The Borgia Dagger by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online

scraped forehead, fortunately."
    "There's more to the story than that," Harley said. "Somebody tried to kill her." "I don't know what happened," Tessa said, speaking with the loud, shaky voice of someone who has just had the scare of a lifetime. "I was just riding my horse — th - that interview had gotten me so upset and I needed to relax — and — and then I heard it — the shot." "Were you hit?" asked Frank. "N - no, but my horse got so upset he — he freared up on his hind legs and threw me off!"
    "Could you see who did it?" Joe asked. "No! I told the police — "
    Tessa was interrupted by a scream in the distance.
    All eyes turned toward a commotion in the woods. Three police officers, two men and a woman, were emerging. One of the men carried a silver-plated revolver. The other two officers were dragging a kicking teenager. "It's Callie!" Joe said.
    "Impossible," whispered Frank, frozen in disbelief.
    "Get those handcuffs away from me!" they heard her scream. "Don't you understand? I'm on your side!"
    "Sure, kid," answered the policewoman. "You just happened to be illegally trespassing in the woods with a gun when it went off, right? And now you can't help but resist arrest."
    Callie's eyes lit up when she saw Frank and Joe.
    "Tell them who I am, Frank!" The policewoman did a. double-take. "Well, it isn't the Hardy brothers," she said, smirking "Is this one of your strange detective methods?"
    "It's okay, Officer Novack. She's — uh, part of our investigation team," Frank said.
    "That's what she told us," the policewoman said as Callie defiantly threw aside the two officers' arms and brushed herself off.
    Suddenly two country club guards pushed their way through the crowd. "There they are!" one of them yelled. "They just drove past me! Seize them, officers!"
    By now the crowd was buzzing with confusion. "All right, let's go back to our businesses," Officer Novack said, loudly. "Ms. Carpenter is unhurt, and these three young people are private detectives."
    One by one, the club members began to drift away. "Thanks, Officer Novack," Frank said a little while later.
    "Well, we've gotten our report. Ms. Shaw claims that she found the gun in the woods while keeping an eye on Ms. Carpenter. At this point all we can do is take the gun to headquarters for analysis. But you can be sure we'll be in touch — especially with you, young lady." She shot a look at Callie. "If your story doesn't hold up, you'll be brought in for questioning." As the officers walked toward their squad cars in the parking lot, Frank leaned down to Tessa. 'All right, now you know who we really are. We'd like to help you out, since it looks as though one or two people are after your life — "
    Tessa flung her arms around Frank. "Oh, I knew you were in some line of work like this. I'm glad."
    Frank uneasily pulled himself away and said, 'We'll need access to your house, first of all — " "I have a perfect solution," Tessa answered. "Be my bodyguards, both of you." Frank and Joe were silent. "I have the money to pay you. Don't you see? I need protection, and this way the two of you can pick up all kinds of clues. You'll live on the mansion grounds, in the servants' cottage!"
    At that suggestion, Callie looked as if she could kill.
    "Uh — we'll think about it," Frank said.
    "The only thing to worry about now is how to get you inside to my office so I can take care of you," Dr. Lansdale said.
    Joe, Harley, and Dr. Lansdale helped Tessa up and supported her as she walked toward the clubhouse. Frank and Callie followed a few yards behind.
    "She won't stop at anything to get her hands on you," Callie said to Frank.
    "Wait a minute! First things first," Frank said. "Just what were you doing in the woods, anyway?"
    Callie looked away. "After you and Joe left for the museum, I got a paper and read that Tessa was going to be here today. So I decided to tail her and — well, investigate!"
    "Investigate? Look Callie — Joe and I are thel pros. You can't do