Read Online (#16) The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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had taken her picture said, “I want it for our local paper. Quite a story. Please tell me your name and address.”
Nancy did not relish this publicity but did not see how she could avoid it. She identified herself.
“You’re from River Heights?” the photographer asked. “Are you related to the famous lawyer Carson Drew?”
Bess answered the question. “She certainly is and she does a lot of detective work in connection with her father’s cases.”
Nancy was embarrassed, but the photographer beamed. “This will make a cool story,” he said, putting away his notebook and starting off. “I can’t wait to get it in the paper.”
When the girls reached Miss Carter’s home, they found that Mrs. Bealing had returned from River Heights. At once she said to Nancy, “I hope you’re not too tired to drive me downtown. I must buy some food.”
Nancy said she would be glad to take the nurse as soon as she had a chance to freshen up and change her clothes. The three girls went upstairs to Miss Carter’s room. Hannah Gruen was talking to the actress,
Proudly Nancy opened her purse and took out a large wad of bills. “We sold every cat,” she announced.
“That’s marvelous!” Miss Carter exclaimed. “You girls are wonderful—why, Nancy, you’ve given me too much money!”
The three “salesmen” giggled. “No, I haven‘t,” Nancy said, and then told the story of George auctioning off the last cat. Both women laughed. “Good work,” said Hannah.
Bess spoke up. “It was all because Nancy climbed into the rafters to get the cat and twice she nearly fell off—”
“Oh my goodness!” Hannah Gruen cried out.
Nancy smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m still in one piece.”
Miss Carter shook her head. “I appreciate all this,” she said, “but, Nancy, you shouldn’t have taken the chance.” Then she chuckled. “You must be as lithe as a kitten yourself!”
While Bess and George told her about the strange man with the cats at the show, Nancy took a quick shower and changed her clothes. Then she and Mrs. Bealing set off for the shopping center of Berryville.
As they entered the parking lot, the nurse suddenly exclaimed, “Nancy, there’s the man who was looking for Miss Violette!”
“Where?”
Mrs. Bealing pointed him out. He had parked his red convertible and was now hurrying out to Main Street. Nancy dashed after the tall, handsome man and in a few moments caught up to him.
“Pardon me,” she said, walking beside him, “but are you Mr. Toby Simpson?”
He looked at her in amazement, then said with a smile, “Yes, I am.”
“You don’t know me,” Nancy said. “My name is Nancy Drew and I’m staying with the woman you call Miss Violette.”
The actor stopped walking and stared at Nancy. “But how did you know—?”
“I don’t blame you for being surprised,” Nancy said, then quickly explained that Miss Carter had found out he had come to the house asking for Miss Violette.
By this time Mrs. Bealing had caught up to them, and Nancy introduced her. The actor smiled. “You’re the woman who came to the door when I rang and said Miss Violette did not live there.”
“That’s right. I never heard Miss Carter’s stage name.”
Mr. Simpson said that back in the days when he had been in plays with her, she had insisted that no one call her by any name except Miss Violette. He had assumed that she had continued the custom.
An idea came to Nancy. She said to the actor, “If you’re not busy this evening, I think it would be fun if you came to dinner at the house. We could let it be a complete surprise to Miss Carter.”
The man’s eyes lighted up. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do,” he replied. “What time would you like me to get there?”
“Would seven o‘clock be all right?” It occurred to Nancy that even if they had a simple dinner not much time was being allowed for its preparation.
“Seven o‘clock will be fine. I’ll be there and thank you
Nancy did not relish this publicity but did not see how she could avoid it. She identified herself.
“You’re from River Heights?” the photographer asked. “Are you related to the famous lawyer Carson Drew?”
Bess answered the question. “She certainly is and she does a lot of detective work in connection with her father’s cases.”
Nancy was embarrassed, but the photographer beamed. “This will make a cool story,” he said, putting away his notebook and starting off. “I can’t wait to get it in the paper.”
When the girls reached Miss Carter’s home, they found that Mrs. Bealing had returned from River Heights. At once she said to Nancy, “I hope you’re not too tired to drive me downtown. I must buy some food.”
Nancy said she would be glad to take the nurse as soon as she had a chance to freshen up and change her clothes. The three girls went upstairs to Miss Carter’s room. Hannah Gruen was talking to the actress,
Proudly Nancy opened her purse and took out a large wad of bills. “We sold every cat,” she announced.
“That’s marvelous!” Miss Carter exclaimed. “You girls are wonderful—why, Nancy, you’ve given me too much money!”
The three “salesmen” giggled. “No, I haven‘t,” Nancy said, and then told the story of George auctioning off the last cat. Both women laughed. “Good work,” said Hannah.
Bess spoke up. “It was all because Nancy climbed into the rafters to get the cat and twice she nearly fell off—”
“Oh my goodness!” Hannah Gruen cried out.
Nancy smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m still in one piece.”
Miss Carter shook her head. “I appreciate all this,” she said, “but, Nancy, you shouldn’t have taken the chance.” Then she chuckled. “You must be as lithe as a kitten yourself!”
While Bess and George told her about the strange man with the cats at the show, Nancy took a quick shower and changed her clothes. Then she and Mrs. Bealing set off for the shopping center of Berryville.
As they entered the parking lot, the nurse suddenly exclaimed, “Nancy, there’s the man who was looking for Miss Violette!”
“Where?”
Mrs. Bealing pointed him out. He had parked his red convertible and was now hurrying out to Main Street. Nancy dashed after the tall, handsome man and in a few moments caught up to him.
“Pardon me,” she said, walking beside him, “but are you Mr. Toby Simpson?”
He looked at her in amazement, then said with a smile, “Yes, I am.”
“You don’t know me,” Nancy said. “My name is Nancy Drew and I’m staying with the woman you call Miss Violette.”
The actor stopped walking and stared at Nancy. “But how did you know—?”
“I don’t blame you for being surprised,” Nancy said, then quickly explained that Miss Carter had found out he had come to the house asking for Miss Violette.
By this time Mrs. Bealing had caught up to them, and Nancy introduced her. The actor smiled. “You’re the woman who came to the door when I rang and said Miss Violette did not live there.”
“That’s right. I never heard Miss Carter’s stage name.”
Mr. Simpson said that back in the days when he had been in plays with her, she had insisted that no one call her by any name except Miss Violette. He had assumed that she had continued the custom.
An idea came to Nancy. She said to the actor, “If you’re not busy this evening, I think it would be fun if you came to dinner at the house. We could let it be a complete surprise to Miss Carter.”
The man’s eyes lighted up. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do,” he replied. “What time would you like me to get there?”
“Would seven o‘clock be all right?” It occurred to Nancy that even if they had a simple dinner not much time was being allowed for its preparation.
“Seven o‘clock will be fine. I’ll be there and thank you
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