Nancy Clue Mysteries 1 - The Case of the Not-So-Nice Nurse by Mabel Maney Read Free Book Online

teacher, plopped down onto the stool beside her. She was so full of questions about life in a big city hospital that before Cherry knew it, two hours had slipped away.
    "Golly," she gulped, taking a last sip of her second soda. "I've got to get home to help Mother prepare supper. Bye, Miss Mathers."
    Cherry ran all the way back to Badger Avenue and found her mother had everything under control. The dining room table had already been set with the good china, and azaleas from Mrs. Aimless's garden had been arranged in a festive centerpiece at the center of the table.
    Cherry took a quick shower, ran a comb through her disheveled curls and applied fresh lipstick. Resplendent in a dressy mint-green crepe frock and festive gold sandals, she made her way downstairs. "Why, I forgot to eat lunch!" she exclaimed, sniffing appreciatively. Her mother had prepared a special supper of pot roast, baked potatoes and green bean casserole. A strawberry cake sat cooling in the kitchen, awaiting a final frosting of vanilla icing.
    Mrs. Aimless sent her daughter into the living room to finish arranging the hors d'oeuvres. Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver, her parent's closest friends, arrived a few minutes later.
    "Why, Cherry, you look splendid!" gushed Mrs. Cleaver, hugging the blushing girl to her cashmere-clad bosom. "And, Doris, your table could win a prize!" Mrs. Cleaver complimented Mrs. Aimless, who beamed with pride.
    Mr. Aimless was delayed at the office, so Cherry, her mother and their guests sat patiently in the living room, sampling the yummy treats her mother had spent the afternoon preparing.
    "Delicious cheese ball!" Mr. Cleaver exclaimed. Mrs. Aimless confessed that she was testing a new recipe for entry in the upcoming county fair. Her guests assured her she would surely win first prize, and reached for seconds. Half a cheese ball later, Mr. Aimless arrived and dinner was served.
    Mrs. Aimless seated Cherry next to her father. "Have a nice chat with your father," she whispered in Cherry's ear.
    Cherry made several attempts to engage her father in conversation and finally got him talking with a query about his business. A long lecture about the booming real estate mar ket in Idaho followed. Cherry found her mind wandering to the absent Aimless-her twin brother Charles.
    How she wished Charley were here! Although the two didn't look anything alike, Charley being as fair as she was dark, they shared the same sense of fun and good sportsmanship. Charley was so animated and funny that he had saved many family dinners from complete disaster with his quick wit.
    "So, Cherry, how's life in the big city?" asked Mrs. Cleaver, digging into the green bean and potato chip casserole. "Your mother tells me you work with lots of interesting doctors! "
    "Single doctors," her mother added, winking at her friend. Cherry wanted to talk about her hospital experiences, about her friends and the mysterious Lana, but she knew any mention of a mystery would just worry her mother, who had never forgotten the fright she had experienced during the Pringle farm incident.
    That adventure had scared Cherry, too, for she had been kidnapped and tied up in a fruit cellar. She still shuddered when she remembered the feeling of spiders crawling over her arms and legs! It was only because of the heroic Lady that the search party had found Cherry. The collie had tunneled her way out of the cellar and run miles through pouring rain for help.
    Cherry slipped the courageous collie a nice piece of pot roast. The dog accepted the offering gratefully from her hiding place at Cherry's feet. Cherry wiped her hands on the embroidered napkin in her lap. As she fingered the linen she fondly remembered the summer twelve years ago when her father's sister had come to visit. That summer her Aunt Gertrude taught her to sew, and they had made many lovely things together.
    For some reason, Father didn't like his youngest sister and refused to speak of her. But when Mr. Aimless had gone east for