The Clue of the Gold Doubloons Read online

  More angry than frightened, Nancy whirled and

  reached for the dagger. In one long stride, Karl crossed

  the dressing room and grabbed her wrist before she

  could get it.

  “In fact, I didn't touch a hair on your head, did I?”

  he growled. “Now, why don't you explain why you were

  going through my pants pockets?”

  Nancy gritted her teeth, angry that she'd been

  caught. If Karl was really Curran, she knew she'd

  better think of a good answer.

  “I didn't know they were your pants,” she said

  tightly. “Eli sent me down to get a belt for one of the

  extras. He told me the belt was in a pair of jeans. Now

  let me go.”

  She could feel Karl's hot breath on the top of her

  head. Would he believe her?

  Using his other hand, he reached up and pulled the

  dagger from the wall. Then he let go of her wrist.

  Turning, she met his hard stare. His hat was pulled

  low on his forehead, his black hair hung lank on his

  shoulders, and his lips were curled in a sneer of

  disbelief.

  “Maybe you need to take a break from playing

  Blackbeard,” she said. “You're starting to act like him.”

  Karl cocked a dark brow, a wicked gleam in his eye.

  “Thank you,” he said. Without taking his eyes off her,

  he stuck his dagger in his waist sash.

  “What are you doing down here?” Nancy asked,

  crossing her arms in front of her.

  “I had a minute's break before they shot the third

  take. Janie told me I needed to blacken my teeth.” He

  flashed her a huge grin. “They were just too white and

  pretty whenever I called, Hang the varmints from the

  yardarm!' “

  Stepping back, he gestured toward the open

  doorway with a mock bow. “After you, ma'am.”

  Nancy picked up the backpack, squared her

  shoulders, and marched past him. When she reached

  the passageway, she ran up the steps to the waist. Once

  she was safely outside in the sunlight, she exhaled in

  relief.

  That was a close call. Karl Kidd could easily be

  Curran, she thought. Not only was he arrogant and

  smart, he had all the right moves. Hadn't he boasted

  that the burglaries were the work of a crafty bunch of

  pirates? she thought.

  As she walked down the gangplank, a slow smile

  spread over her face. Of course, he wasn't quite smart

  enough to beat her.

  Raising her arm, Nancy looked at her wrist. Maybe

  she hadn't gotten Karl Kidd's buckle, but when he'd

  grabbed her arm, he'd left clear prints on the band of

  her watch. As soon as Weller could process the prints,

  she'd know for sure if Karl Kidd was Chance Curran.

  Riiiiing. The incessant whine forced its way into

  Nancy's brain. Reaching out blindly, she flung her

  hand in the direction of the bedside table, finally

  swatting the top button on the clock radio.

  A groan came from the other bed. “Don't tell me it's

  afternoon already.”

  Opening one eye, Nancy looked over at George,

  who'd pulled the covers over her head to keep the

  afternoon sun out of her eyes. “Hey, you had more

  sleep than I did, so quit complaining,” she said, her

  sentence broken by a yawn.

  “That may be true, but you didn't have the

  humiliating experience of being treated like a common

  criminal.” George tossed the sheet off her face. “What

  time did you finally get here? I didn't hear you come

  in.”

  “That's because you were snoring too loud.” Nancy

  stifled a grin.

  As soon as she'd gotten to the hotel room, she'd

  called Weller, showered, and then delivered the

  evidence bags to an officer who had met her in the

  lobby. Finally, she'd crawled into bed and fallen

  promptly asleep. Through all the commotion, George

  hadn't budged.

  “How was the shoot this morning?” George asked,

  sounding more awake. “Did anyone even wonder why

  Daniel and I weren't there?”

  “You weren't supposed to be there, remember?”

  Nancy reminder her. “They aren't shooting your scene

  until this afternoon. Still, I told Janie and Andrew

  about the arrest. Janie acted totally shocked. Andrew,

  on the other hand, wanted to know if you'd make it this

  afternoon.”

  George snorted. “So much for sympathy.”

  “It didn't take long for the story to get around to all

  the cast and crew members. I made it sound as if you

  and Daniel are still prime suspects.”

  Sitting up in bed, George hugged her legs. “Then I

  guess we'll see how good an actor Daniel really is. He's

  going to have to play the part of the wrongfully accused

  victim.”

  “I think he'll give an award-winning performance.

  Talking about performances—” Nancy told George all

  about her encounter with Karl Kidd.

  “Wow, if he'd come after me, I would have been

  shaking in my Anne Bonny boots,” George said.

  “I was pretty scared,” Nancy admitted, then grinned

  triumphantly. “But I got his prints! As well as Andrew's

  and Harold's.”

  “How long will it take Weller to run them?”

  “He says there's a backlog, but because Chance

  Curran is wanted by several other police departments

  in different states, they're making this case a priority.”

  Throwing back the covers, Nancy got out of bed, her

  energy returning. She grabbed her clothes off the back

  of a chair, then went into the bathroom to change and

  wash up.

  “Janie said Andrew's having a big spread for lunch

  on the ship,” Nancy called out to George, “to impress

  the Good Morning Baltimore crew. If we hurry, there

  might be something left.”

  “Then let's hurry!” George called back. “I'm

  starving.”

  Half an hour later, they were walking down Pier

  Three toward the Swift Adventure. Nancy turned to go

  up the gangplank when she noticed Selena strolling

  across the bridge they'd just crossed. She was walking

  arm-in-arm with a man.

  “George.” Nancy nudged her friend. “Don't stare,

  but can you tell whom Selena is with?”

  George nonchalantly glanced toward the bridge.

  “He doesn't look like anyone from the film, but

  whoever he is, they seem cozy.”

  When Nancy reached the main deck, she sneaked a

  peek over the railing. Instantly, she realized who the

  man was—Joseph Mascelli.

  “She's with that reporter I caught in the cargo hold,”

  Nancy told George.

  George chuckled. “She must be giving him a very

  intimate interview.”

  “Really.” Nancy furrowed her brow. “This whole

  publicity thing has gotten out of hand. I wish I could

  figure out how it ties in with the burglaries.”

  “On two hours of sleep, I'm surprised you can tie

  your own shoes,” George said with a chuckle.

  When they climbed up t
he ladder to the

  quarterdeck, Nancy spotted Scott Harlow, the waiter

  from the hotel dining room. He was talking to Janie, an

  earnest expression on his face.

  “I'd forgotten Janie invited Scott,” Nancy said,

  waving. When he saw them, his eyes brightened.

  Nancy pointed to the buffet table, then made a motion

  as if she were eating. He nodded as if he understood.

  Picking up a plate, she got in line with George.

  “Remember to keep your ears and eyes open,” she

  whispered as she piled her plate high with homemade

  rolls and salads. “The real thief is probably checking

  you out right this minute.”

  George grinned before popping a grape into her

  mouth. “Good,” she said. “Anne Bonny can handle

  anything.”

  Just then Eli bustled over. “I've got a new costume

  for you to try on,” he said to George. “Since the police

  took the other one.”

  “Nancy!” Lian rushed over. “This next scene

  requires a ton of camera angles. You're going to

  need—”

  As the two rattled on, Nancy and George shot each

  other wry looks. The afternoon was going to be a busy

  one.

  “That's a wrap!” Andrew called four hours later.

  “Thank you, everyone. Take the night off and enjoy

  yourselves.”

  “Whew.” George gasped as she pulled her scarf off

  her head. “Did he say take the night off?”

  Nancy was bent over picking up muskets, pistols,

  swords, and daggers that had fallen during a fight

  scene. Before the shoot, she and Eli had laid canvas on

  top of the deck so it wouldn't get splattered with the

  fake blood.

  “Yes, and the words were music to my ears. I'm

  going to sleep—” Nancy began.

  “Nancy, George,” Janie called. “Lian and I are going

  to the aquarium after we pack up. How about coming

  with us? It might be our last chance to sightsee.”

  Nancy straightened, her arms full of props. “Sounds

  like a good idea,” she said. “George, what do you think?

  We can still get to bed early.”

  “Count me in,” George said. “I just need to change.”

  Taking a few swords from Nancy, she headed for the

  steerage deck. Lian and Janie went to pack up cameras

  and lights.

  Nancy looked around the quarterdeck. The cast had

  gone to change, the Good Morning Baltimore crew had

  finished their taping, and Scott had left to go to work.

  Without the extras, the ship almost seemed quiet.

  Nancy's gaze rested on Janie and Lian. Weller had

  said that Curran worked with a female accomplice.

  Nancy realized there was always a chance she was on

  the ship right now—working side by side with her.

  But could the pair be Janie and Lian? Nancy shook

  her head, not wanting to believe either could be

  involved. She liked them both. Still, maybe the

  aquarium would be a good place to pump them

  casually for information.

  A girlish laugh drew Nancy's attention to the waist

  below. Selena and Joseph were leaving the ship. The

  reporter had his arm around Selena's shoulder.

  Throughout the afternoon's shoot, he'd stayed

  onboard, sometimes taking notes, but usually with his

  attention on Selena.

  And why not? Nancy thought as she watched Selena

  sashay down the gangplank in her spike heels and low-

  cut dress. Selena was beautiful, and when Joseph was

  around, she played the charming actress. Nancy had to

  wonder what other roles she could play. Was thief in

  her repertoire?

  “Wow, look at that shark!” Lian exclaimed as the

  four girls walked up the spiral ramp of the aquarium's

  Open Ocean exhibit. “The only thing that separates us

  from his gaping jaws is that little bitty thickness of

  glass.”

  “It really does feel like you're underwater with

  them,” George said. “That's because we're surrounded

  by water. There are two tanks circling us. The one at

  this level holds sharks. Above us is the Atlantic Coral

  Reef.”

  Janie and Lian had stopped to watch another shark

  lazily swimming past. “How do you know so much

  about the aquarium?” Janie asked, glancing at George

  over her shoulder.

  “Nancy and I were here once before on a—”

  Nancy poked George in the side with her elbow. “—

  on a tour,” she cut in hastily, not wanting George to

  mention anything about being detectives.

  “Oh, look at that!” Lian exclaimed. The three girls

  turned their attention back to the glass-enclosed tank.

  Nancy glanced at her wrist, then remembered that the

  police had her watch. “What time is it, George?”

  “Twenty minutes before the whale and dolphin show

  starts.”

  “I'm going to find a place to sit down for a minute,”

  Nancy told the others. “The lack of sleep is catching up

  to me. Meet you by the Children's Cove.”

  They waved, and Nancy continued up the ramp,

  hunting for a bench. When she reached the Children's

  Cove, several groups of kids were clustered around the

  touch pool. Nancy walked around slowly, letting her

  mind wander. So far, neither Janie nor Lian had said or

  done anything suspicious. Perhaps the female

  accomplice had nothing to do with the film and ship.

  Nancy walked over to the Tide Pool just as a crowd

  of children left. She leaned over to check out the

  urchins and anemones. Do Not Touch, the sign said.

  These sea creatures can sting.

  “And so can I,” a voice hissed menacingly in Nancy's

  ear as she felt a sharp prick in her side.

  10. A Message in Blood

  “Don't turn around,” the person whispered hoarsely,

  “or you'll regret it.” Nancy winced as the sharp point

  pressed against her flesh. “Now walk to the door to

  your left that says Employees.”

  Without moving her head, Nancy looked at the door.

  Knowing the layout of the aquarium, she figured it led

  to a stairwell. She knew that it would be crazy to enter

  a dark, empty stairwell with a knife-wielding thug.

  Nancy spotted the escalator that went up to the rain

  forest exhibit. If she could just get to it, she knew she

  might be able to get away.

  “Mom, look!” Several children pushed their way

  toward the Tide Pool. Twisting her body sideways,

  Nancy knocked her elbow into the person behind her,

  sending the knife clattering across the floor.

  Without hesitating, Nancy took off. It was too

  dangerous to go after the person or the knife. In the

  milling crowd of children, someone could get hurt.

  Pushing past two teenagers, she leaped onto the

  escalator and started climbing. She glanced behind her,

  but the escalator moved her out of view before she

  could glimpse her attacker.

  When she reached the rain forest exhibit, Nancy

  raced along the wooden walkways. The steamy air

 
made her break into a sweat. Or was it the close call

  that had her perspiring? Should she contact security?

  They could watch the exits to try to nab the attacker.

  Whom would she tell them to look for, though?

  Nancy wondered. She'd been so intent on escaping

  without anyone getting hurt that she hadn't seen the

  person. The only thing she might recognize was the

  voice, which was low and hoarse like a man's—or a

  woman trying to sound like a man, Nancy thought

  ruefully.

  Darting around a cluster of tourists, Nancy made

  her way from the rain forest, down the escalator on the

  other side, and back to the ring tanks. George, Lian,

  and Janie should be waiting at the top to meet me, she

  thought.

  She spotted George staring at the puffins. “Come

  look, they're so cute!” her friend called, waving. When

  she saw Nancy's face, her smile turned to a frown. “Are

  you all right?”

  “I'm okay—now. I'll fill you in later. Where are Lian

  and Janie?” Nancy said quickly.

  “We split up. Janie wanted to get something to drink

  before the dolphin show, and Lian headed to the gift

  shop. They're going to meet us at the amphitheater.

  Why?”

  Drawing George aside, Nancy told her about the

  person at the Tide Pool.

  “What do you think he wanted?” George asked.

  “I don't know. Don't you think it's strange that both

  Lian and Janie left soon after I did?”

  George's eyes opened wide. “Oh my gosh. Do you

  think one of them is Curran's accomplice?”

  “It's possible.” Nancy paced in front of the puffin

  exhibit. “What's really scary is that the thieves

  obviously know I'm after them. But how could they

  know? We've been so careful!”

  George bit her lip. “Weller said that Curran was

  smart.”

  “But only you, me, the police, and Daniel know—”

  Nancy eyes narrowed. “Daniel.”

  “No. No way.” George shook her head vehemently.

  “Wait a minute, George. I'm not saying he's guilty.”

  Nancy put her hand on her friend's arm. “But what if

  somehow he let it slip that I'm helping the police?

  Think how hard it would be to keep a secret from your

  own brother.”

  “You still suspect Andrew?” George asked.

  “I suspect everybody,” Nancy said. “Come on, we

  need to meet Lian and Janie. I want to see which one

  looks guiltier.”

  Nancy led the way down the ramp to the escalator