Chapter 10 The Invisible Intruder by Carolyn Keene
The Trap
“WHO is this?” Nancy asked the caller. She knew the voice was not that of Madame Tarantella, unless she was disguising it.
The woman did not answer and for a moment Nancy thought she had hung up. But Nancy had heard no click on the wire.
“Who is this?” she asked again.
The reply came, “I am a medium. The spirit of your Grandfather Drew has sent an important message for you through me.”
Nancy frowned but did not comment. She was wishing she was not alone and that there was time before the caller finished speaking to have someone run to another telephone and try to have the call traced.
When Nancy made no comment, the woman said, “Did you understand me? I have a message for you from the spirit world. Direct from your Grandfather Drew.”
“I heard you,” Nancy replied.
“Don’t you want to hear what it is?” the caller asked impatiently. “I assure you it is of great importance.”
“Why would my grandfather communicate through you?” Nancy asked.
“My dear,” said the woman in placating tones, “if you understood how mediums receive messages from people they never have heard of, you would understand this.”
Again Nancy kept silent, a troubled look on her face. Helen entered the room and came close to her.
“Who is it?” she whispered.
Before Nancy could answer, the caller said, “The message is: You are to leave the box Madame Tarantella gave you under the stone bridge which is just one mile north of Vernonville on Route 23. Leave it there at exactly two o’clock this afternoon and then drive away. Do not tarry at the spot. Go at once.”
Nancy said, “What will happen if I don’t bring it?”
There was a slight show of anger in the medium’s voice as she answered, “Your Grandfather Drew said if you disobey him, he will punish you.” The woman hung up.
Nancy explained the call to her friend.
Helen was alarmed. “Nancy, she threatened you! I had no idea mediums could be so dangerous. Of course you can’t leave the box. Mr. Kittredge has it. What are you going to do?”
Nancy said she could always find a substitute box. But Helen argued that when the person who received it discovered the hoax, he or she would retaliate and harm Nancy.
“I’ll have to take that chance, Helen. But to be sure I’m doing the right thing, I’ll phone Mr. Kittredge and tell him what I have in mind.”
The lawyer was a bit worried at the turn of events and warned Nancy that she must be very careful.
“I think your idea of leaving a substitute box is a good one. Be sure to make it the same weight as the box of papers and take a man with you to the spot. Then as soon as you have hidden the box under the bridge, please, both of you drive off.”
Mr. Kittredge added that he would ask the police to have a couple of plainclothesmen stationed nearby to grab whoever came for the box.
“I’ll let you know what happens,” he promised.
Helen insisted that Nancy still have her swim, so the two girls went to the pool. Here Nancy whispered to Bess and George and their dates what had occurred and her plan for trying to capture at least one person involved in the mystery.
“Directly after lunch I’ll get a box from the housekeeper,” she said. “I suppose the easiest way to give it weight is to fill it with newspapers and some stones.” She smiled. “Would you boys mind bringing a few of them to my room after lunch?” They grinned and promised to do so.
“Ned, will you come along with me?”
“Sure thing. I certainly wouldn’t think of letting you go alone.”
“I’m glad of that,” said Bess. “Nancy can think up more dangerous things to do than anyone else I know.”
“And how!” George added.
During lunch not only Nancy’s group but all their ghost-hunting friends whispered excitedly about what was taking place. As Nancy left the table, each of them wished her luck in the errand.
Bess added, “Whoever that woman is who called, she was pretty mean to bring your Grandfather Drew into it.”
Nancy smiled. “I think so, too. He was a darling person and I don’t like to have his name dragged into some underhanded scheme.”
About twenty minutes to two she and Ned were ready to set off. Ned carried the box to the car.
Although Bess was worried about the whole adventure, she could hardly keep from giggling when she thought of the contents. “Somebody’s going to get a whale of a surprise,” she said to George.
“Serves her right,” George retorted.
Nancy and Ned drove to Vernonville and found Route 23. They watched the speedometer closely. At exactly one mile from town they came to a stone bridge and parked at the side of the road.
“I guess this is it,” Ned said, and they both climbed out of the car.
The bridge was old and partly covered with moss. The stream which ran under it was narrow and fairly shallow, and was full of sharp-pointed rocks over which the water gushed and gurgled.
Nancy and Ned looked on both embankments to see if anyone were lurking there. They saw no one and did not hear a sound. Finally they climbed down one embankment and peered under the bridge. No one was there.
It was evident that the bridge had been built a long time ago and had been rather crudely put together. There were many ledges on which the box could be set.
“I see a good spot,” Nancy remarked. “I’ll find out how level it is, and then you set the box up there, Ned.”
Nancy stepped along the muddy edge of the stream and reached up. Her hand touched something furry! Before she could yank it away, there was a hiss. Claws reached out and scratched her!
“Oh!” Nancy exclaimed as she looked at her hand. It was already starting to bleed.
The next instant the head of a large cat looked over at her. A moment later two tiny heads appeared. Kittens!
Ned began to laugh. “Old tabby doesn’t want to be disturbed,” he remarked. “I’m sorry about your hand,” he said as Nancy reached down to wash it in the cool water.
At that moment they heard a boy’s voice behind them and turned quickly. He was about ten years old and looked as if he had just come from some farming chores.
“Hello,” Nancy and Ned said together, and Nancy added, “Is that your cat up there?”
“Nope,” the boy replied. “Say, mister, are you Ned Nickerson?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Your friends are up on the road. I saw them lookin’ around. I said maybe you were down here and I’d take a look.”
“Friends of mine?” Ned asked, suspicious as to wh ) the people might be.
“That’s what they said. Their names are Burt and Dave.” The boy left.
“Ned, you’d better go see what they want,” Nancy suggested. “They may have brought some information or a message for us.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
He handed the box to Nancy, who began looking around for, another ledge. Choosing a wide one, she stood on tiptoe and made sure no animal was resting there. Then she raised the box and set it in place.
“I’ll go up to the road now and see why the other boys came,” Nancy told herself.
As she walked along the muddy path toward the embankment, the young detective heard footsteps behind her. She turned quickly but was too late to defend herself against the sudden attack.
A huge hand was clapped over her mouth. Then a husky man began to drag her toward the water!