The officer and the girls squeezed behind the packing case and opened the door. They found themselves in the rear yard of a department store. They ran across it and went into the service entrance. No one was around.
“Luck was with Mr. Stromberg,” Officer Willet said grimly.
The service entrance opened into the shipping room piled high with packages awaiting delivery. No shipping clerks seemed to be on duty. The officer and the girls rushed ahead until they came to swinging doors which opened into the first floor of the department store.
“Mr. Stromberg made an easy getaway,” Willet remarked. “We may as well give up the chase and find him by some other method.”
“You mean at his home?” George asked.
The officer nodded. He and the girls walked around the block until they came to the front of the bookshop. Officer Fisher was amazed to see the four arrive from this new direction. They quickly explained what had happened, then he reported that no one had come out of either entrance to the bookstore.
“Let’s go back and see the clerk,” Nancy proposed.
They entered the shop once more and Officer Willet asked the girl clerk where Mr. Stromberg lived.
“I—I d-don’t k-know,” the girl stammered. “I don’t want to stay here. I don’t like it. Please let me go home!”
“Not yet,” the officer told her. “But don’t be frightened. We’ll take care of you. We just want you to tell us everything you know about Mr. Stromberg.”
“N-nothing,” the girl replied. “I was sent here by an employment agency that has my name. He called up for a clerk. He said another girl had worked here only a few hours.”
“That’s true,” Nancy said.
Officer Willet looked through the desk for a clue to where Mr. Stromberg lived, but found nothing. He picked up a book of customers’ names and read them carefully.
“I’ll phone some of these people to see if they know where Mr. Stromberg lives,” he said.
“I’d suggest that you try Mrs. Horace Truesdale first. She was in here two different times when I was, and seemed to know him well.”
This attempt to locate the bookshop owner failed completely. Mrs. Truesdale said she had no idea where he lived. Other customers gave the same answer.
“I’ll try some of the neighboring stores,” the officer said, and went out. But he came back in a short time and reported that Mr. Stromberg, who had rented the shop six months before, was known as a very uncommunicative person and no one in the other shops knew where he lived.
“We’re stymied for the time being,” George admitted. “But we’ll get those crooks yet!”
Officer Willet smiled. “I like your enthusiasm. I hope we can live up to your hopes.”
Before leaving the shop, Nancy telephoned Captain Gray to tell him the unfortunate result of her endeavors to apprehend the suspects. He sympathized with her, then remarked philosophically :
“That’s a detective’s life! But we never give up.”
He now reported that the police still had no clue to Chi Che Soong’s whereabouts. Furthermore, according to the detective guarding the entrance to Aunt Eloise’s apartment house, no suspicious person had been seen there.
“But something is bound to break soon,” Captain Gray said. “We have so many police working on the case they’re sure to find at least one of the suspects.”
As the three girls started for Aunt Eloise Drew’s apartment, all admitted to being a bit downcast. They had failed to learn anything more to help solve the mystery of Chi Che Soong’s disappearance.
“Nancy,” George said, “if that was the manuscript you saw being taken from the safe, why is Chi Che still being kept away from home?”
“I’m afraid,” Nancy replied, “there’s another reason for her disappearance besides someone wanting to get hold of Grandpa Soong’s work. I believe Chi Che inadvertently found out about some kind of racket, and the gang involved is giving her no chance to report it to the police.”
Bess sighed. “Oh, dear! The poor girl!”
That evening Nancy received a telephone call from Lily Alys Wu. The Chinese girl asked what progress had been made on the case. Upon hearing the latest developments, she expressed her own great concern about Chi Che.
“What’s worse,” she added, “I’ve seen Mr. Soong, and I’m afraid he senses now that something is wrong. He doesn’t seem too well and he isn’t doing any writing.”
“How dreadful!” Nancy exclaimed. “I’ll run up to the hospital as soon as I can and try to cheer him a bit.”
“What do you think Mr. Stromberg is going to do now?” Lily Alys asked.
Nancy thought a few seconds, then replied, “I’m afraid he and his pals may skip the country. It’s my guess they may even go to Hong Kong.”
Suddenly Lily Alys broke in excitedly, “Nancy, I just thought of something that may help you solve the mystery!”
CHAPTER XII
Flight Plans
“WHILE I was working in the bookshop,” Lily Alys told Nancy, “I walked to the back room to ask Mr. Stromberg a question. Just like the other time I told you about, he was talking on the phone in a low tone.
“But I caught one thing he said that might have something to do with your case. He said to the other person, ‘You have your ticket? No one will ㅡwith all those students.’ I didn’t catch the one part of the sentence.” Lily Alys asked Nancy what she thought the missing word might be.
“It could be any number of things,” Nancy said slowly. “Of course it might be something completely innocent. But if Mr. Stromberg were talking to one of the gang, the missing part might have been ‘recognize you’ or ‘suspect you.’ ”
“It probably was,” the Chinese girl agreed. “I wonder who the person could have been?”
“And I wonder,” said Nancy, “what the ticket is for. It might be for travel, for the theater, for some sports event—”
“That is one reason I called you,” Lily Alys broke in quickly. “I said maybe I could help you. On a certain flight to Hong Kong from New York, the whole tourist section of the plane has been reserved for Chinese and American students from Columbia University.”
Nancy was excited over the information. “Only I doubt that any students are mixed up in this racket of Mr. Stromberg’s.”
Lily Alys said she was not thinking of the tourist section of the plane. “The first-class section is open to all passengers. I thought the person Mr. Stromberg was talking to might possibly be among those people.”
Nancy was thrilled. “Lily Alys, I believe this is a stroke of genius on your part. How soon does this plane leave?”
“In three days. It’s for a ten-day vacation in Hong Kong.” Lily Alys chuckled softly. “I understand that the tourist section has not been entirely filled. Perhaps, if you care to go to Hong Kong yourself, I can arrange for you to have one of the seats.”
Nancy felt a surge of excitement over this possibility. She thanked Lily Alys and said she would let her know if she wanted a reservation. “As a matter of fact, my father and I were planning to go to Hong Kong sometime soon. Maybe we could take this flight!”
“But the tourist section is only for students,” Lily Alys reminded the young sleuth.
“My father could go first class,” Nancy told her. “He might spot the suspect without being recognized. I’ll try to obtain a list of the passengers who have signed up so far.”
“Do you think Mr. Stromberg may be one of them?” the Chinese girl asked.
“Possibly,” Nancy replied. “But if so, I’m sure he’ll be traveling under an assumed name and I would have to see him to identify him. But I can alert the police, anyway, and also tell them other members of the gang may be aboard.”
She thanked Lily Alys for the helpful informamation, then at once called Captain Gray. He too felt that perhaps Nancy had picked up an important clue. “I’ll call you back and read you the list of first-class passengers,” he promised, “as soon as I get them.”
Hardly half an hour had gone by when he telephoned. The passengers’ names were in alphabetical order and none was familiar to Nancy until he came to the T’s.
“Mrs. Horace Truesdale!” Nancy exclaimed.
“You know her?” the officer asked quickly.
“Well, no, not exactly. But twice I saw her in Stromberg’s Bookshop. She seemed to be a regular customer.”
“That doesn’t prove anything, of course,” Captain Gray said. “Nevertheless, I will find out more about her and let you know.” He read the rest of the list of passengers but none was known to Nancy.
Within a short time the officer once more called Nancy, this time to report that there was nothing suspicious about Mrs. Horace Truesdale. She was a widow who lived alone in a middle-class apartment house. “She’s reputed to be a great reader and often goes on trips to visit friends.”
The officer finished his conversation by telling Nancy that there still was no news on any of the suspects in the Chi Che Soong case. “But members of the force will be on hand to watch everyone boarding the plane to Hong Kong.”
Later that evening Nancy telephoned her father and asked him how soon he was going to Hong Kong. The lawyer chuckled. “ ‘Fess up, my dear. What’s on your mind?”
His daughter laughed, then quickly related the entire story regarding recent developments in the mystery and told him of the flight to Hong Kong which some Columbia students were taking.
“I’d like to go on the flight,” Nancy said. “And, Dad, I wish that you would go along in the first-class section. You could look over the passengers to see if you think any of them might be suspects.”
After a pause, Mr. Drew said, “I believe I could leave here in a couple of days. That would work out very nicely. I really should get to Hong Kong to interview the heirs involved in that contested will I told you about.”
After further conversation, father and daughter agreed that it might be wise if the two traveled as if they were strangers.
“I’m sure,” the lawyer added, “that the plan will work out to good advantage.”
Nancy said she had another request to make. “I’d love to have Bess and George accompany us.”
Mr. Drew approved this idea at once. “The girls will not only help you, but may prove to be a safety factor. I’ll phone the Marvins and Faynes and find out if they’ll give permission.”
“Wonderfull” Nancy exclaimed. Then she giggled, saying as she had done ever since she was a little girl, “I’ll keep my fingers crossed!”
“I suppose,” said Mr. Drew, “that you will want to make your own reservations through Columbia University. I’ll let you know the result of my calls to Bess’s and George’s families. Then you can borrow money from your Aunt Eloise to purchase the tickets.”
“And I’ll notify Ned Nickerson of our coming,” Nancy added. “He can arrange accommodations for us in Hong Kong.”
“A good idea,” Mr. Drew approved. “But I think I had better do this, in case you’re being watched. One of the gang might pick up the information.”
“All right, Dad.”
Within an hour Mr. Drew called back to say that Bess and George had been given permission to go on the trip.
Nancy’s chums were elated. “Oh, boy!” George cried. “If Chi Che is in Hong Kong, what a ball we’ll have while finding her!”
“Yes,” said Bess. “But we just must save some time to buy clothes there.” Then she twinkled. “Do you suppose Ned will bring along a couple of dates for George and me?”
George grinned. “He probably will. But maybe you’d better go on a diet, Bess. Your huge appetite may frighten the boys away.”
The other girls laughed. “Oh, George!” What had started out to be a worrisome evening now took a turn of merriment. Nancy used the kitchen phone to call Lily Alys, and asked her to get plane reservations for the three girls in the tourist section of the Hong Kong flight.
“This is very exciting,” said the Chinese girl. “I hope you have a wonderful time and solve the mystery also. I shall find out at once about getting seats on the plane and call you back.”
For the second time that evening Nancy received good news. The three seats were available. Lily Alys told Nancy where at the university she could pay for the reservations.
“There is only one possible worry,” the Chinese girl said. “If any Columbia students wish to make last-minute reservations, you will have to give up the seats.”
“I understand,” said Nancy. To herself, she added that she would cross her fingers!
Bess and George declared they too fervently hoped that their trip to Hong Kong would not have to be canceled. As the girls prepared for bed, they discussed the clothes they would need.
“I guess,” Nancy decided, “the clothes we have with us will be plenty for the trip. We’ll be buying more abroad, anyhow.”
“Isn’t it fortunate that we all had vaccinations recently?” Bess said happily.
“It certainly is,” Nancy agreed. “And I’ve heard that it’s possible to obtain passports right here in New York in case of emergency! I’m sure Captain Gray will certify to the emergency for us.”
As Aunt Eloise and her three guests were preparing breakfast in the kitchen the next morning, Nancy said, “I’d like to go to Chinatown once more and see if I can pick up any further clues in the mystery.”
“Suppose we go this evening and have dinner,” Miss Drew suggested. “There is a delightful restaurant only two doors from that shop where you found the fire-dragon stationery, Nancy.”
This plan was agreed upon. The group decided to arrive promptly at six o’clock, since Aunt Eloise said that all the food was cooked to order and there would be a long wait.
“I want to visit that stationery store again,” Nancy said. “I know it’s open in the evening. While we’re waiting for dinner to be cooked, I can go there and talk to the proprietor. Maybe some of the gang have been in his shop again.”
At exactly six o’clock Nancy and her friends entered the attractive restaurant. All the Chinese and American diners were eating their food with chopsticks.
“I’ll never be able to manage that and get enough to eat!” Bess said. Her companions laughed.
Aunt Eloise and the girls ordered Peking duck and bean sprouts which were to follow birds’-nest soup.
“And now if you’ll excuse me a few minutes,” said Nancy, “I’ll just walk over to the stationery store.”
Nancy went out to the narrow sidewalk and turned toward the shop. As she passed the next store, with apartments above it, an object came hurtling down toward her.
The next second it hit Nancy squarely on the back of the head. She fell to the pavement, unconscious!
CHAPTER XIII
An Ominous Dream
AS NANCY lay unconscious on the sidewalk, people began to run from all directions to assist her. The excitement was heard in the restaurant. Aunt Eloise, Bess, and George dashed outside.
“Oh, Nancy!” her aunt cried, hurrying to her side. “What happened?” she asked the bystanders.
A Chinese man pointed to a large, broken flowerpot on the pavement. “This apparently fell on the young lady. Can I be of help to you?”
“It is pretty chilly out here,” Aunt Eloise said. “I think we should carry my niece into the restaurant.”
By this time Nancy’s eyelids were fluttering. Bess and George sighed in relief, sure she would be all right. George decided to stay outside as strong arms carried Nancy to the restaurant.
“Bess, I’m going to find out how this flowerpot happened to fall,” George declared, holding her cousin back. “Maybe it toppled off a window sill accidentally, but on the other hand it might have been thrown deliberately.”
Bess nodded grimly. She looked upward above the store front and said, “There’s a light in the second-floor apartment, but not in the third.”
“I think we should investigate both places.” George spoke with determination.
She picked up a piece
of newspaper which had been dropped on the sidewalk and scooped up the plant and the earth. The two girls opened a door to the apartment stairway and ascended. They rang the bell to the second-floor flat. It was opened by a Chinese woman who looked at Bess and George curiously.
“Yes, please?” she asked.
“Does this plant belong to you?” George asked. “It fell from up here, somewhere.”
“No, it is not mine,” the woman answered. “Do you know where it came from?” Bess queried.
“I cannot say,” the Chinese answered. “But my neighbor upstairs has one like it.”
“Then perhaps it fell from her window,” George suggested.
“No, oh no,” the woman said. “Mrs. Lin Tang is not at home. She has gone away to visit relatives.”
George asked if anyone else lived in the apartment upstairs who might be at home. The woman shook her head. Then, looking intently at the girls, she said, “I did hear someone coming down the stairs. But when I heard the excitement on the street, I ran to look out and forgot about the foot-steps until now.”
“Did you see anyone leave this building?” George queried.
“No, I am sorry. I did not.”
“Let’s go upstairs and see if one of your neighbor’s plants is missing,” Bess proposed to the woman.
The three hurried up the stairway to the third floor, but the door to the apartment there was closed and locked.
“The intruder must have had a skeleton key and let himself in,” George remarked. “Let’s go back to the street and find out if anyone saw a person coming from the front entrance.”
The Chinese woman said she would take the plant and repot it. The two girls thanked her and hurried down to the sidewalk. They began asking the people still standing around if they had noticed anyone leaving the apartment, but all said no.
Bess and George then returned to the restaurant and were delighted to see that Nancy was fully conscious. She was lying on a couch in the private office of the owner. The room contained many lovely Chinese decorations.