013 Wings of Fear Page 3

Nancy didn't like the sound of that. "We'd better find her fast," she said in a low voice to Sean. "Before she gets herself in real danger!"

  They hurried toward Victory's inner offices and the elevators that led upstairs. Nancy watched the floors hght up one by one. She was reUeved when they finally got to the sixth floor—^and saw Jennifer in front of Mr. Talbot's door.

  "Jennifer!" Sean exclaimed.

  Jennifer whipped around, her eyes bright. "Guess what!" she said excitedly. "I've done it. I've cracked the smuggling ring all by myself!"

  Chapter Four

  "Say that again," Nancy said, staring at her friend.

  At that moment Preston Talbot opened his door. **Jennifer!" he said, surprised. "Ms. Drew—"

  "I've cracked the case, Mr. Talbot!" Jennifer interrupted proudly.

  ''You've cracked the smuggling ring?" Talbot was amazed. "How?"

  Nancy was anxious to hear what Jennifer had to say, too.

  "It was on the flight from L.A.," Jen began eagerly. "There was a group of men in first class. They all wore dark suits and carried briefcases.

  They made it clear they didn't want anyone else around them. But I was suspicious, so I peeked over my shoulder when they opened up one of the briefcases. You know what I saw?" Jennifer drew a deep breath. "Diamonds! Hundreds of them!" She looked from Preston Talbot to Sean to Nancy, waiting for some kind of response.

  Nancy hardly knew what to say. "Are you sure they were diamonds?" she asked tentatively. It didn't fit in, somehow, with the leads she had so far.

  "Sure, I'm sure!" When no one said anything, Jennifer added, a little defensively, "Well, they looked like them. And the men were acting so secretive."

  Talbot steepled his fingers on his desk. "They could have been legitimate businessmen," he said. "FU look into it."

  "With loot like that?" Jennifer's face was flushed.

  "It might have been costume jewelry," Nancy said. "They could be salesmen. It might even be fairly valuable, so they don't want anyone watching them."

  Jennifer's Ups parted in disbeUef. "You won't Usten to anything I have to say, will you?" And she swept out of the room.

  Nancy caught her in the hallway. "Relax, Jen. It might be a valuable clue—^we just don't know yet. Come on, let's go back inside."

  Sean and Preston Talbot were standing in the center of the room. They'd been deep in conversation when Nancy and Jennifer came in, but now they broke apart. Nancy wondered what they'd been discussing so intently.

  "I don't really like your being so involved in all this," Sean said to Jennifer. *'It worries me."

  Jennifer flushed. "I'm a big girl, Sean. I can take care of myself."

  Because he was obviously waiting for some kind of explanation, Nancy filled Preston Talbot in on the newest developments of the case. She explained about Miranda's vase and Grant Sweeney's aversion to her "snooping around."

  Mr. Talbot seemed particularly alarmed at the vase. "M'll have to get an expert to check it out," he said hastily.

  A few minutes later Nancy, Jennifer, and Sean left and headed back to the main floor. Jen still seemed irritated. Nancy wished she could tell her friend to quit trying so hard, but Jennifer wasn't listening to her. A dark scowl lined her pretty face, and her chin stuck out determinedly.

  "Look, the most important thing is that we work together," Nancy said, trying to hold back her exasperation. "It doesn't get us anywhere if we keep jumping to conclusions."

  "You mean if I keep jumping to conclusions." Jennifer's eyes flashed.

  Sean put his arm around her. "Let's just forget the whole thing for a while and go get something to eat."

  "That's a great idea," Nancy seconded, sounding relieved. "Bess should be back from flight class soon. Why don't we all go get a pizza?"

  Sean agreed eagerly. He tried to urge Jennifer toward the door, but her silence was like a time bomb ticking away.

  "For pete's sake, let's not fight!" Nancy said impatiently. "We don't get to see each other that often."

  "I just want to help," Jennifer said in a hurt tone. "But none of you will hsten to me!"

  "Okay, Jennifer." Nancy pulled her to one of the scarlet couches grouped opposite the Victory flight counter. "What do you want to do?"

  "I want to eat," Sean said, "and forget this whole stupid thing for a while."

  "Well, I want to be a part of Nancy's detecting team," Jennifer spoke up. "I want to know what's happened. I don't want to be shoved around and not know what's going on."

  "How about if we go over everything we've learned so far?" Nancy said diplomatically. "Then we'll set it aside until after dinner. Agreed?"

  After a pause, Jennifer grudgingly said, "Agreed."

  Sean just shook his head and looked resigned.

  "It all started with Rod Fullerton's death," Jennifer said. Nancy could tell she was getting back into her role.

  Wings of Esar

  "Actually, it started with Fullerton's bankroll and his mysterious comment about being involved with smuggling," Nancy said.

  "No." Jennifer shook her head. "It was more than that. Fd had a feeling something was up with Rod for a long time. It was just the way he acted."

  "How?" Nancy asked.

  "As if he was involved in something," Jennifer said. "Whenever I saw him here at the airport, he acted as if he could hardly keep his secret— whatever it was."

  "That's true," Sean admitted. "But Rod was always kind of that way."

  "Did he ever hint any more about this smuggling ring?" Nancy asked.

  "No, he never mentioned anything," Jennifer said. Then her brow puckered thoughtfully. "Except—"

  "What?"

  "Well, this is silly, but once in a while he*d say *seven forty-seven' and then grin as though he'd told a really funny joke."

  "Seven forty-seven?" Nancy repeated blankly. "Like the jet?"

  Jennifer shrugged. "I guess."

  The voice over the loudspeaker broke into their conversation. "Flight thirty-eight for Singapore now ready for boarding."

  Sean pricked up his ears. "That flight's finally ready to leave, huh? I guess they must have fixed the mechanical problem if they're sending it out again."

  Nancy suddenly grabbed Jennifer's arm. "A seven forty-seven's a jumbo jet, isn't it?"

  "Well, yeah. Everybody knows that." Jennifer lifted her brows.

  "And this flight to Singapore? The one that came from Korea? It's probably a seven forty-seven."

  Before she had finished speaking, Nancy was on her way to the flight desk, Jennifer and Sean at her heels. At the first opportunity Nancy asked what type of airplane was being used for flight 38.

  "A seven forty-seven," the agent said.

  "I've got to see inside that plane," Nancy said tersely, turning to Sean and Jennifer.

  ''Now?'' they both echoed.

  "Maybe there's something still in the baggage compartment. I've got to see before it takes off again."

  "But it's been unloaded, and they're ready to load up again," Sean argued.

  "Let's go see."

  Jennifer sighed impatiently. "I can see you don't need me. I'll just stay here and wait. Whenever you decide you're finished, we'll go pick up Bess."

  Nancy opened her mouth to argue, but Jennifer was walking back toward the group of chairs they'd just left. Because she didn't have the tune to make her friend feel better, Nancy hurried down through the lower level to the baggage room, then out through the metal doors and across the asphalt to the big-bodied jet.

  Sean was right behind her. "Slow down!" he yelled.

  "I don't have time!^' Nancy shouted above the high-pitched whine from a departing plane. The noise outside was deafening.

  Sean motioned her around to the side, tried to say something to her, then gave up and pointed to the movable staircase shoved against the side of the plane next to the baggage compartment. "Flight thirty-eight to Singapore," he mouthed. "I'll wait for you."

  Nancy's lips parted. The plane was enormous! The ti
res alone were taller than she was!

  She knew she was taking a risk, but she had a hunch that she was on to something. Mounting the stairs, her hair flying wildly in the buffeting wind, Nancy entered the rear of the plane, where the baggage was stored.

  There was no one in sight, only boxes and suitcases piled to the ceiling. With a sinking heart, Nancy realized Sean had been right. The plane had already been loaded for Singapore. If anything had been smuggled in, it was already in the terminal's baggage hold or being held at customs. She'd been too hasty in her search for a clue.

  Disappointed, Nancy gave one last look around and noticed a group of boxes that had been shoved to one side. She did a double take when she saw the labels. The point of origin seemed to be Korea!

  With rising excitement Nancy shoved her way through the luggage to get a closer look. Was there a reason these parcels were still on the plane? Was it a way to avoid customs? Could it be a smuggler's cache?

  Eagerly she went toward them, squeezing between the mounds of luggage.

  One look, and she saw that she was mistaken. The origin was the United States, and the destination was Kuala Lumpur. The packages hadn't come in from Korea at all.

  "You struck out," she muttered under her breath.

  Hurrying, Nancy weaved her way to the open door.

  She was halfway to the door when she saw a man's arm—in a black flight jacket—^flash across the opening and grab the outer door handle. He jerked twice, trying to slide the door shut.

  "Wait!" Nancy called. "I'm in here!"

  But instead of waiting, the man jerked harder, slamming the door shut with such finality that Nancy gasped. He'd shut her in on purpose!

  Nancy stumbled the rest of the way across the compartment and pounded her fist against the door. "Open up!" she screamed. "Open the door!"

  To her horror, she felt a sudden trembling of the plane as the engines started to rev. The noise grew to unbelievable proportions.

  Nancy stood frozen to the spot. The plane was taking off!

  Chapter Five

  Nancy searched wildly for the catch that would open the door. She had to get out before the plane started moving. Otherwise she'd have to fly in a nonpressurized, unheated compartment all the way to Singapore!

  "Let me out!" she yelled, banging her fist against the door. "I'm in here! Let me out!" There was no way anyone could hear her over the plane's engines, but she had to try. "Help! Somebody help me!" she called again.

  The plane gave a short jerk, and she nearly lost her footing. Holding on, she felt the plane begin to back away from the gate!

  Nancy's self-reliance had helped her out of some pretty tight scrapes before. Now her mind raced, searching for an escape. The door was operated by a lever above it, but she couldn't reach it. She needed something to stand on.

  She grabbed the nearest box and pulled it over. She strained for the lever, but the plane's movement threw her down. Nancy scrambled up again. This time, her hand had actually connected with the handle when the plane suddenly stopped moving. Instead of backing up, it was rolling forward again. The engines were winding down!

  Collapsing in relief, Nancy sank against the hull. She didn't know why, but the plane was going back to the gate.

  When Nancy heard voices outside, she banged against the door and yelled again. Then she heard the slam of the portable staircase being shoved against the side of the plane. Footsteps came clambering up the rungs.

  "Nancy! We're coming!" she heard Sean yell.

  Her legs were decidedly shaky as the door was thrown open and Sean and another man rushed inside. "Nancy, are you all right?" Sean asked. His face was pale and set.

  "I'm fine. Now." Nancy gave him a crooked smile. "How did you get them to stop the plane?"

  "I didn't. The mechanical problems that have been going on all day still aren't fixed. They couldn't risk putting the plane in the air again."

  Realizing what a close call she had had, Nancy grew sober. This case was growing more dangerous every minute!

  "You'd better get out of here, miss," the man with Sean told her.

  Nancy went down the stairway, lost in thought. Who had shut her in the plane? Had it been an accident? If so, why hadn't the man answered her when she had told him she was inside?

  "I'm so glad you're all right," Sean said as they walked inside the building. "When I saw that plane backing away, I nearly died."

  Nancy smiled her thanks. "By any chance did you see the man who shut me in?" she asked.

  Sean shook his head, frowning. "No. I wasn't around. I got called into the terminal. It was probably just one of the handlers who didn't know you were inside."

  "Well, if it was, he must be hard of hearing. I yelled and yelled when he started to shut the door, but he went ahead and shut it anyway."

  Sean stared at her in disbeUef. "He couldn't have heard you. No one would deliberately shut you in!"

  Why was Sean trying so hard to dismiss her narrow escape as an accident? "He had to have heard me," Nancy said definitely. "He knew I was in there!"

  "Look, Nancy." Sean stopped short. "I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. I don't believe there's really any smuggling going on, or that Rod was murdered. I'm just playing along with this because Jennifer's so wrapped up in the idea of being a detective. And I'm about ready to quit doing that!"

  Nancy blinked. "But what about the vase? What about the threatening note?"

  Sean continued as if he hadn't heard her. "I don't want Jennifer involved anymore. The vase has got to be a fake. Rod wouldn't have owned something like that. And the note ..." He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe having a detective around just makes people nervous."

  Nancy could understand Sean's wish to keep Jennifer safe, but privately she thought his reasoning was pretty weak. "I tend to take threatening notes seriously," she told him.

  "Then maybe you should go back to River Heights," Sean said flatly. "If there is something going on, you're in way over your head."

  "I can't leave yet, Sean," Nancy said, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Not until I get to the bottom of this thing."

  Sean's jaw tightened. "It's your funeral," he said.

  Nancy grimaced at his choice of words. "Who was it who called you into the terminal when I was inside the plane?"

  "One of the guys told me I'd been paged. So I went inside to answer the call. By the time I got there they'd hung up. I figured it was probably Jennifer."

  "Or it could have been a ruse to get you away from the plane," Nancy pointed out.

  Sean looked as if he didn't want to believe her. His face grew pale again. "Look, let's keep this from Jennifer, okay? I don't want her getting into this any more than she already has."

  "It might be a better idea just to level with her," Nancy said.

  Sean sent her a look she couldn't decipher. "You're the detective," he muttered, and then he wouldn't say anything more.

  Once inside the building Nancy went to watch the customs agents search through passengers' luggage. She realized then that nothing could have escaped their professional attention. If there was any smugghng going on, the goods weren't going through customs.

  Sean was waiting for Nancy at the door to the upper stairway. They headed back to meet Jennifer. With Sean's pointed silence, conversation was practically nonexistent. A thought kept creeping into Nancy's head—one she didn't even want to consider. Could Sean's reason for wanting her off the case be that he was involved in the smugghng ring?

  Nancy glanced at him. He was so handsome, so cool and collected. What if he'd been the one to lock her inside the plane? If he were part of the smuggling operation, he had opportunity and motive!

  Nancy tried to shake her thoughts away. Sean couldn't be involved. He just couldn't!

  When they finally met up with Jennifer again, she was almost dancing with impatience. "Well, it's about time!" she snapped. "What happened? Did you find anything out?"

  Nancy could feel Sean's eyes boring into her back. Sh
e wanted to tell Jen everything, but for the moment just said, "I didn't find any evidence of smuggling."

  "You look kind of funny," Jennifer insisted. "Something must have happened."

  With his easy manner, Sean put his arm around Jennifer and steered her toward the door. "Nothing happened. Come on. Let's forget all this mystery stuff for a while and go get that pizza."

  Twisting her neck around to look at Nancy, Jen asked, "Nothing happened?"

  "We weren't going to talk about the mystery anymore, remember?" Nancy's tone was deliberately light. "Let's just go get Bess."

  With a sheepish smile, Jennifer said, "Right. I forgot. Sorry I've been acting so lousy, Nancy. It's just because I want to help."

  "No problem," Nancy assured her friend.

  Jennifer's already kind of upset with me, Nancy thought. How will she feel if I prove that her boyfriend's somehow involved? What'll happen to our friendship then?

  It was a question Nancy didn't want to think about.

  The pizza parlor Sean chose wasn't far from the airport. It was a regular hangout for the employees of all the airhnes.

  "How's it going, Bess?" Nancy asked her friend.

  "It's terrible!"

  "Terrible?" Nancy repeated. "You've got to be kidding!" Then, seeing that Bess was completely serious, she asked, "Why? What's wrong?"

  "What's wrong? Everything's wrong! There's so much to remember I'll never get it all straight," Bess wailed. "Tomorrow we're on a simulated flight, and then we have an emergency landing, and I'm supposed to help these people off the plane!"

  "Here." Nancy slid the pizza Bess's way. "Have another piece. It'll make you feel better."

  "No way." Bess shook her head mournfully. "Any more and I won't be able to fit into my uniform." She wagged her finger in front of Nancy's nose. "The next time I let you talk me into a vacation where a mystery's involved, remind me that it'll be all work."

  "Not all work," Jennifer said sympathetically. "I'm going to introduce you to Mark on Friday, remember?"

  Bess, who had been eyeing the pizza, looked up. "Who's Mark?"

  "The cute blond copilot I was telling you about. I even told him about you."