Chapter 7 The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene
A Diver in Peril
“John, you found the diamonds!” Nancy exclaimed.
The young man opened the case and displayed its contents. The twenty diamonds, of various sizes, glinted in the morning sunlight.
“Astounding, isn’t it?” John grinned, adding that he had found the case under one of the lobby windows. “I must have missed it last night.”
“Will you show me the spot, please? I must have missed it too.”
John led Nancy to a clump of China-blue lilac bushes, and pointed out the place where he had found the case.
“The thief must have dropped this, but I can’t figure out why she didn’t come back for it,” John remarked.
“She may not have known until later that she had dropped it. By that time she probably was afraid of being caught,” Nancy replied.
Just then Emily came outside. She was beside herself with joy upon seeing the jewels.
“John, you’re a darling!” she cried. “Let’s go to the patio and tell the others.”
“Isn’t this wonderful?” Mrs. Willoughby exclaimed. “And none of the diamonds is missing!” she added, counting.
“Are you sure?” Maud gave John and Nancy suspicious looks.
Nancy was about to make a sharp retort but refrained. The social director seemed determined to be unpleasant, and the young sleuth decided to ignore her insinuating remark. John just looked amused.
“Aunt Hazel,” said Emily, “I think these jewels should be put in a safe place at once. Since I’m going to sell them, I think our jeweler friend in Benton, Mr. Fabian, is the person to keep them. And he can also make a new appraisal of the diamonds.”
Emily’s aunt nodded. “I’m so happy for you, dear.”
Emily continued, “I might sell a few of the smaller diamonds today. We need cash immediately to take care of some outstanding bills.”
Just then, Hank walked up to the group to tell Emily of the disappearance of the tools. The gardener asserted that he had conducted a thorough search.
An interested expression came over John’s face and he said, “I’ll search.” Nancy wondered if anything unusual lay back of his offer.
Everyone went inside to breakfast. When the meal was finished, Mrs. Willoughby said to Emily, “I’d ride in to town with you, but I have a headache.”
Emily insisted that her aunt rest. “Nancy and Helen will go with me, I’m sure.”
The girls said they would be happy to. At once Maud asked if she might join the group. “All right,” Emily said without enthusiasm.
Before they left, Nancy telephoned Hannah Gruen, reporting the loss and recovery of the diamonds and the finding of the charge plate. She chuckled. “Actually I’m out of a sleuthing job, Hannah, so I’ll see you soon.”
“But you haven’t found out who your impersonator is,” the housekeeper said. “She may keep on making trouble for you.”
“You’re right. I must find her. Now tell me about yourself.”
The Drews’ housekeeper reported an uneventful night and that a police guard was still posted at the house. “Your father wired he would be detained until tomorrow evening.”
“Well, I’ll be seeing you. ’Bye now.”
On the ride to Benton, Nancy and Emily decided it was best not to mention to the jeweler the disappearance of her diamonds the previous night. “Even though I have them back, exaggerated stories might still get around.”
When the group entered Fabian’s Jewelry Store, Emily asked to see the owner. The pleasant-faced man greeted her cordially and was introduced to the other girls. Then Emily opened her jewel case.
“My, what a lovely collection of stones!” Mr. Fabian exclaimed.
He picked up a small diamond and studied it closely. Frowning, he put on his jeweler’s eyepiece, examined the gem, then dropped it into the case. Diamond after diamond was scrutinized in this manner. Emily watched anxiously.
When Mr. Fabian put down the last gem he looked hard at Emily. “Is this a practical joke?” he asked. “These stones are only glass!”
Emily’s face blanched. Helen and Maud were speechless.
Nancy was dismayed. Had the thief planted fake stones for some sinister purpose? “What is it?” she asked herself.
The jeweler was saying, “These are excellent imitations, Emily. Where did they come from?”
“Why—er—they were my mother’s. I always thought they were real.”
“I’m sorry,” The jeweler smiled sympathetically, as he handed the case to Emily. Almost in a daze, she thanked him and the others followed her from the shop.
As they stood outside the store, Nancy and Helen tried to comfort their friend. “It’s a shame,” Helen said.
“It . . . it’s the jinx again . . .” Emily sobbed. “I should have known. Oh, poor Dick! All our plans are spoiled.”
“I’m not so sure,” Nancy said. “I have a feeling the thief substituted these fakes for the real diamonds. I know it sounds funny . . .”
“Huh!” Maud exclaimed. Turning to Nancy, she said, “An awful lot of funny things have happened since you came to Lilac Inn.”
“That’s enough, Maud!” Emily brushed away her tears. “I won’t have you insulting my friends. Anyway, maybe Nancy’s right.”
“Oh, I forgot. Nancy’s a famous detective!” Maud said sarcastically.
Helen and Nancy kept still with difficulty. Nancy wondered why Maud had become so antagonistic toward her.
In silence, the four reached Nancy’s car. As the others got in, Nancy stopped a newsboy to buy a River Heights morning paper. Nancy opened her change purse. Simultaneously, a woman coming from the opposite direction jostled Nancy’s arm.
The purse dropped to the pavement, scattering change in every direction.
“Oh, bother!” Nancy exclaimed.
Emily jumped out of the car to help retrieve the money. A moment later she gave a startled cry and pointed to the ground.
Lying beside the ten-cent piece was a small diamond brilliantly reflecting the sunlight!
The expression on Nancy’s face brought Helen and Maud hurrying from the car. Emily picked up the diamond.
“Is this yours, Nancy?” she asked.
“N-no, I never saw it before,” Nancy stammered, completely astounded.
Maud looked smug. “Try and make anyone believe that. It’s one of your diamonds, Emily!”
Nancy was too horrified to speak. Helen came to her friend’s defense. Glaring at Maud, she declared, “If Nancy says she knows nothing about how the diamond got in her change purse, it’s true!”
“Of course it is,” Emily backed her up. “Oh Maud, why are you always so hateful?” Turning to Nancy, she said, “Someone has tried to throw suspicion on you. But why?”
“I don’t know,” Nancy replied. “If that’s the case, I wonder if that woman who bumped me might be in league with the jewel thief.” To herself she added, “Maybe my impersonator is trying to throw suspicion on me!”
She paid the boy for the paper, then asked him and the others if they had noticed the woman. Unfortunately none of them had.
Nancy suggested that they have the new-found stone appraised, so the group re-entered Fabian’s. The jeweler was surprised but obligingly put on his eyepiece.
“This is a perfect one-carat diamond!” he exclaimed. “If you’re interested in selling, I’ll be happy to make an offer.”
“Not today, but I may be back.” Emily smiled.
She and her friends returned to the convertible and Nancy headed for Lilac Inn. She speculated to herself on the imitation gems. “The thief learned the number and shapes of Emily’s diamonds, and had the artificial ones made to match as closely as possible. Very clever.”
Her thoughts were broken into by Maud asking Emily, “When are you going to tell Dick about the theft of your jewels?”
“When I get ready,” was the cool reply.
As they turned into the Lilac Inn driveway, Emily sighed. “Aunt Hazel will be dreadfully upset to hear about the substitution of the gems.”
“It’ll put her to bed for a week,” Maud prophesied unfeelingly. “Well, I’ll see you all at lunch.”
The noon meal was a rather uncomfortable one. Mrs. Willoughby was obviously dejected and ate little. Maud maintained an almost sulky silence. Nancy was preoccupied, though somewhat disappointed that John was not present. Also, a startling idea had come to her about the diamond in her purse: The noise which had awakened her during the night might have been made by an intruder leaving, perhaps by the bathroom window, after planting the diamond.
After luncheon Anna the waitress beckoned Nancy aside and handed her a note. “I just took this message from Mr. McBride on the phone. I was passing the desk and answered the ring.”
Nancy thanked the girl and read the message. “Nancy: I’ve found an important clue to the case. Come in your canoe to the dock where you saw the man with the crew cut. Wear your diving gear.”
Nancy was intrigued. What was John’s discovery? What kind of clue would necessitate underwater equipment?
Since Maud was there, Nancy merely told the others she had a date with John, saying, “Dad warned me not to go anywhere alone, but if John’s with me, I’ll be safe.” Nancy then hurried to put on her bathing suit. Over this she slipped her rubber insulation suit. Then, carrying mask, aqualung, flippers, and an underwater camera on a strap around her neck, she went to the dock.
Soon Nancy was paddling her canoe down the river, scanning the shore ahead for the place near which she and Helen had capsized. She finally sighted the dock where Helen had seen the man in the rowboat. On the bank nearby was a blue canoe with Lilac Inn painted on its side.
“John!” called Nancy, looking about. No answer. Again Nancy called his name. Silence.
A little distance beyond the dock the girl noticed a man fishing from the beach. He wore a wide-brimmed straw hat. Cupping her hands, Nancy called out and asked if he had seen the young man who had come in the canoe.
“Yeah,” the fisherman yelled in a nasal voice. “He went underwater a couple of minutes ago—dived into the middle of the river opposite his canoe.”
“Thanks.” Nancy was mystified. Why hadn’t John waited for her to arrive? He knew it was dangerous for anyone to go skin diving alone.
Hurriedly she beached her own craft, donned her mask and aqualung, and slipped on the flippers. Then she swam out to the middle of the river.
She made a quick dive to begin her descent. As she straightened out, Nancy kicked with her fins and propelled herself with her arms. The water became darker and cooler as she descended. Small fish flitted by. Presently Nancy realized she was nearing the bottom. She estimated that the river was about twenty feet deep at this spot.
When she reached the muddy floor, she glanced about in every direction. There was no sign of John—only underwater plants and several large rocks.
Nancy swam cautiously and watched for crevices as she went forward. Every moment she expected to see John. Had he been underwater long? Had he met with a freak accident and been hurt? Even an expert skin diver can overestimate his physical abilities, she realized.
All of a sudden Nancy stopped abruptly. Her eyes widened and a chill went up her spine. Protruding from a massive rocky overhang was something that resembled a shark’s head!
“It can’t be!” she gasped inwardly. “Sharks don’t live in fresh water!”
The sinister shape, however, was far too large to be an ordinary fish. Nancy’s fear gave way to curiosity, as the object remained stationary. She inched forward, holding the camera in front of her and cocking the shutter. Three more strokes and she would have a good view of the mysterious form.
One—two— Nancy was about to shoot, when a slight movement in the water caused her to whirl around. A spear came hurtling from behind a big rock to Nancy’s right. The next moment the tip of the spear lodged in the lens of her camera!