Read Online The Triple Hoax by Carolyn G. Keene - Free Book Online

they go at once to the theater where the Hoaxters were performing and try to find out if her hunch really was correct.
    Just then their telephone rang. Señora Mendez was calling again. She was very excited.
    “We’ve had news!” she said. “My daughter and her husband received a hand-delivered note. But the person who brought it hurried away before they could ask him any questions. This is what the note said:
    “Your daughter will not be harmed, but she will be taken on a long journey.”
    “Is that all?” Nancy asked.
    “Yes. And while we’re relieved to know that Dolores is all right, we are extremely worried about this long journey. They might even take the child out of the country!”
    Nancy conceded this was possible. The question was, why did the kidnapper plan to take their hostage away from Mexico City?
    The young detective asked, “You’re sure there was no demand for money?”
    “Positive,” Señora Mendez answered. “Well, Nancy, I won’t talk any longer. But as soon as I have more information, I’ll let you know.”
    The girls resumed their plan to attend the Hoaxters’ performance. Nancy wanted to ask their leader point-blank why they kept people’s possessions for at least half an hour.
    She hailed a cab which let the girls off in front of the theater. No one was standing outside. Since it was an hour before show time, Nancy thought nothing of this. The front door was locked. George noticed a bell button and pushed it.
    After a long wait, a maintenance man appeared. “What do you want?” he asked gruffly in Spanish.
    Nancy told him that it was imperative the girls talk to the manager of the Hoaxters at once.
    “He’s not here. None of them are.”
    “When will they arrive?” Nancy asked in surprise.
    “Maybe never.”
    “What do you mean?”
    The man said the troupe had packed up suddenly and left. Nancy turned to Bess and George and quickly translated the information.
    George said, “This is the second time they’ve skipped out of town!”
    “And maybe they did it before that,” Bess added.
    Nancy addressed the maintenance man. “Is the manager of the theater in?”
    The employee hesitated, then reluctantly opened the door. “I’ll take you to his office,” he said.
    The maintenance man explained that the young ladies had come to talk with the manager, then went back to his work.
    The gray-haired Mexican looked at them closely. “What’s so important that you have to see me?” he asked.
    Nancy noticed a sign on his desk with the name Senor Tomás on it. She explained that they had followed the Hoaxters from New York because certain people believed the troupe might not be honest.
    “Do you know where they went?” she asked.
    “No,” Senor Tomás replied. “They left a note and enough money to cover the theater rental for the period they had reserved. I believe they departed last night.”
    “No one saw them go?” Nancy asked.
    Señor Tomás explained that after the evening’s performance which ended close to midnight, no one else had been in the building. Apparently a car or truck had been driven to the rear of the theater and loaded with the Hoaxters’ props.
    “When we arrived this morning, we discovered that all their possessions were gone,” he added.
    “Thank you very much,” Nancy said. “Do you mind if we girls look around a bit to see if we can pick up a clue as to where the Hoaxters went?”
    The manager glanced at them, puzzled. Finally he said, “Are you detectives?”
    Nancy smiled. “Just amateurs. We’re trying to help a friend.”
    Senor Tomás gave his permission and the group walked into the theater. No one was there. The girls went down a stairway to the dressing rooms. They noticed the maintenance man cleaning the floor.
    He stared at them. “What are you doing here?” he demanded in Spanish.
    Nancy replied, “We’re just looking around.”
    The man became belligerent. “Looking around, eh? You’re spying on me! Well, get out of here