BUT MR. ALLARD seemed like such a nice man,” Bess said mournfully. “And now it looks like he not only was guilty, but that he was also the one trying to get your father into serious trouble.”
Nancy wasn’t really listening to her friend. Her mind was on Dennis Allard. Then something Bess said brought her back to the present. “Bess, what did you just say?”
“That he could be the one trying to get your father into trouble,” Bess repeated.
“That’s ridiculous,” George said. “Why would he want to bring it all up again? He got off scot-free.”
“It’s not so strange an idea, really,” Nancy said, thinking. “What if he knew that Gleason was on to him? The logical thing would be for him to throw suspicion onto someone else.”
“But how would he know that?” George asked.
“I’m not sure,” Nancy said. “But I’m going to find out.”
• • •
Nancy, Bess, and George were back at Bonne Cuisine the next day, waiting for Cheryl Pomeroy and Chris and Kate Gleason to show up. Nancy was explaining her plan.
“Here they are now,” she said as the door opened and the Gleasons and Cheryl Pomeroy walked into the restaurant.
“Well, we’re all here,” Kate said glumly. The three sat down. “Are you going to explain what this is all about?”
Chris sat there rapping his fingers on the table. Cheryl reached over and put her hand over his. Nancy looked at Kate.
“I thought you’d like to know that I’m this close”—she put her thumb and forefinger close together—“to solving the case.”
“That’s great!” Kate blurted out. “I can’t believe it. Do you know who killed my father?”
Nancy shook her head. “That I still don’t know. But the district attorney is working on it and he’s going to let me know as soon as there’s some kind of proof.”
“It looks to me like you’re missing all kinds of proof,” Chris challenged. “Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun? How can you pretend to be close to solving the case if you don’t even have a suspect?” He jutted out his chin and squinted his eyes. “Some detective,” he muttered to himself.
“Take it easy, Chris,” Cheryl said quietly.
“Actually, I think I’ve done pretty well, considering,” Nancy answered. “For example, I know you went to see Dennis Allard.” Nancy watched as Chris sank a little in his chair. “And,” she continued, “I think I found what you were looking for that day in your father’s apartment.”
With that, Nancy pulled her prop from her purse. Earlier, she’d taken Gleason’s notebook to the DA, but beforehand she’d copied the pages into an identical notebook. She threw it on the table in front of Chris.
Chris reached for it, but Nancy put her hands over the notebook before he could pick it up.
“How did you find that?” Chris asked, pulling his hand back.
Bess and George looked at each other while Cheryl tried to put her arm around Chris. He pulled away. “What makes you think you can just steal my father’s personal property?”
“That’s not as important as why, if you really want me to solve this case, you’re working on your own and won’t tell me anything,” Nancy answered. She wasn’t going to let him get the best of her this time.
Chris sighed. “All right,” he said. “I did go to see Allard. But there’s a good reason why I did. I thought the evidence might have something to do with the missing money—which is why I went to see Allard.”
“But how did you know about the notebook?” George asked.
“For as long as I’ve known my father, he’s kept a date book in an ordinary notebook like that,” he explained. “It was one of his idiosyncrasies.”
Nancy leaned on the table and gave Chris a long, hard look. “I agree with you. There’s probably a clue here about where your father hid the evidence Cheryl gave him, but I couldn’t find it.”
“But if you give it to Chris,” Bess pointed out, “there’s a chance he might find something you missed.”
“I might. I know my father’s habits pretty well, and I’d recognize something that was out of the ordinary,” Chris said.
“What makes you want to trust us now?” Cheryl asked.
Nancy scanned the Gleasons’ faces. It was a good question. She waited and could see that Kate was holding her breath expectantly.
“I don’t know,” Nancy said finally. “But I guess I have no choice. There’s one thing I’m still worried about, though.”
“What’s that?” Kate asked anxiously.
“The money. I want to know for certain it’s not the money you’re after,” Nancy said.
“I know it probably looks that way,” Kate began.
“You’ve got to believe me when I say I’m only interested in clearing my father’s name,” Chris said earnestly. “And finding out who killed him.”
Nancy glanced at Bess and George. So far the Gleasons hadn’t been the most trustworthy brother-and-sister team.
George gave her an encouraging nod. “I believe them, Nancy,” Bess said.
She had to trust her friends’ judgment. “Take the notebook,” Nancy said. “And do whatever you can to find a clue about where the evidence might be. Before we can clear your father we have to find the evidence or the money or both. It’s the only proof we’ve got.”
Kate got up to leave with her brother and his girlfriend.
“Thank you, Nancy,” she said, giving her a wan smile. “I know we haven’t given you anything but trouble, and I’m sorry. I really didn’t trust you until you gave us the notebook just now. From now on we’re going to work as a team. I promise.”
“Scout’s honor,” Chris said, holding up three fingers. “We’ll be on our best behavior from now on.” He put his arm around Cheryl, who smiled for the first time since they had all sat down.
Nancy watched as the three walked away.
“You did the right thing, Nan,” George said. “Now, where do we go from here?”
“I want to stake out Dennis Allard,” Nancy said. “I need to try to find out exactly what he’s up to.”
“Should we come along? You could probably use our help,” George said. Bess nodded in agreement.
“I don’t think so, guys,” Nancy said, getting up. “I’d better do it alone—it’ll arouse less suspicion. But stay close by. I’m sure I’ll need your help again soon.”
The three parted ways in the parking lot. As Nancy got into her rented car, she could tell that Bess and George looked worried.
“Be careful, Nan,” Bess said.
George turned to her cousin. “She’ll be fine. Nancy’s done this before.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Nancy said, starting her car. “I’ll let you know what happens.”
Nancy roared off in the direction of Allard’s bank. She checked her watch. It was only two o’clock. If she had to wait, she would.
Two hours later Nancy was still sitting in front of River Heights Bank and Trust when she finally spotted Dennis Allard coming out of the building.
I’m lucky he keeps bankers’ hours, Nancy thought. She started her car to be ready to follow Allard at a safe distance.
Nancy didn’t know what she’d find out by tailing Dennis Allard. But after an hour of following him, all she knew was where he got his hair cut and which dry cleaner he used.
This is getting me nowhere fast, she thought. If something doesn’t happen soon, I’m going home.
Then Allard led her to a run-down section of small businesses, where he stopped his car and got out. Nancy watched as he let himself into a building painted a garish shade of green.
After waiting a few minutes Nancy went inside also. The building was three stories high and a rickety wooden staircase led to the upper stories. She had no way of telling which floor Allard had stopped on, but on the wall across from the staircase was an old building directory.
Nancy scanned the directory for Allard’s name or any other name she might r
ecognize. Nothing. She took out her notepad and quickly wrote down the names of all six companies, leaving out one that was named Lee’s Nails because it was obviously a manicure shop.
She was about to leave the building when she heard footsteps on the second floor landing. Nancy looked up through the railing and saw a figure coming down the stairs. Dennis Allard!
Quickly, Nancy made her way down the short corridor that ran beside the staircase.
At the end of the corridor she thought she had seen a window that she could use for a possible escape. The footsteps were getting closer.
Nancy quietly planted herself against the wall, under the staircase, hoping that Allard hadn’t seen her. She was looking toward the window and planning her escape when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.
Nancy turned around. It was Dennis Allard, his face red with fury.
Chapter
Fourteen
MR. ALLARD,” Nancy said, trying not to stammer. “What a coincidence. It’s so funny we should run into each other here.”
“It is, isn’t it?” Allard asked, giving Nancy a strange look.
I’d better come up with an excuse fast, Nancy thought.
“My favorite manicurist of all time has her shop here. She used to be closer to my house, but then she moved and I couldn’t find anyone else who had such a gentle touch.” Nancy rattled off her story. Maybe Allard would buy the flighty teenager routine.
“She must be good if you came such a long way,” Allard remarked, looking closely at Nancy.
“Well, I’d better be getting home. I’m sure my dad’s wondering where I am. You know how fathers can be.” Nancy kept up the patter while she made her way out of the building. Allard stayed by her side until she had gotten in her car and started the engine.
“How’s the investigation going?” Allard asked before Nancy could drive away.
“You know,” Nancy said, “it’s the strangest thing, but now the police think Robert Gleason may have been murdered.” She searched Allard’s face for a reaction, but he didn’t blink an eye.
“That is bizarre,” he said. “But I’m sure they know what they’re doing.”
“There are so many weird things about this case,” she concluded, shaking her head. “Well, gotta go. See you later.”
Nancy watched in her rearview mirror as Allard waited for her to drive off. It’s only a matter of time, she thought, before Dennis Allard starts wondering what I’m up to. If he hasn’t already.
On her way home Nancy decided to stop at the River Heights Library. She didn’t want to waste any time in finding out what Allard was doing in that green building. She decided to do a little research on the companies she had written down before Allard discovered her.
When Nancy got to the library, she spied her favorite librarian, Ed Nesky, working at the circulation desk.
“Ed,” she said, going up to him. “I need your help.”
Ed gave Nancy a crooked smile. He was always happy to help her out with research on cases. “What’s up?” he asked, looking at her with his hazel eyes.
“If I have the name of a company, is there any way to find out who runs it?” Nancy asked.
“No problem. Give me a minute and I’ll show you where to look.” Nancy waited while Ed went over to his supervisor and explained that he had to leave the desk for a few minutes.
“Follow me,” he said, pulling Nancy by the elbow. “This is where you should look.” He pointed out a series of tall, thick volumes. There must have been nearly thirty in all.
“Who Owns What,” Nancy said, reading the spines. “Are you kidding?” She laughed and then smiled at Ed.
“Nope. It’s for real. Funny title, right?” Ed grinned and ran his hands through his straight hair. “Companies are listed alphabetically, with their owners or directors following. Sometimes you’ll have one company owned by another, though, so you might have to check three or four places before you find out who really owns it.”
“Thanks, Ed,” Nancy said, raising her eyebrows. “This isn’t going to be as easy as I thought.”
“Have fun,” Ed said, chuckling as he walked away.
One by one, Nancy went through the list of the six companies she had written down. Although she wanted to, she didn’t rule out Lee’s Nails. You never know, she told herself.
After half an hour Nancy hadn’t found out anything and she was down to just two companies: Convex Corporation and the Alladin Group.
“Find anything yet?” Ed was leaning over her shoulder as Nancy looked up the Alladin Group.
“Nothing yet,” she said.
“Want some help?”
“I’d love it. This is getting a little tedious, but I’m down to just two. Can you check out Convex Corporation for me?” she asked.
“Sure.” Ed went over and pulled the volume with C in it from the shelf while Nancy went back to researching the Alladin Group. Nothing related to Dennis Allard there, even though she had hoped there would be. The name sounded a lot like his.
Ed sat down next to her then. “I don’t know if this means anything to you,” he said, “but Convex Corporation has two owners.”
“What are their names?” Nancy asked.
“See for yourself,” Ed said, pushing the volume across the table to her.
Nancy ran her fingers down the page, coming to Convex Corporation. “ ‘Owned by,’ ” she read, then stopped. “I can’t believe it!” she practically shouted.‘Dennis Allard and Peter Nicodemus’!” She finally had the connection she’d been looking for.
Nancy thanked Ed and headed out of the library. She couldn’t believe her luck.
Nicodemus had worked at the firm when the embezzling took place. Now he and Allard were in business together. That can’t be a coincidence, she thought. What if Nicodemus had been involved with Allard in the embezzlement?
There was one way to find out, she realized, and she headed quickly in the direction of Mobley and Myerson.
As she drove to Nicodemus’s building, Nancy tried to devise a plan for getting into the building and offices. It wouldn’t be easy, and there was a good chance that some of the lawyers might be working late.
Along the way, she devised her plan. With all the secretaries she’d seen on this case, she knew she could pose as one of them.
Getting past the security guard in the lobby was easier than she thought it would be. She told him she was a temporary secretary and that she had left her purse in the office. He let her by without even making her sign the building register.
At first Nancy was going to take the elevator to Nicodemus’s floor. Then she realized it would be easier to get into the offices if she went to the floor below Nicodemus’s and took the internal stairs.
When the elevator doors opened on the fourteenth floor, Nancy saw her opportunity. One of the cleaning crews had left an oversize trash can on wheels outside the bank of elevators.
Nancy put on a pair of rubber gloves she found hanging over the trash can and wheeled it through the firm’s glass doors. If anyone asked her what she was doing there, she’d answer that she was a new member of the cleaning crew.
After a few wrong turns, Nancy found the firm’s internal stairs and dragged the garbage can up the short flight. She made her way in the direction of Nicodemus’s office.
Most of the lights were out in this part of the firm. Nancy heard a few voices at the end of the hallway, but realized they were coming from the opposite direction of Nicodemus’s office.
Quickly Nancy pushed the garbage can down the hall and stopped outside Nicodemus’s office. She tried the knob. The door was unlocked. Slowly she inched the door open, her heart pounding. Nicodemus wasn’t inside.
All the lights were on, but Nicodemus wasn’t there. Nancy hurried over to his desk. There, she saw an employee file and several pink message slips laid out on the top of it. Nancy quickly opened the file. It belonged to Cheryl Pomeroy. Maybe Nicodemus suspects something’s up with her, Nancy thought.
&n
bsp; Then Nancy picked up one of the message slips. It was a reminder that Dennis Allard had called. The time on the slip was right after Allard had caught Nancy in his building!
She scanned Nicodemus’s bookshelves and ran her eyes over his desk. Then she started searching through the other papers on his desk.
Before Nancy could start on anything, she heard voices in the hallway. She stood perfectly still and listened. They were moving closer and closer toward Nicodemus’s office.
Nancy held her breath. She was about to be caught red-handed in Peter Nicodemus’s office!
Chapter
Fifteen
A WAVE OF FEAR passed over her. There wasn’t going to be an easy explanation for why she was in Peter Nicodemus’s office. If it were Nicodemus himself who was heading her way, she was in even worse trouble.
After giving the office a wistful glance—she’d have given anything for the opportunity to really search the place—Nancy slipped out the door.
At one end of the long hallway, Nancy saw two figures deep in conversation. Most of the hall lights were off, so Nancy was in shadow too. Without stopping to see whether or not it was Nicodemus at the end of the hall, Nancy took off in the opposite direction.
She crossed the hallway and dashed around a corner. She had nearly made her way to the small flight of stairs that would take her back down to safety when she heard a voice call out.
“Hold it right there!” a man shouted. “Stop!”
Nancy desperately looked around for an escape. Then she spied her only chance. Ten feet ahead of her there was a fire door with the word Exit in red lettering.
Quickly Nancy ran to the door and pushed it open. A clamorous din of alarms greeted her as she found herself in a half-lit stairwell.
Nancy took a second for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then she flew down the steps, taking them three at a time, sliding her hand down the railing for balance.
One flight down, Nancy heard footsteps on the stairs behind her. She forced herself not to turn around and look but to continue her flying leaps instead.
Then Nancy heard the loud, unmistakable blast of a shot echoing over and over in the stairwell. The bullet ricocheted off the cement wall only inches from her.