149 The Clue Of The Gold Doubloons Page 3
squawk of the gulls and the slap of the rigging in the
breeze, the ship was quiet and peaceful.
“I'll bet it was punks,” Andrew declared when Nancy
told him what had happened. “The harbor is crawling
with kids who have nothing better to do than trespass.
We'll have to see if we can get that hatch door locked.”
“Kids?” Daniel snorted. “No self-respecting kid is
going to snoop around our cargo hold. I'll bet whoever
it was was after the doubloons. It could be some tour
guide who wants to hand them out as souvenirs. We're
quite a tourist attraction, if you hadn't noticed.”
Sitting upright, Andrew snapped his fingers. “Hey,
that's not a bad idea. When it comes time to promote
the film, we can use doubloons in the ads.”
“Well, I just wanted to let you know.” Nancy could
tell the twins weren't too worried. “I put the box of
doubloons in the women's dressing room for
safekeeping.”
“Thanks,” Andrew said, then continued discussing
with his brother ways to promote the film.
“They didn't seem concerned,” George said as they
left the quarterdeck.
“That's for sure. And right now, I'm too sticky and
tired to think about the snooper, either.” Nancy
brushed a limp strand of hair off her forehead. “Just
lead me to the hotel and point me to the shower!”
“I'll have two of everything,” George declared an
hour later as she read the hotel menu. “I'm as hungry
as, well, as a pirate!”
Nancy laughed. “Me, too. And everything looks
good. Maryland's famous for its crab cakes, so I think
that's what I'm going to order.”
Both girls had showered and changed into
lightweight slacks and short-sleeved shirts. Nancy had
brought a jacket and George a sweater since they
hoped to explore the Inner Harbor after dinner.
“The grilled salmon sounds heavenly,” George said
as she studied her menu. “With a shrimp cocktail
appetizer.”
“Shrimp sounds good to me, too.” Closing her menu,
Nancy glanced around. She noticed the restaurant had
a nautical theme. Framed photographs of the harbor
area before it had been renovated and famous sailing
ships dotted the walls.
The dining room was full, Nancy noticed, but she
didn't see anyone from the cast and crew. “I guess no
one else is staying at the hotel except Selena,” she said
to George. “And she probably orders room service.”
“Orders is right,” George said with a chuckle.
“You'll be just as haughty when you're a famous
actress,” Nancy teased.
“A famous actress?” someone said.
Nancy glanced up. Their waiter stood by her elbow,
looking expectantly at George. He was cute, with sandy
blond hair. He looked to be about their age, Nancy
guessed, though she knew he had to be at least twenty-
one to work in the hotel restaurant.
“Can I get your autograph?” the waiter asked
George, a hint of laughter in his sky-blue eyes.
George giggled. “Sure. Though unless you're a fan of
educational TV, I doubt you'll ever catch my big
debut.”
The waiter snapped his fingers. “Robbers of the
High Seas, right?”
George stared at him in surprise. “Right. How'd you
guess?”
He smiled and shrugged. Nancy liked his open,
friendly grin. “When Selena Ramirez checked in,
everybody started talking about the film. Plus, I took
filmmaking courses in college, so I was naturally
curious. But hey”—his expression turned serious—“I'm
here to take your order. You guys look starved.”
After they ordered and he left, George leaned across
the table. “He's cute.”
“Oh, really?” Nancy replied as if she hadn't noticed.
Minutes later, when he brought their salads and
rolls, he introduced himself. “I'm Scott Harlow,” he
said. “I'm waiting tables to earn money for graduate
school.”
Nancy and George introduced themselves, then
George asked, “Have you lived in Baltimore a long
time?”
“All my life. So if you need a tour guide, I'm at your
service.” He gave a mock bow. Then, leaning closer, he
added, “So, is Selena Ramirez as gorgeous in person as
she is in her films? Not that I'm a fan of hers.” He
gestured to another waiter. “John is dying to meet her.”
“Once he does, he'll run for his life,” George said
under her breath. Nancy burst out laughing. When
Scott gave her a puzzled look, she said, “Selena is
temperamental. I doubt she'd give John the time of
day. But maybe we can get him an autograph for you.”
“Great!” Scott beamed. “Anything else I can get
you?” When they both said no, he went over to another
table.
“I'll bet he wants the autograph for himself,” George
whispered.
“Maybe not. It's funny, though—working with
Selena, I forget she's a fairly well-known actress.”
“That's because you're too busy trying to forget her,”
George said.
For the next fifteen minutes, the two ate ravenously.
When Nancy was finished with her salad, she pulled a
brochure from her fanny pack. George was buttering a
hot roll.
“What should we see tonight?” Nancy asked. “The
aquarium and science center will probably be closed by
the time we finish dinner.”
Just then Scott came up, a round tray balanced on
one hand. “I overheard you talking about what to do.
May I suggest a nighttime cruise,” he said, taking a
dinner plate off the tray. The tray tipped, and Nancy
gasped as the dishes slid sideways heading right for her
lap.
“Whoa!” Just in time, Scott leveled the tray. “Sorry.”
He glanced nervously back at the closed door of the
kitchen as if worried someone had seen him. “I wasn't
paying attention,” he explained, giving Nancy an
apologetic grin.
“One order of salmon,” he said, setting George's
plate in front of her. It hit her drink glass with a clink.
When the glass threatened to tip, George grabbed it,
righting it just in time.
“Crab cakes, right?” He came around to Nancy's
side.
“Yes.” She grabbed onto her own glass. “A night
cruise sounds cool.”
“Oh, it is cool,” Scott agreed enthusiastically. “The
city lights reflecting in the harbor water are
spectacular.”
George speared a bite of salmon. “Sounds good to
me. When does the boat leave?”
“Nine o'clock. The Baltimore Lady is docked right in
front of the hotel, so you'll have plenty of time. Is there
anything else I can get you?”
“No thanks,” Nancy said.
“I'll be back in a bit to make sure everything's okay.”
When he bustled off, George giggled. “A little
> overeager, don't you think?”
“Maybe he gets a kickback from any tourist he steers
to the cruise.” Nancy took a bite of the crab cake.
“Umm. Heavenly.”
Half an hour later, they finished eating, and Scott
brought them their check. “I get off in fifteen
minutes,” he told them. “Maybe I'll join you on the
tour boat.”
“That would be fun,” Nancy said, meaning it. In
between waiting on customers, he'd told them a lot of
interesting facts about Baltimore.
After they paid their check, Nancy and George went
into the lobby and out the front doors. The harbor and
all its attractions were right across the street. Nancy
could see the Baltimore Lady from the front of the
hotel.
Fifteen minutes later, Nancy and George had
bought tickets and were boarding the cruise ship. It
was crowded with groups and couples.
“I don't see Scott,” Nancy said, glancing around at
the other passengers.
“Do I detect disappointment?” George teased as
they made their way to an upper deck. Nancy leaned
over the railing. The water of the harbor shimmered
like black glass. As Scott had promised, the lights of the
buildings were reflected clearly in it.
“Nancy! George!” someone called a few minutes
later. Nancy turned to see Scott weaving through the
crowd. He'd taken off his waiter's jacket and had put
on a crewneck sweater. “Glad I made it.”
“Is the dinner shift already over?” Nancy asked.
Scott grimaced. “I've been waiting tables since
lunch. I only filled in tonight because one of the
waitresses was sick. The big dinner rush was over, so
the manager let me leave early.”
“Good. You can be our unofficial tour guide,”
George said. A loud blast from the ship's horn made
Nancy turn back around. Slowly, the Baltimore Lady
pulled away from the wharf.
For the next half hour, Scott, Nancy, and George
enjoyed the cruise. A band played on the enclosed
middle deck. A bar served soft drinks on the open top
deck. The three spent most of their time hanging over
the railing, watching the sights and discussing
filmmaking and pirates.
When they returned to the wharf area, Scott said
goodnight. “I've got to work dinner shift tomorrow, so
maybe I'll see you then.”
After Nancy and George said goodbye, they headed
for the elevator. Their room was on the third floor.
Nancy was exhausted. “I thought the sea air was
supposed to be invigorating,” she said, stifling a yawn.
“That must be an old pirate's tale,” George said.
When they reached their room, the girls quickly
changed into their pajamas and crawled into bed. They
were both asleep by ten.
Loud voices woke Nancy up. She blinked her eyes,
trying to figure out where the voices were coming
from. Sitting up, she oriented herself to the dark hotel
room.
She glanced toward the door. Several people were
chattering in the hall. Nancy checked the digital clock
on the table between the two beds. Two in the
morning. Must be late-night partygoers, she decided.
Lying back down, she pulled the covers to her chin
and shut her eyes. Several people hurried down the
hall, their feet thumping on the carpet. Then the voices
grew louder.
Holding her breath, Nancy listened closely. The
voices sounded worried and urgent. Then Nancy heard
the unmistakable squawk of a walkie-talkie.
Her eyes snapped open. Those were definitely not
late-night partiers. Climbing from bed, she tiptoed to
the door and listened.
“Lab techs will be right here,” someone was saying.
“Officer Kelsey, you need to get statements from
everyone on the hall.”
“Can't this wait until morning?” a shrill voice
protested. “I can't have you waking our guests in the
middle of the night.”
Like your shouting isn't going to wake us up first,
Nancy thought.
“No, it can't wait,” the first voice answered firmly.
“The sooner we find our burglar, the sooner we can
return the stolen goods to your guests.”
Burglar! Nancy's eyes widened.
“Nancy!” George hissed from her bed. “What's going
on?”
“Sounds like some of the rooms on our hall were
burglarized,” Nancy explained, flicking on the
bathroom light. “The police are out there. I'm getting
dressed to go see what's going on.”
“Wait for me!” George exclaimed as she leaped out
of bed.
Nancy pulled on a shirt and jeans, then opened the
door and went into the hall. The bright lights
momentarily blinded her, and she stood for a second to
get her bearings.
Several police officers were standing in the hall.
Nancy counted three doors wide open with yellow
crime tape stretched across each door. In front of one
door, a tall man in a sport coat was talking to the hotel
concierge, who was wringing his hands worriedly.
“Find your guests other rooms for the night,” the
man was saying. “But first, they'll need to inventory
their things and tell us exactly what was taken. As soon
as the lab techs are finished, they can have their other
suitcases.”
The concierge threw up his hands in dismay. “This
has never before happened at the Harborside,” he said.
“Our guests will not be pleased.”
The concierge was turning to go when he caught
sight of Nancy. “See? You have awakened a guest
already!”
He hurried over to Nancy. “Miss, I apologize for the
inconvenience. Please, we will get you a room on
another hall.”
“No, that's okay, really,” Nancy said.
“We're used to robbery and mayhem,” George
added as she came out of the room to stand beside
Nancy. She'd hurriedly dressed, too, slipping on a
sweatshirt and jeans.
The concierge gave them a puzzled look, then
bustled to intercept another guest. Walking down the
hall, Nancy peered into the first taped-off room. A
suitcase had been emptied onto the floor. Pillows,
clothes, and shoes were strewn around.
“What a mess,” George said. “The robbers must
have been in a hurry.”
“They were probably hunting for cash and jewelry,”
Nancy told George. “Though they missed some,” she
added, catching sight of something gold and glittery on
the bed. When she looked closer, she realized with a
jolt what it was—a gold doubloon, exactly like the ones
from the ship!
4. Suspicion Onboard
What was a gold doubloon doing in the hotel room?
Nancy wondered. Did it belong to the guests in that
room? Had the thieves dropped it?
“Excuse me.”
Startled, Nancy whirled, and found herself face-to-
face with the tall man in the sport coat.
“I'm Detective Jackson Weller from the Robbery
Unit of the Baltimore Police Department,” he said to
Nancy and George. “What room are you ladies staying
in?” he asked as he took a pad and pen from his coat
pocket.
“Room thirty-four,” Nancy said. “How many rooms
were burglarized?”
“Three. Did either of you hear anything unusual?”
George and Nancy shook their heads. “We were
sound asleep until voices woke us,” Nancy added.
“What time did you go to your room?”
“About ten,” George replied. “We took the nine
o'clock cruise on the Baltimore Lady. It was over about
nine forty-five. It took us about fifteen minutes to get
back to the room. Yup. Ten.” George nodded
emphatically. “And we didn't see anyone else in the
hall or hear any strange noises. Right, Nancy?”
“Right,” Nancy said.
Detective Weller cocked one brow. “You two seem
awfully sure of your every movement,” he said
suspiciously.
Nancy suppressed a grin. “That's because I'm a
detective. George has helped me with a lot of cases, so
we know the drill.” She held out her hand. “Nancy
Drew from River Heights. This is my friend, George
Fayne.”
Ignoring Nancy's hand, Weller wrote down their
names, muttering, “Must be a detective convention at
the hotel or something.”
Nancy could tell he wasn't convinced they were
telling the truth. Her gaze flicked to the gold doubloon
on the bed. Since it was in plain sight, the police must
have noticed it. Sooner or later, they were sure to trace
it to the Swift Adventure, she concluded.
“You heard or saw nothing unusual,” Weller
persisted.
“No,” Nancy told him. “We were tired. When we
came up in the elevator to our floor, there was no one
else around. So, what was stolen?” she asked curiously.
“We can't give out that kind of information.” Putting
his hand firmly on her elbow, he steered her toward
the door. “Thank you very much, Ms. Drew and Ms.
Fayne. If you think of anything else, please call me at
this number.” He handed Nancy a card, then headed
toward the concierge, who was talking to a couple
wearing bathrobes.
“He's not very friendly,” George commented when
they went into their rooms. “And he sure looked at us
suspiciously.”
“I can't blame him,” Nancy said. “This isn't River