The Secret at Solaire Read online

  “Hank followed us down there,” Kim replied. “He’d been sabotaging the spa. The day before you arrived, I’d caught him deliberately tampering with the heat controls on the Jacuzzi. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “Why didn’t you tell the Roziers?” George asked.

  Kim sighed. “Because before then, I’d always liked Hank. We were friends. I didn’t want him to be fired. But there’d been other strange things going on at the spa, and when I caught Hank at the Jacuzzi I realized he’d probably been responsible for all of them. I told him I wouldn’t say anything to the Roziers if he’d just stop what he was doing.”

  “And he didn’t believe you?” George asked grimly.

  Kim shrugged and rubbed her eyes. “I guess he couldn’t afford to take the chance that I’d change my mind. Since the Roziers had already tightened security measures, he was afraid to go after me while we were on the spa grounds. So he followed us to Tanque Verde Falls. He grabbed me when I crossed the creek, right before the flood hit.”

  Kim gave a little shiver and went on. “In a weird way, Hank saved my life. If he hadn’t kidnapped me then, I probably would have been swept downstream by the floodwaters.”

  “Do you know why Hank was sabotaging Solaire in the first place?” Nancy asked.

  “I think I have a good idea,” Kim replied. “When Hank first locked me down here, I wasn’t tied up, so I poked around a bit.” She nodded to the boxes stacked against the wall. “In the bottom one, there’s an old newspaper clipping about a court case. There’s also a bunch of legal papers between Henry and Heather Sinclair and Jeunesse, a French cosmetics company. Half of them are in French, so I didn’t get the whole story, but—”

  “Henry Sinclair is Hank Meader’s real name,” Alain spoke up from the other side of the basement. “And Jeunesse was Laurent Rozier’s first cosmetics company. Hank has been trying to pay him back for his daughter Heather’s blindness ever since.”

  “I thought you were working for the Roziers,” Nancy said, surprised.

  “I am,” Alain replied. “But while I was snooping around at the spa, I uncovered very unpleasant things in Laurent’s past. There are still people suffering because Laurent Rozier cut costs by lying about the safety tests he claimed his cosmetics had undergone.”

  “Do you have proof of Laurent’s connection to Jeunesse?” George asked.

  “Unfortunately, no.” Alain emerged from the other side of the basement, brushing off his hands. “Bad news,” he said. “There are no windows, and no other doors. Just dirt walls. The only way out of this basement is up those stairs.”

  “Can we break down the door?” Kim asked anxiously.

  “With what?” Alain asked.

  “Maybe if we all pushed against it . . . ” George suggested. “Sort of like a human battering ram.”

  “Unless someone has a better idea, I think it’s worth a try,” Nancy said. “It beats just sitting here, feeling helpless.”

  “Count me in,” Kim said.

  The four of them lined up on the stairway behind Alain. “All right,” he said. “On the count of three, push. One, two, three . . . ”

  Everyone pushed as hard as he or she could, but the door didn’t budge.

  “Hank!” Alain called out. “Kidnapping Kim was bad enough. Holding four of us captive is the sort of stunt that will land you a long term in prison. Come on, open the door, before you make things worse for yourself.”

  But it wasn’t Hank who answered. On the other side of the door, a woman’s high-pitched voice dissolved into hysterical laughter. “So how do you like being in darkness?” she asked. “Do you enjoy being unable to see?”

  Chills raced through Nancy as she realized who was speaking. “It’s Heather,” she told the others in a low voice. “Heather Sinclair.”

  “Very good,” crooned the voice on the other side of the door. “You win a prize for correctly identifying me. Do you want to know what that prize is?”

  “I’m not sure we do,” George muttered.

  “Heather, listen to me,” Nancy urged. “We know Laurent Rozier is responsible for your blindness. We’re going to see that he’s brought to justice. But you’ve got to let us out for us to do that.”

  Heather began laughing again. “That’s very funny. But I’ve already heard that one. My father lost his ranch paying lawyers who promised the same thing. Now it’s time for someone else to pay. Unfortunately, it’s going to be the four of you.

  “I’ll tell you what I’ve done,” Heather went on. “I’ve put an old sofa in front of the basement door. If any of you touch the door again, I swear I’ll set the whole place on fire.”

  “Heather, please—” Alain began.

  But on the other side of the door, they heard Hank’s daughter laugh an evil laugh as she struck the first match.

  15

  A Chilling Invitation

  “She means it,” Nancy said quickly. “We’d better go back downstairs.”

  “All right, Heather,” Alain called. “We’re going downstairs. You can blow out the match now.”

  They heard the sound of the match being extinguished. “Don’t get any cute ideas,” Heather warned. “I’ll be sitting right on this couch, listening for your every footstep.”

  “How comforting,” George said, as she started down the stairs.

  “Get used to the dark,” Heather called after them in a sugary voice. “You’ll all be in it for a very long time.”

  Nancy, George, Kim, and Alain settled themselves in the basement. Nancy and Kim sat on the cot, George sat on the chair, and Alain paced the floor.

  “We need a plan,” Nancy said.

  Alain threw up his hands. “I can’t believe I let us get trapped like this. I should have known better!”

  “Thinking like that won’t do us any good,” Kim said.

  “She’s right,” George agreed.

  Nancy’s eye was caught by something in the shadows. “What’s that in the corner?” she asked in a low voice. She walked over and turned on her flashlight. The beam was growing dim. I should have changed these batteries, she thought regretfully. Here they were, locked in a dark basement, and she had a flashlight that barely worked. Still, she managed to make out what looked like a couple of sticks covered with cobwebs.

  Nancy brushed away the sticky webs and pulled at the first object. “I can’t believe it,” she said softly. “A hammer!” She pulled out the second one. “And a crowbar, too. Not exactly the perfect tools, but a start.”

  George stood up on the chair and began running her fingers along the ceiling. “There’s got to be a loose board up here somewhere.”

  “Maybe we should just wait until Heather falls asleep, and then work on the door,” Kim suggested. “The problem is, how will we know when she’s asleep?”

  “We do have one other hope,” Nancy said. “Bess was going to call the police.”

  “Don’t count on them coming to the rescue,” Alain said dejectedly. “I only knew about this place because I followed Hank here. The police will never find it. If they go looking for Hank, they’ll wind up at his house at Solaire—”

  “—where they’ll find nothing,” George finished grimly.

  “Okay, back to Plan A,” Nancy said with a sigh. “Let’s give Heather some time to fall asleep. Then we’ll make our escape.”

  Time passed slowly in the dark basement. It was impossible to tell what time of night it was. Nancy didn’t want to use her already-dying flashlight on something as useless as checking her watch. Exhausted, she leaned against the wall and felt her eyes close. It couldn’t hurt to catch a few hours of sleep.

  Nancy awoke to the raucous howling of coyotes. At first, she heard the high-pitched yips in the distance, as if the animals were far up in the mountains. Then the calls grew closer. It sounded as if there were hundreds of them.

  “They must be partying tonight,” Kim said with a smile. “According to some of the Native American traditions, Coyote is a tri
ckster, capable of working magic.”

  “I wish he’d work some magic on Heather,” George grumbled.

  The animals’ howls grew louder and louder. Nancy listened, fascinated by the strange, wild sound. Sometimes the coyotes all sang together. Other times, one started and the others joined in. Occasionally, the coyotes seemed to be singing a call and response.

  “It sounds as if they’re surrounding the house,” Alain said.

  “This may be the perfect time for us to start breaking out of here,” Nancy said. “If all we can hear is coyotes, then there’s a good chance that that’s what Heather’s hearing, too. Let’s just hope they keep howling.”

  “I think we’ve got a better chance of avoiding Heather if we work our way through the ceiling,” George said. “If we go through the door, we’ll definitely wake her.”

  “Right,” Alain said. After determining the farthest point from the basement door, he stood on the chair and used the end of the crowbar to pull gently at the wooden floorboards. Kim and Nancy carried the table over beside him. Then George got up on the table, and using the hammer’s claw, she began to help Alain pry the boards loose.

  The two worked slowly, taking care to make as little noise as possible. It’ll be morning before they’re done, Nancy worried. By the time they were ready to climb out, Heather would be wide awake and eating breakfast. At least the coyotes were still howling.

  Finally, Alain and George removed three of the wooden boards. “Who wants to go first?” Alain whispered.

  “I will,” Nancy volunteered. Alain boosted her up between two floor beams, and she emerged into the tiny kitchen. At least there were windows, and moonlight was streaming in.

  Nancy knelt by the hole in the floor and reached out to help Kim up, then George. Alain boosted himself through a few moments later.

  Nancy glanced around the room. There were dishes piled in the old-fashioned sink and a small table in the corner. On top of the table were more dishes, some tools, and a kerosene lamp.

  “There’s a back door,” Nancy whispered, leading the way.

  She was just turning the knob when a voice behind them said, “You mustn’t be in such a hurry to go. I suggest you all stay right where you are, or this whole place goes up in flames.”

  Nancy froze in her tracks. It was Heather. Their luck had just run out. With a sinking heart, she heard another match being struck.

  “Now, I want all of you to be still,” Heather ordered. “Not a single move.”

  Nancy and the others did as they were told.

  Heather stood there, holding the kerosene lamp with one hand. In her other hand was the burning match. “I’m going to spill the kerosene,” she said in a low, menacing voice. “And then set this place on fire. I don’t care if we all die. My life isn’t worth living anymore, anyway.”

  “Heather—” Alain began.

  Suddenly, the match went out. Heather cried out in annoyance and reached for her pocket.

  Seeing her chance, Nancy sprang forward, followed immediately by Alain, Kim, and George. Nancy grabbed the deranged girl’s wrist, but Heather swung out at Nancy with her other arm, knocking the lamp against Nancy’s head. Nancy felt a dull pain in her head as the sickening smell of kerosene assaulted her nostrils. Then the moonlight began to fade as Nancy crumpled to the floor.

  The next thing Nancy knew, the bright glare of headlights was flashing through the window. Where am I? she thought. Vaguely, she heard George calling her name. Then she realized that her friend was kneeling over her.

  “Nancy,” George said anxiously. “Are you okay?”

  Nancy nodded, touching her throbbing head. “I think so,” she said. Then she frowned, remembering. “Where’s Heather?”

  “She’s right here,” Alain called from the corner of the kitchen. “And it’s all over. I’ve got her pinned.”

  Then Nancy heard the sound of car doors slamming, and Hank Meader’s voice filled the room, funneled through a megaphone.

  “Heather,” he called, his voice pleading. “I want you to come outside.”

  “No!” the blind girl shouted, struggling against Alain.

  Hank’s voice nearly broke. “Heather, the police are here. They’ve got the house surrounded. You’ve got to come out now, honey.”

  Nancy quickly looked out the window. “It’s true,” she told Heather, relief in her voice. “There are four police cars out there, and the officers are on their way in.”

  The blind girl’s shoulders slumped as the door to the house opened.

  “Heather!”

  The girl turned at the sound of her father’s voice, and Nancy was glad Heather couldn’t see that he was handcuffed to the police officer who’d brought him in.

  Bess rushed past them. “Nan, George, are you all right?” she cried. “I’m sorry it took us so long. The police were staking out Hank’s house at Solaire, but he never showed up. For a while, we didn’t think he’d come back to the spa, either. But one of the horses was sick, and it wouldn’t let anyone else near it. Hank sneaked back to give it its medication.”

  “And that’s when the police caught him?” Kim asked.

  Bess nodded. “He confessed to everything—all the sabotage at the spa, even the black widow spider. Hank trapped Nancy in the mission, too, and put her in the stagecoach. And, of course, he’s guilty of kidnapping. He said he forced Kim to write that letter saying she was going to Phoenix. He also made her call her mother, just as you thought, Nancy.”

  Nancy looked at Hank. He was holding his now-sobbing daughter with his one free arm, trying to comfort her. “Please go easy on her,” he said to the police. “Ever since she lost her sight, she hasn’t been the same.”

  Another officer stepped forward and said, “We’ll need the rest of you to follow us to the station house for statements.”

  The first police officer then began to lead Hank and Heather to a squad car. Heather mumbled something inaudible as she walked away. It sounded to Nancy as if the girl had said, “It’s not over yet.”

  “Wait a minute!” Nancy called, looking suspiciously at the Sinclairs.

  Hank stopped and turned to look at her.

  “Tomorrow is Solaire’s kickoff party for the new cosmetics line,” she said. “Did you also have a little trick planned for that?”

  Hank shook his head, but his daughter’s sobbing suddenly turned into hysterical laughter. “Why don’t you all go to the party and find out?” she said with an evil grin.

  16

  A Fitting End

  Nancy yawned as she opened the door to the casita. It was nearly four in the morning. She, George, Bess, Kim, and Alain had been at the police station for hours while charges were filed against Hank and his daughter.

  “What a night!” George said, flopping down on her bed. “I can’t wait to go to sleep.”

  “I don’t know if I can sleep,” Bess said. “I feel sorry for Hank and Heather. I mean, I know what they were doing was wrong and had to be stopped, but they never would have done any of that if they hadn’t been so badly hurt in the first place.”

  Nancy nodded. “I’m sure the judge will take that into consideration.” She looked at Bess curiously. “Does this mean you believe the Roziers are responsible for the whole Jeunesse scandal?”

  Bess looked uncomfortable. “I’m still not sure Jacqueline was involved, but from what Alain told the police, it seems pretty definite that Laurent was.” She sighed. “When I think of all the Solaire products I sold, and how I told everyone how great they were . . . ”

  “Don’t feel bad,” Nancy said, putting an arm around her friend’s shoulder. “Solaire products may be perfectly safe. The regulations in this country are pretty strict. Besides, Laurent doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who makes the same mistake twice. Try to get some sleep,” Nancy added. “We’ll sort it all out in the morning.”

  • • •

  Morning came all too soon. Barely three hours later, at seven A.M., bright spring sunshine streame
d into the casita. Outside, the quail and doves were making nearly as much noise as the coyotes had the night before.

  Nancy stretched in her bed, planning to go back to sleep. Then she sat bolt upright. She couldn’t sleep. She had to tell the Roziers to cancel the promotional party. So far, all the acts of sabotage at the spa had been Hank’s. But Nancy had a feeling that whatever was scheduled to happen at the party, if anything, was Heather’s plan. And Heather seemed more dangerous than her father.

  Nancy got up, took a quick shower, and hurriedly got dressed. She left the casita quietly.

  She was halfway to the office when she saw a sleepy figure stumbling toward the gym. “Alain!” she called.

  He turned, rubbed his eyes, and gave her a brusque nod. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t make polite conversation on three hours of sleep.”

  “Are you actually going to the gym now?” Nancy asked in disbelief.

  He shrugged. “I’m late for a stretch class. I can’t very well leave a gym full of guests to entertain themselves.” He continued on for a few steps, then stopped in his tracks. “Where are you going?” he asked suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you got up for my stretch class.”

  “I’m going to talk to the Roziers,” Nancy answered.

  Alain caught her by the arm. “Listen to me,” he said. “Please. I know you want to warn them about whatever it is that Heather might have planned for the kickoff party. That’s fine. But please don’t accuse Laurent of being Pierre Dennon.”

  “Why not?” Nancy asked indignantly. “He is Pierre Dennon. And because of him, Heather is blind and she and her father are going to jail.”

  “If you march into his office with those accusations, you’ll force Laurent to shut you up,” Alain said. “You’ve already put yourself in enough danger. Let the police handle it. They’ll be interrogating the Roziers.”

  “How are American police going to prosecute a crime that took place in France years ago?” Nancy asked.

  Alain shrugged. “There’s extradition. And even if that doesn’t apply in this case, there are other means for making Pierre Dennon pay.” Alain suddenly stopped talking as another spa staff member passed by. “I have to go,” he said. “Good luck. And be careful.”