Read Online Carolyn Keene - Nancy Drew by The Twin Dilemma - Free Book Online Page B

However, when they reached the lobby, the elevator was there, empty, and there was no sign of the photographer. Quickly, the young detectives hurried out into the street and looked in both directions. Nothing!

12
    The Culprit
    “We lost him!” George exclaimed angrily between gasps for air.
    Bess shrugged. “Well, we tried. Let’s go back to Aunt Eloise’s and tell Nancy about this.”
    George nodded. “There’s a bus pulling up on the corner. We’ll have to run to catch it.”
    Bess groaned. “I’ll never make it! I’m out of breath as it is!”
    But George wasn’t listening. She was already running toward the bus, with Bess trailing behind. They just managed to squeeze through the door before it closed.
    “How do you know this is the right bus?” Bess panted.
    “I don‘t, but let’s hope so.”
    To the girls’ chagrin, however, they soon discovered that they were heading away from Aunt Eloise’s apartment. It was getting dark, too, and a damp chill had seeped into the bus.
    “We’ll get off the next stop,” George said, but it proved to be a desolate corner, causing the two passengers to debark at the following one which seemed livelier.
    There they caught a taxi and were home in less than fifteen minutes. Surprisingly, they discovered that Nancy had not yet returned.
    “Where is she?” Aunt Eloise questioned when she saw that her niece wasn’t with Bess and George. “She ought not to wander around the city alone at night.”
    Bess explained how they had tossed a coin which had sent Nancy to the Millington Company.
    “Well, I’m sure they’re closed now,” Aunt Eloise said fearfully. “George, will you call their number?”
    George complied at once, but there was no answer.
    “The switchboard operator must have gone home,” she said.
    “Did you dial the right number?” Bess asked, observing the worrisome look on Eloise Drew’s face.
    “Of course, I did,” the girl said. She dialed again, however, to satisfy everyone, and again all she heard was a steady ring.
    Nancy had been beating her fists on the workroom door in the Millington office, hoping someone would come to free her. But in the general confusion outside, no one seemed to hear. After a while, the shouts and footsteps died down as the office emptied out, and Nancy was left in the room all alone.
    She stumbled through the darkness, bruising herself on the leg of an ironing board as she searched for the desk.
    I have to find something flat, a letter opener perhaps, that I can use to force the lock! she said to herself.
    She opened a side drawer and her fingers ran over pencils and paper clips before coming to rest on a slim cardboard box that contained filing tabs of some sort. Nancy took one, then went back to the door, shoving the tough sliver into the crack between the door panel and the frame. She pushed it down slowly, trying to slide it over the tumbler. But it jammed. Desperately she tried again. This time, the lock slipped and released.
    Dropping the tab, Nancy opened the door and felt her way into the adjoining stock room, where she groped for a light switch. She found one finally and pushed it, but nothing happened. Through the window she noticed that lights were on in the surrounding buildings. Their glow filtered dimly through the dusty glass.
    Apparently, the blackout is restricted to this building, Nancy thought. Well, I’d better call Aunt Eloise.
    She made her way slowly to the main office, letting her hands trail over a desk top until they settled on a telephone. To her dismay, however, she couldn’t make a connection. All calls were apparently controlled by a switchboard that was closed.
    Trying to remain calm, Nancy headed for the door that led to the reception area. To her relief, it was open!
    The elevator is right across the hall from here, she thought. I hope it works!
    When her outstretched hands made contact with the metal doors after she had crossed the corridor, she fumbled for the button and punched