“Is everything all right?” Nancy couldn’t help asking, reaching out to the older woman.
“Oh, it’s nothing—nothing. I’ve just come from Madame Rosa’s—”
“Another tarot reading? But I thought she came up to your suite.”
Again Sarah Amberly looked around warily. “Yes, normally she does. It’s just, you know, more—private this way.”
“Well, did she have anything new to say?” Nancy asked. What could Madame Rosa possibly have said that had upset Sarah so much?
“No, nothing really. Excuse me, please. I just can’t . . . talk about it.”
Slowly the woman turned and walked down the corridor, wringing her hands absent-mindedly.
Nancy was dumbfounded. What had happened to change things so drastically?
Just then a man darted out from behind a palm and took off down the corridor in the direction Sarah Amberly had gone. Nancy recognized him as Maximilian the waiter.
He was following Sarah! But why? Did he have some sinister purpose in mind? Events surrounding Sarah Amberly were becoming stranger and stranger! Nancy couldn’t shake the feeling that Sarah Amberly was in some sort of big trouble. And if she was, Nancy had to help her.
She started off after them at a rapid pace. But just as she rounded the first corner, a pair of hands reached out and grabbed her. Before Nancy could scream, her mouth and eyes were covered, and she felt herself being pulled backward!
Chapter
Four
DON’T MOVE—OR else!”
Nancy was released, and she wheeled around to face her assailant. Instead she found herself staring into the laughing eyes of her two best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne.
“Bess! George! What are you two doing here!” The relief Nancy felt was tinged with disappointment. Something told her that if she’d followed Maximilian she might have gained a little more information about what was going on in the Amberly suite. Still, it was great to see her friends standing there in the corridor of the Plaza!
“Surprise!” Bess gave her friend a quick hug. “I told you we couldn’t let you come to New York without us!” Bess gushed.
“Bess actually talked both of our mothers into sending us here.” George shook her head happily, her short, dark hair dancing. Despite her nickname of George, Georgia Fayne was one hundred percent female.
“It’s true. I was brilliant.” Bess laughed, her pretty face lighting up with glee. “I convinced them that we needed to broaden our cultural horizons.”
“She didn’t mention shopping, of course—” George added, referring to one of Bess’s favorite activities.
“Then when I told her that you were here with your father, Nan—well, that cinched it. And here we are!”
“Fantastic!” Looking at Bess and George’s smiling faces made Nancy grin, too. She’d just have to catch up to Maximilian some other time.
“Where are you staying?” Nancy asked.
Bess’s nose wrinkled up as she twisted a strand of her glossy blond hair. “Not here at the Plaza, unfortunately.”
“Alas,” quipped George. “We’re in more humble quarters.”
“But it does have color TV—” Bess said.
“And an ice pitcher—” George laughed.
“But it’s not, repeat, not, the Plaza.” Bess sighed. “I’m overcome with jealousy just thinking about your staying here.”
“Oh gosh, it really is great to see you!” Nancy couldn’t help feeling better. After all the weird things she’d been finding out about the Amberly party, Bess and George were just what she needed—nice normal friends!
“So, what’s happening around the Big Apple, Nan? Any interesting guys?” With Bess, it was always the same question: Where are the boys?
“Come on now, Bess,” chided George, “Nancy’s got a boyfriend, remember.”
“Oh, don’t be so serious, George. After all, Nancy’s allowed to look,” Bess said, defending herself.
Nancy smiled. “Well, as a matter of fact, there is a pretty cute guy staying in the suite right next to ours.”
“Oh?” said Bess, throwing her arm around her friend’s shoulder as they walked through the lobby. “Is that cute as in blond—or dark?”
“Dark,” murmured Nancy. “And cute doesn’t really say it. Incredibly handsome is more like it.”
“But there’s something about him you don’t trust,” George said. “You’re frowning.”
Nancy smiled—she could never hide anything from George. “Am I frowning? Well, I’m not sure about the guy, but the main thing is, something very weird is going on in that suite where he’s staying.”
“Uh-huh—and?”
“It’s his aunt—she’s one of the Amberly family. You know, of Boston?”
Two blank stares met her gaze. “Tell us all about it over some shopping,” said Bess, tugging at her arm. “You could use some new clothes, girl. After all, you’re staying at the Plaza!”
“Hey! What are you doing? I was right in the middle of something—”
Nancy knew it was no use. Sarah and Maximilian were long gone; she’d never catch up to them now. And George and Bess were right there.
• • •
“So what do you think?” Nancy was browsing through the racks at Saks, one of New York’s poshest department stores, but her mind was on Sarah Amberly. She’d told Bess and George everything that had happened in the suite next door.
“Isn’t it creepy?” she asked. “I’m really worried about Sarah Amberly. All around her things are so weird—hateful notes, stealing, pills placed out of her reach . . . What do you two think? Any brilliant ideas?”
Bess shot Nancy a quick look and said, “/think that peach outfit you just flipped by is the ultimate, and if you’re really serious about getting yourself something incredible to wear, you’ve got to try it on.”
With a sigh, George took Nancy by the shoulder. “Okay, Drew—I’m going to break it to you gently. You really need a vacation.”
“Huh?” Nancy frowned.
“She’s right, Nancy,” Bess put in. “We’ve decided you’re taking things too seriously. You came to New York to have a good time, remember? And now you’re all wound up about this Amberly thing. I mean, there doesn’t always have to be a mystery going on. Maybe you’re reading things into this that really aren’t there.”
Surprised by Bess’s opinion, Nancy turned to George.
“It’s true, Nancy,” George said softly. “You know, you don’t want to go off the deep end over every little thing.” It wasn’t often George would say something like that, so Nancy had to listen.
“But there is something going on here—I can just feel it,” Nancy protested.
Bess looked skeptical. “Even if there is, what’s the difference? When are you going to take some time for yourself and have a little fun?”
“I have tons of fun!” Nancy argued, a little too fiercely. But then she had to wonder if George and Bess weren’t telling her the truth the way nobody else would. Maybe she was taking life too seriously these days.
“Size six! Perfect. And only a million dollars!” Bess said, fingering the label of the peach ensemble. The three girls caught one another’s eyes and cracked up.
“Well, my dad did say to buy something new,” Nancy said. With a sly smile, and a vow to forget about Sarah Amberly, Nancy walked into the dressing room.
She emerged a few minutes later, wearing the soft peach wool skirt and jacket and an ivory silk blouse. The whole outfit set off her coloring perfectly. Even Nancy knew she looked terrific.
“It’s fabulous,” said George.
“Smashing!” Bess agreed.
“Sold,” said Nancy. A short while later, having changed back to her street clothes and paid for the outfit, Nancy stepped out onto Fifth Avenue, feeling renewed and refreshed. The box from Saks was under her arm, and her friends were at her side.
“Oh, I love New York!” Bess cried out a bit later as they stood at the corner of Fifth
Avenue and Fifty-seventh Street, waiting for the light to turn green. “Can’t you just feel the electricity in the air?”
“Makes River Heights seem pretty dull, actually,” George agreed with a wistful sigh.
“Look! There’s Tiffany’s! We’ve got to check it out. Come on!” Bess headed straight for the famous jewelry store, tugging on Nancy’s sleeve.
In the window was a glittering array of precious jewels that caught the midday sun and reflected it back.
“Can you believe the size of that ruby?” Bess exclaimed, pointing to a gem set in a gold necklace.
“Sarah Amberly’s is twice that size,” Nancy said, waiting for Bess’s reaction.
With a gasp, Bess turned to her friend. “You’re kidding—right?”
“No, I’m not kidding. It really is. I saw it last night.”
“Now, that’s the first interesting thing you’ve said about the Amberlys since we got here. Any chance of getting a peek at it?”
“I can’t promise, but I’ll try to introduce you to Sarah.” The thought of another visit to the Amberly suite sounded good to Nancy. Not that she was going to get involved—George and Bess had convinced her to leave things alone just this once in her life. Still, it couldn’t hurt to check in with Sarah, just to see how she was doing.
“But we’ve got to get you shoes first,” Bess asserted. “You really should have new ones to go with your outfit.”
George reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. “There’s this shoe store the flight attendant was telling us about. I have the address right here. Sixty-second and Madison. That’s, let’s see—northeast from here, I think.”
“Remind me to go camping with you sometime, George.” Bess laughed, heading uptown behind her cousin.
“Hey, why don’t we walk through the park?” Nancy suggested. A stroll through Central Park with her two best buddies in the entire world would be perfect.
“Great idea!” said Bess.
An hour later, after a walk through Central Park and a quick stop at the shoe store, where Nancy picked out a stylish pair of Italian pumps, the trio found themselves strolling down Sixty-second Street.
“Oh, Nancy—don’t you wish you could buy that topaz necklace we saw in Tiffany’s window? It would be so terrific with the—Nan? Nan?”
Nancy wasn’t paying attention. Her eyes were riveted on the far end of the block, where Alison Kale had just emerged from the front door of a stately old brownstone. As the girls watched, Alison walked right by them, muttering to herself.
“Whoa!” gasped George when Alison was out of earshot. “Just a little bizarre—”
“That’s Sarah Amberly’s sister,” Nancy said softly.
George let out a low whistle. “Now I see why you’re worried about Mrs. Amberly. She’s surrounded by thieves and weirdos.”
Nancy smiled triumphantly. “Still think I need a vacation?”
After Alison passed, the girls walked to the brownstone she’d come from and read the shingle hanging outside: Dr. Arnold Mitchell, Psychiatric Specialist.
“So, she’s under a psychiatrist’s care,” said Nancy. “That’s good to know.”
“She looks like she really needs it, too,” Bess murmured sympathetically as they headed back to the Plaza.
“Do you think Mrs. Amberly will really let us see the ruby?” Bess asked when they stepped off the elevator on the top floor, their feet sinking into the plush forest green carpet.
“I can’t be sure,” Nancy answered. “Yesterday she was very friendly, but today when I saw her again she seemed awfully distracted. Here’s her suite.”
“Sarah? Mrs. Amberly?” Nancy rapped on the door, and the girls waited. No answer. “I wonder,” murmured Nancy. She reached down and jiggled the doorknob. The latch clicked open.
“That door is unlocked, Nancy!” George exclaimed.
“I hope Sarah’s all right. Maybe she’s in there and can’t answer,” Nancy said with a worried look.
“Well, in that case—” George tapped the door lightly, and it opened. The three girls looked at one another and then walked in, closing the door behind them.
“Hello. Sarah? Are you here?” Nancy called as she made her way into Sarah’s bedroom.
“Wow! What a place!” Bess gasped.
But the bedroom was empty. “Come on, let’s go. You can meet her later—” Nancy started to say. But as she turned to leave, she noticed that Sarah’s ruby ring was gone from the little table beside the bed.
“That’s odd—Sarah said she always kept her ring by her bed,” Nancy said.
Just then, two men appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, and Nancy, Bess, and George jumped.
“All right—step right over to the wall and put your hands over your heads!” a harsh voice commanded. “You’re all under arrest!”
Chapter
Five
SPINNING AROUND BREATHLESSLY, Nancy found herself looking into the eyes of a fair-haired young man of about twenty-five. He held a security man’s badge in one hand and a pistol in the other. Behind him, his lanky assistant stared at the three girls, his mouth wide open. “Three girls . . .” the assistant murmured.
“You never know who’s a thief, Felske,” the fair-haired man muttered. Then he waved his pistol and barked, “Okay, ladies. Move it.”
“Wait a minute,” Nancy spoke up. “We weren’t doing anything wrong—and you haven’t got a shred of evidence that says we were.”
With a smile, the young man put his badge away, but he kept the pistol aimed at Nancy and her friends. “Sure, sure. That line may have worked other places, sweetie, but this is the Plaza. You just got caught in one of the finest security nets in the world. I’m Joe Ritter, staff detective here. Now, if you’ll all come with me. The New York police are looking for people like you.”
“But she’s telling the truth!” cried Bess, the first glint of tears pooling in her eyes. “We weren’t doing anything wrong!”
“Sure, sure. Come along, now.” He motioned to them with the pistol. “Tell that to the judge.”
Well, Nancy thought. It did look bad. They were in someone else’s room without permission. At that moment Sarah Amberly appeared at the door to the bedroom. A bolt of relief shot through Nancy like lightning.
“What is the meaning of this intrusion, young man!” she shouted. “Nancy, did he hurt you?”
“No, they’ve just misunderstood what’s going on here—” Nancy was about to explain everything when Sarah’s eyes fell to the little table.
“My ruby! It’s gone!”
“We happened to be patrolling the hall when we saw these trespassers, Mrs. Amberly. Okay, girls—where’s the ring?”
“Sarah, I came in because I thought you might be ill again,” Nancy explained. “The ring was gone when we got here.”
“We never even saw it, honestly!” Bess cried.
“Oh, I never thought he would sink so low,” Sarah murmured, letting herself down onto the bed. “Never, never . . .”
Nancy wondered if “he” was Jack Kale. Something in the woman’s sad face told her it might be.
“Would you like to press charges now or later, Mrs. Amberly?” the blond young man asked. “We’ll work at your convenience.”
“Press charges? Against whom?” A kind of confused irritation passed over Sarah’s face.
“Why, the perpetrators! These three!” He was still waving his pistol at them.
“Oh, dear me, no,” Sarah answered with a small laugh. “Not now or later. This young lady,” she said, indicating Nancy, “was sent to me by an authority higher than hotel security. She is my protectress, and I have already given her permission to visit my suite at any time. Besides, she is a guest at this hotel.”
Joe Ritter frowned. Nancy could tell he was thinking that Sarah Amberly was slightly crazy. “Yes, but your ring,” he countered gingerly. “It is missing, isn’t it?”
“Yes, yes. But I’m quite sure I know who has it, and I’d pre
fer to handle it myself. You and your assistant are free to go now.”
Detective Ritter stared blankly at Sarah for a minute before he headed for the door. “Come on, Felske,” he muttered, shooting Nancy an angry look.
When they were gone, Sarah gave Nancy a warm smile. “Nancy, who are your friends?”
“This is Bess Marvin and George Fayne—my two best friends from back home.”
“How do you do, girls? Will you promise to come back another time when I can be more hospitable? I’m afraid that ruby means a great deal to me, and I want to organize my thoughts so I can get it back—if it’s not too late.”
Nancy met the older woman’s eyes with a sympathetic frown. “Sarah, maybe my friends and I can help you get your ring back,” she offered gently. “I know how much it means to you.”
“Oh, no. No, dear. But thank you for the offer. It’s a family matter, that’s all,” she replied with as much dignity as she could muster. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Of course,” Bess said, and George nodded.
“I’m so sorry for the intrusion, Sarah,” Nancy apologized. “I hope you don’t mind my coming into the suite that way—”
Sarah Amberly reached out and took Nancy’s hand. She pressed it warmly. “There is no need to apologize, Nancy. I trust your judgment, and I assure you, you are always welcome in here, my dear. After all, we were fated to be friends, weren’t we? However, I am greatly distressed by this latest piece of mischief.” With that, her thoughts seemed to turn inward. Nancy knew it was time to leave.
“Well, if you need anything, remember I’m right next door,” Nancy said, touching Sarah’s bony shoulder gently before she left.
Stepping outside, the girls were surprised to find a smoldering Joe Ritter waiting for them. He looked at Nancy with a scowl that could break a mirror. “Listen, I’m letting you go this time. But don’t try anything funny from here on in— understand?”
Nancy’s eyes met his, but he glanced away. Sure, things looked suspicious to Ritter. But there was no way she was going to convince him of her innocent intentions. He’d never believe her. “Let’s go,” she said to her friends.