Chapter 6 The Invisible Intruder by Carolyn Keene
A Curious Prophecy
“WHAT was the news report?” Nancy asked.
Mrs. Tarpey said that a valuable collection of shells had been stolen in the nearby town of Sheldon. The collector had been away for a couple of weeks. Upon his return he had discovered the loss.
“The shells were worth a great deal of money,” Mrs. Tarpey explained. “Some of them are very rare. One of the Murex shells, a Brandaris, belonged to an ancient emperor. At the time he lived, people found that the Brandaris secreted a yellow fluid. When processed, it gave out a permanent purple dye which was used to color cloth for togas. Only emperors and kings were allowed to wear them.”
“How fascinating!” Bess remarked. “I can understand why the stolen collection was a real haul for the thief.”
Nancy said she would like to go into the cabin and see if she could find any clues to help solve the mystery of the lake.
“Also any clues to where the Prizers may have gone. May we go in, Mrs. Tarpey?”
“Yes, and I hope you find something so I can trace those crooks.”
The group entered and immediately began their search. George looked through a pile of newspapers in a corner. Those of local origin did not contain any stories which might give a clue, but on the bottom of the pile she noticed a Florida paper.
Suspicious, she called Nancy over and showed it to her. “There might be something here Mr. Prizer wanted to keep,” she said. “Help me look at all the articles.”
The girls scanned one column after another without finding anything that might relate to the Prizers. Then, on the next to the last page, Nancy spotted a marked article.
STOLEN SHELL COLLECTION REMAINS A MYSTERY
The item stated that an intruder had stolen a collection of priceless shells, some of them in the room where the owner was asleep.
“Nancy, do you suppose that intruder could possibly have been young Mr. Prizer after more shells?”
Nancy nodded. “Or old Mr. Prizer.”
By this time the other searchers were ready to give up. They had found no worthwhile clues.
“Look at this!” said Bess and showed them the news item.
Nancy went over to Mrs. Tarpey. “Is there an attic or a cellar in this cottage?” she asked.
“There’s no cellar, but there is an attic. You have to remove one of the panels in the ceiling to get to it.”
“I think we should look up there,” Nancy told her, and she agreed. “We’d better have one of the boys go up.”
Nancy asked Ned if he would do it. As everyone looked on, he hoisted himself to Burt’s shoulders and slid the panel back. Then he climbed into the attic. Those below waited expectantly. The attic floor squeaked and groaned as Ned moved around.
“That floor doesn’t sound very safe,” Bess whispered to Nancy.
“No, it doesn’t,” Nancy agreed.
The stillness was suddenly shattered by a shout from Ned. “The mystery is solved!” he called down.
“What did you find?” Nancy asked.
“The canoe! The self-propelling canoe!”
“How marvelous!”
Ned called out, “Burt, Dave, Don! You grab the canoe as I slide it through the opening.”
The girls moved out of the way and the boys took their positions under the attic opening.
“Here goes!” Ned cried out.
As he started to shove the canoe over the edge, there was a splintering sound and the whole floor at one end of the opening gave way. Ned and the canoe dropped into space!
While Burt and Dave braced themselves to catch Ned, George and Nancy leaped forward to help Don keep the canoe from smashing to the floor. Ned was caught neatly and the craft lowered with only a slight bump.
Mrs. Tarpey, almost beside herself with excitement, said, “Well of all things! Those wicked people! And now I’ll have a big repair bill on that ceiling.”
The young people began to examine the canoe. Ned pointed out a complicated set of gadgets under both the front and rear seats. One motor worked the front paddle, another the stern. Both were attached by permanent swiveling fixtures. Still another motor was used to receive remote-control signals.
“Actually it’s very ingenious,” said Don.
Just then they heard voices outside and two police officers walked in. Mrs. Tarpey had reported the check swindle and the men had come to investigate the cottage.
Mrs. Tarpey introduced them to the group, then said, “I guess these young folks have solved the mystery of the ghostly happenings on Lake Sevanee.”
She told the officers of Nancy’s hunch there might be a clue in the attic and that the canoe had been found there.
The men looked at Nancy and smiled. “You have great sagacity, young lady,” one of them said. “You’ve saved us a lot of trouble.”
Bess showed the officers the Florida newspaper and they decided to take it along as well as the canoe for possible evidence against the Prizers. Since there was nothing more the ghost hunters could do at the cottage, Nancy suggested they leave. Mrs. Tarpey and the officers thanked them for their help as they said good-by.
Climbing the hill to their cars, Bab said, “I’m glad this case is closed. Now we can go on to the next one. That really should be exciting.”
“You mean the medium at whose hut thunder always rolls during her séances?” Don asked.
“Yes.”
Nancy reminded them that even though the ghost hunters had found the mysterious canoe and had unearthed information concerning the nefarious activities of the Prizers, they still had not caught them.
Bab sighed. “As long as we debunk the ghost business, do we have to capture the villains?”
George answered, “We usually do. Nancy never leaves a case unfinished.”
Ned laughed. “That’s right, and I’ll bet she’ll catch up with the Prizers.”
When they reached the lodge, Nancy told Mr. Leffert what they had learned. He was delighted and relieved that the Prizers had left town.
“Now I can fill my camp with guests and nobody will be afraid to go in or on the lake! I just can’t thank you young people enough!”
Nancy said she and her friends were sorry to leave such an attractive place. “But we have another job to do, so we’ll be checking out soon.”
The other ghost hunters were consulted and it was decided to leave early the following morning. Their destination was Vernonville. When they reached there, Helen and Jim made arrangements at an attractive one-story motel. As soon as the group had checked in, Helen asked the desk clerk, Miss Adelaide, about the medium and when she held séances. She consulted a calendar of local events. “Madame Tarantella is having a séance this evening just for women. Before it starts, she will hold consultations with troubled souls.”
This struck George funny. Striking a pose with her feet far apart and her hands on her hips, she said in a nasal tone, “Nancy, Bess, all of us are in real trouble, ain’t we?”
The other girls burst into laughter. Becoming serious, they decided they would go to Madame Tarantella’s directly after supper. Each would try to see her privately. The other women ghost hunters decided to attend the seance but not to go early for separate consultations.
“I’m surprised that you want one,” Rita said to Nancy. “You’re so practical.”
Nancy smiled. “My main reason for going is to study the woman and her hut.”
As the three girls drove off later in Nancy’s car, George remarked what a beautiful evening it was. “If there’s any thunder during the séance tonight, it’ll have to be artificial. I guess the medium pulls this trick to scare people.”
A few minutes later Nancy drove up to a wooden shack with a sign PROPHECIES on the door. The building seemed out of place in an area of small apartment houses.
“I guess we’re first to arrive,” said George.
A small man dressed like a gypsy admitted the girls and escorted them to a rear room. The light was dim but they could distinguish a rather heavy-set woman dressed as a gypsy fortuneteller. She was seated at a table.
Bess began to count the bracelets on her arm, but before she could finish, the woman said in a deep, husky voice, “I will take this young lady first.” She raised herself up a little to touch Nancy’s shoulder. “Will you two please remain outside.”
Bess and George left the inner room and sat down in the larger area where the séance would be held.
Madame Tarantella asked Nancy to be seated in front of her across the table. She took the girl’s right hand in hers, but did not look at it. She merely stared at Nancy’s face and began to talk.
It was a surprise to Nancy that the medium told her so many things about herself that were true. She did not see how the woman could possibly have found them out, since she did not know Nancy was coming.
The medium smiled at her. “You’re a sweet, understanding young lady. As a result, you have many friends. A tall, dark good-looking college man is very dear to you. In the future you will be asked to make a decision involving this friend.
“You’re a happy person by nature but always longing for a mystery to solve. Usually you are trying to help someone, but my advice to you is to be very careful in the future. So far you have had good luck, but this may run out at any moment.”
Madame Tarantella stopped speaking. Suddenly she got up from her chair, came around the table, and faced the young sleuth. She moved her head in a swaying motion, her eyes rolling in strange fashion. Nancy was a bit frightened. She rose, thinking she had better leave.
Before she could move, the medium stiffened and clutched Nancy by her shoulders in an iron grip. She looked straight at Nancy, her eyes glowing like coals of fire.
In an awesome stage whisper, she said, “You can help me right now. In fact, you must do it and without hesitation!”
“What do you mean?” Nancy asked.
“That you are in my power and must help me!”
Nancy’s one thought was to get away from this woman but she was unable to do so. Madame Tarantella put both arms around her shoulders and closed them like a vise!