Tall, Dark and Deadly Read online

  Now, Nancy thought, satisfied, let’s see what’s so confidential. She opened the last drawer and pulled out Ava’s file.

  It contained only a completed questionnaire. Nancy flipped it over to see the evaluation section, but it was blank. She checked for any notes about a date, but there were none. The questionnaire did say Ava liked guys who were tall, dark, and handsome. Just like Darien’s description of Vince Paratti, Nancy thought.

  Nancy went through a few other files at random. Some contained records of dates, but not many. Either Luke’s business wasn’t doing as well as he claimed, Nancy thought, or he was terrible at keeping up-to-date records. On a whim, she pulled open the middle drawer and searched through the letter M.

  “Marvin, Marvin,” she muttered under her breath. In a moment she had Bess’s file in her hands. Under the question about moonlit walks and nights on the town, Bess had written, “I don’t see why you can’t have both.” Nancy burst out laughing.

  According to the questionnaire, Bess’s dream date was “an athlete, an intellectual, a lover of movies and the outdoors. But it’s the true man inside who makes the date.” Nancy had to smile—Bess was certainly covering her bases. There was a date schedule on a second sheet of paper, and Nancy saw that Bess had set up a date with Vince Paratti for the next day. It was lucky he was listed with the service, too, she thought.

  Nancy learned two things from the file. First, her friend was really getting into her role as an undercover date! Second, Luke’s records for Bess were up-to-date. That could mean someone had removed the record of Ava’s date from her file.

  Nancy was familiar with the computer program Luke used to keep his records. After checking the menu, she brought up a chronological list of all the Halloway students registered with Campus Connections. Bess’s name was close to the bottom.

  Right after it, Nancy saw a name that gave her a little chill. Darien Olivares. Was it a coincidence that he’d enrolled in the service right after meeting Nancy? She doubted it.

  Nancy asked the computer to search for all first names beginning with J, and after a moment, she had three Jims and one James listed on the monitor. She printed the list. As she waited she heard a soft noise in the hall.

  She froze. The sound didn’t repeat itself. Quickly she grabbed the paper from the printer, folded it, and tucked it into her purse. Still no sound, but as she paused, she thought she heard the door to the outer office open.

  Was the lab over already? she wondered. She cleared the screen she had just printed and looked around. There was nowhere to hide. Deciding to talk her way out, she opened the door to Luke’s office and stuck her head out.

  There was a movement to Nancy’s right. As she turned she caught the outline of a figure against the wall in the afternoon light. Before she could get a good look, it swung something toward her. She felt a sharp pain on the back of her head. I’m falling, she realized hazily. Then she collapsed on the floor.

  • • •

  A dull throb brought Nancy back to consciousness. She lay absolutely still for a moment, trying to remember where she was. Someone had hit her. She could feel a knot at the base of her skull.

  There was no sound in the room. Trying to ignore the pounding in her head, Nancy opened her eyes slowly. She was staring at the carpet in the Campus Connections outer office. So far, so good, she thought. She hadn’t been moved.

  She heard the elevator door open. Get up, she urged herself, lifting her head. Someone’s coming. She pushed herself up onto her elbows.

  The sight that greeted her eyes wiped every other thought from her head. Luke Jefferies was lying in front of her, blood soaking his shirt.

  Nancy gasped in horror as she took in his immobile form. Trying not to panic, she bent over him and checked his pulse. Nothing.

  “Police! Freeze!”

  At the sound of the deep voice behind her, Nancy whirled around to see four uniformed officers burst into the room. Their guns were drawn, and they were pointing straight at her.

  Chapter

  Six

  NANCY FOUGHT BACK the wave of dread that washed over her. All four officers were staring at her as if she were a murderer. Even through the fog of pain in her head she realized how the scene must appear to them.

  “Get up slowly. And keep your hands where we can see them,” ordered one of the officers, a stocky lieutenant with short, dark hair.

  Nancy obeyed. The pain was drumming through her head, making it hard for her to concentrate.

  “Is he dead?” she asked as another officer checked Luke Jefferies’s pulse. When the officer nodded, the sick feeling grew in Nancy’s stomach.

  At the stocky lieutenant’s instructions, she put her hands against the wall while he searched her. Luke was dead. The thought kept running through her mind, making her feel queasier and queasier.

  “My head,” Nancy finally managed to say. “I know what this must look like—”

  “Save it,” the lieutenant said gruffly. He examined the bump on her head but continued to act wary of her.

  “She’s clean,” he informed the other three officers, who were searching through the Campus Connections office. “Mendez, Mullens, seal off and search the rest of the building. Greer, you continue going through this mess.”

  Then the lieutenant turned back to Nancy, a hard look in his eyes. She answered truthfully when he asked her her name and what she was doing in Luke Jefferies’s office, but he didn’t seem convinced by her explanation about investigating Ava Woods’s disappearance.

  “Just because we haven’t found the murder weapon doesn’t mean I’m not on to you,” he told her. “Now, if you’ll come with me to the station, I’m sure the captain will have some questions for you.”

  Nancy thought of protesting, but she knew it would only look worse for her if she didn’t cooperate. Nodding, she followed the lieutenant from the office.

  Nancy looked around and noticed for the first time that someone had ransacked Luke’s office. Papers and files littered the floor. The desk was overturned, and the computer was smashed. Nancy wondered if the list she had printed was still in her purse, but she didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to herself by checking.

  She barely noticed the commotion outside as the officer led her to a squad car. Several people were milling around, giving the police statements. She’d hear it all later, she thought groggily.

  She had to fight to keep her eyes open during the ride to the station. The pounding in her head had lessened somewhat, but it still ached. After a while—Nancy didn’t know if it was minutes or an hour—they arrived at the station, and the lieutenant took her to a small room and left her there alone.

  She waited quietly until the lieutenant who’d brought her in came back, accompanied by a woman who introduced herself as Captain Vivienne Miller, chief of police.

  “It appears you’ve been very busy at Halloway College, Ms. Drew,” Captain Miller began. “Lieutenant Callahan here spoke to Dean Robert Selig, who informed us you’re a detective.”

  Nancy nodded. “A friend of the family is missing, and I offered to help.”

  “Did you kill Luke Jefferies?” the captain asked, her eyes boring into Nancy.

  Nancy put her hand to her head. “I didn’t kill anyone. I was looking for something in Luke’s office. I heard a noise, and when I went to check someone hit me. Luke was lying next to me when I woke up.”

  “Luke was there, shot dead,” the captain amended. “How do you explain that?”

  Nancy spoke very slowly, trying to recreate the situation in her mind. “I don’t have a gun. I never use them.”

  The captain looked at Nancy dubiously. “Several people heard a gunshot, the wound was fresh, and you were the only other person found on the scene. No one else was seen entering or leaving the building.”

  “It must have happened while I was knocked out,” Nancy insisted. “What about the gun? Has it been found?”

  Captain Miller exchanged a look with Lieutenant Calla
han before answering. “We haven’t found the murder weapon—yet,” she admitted.

  “Am I being charged?” Nancy asked. “If I am, I demand to call my lawyer right away.”

  The captain looked uncomfortable. “I’m not charging you yet,” she said. “But I am interested in learning everything you know about what happened to Luke Jefferies.”

  Nancy took a deep breath, then launched into her explanation. She told them about Ava’s disappearance and how Luke had refused to tell her about the date. Frowning, she tried to remember the few leads she had. When she mentioned reporting the missing car, the lieutenant slipped out of the room—to check her story, Nancy guessed.

  Captain Miller asked Nancy to describe her final visit to Campus Connections several times. Nancy gave her Ava’s parents’ names and telephone number. At last the captain told Nancy she was going to speak with the officers on the scene and left her alone in the room.

  It seemed like forever before Captain Miller returned. “I’ve checked out your story, Nancy,” she said. “As I told you earlier, we’re not going to charge you. But you’re a material witness, and that means you can’t leave the area. It also means you stay away from anything to do with Luke Jefferies or Ava Woods.”

  Nancy shook her head. “I was asked to find Ava, and I’m going to find her. You can’t tell me not to. She’s my job, not yours.”

  Captain Miller’s eyes blazed for a moment. “Ava is my job, Nancy. Craig and Jocelyn Woods have turned the investigation over to the police.” Seeing Nancy’s disbelief, she continued. “I’m warning you. Stay away from anything that has anything to do with Luke Jefferies and Ava Woods. This is not a game.”

  Nancy stared steadily at the woman. “I know it’s not,” she said softly. “I saw Luke, too.”

  Captain Miller returned her gaze. Finally she said, “All right, you can go. But if you think of anything else, let us know immediately.”

  As Nancy walked back to the front desk she saw that the police precinct was packed with people. She asked the desk sergeant if there was a telephone nearby that she could use to call a cab.

  “Nancy!” a voice called. Nancy turned to see Darien Olivares. “What are you doing here?”

  “Darien!” Nancy said, startled. He was showing up everywhere. “I could ask you the same thing.”

  “I’m helping the police with their investigation,” Darien replied. “But I’m done now. Did I hear you say you need a ride? I was just about to head back to campus.”

  “Helping the police?” Nancy repeated.

  “They’re questioning people in the astronomy class, since we were the last ones to see Luke alive.”

  Nancy didn’t see anyone else from the class in the waiting area, but it couldn’t hurt to catch a ride, she thought. “Could you pull your car up front?” she asked. “I don’t think I can walk very far.”

  When Darien had disappeared, Nancy turned to the desk sergeant. “Is he helping you with the Jefferies murder?” she asked urgently.

  The officer shrugged. “It’s none of your business, but I’ve never seen him before.”

  Nancy heard a car horn and went to the door. Darien revved his engine as she came out.

  “So what were you really doing at the police station?” Nancy asked, putting her seat belt on.

  “I told you. Helping the police.”

  “How did they find you so fast? No one else from class was at the station.”

  Darien looked uncomfortable. “I was going to Campus Connections to find out about a date.”

  “You use Campus Connections?” Nancy asked.

  “Oh, sure, all the time,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of great people through it.”

  I’ll bet, Nancy thought, remembering when Darien had signed up. One day was hardly enough time to meet a lot of people.

  “Darien, stop lying,” she said, closing her eyes. “You weren’t going to set up a date. Class wasn’t over. Neither you nor Luke should have been anywhere near Campus Connections.”

  Darien stared at the road.

  “I hope you don’t lie like this to the police,” Nancy continued, trying to goad him into answering her. “If you do, they’ll start thinking you killed Luke.”

  “Me?” He blanched. “I was outside the whole time!”

  “Were you following Luke, or were you following me?” Nancy asked.

  “Do you want a ride or not?” Darien said in anger. “If you do, stop accusing me of murder.”

  They drove the rest of the way in silence. Nancy thanked Darien briefly when they pulled up to Hartley Hall. Stepping out of the car, she realized she was feeling a little better.

  Bess had left a message for her at the front desk: “Come to my room immediately!”

  With her last bit of energy, Nancy dragged herself to her friend’s door.

  “There you are!” Bess exclaimed. “The disappearing Nancy Drew. You won’t believe the excitement around here. Where have you been?”

  “At the police station,” Nancy replied, lowering herself onto Bess’s bed.

  “You look exhausted, poor thing,” Bess said, bouncing onto the bed next to her. “Well, if you were at the station, you may have heard the news. Luke Jefferies was murdered.”

  Nancy sighed. “I know. I’m the number one suspect.”

  “What?” Bess cried, astounded. “Why?”

  “Because I was there when the police found his body.” Nancy closed her eyes, trying to keep her head from spinning. “Someone knocked me out. When I woke up I had a lump on the back of my head, and Luke was right next to me—dead.”

  Bess gave a little shriek. “Oh, no! What happened? Why didn’t you call me?” She checked Nancy’s head and made her lie down on the bed to tell the story.

  When Nancy was finished Bess gave a sympathetic groan. “And I thought you had missed all the excitement,” she said. “It must have been awful for you. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Nancy said. “Just tired.”

  “Do you want me to sleep in your room? You know, in case you feel sick or need anything?”

  “No, really, I’m fine. How was your day?”

  Bess beamed. “Well, I made a date with Vince Paratti for tomorrow night.”

  “I saw that when I was at Campus Connections,” Nancy said, trying to hide her smile. “Oh, and I have a list of all the Jims registered with the service.” She pulled the list from her purse and showed it to Bess.

  “Great. I’ll date them all,” Bess said with satisfaction.

  “Bess!” Nancy groaned as she sat up. “Someone was killed today. We have to be very careful. Don’t go on any dates without me.”

  “Don’t worry,” Bess said. “Now, do you want me to help you to your room?”

  Nancy shook her head and said good night. I’m almost in bed, she told herself encouragingly as she climbed the stairs.

  From the end of the hall she could see something under her door. It was a plain white envelope. She picked it up, unlocked her door, and collapsed onto her bed. After switching on the light, she slit the envelope open with a fingernail. Suddenly her head began to pound again.

  Inside was a short typed message. It read: “Transfer back to wherever you came from, Nancy Drew. What happened to Jefferies could happen to you!”

  Chapter

  Seven

  WHOEVER WAS THREATENING HER hadn’t taken the time to push the note all the way into her room, Nancy realized immediately. Dragging herself off the bed, she looked around quickly to see if anything had been disturbed. Finding nothing, she sat back down.

  After the day’s awful events, the note didn’t really scare her. The killer had left her alive this long, so there was a good chance she was safe for the night. Nancy threw the note on her desk with a grim smile. She wasn’t always this casual about warnings, she thought as she slipped into her nightshirt and crawled under the covers, but right now she had to get some sleep.

  • • •

  When Nancy awoke, someone
was knocking insistently on her door.

  “Are you okay?” Bess asked worriedly when Nancy finally opened the door. “I came by your room once already, but there was no answer.”

  “Um, I’m fine, I think,” Nancy murmured. She felt the back of her head. “My headache is gone. I guess I was just sleeping pretty soundly.”

  “I’ll say. It’s after ten o’clock. I was worried about you. Are you going to make it to class today?”

  “I don’t have time,” Nancy replied. “Officially, we’re off the case. Mr. and Mrs. Woods handed it over to the police last night. So now we have to move a little more quickly.”

  “Maybe we should let the police handle it,” Bess suggested in a small voice.

  Nancy shook her head. “I can’t. Ava could be in real trouble, and the police know even less about the case than we do. We still have some leads we need to follow up. Vince, for one. Our list of Jims, for another. And I got a note last night, warning me off the case. That’s got to mean I’m getting close to something.”

  Bess groaned as Nancy handed the warning to her. “All right, count me in,” she said.

  Nancy thought for a moment. “When’s your date with Vince?”

  “Tonight. Six o’clock.”

  “Why don’t you drop by the Elderly Assistance program this afternoon?” Nancy suggested. “See if you can get a job. I’ll meet you back here at about five.”

  “Okay,” Bess agreed slowly. “You’re going to be careful, though, right?”

  Nancy shooed Bess out the door, then went down to the pay phones and called Ava’s parents. When Mrs. Woods heard Nancy’s voice she began to apologize for the ordeal Nancy had gone through the night before. Nancy cut her off gently and asked whether she and her husband could come to the dorm. Mrs. Woods promised that they would get there as soon as they could.

  Nancy went back to her room, grabbed a towel, and went down the hall to take a shower. As the hot water drummed on the back of her neck, she sighed, feeling energy seep back into her body.