Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn G. Keene Read Free Book Online

that they take time out for lunch. After eating, the two returned to Nancy’s bedroom to see if the evening dress was all right. Nancy kicked off her sports shoes, removed her skirt and sweater, then stepped into the dance dress. Hannah zipped it up.
    Just then the phone rang and Nancy went into her father’s study to answer it. Chief McGinnis was calling.
    “I thought you’d be interested to hear, Nancy, that we found the beat-up car with the license number TJ12796.”
    “You did?” Nancy exclaimed. “Where? And did you find Edgar Nixon too?”
    “No, unfortunately.” The officer explained that the car had been abandoned and was a complete wreck.
    “We came across it on that road where you saw the man drive across the bridge,” McGinnis added. “A little way beyond there was a sharp curve and I guess he was going too fast and didn’t make it. But he evidently wasn’t hurt much because he wasn’t around and we’ve had no report from the hospital or any doctors about a person who needed attention.”
    “The car really did belong to Edgar Nixon?” Nancy asked.
    “We don’t know,” McGinnis replied. “It was registered under another name with a phony address. Maybe the car was Nixon’s, maybe a friend’s.”
    “Or Edgar could be using aliases,” Nancy thought.
    The chief said if he had any further report he would telephone Nancy. “We’re still looking for a man who wears a camel’s-hair coat and hat, but we suspect that by this time he may have changed to something different.”
    “Perhaps,” said Nancy. “But if he had a beat-up car and is demanding money from his brother Ira, I’d say he isn’t very well off. Men’s winter overcoats are expensive and I wonder if he could afford two of them.”
    Chief McGinnis laughed. “I admire the way your mind works, Nancy. What you just said is very true.” He chuckled. “I guess we’ll keep on looking for a man in a camel’s-hair overcoat and hat.”
    As Nancy started back to her room so that Hannah Gruen could look at the dress, the front doorbell rang.
    “I’ll get it,” Nancy called.
    As she walked toward the stairway, Nancy realized that in her stocking feet the dress was pretty long. Just as she reached the top step, Nancy stepped on the front of the gown.
    She heard a loud rip and gasped. At the same moment, she lost her balance and pitched forward!

CHAPTER VIII
    Disheartening Request
    As Nancy pitched forward she made a wild grab for the banister of the stairway. Though she swung around and almost lost her grip, Nancy managed to keep from falling.
    “How stupid of me!” she chided herself, and went on down the stairway.
    Nancy looked at the big rip in her lovely dress. Could it be mended without showing? “Oh, I hope Hannah can do something with it!”
    She finally reached the bottom step and went on to the front door. When Nancy opened it, she was greeted by a grinning little boy.
    “Hello,” said Tommy Johnson.
    “Hi, Tommy!” Nancy replied. “What are you holding behind your back?” she asked.
    “A surprise,” he said.
    “For me?”
    “Maybe. You know you promised me a’tective badge for helping you.”
    “So I did,” said Nancy. “Come in, Tommy. I’ll get it for you right away.”
    Nancy hurried off to the dining room where there was a closet that held all sorts of knickknacks. Among them was a toy detective badge which someone had given her at a party for a joke. She carried it to Tommy, who took it but still kept one hand behind his back.
    “Do you like it?” Nancy asked.
    “Sure I do. Would you put it on me, Nancy? After that, I’ll show you what’s in my other hand.”
    She pinned the badge onto his heavy sports jacket, then asked, “Have you brought me something exciting?”
    “It’s—what you say a clue,” Tommy replied stoutly.
    From behind his back he took out a man’s rather worn shoe. Tommy explained that his little friend Billy down the street had picked it up.
    “He saw it fall out of the