across the mirror of the lake at the distant blue mist of the hills. “Have you, Keith?”
    â€œI haven’t changed my mind,” Keith said.
    â€œThen why that look in your eyes?” She touched his chin. He jerked away.
    â€œI beg your pardon,” Nancy murmured. She let her hands drop to her lap.
    He turned to her then. “You don’t understand, Nancy.”
    â€œI think I do.” She jumped up. “We went over all this last night. It wasn’t easy for me to come here, you know.”
    â€œNancy, please …”
    â€œI suppose it’s better this way. For a while there you almost made a believer of me, bud.”
    She ran toward her car. Keith rose. Let her go, he thought. Don’t say anything. Just let her go, back to the safe and normal world.
    He stood slack-mouthed, sweating. She had reached her car. She was touching the door handle.
    â€œNancy!”
    She paused then, but she did not turn to look at him. “Save it, Keith. At least you haven’t tried to postpone the elopement and substitute sex by the lakeside.”
    â€œListen!” he said. “You listen to me! What do you think I am?”
    â€œI thought I knew, Keith.”
    â€œOkay,” he said. “Remember it, will you?”
    She ventured a look over her shoulder. “Do you really want me to go?”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œWhat’s the matter with you, Keith?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œYou’re lying to me. What happened in town? Did my father get across to you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œTell me if he did, Keith. He means well. He may even be right.”
    â€œHe is, Nancy. He’s a smart man. Go back.”
    â€œCome with me. We’ll tell him what we planned, and why. We’ll make him understand that nothing can come between us.”
    He said nothing.
    She was facing him now, trying to grin. “All right, let’s follow the original plan and find a justice of the peace. I prefer it to returning to town, anyway.”
    He said nothing. How could he tell her?
    â€œLately, Keith, my bed feels cold. It isn’t a place to sleep, just to think of you. How can I be so shameless?”
    â€œNancy, I can’t take …” It burst out of him.
    â€œBut it’s got to be legal, Keith. The way we planned.”
    â€œNancy …”
    â€œNo. I can’t talk myself again into treating dad this way. It’s now or not at all, Keith. If you let me get into this car and drive away, that’s it.”
    He stood with dangling arms. The wind off the lake was cold. The day began to take on the old slow-motion clarity.
    â€œAll right,” he said through stiff lips. “Here it is. They’re looking for me. They’re saying I killed Aunt Dorcas.”
    She stared at him as if she were about to giggle.
    He ran over and caught her arms and shook her hard. “Did you hear me, Nancy?”
    She continued to stare at nothing. Holding on to her arm, he guided her toward the cottage. When they reached the porch steps, she sank down.
    Then something snapped in her. With a clawing motion, she put her hands to her face and started to sob.
    Keith wanted to clap his palms over his ears. The sight of her, the sounds coming from her, added to everything else, were too much to bear.

7.
    When she stopped sobbing, he lit two cigarettes and offered her one. He was standing on ground level, one foot on the bottom step, his shadow enveloping her.
    â€œPlease sit down, Keith.”
    He eased down on the step.
    â€œDon’t you want to tell me?”
    â€œWould it help?”
    â€œYou owe it to me.”
    â€œIt’s really simple, Nancy. Aunt Dorcas phoned the apartment where I’m staying with the old man. She asked me to hurry over. She sounded so upset that I went right over. I knew it wouldn’t be long until you’d arrive at the lake here, but I didn’t think the few minutes would