Read Online The Whispering Statue by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Keene
Tags: Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Detective and Mystery Stories, Mystery Fiction, Women Detectives, Swindlers and Swindling, Girls & Women, Adventure and Adventurers, Adventure stories, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Mystery and detective stories, Drew; Nancy (Fictitious Character), Art Thieves, Yacht Clubs, Adventures and Adventures, Mothers and Sons, Art Objects - Reproduction, Fraud, Art Objects, Statues
Ads: Link
immediately felt his pulse. It was extremely faint and intermittent.
“Anyway, he’s alive,” she murmured. “But I must get help.”
She hurried back to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and told them what had happened.
“Please come,” she begged.
They immediately followed her. Mr. Thompson, a physical education teacher, gave the victim a quick examination and said he thought Mr. Atkin had had a heart attack.
“We must get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Nancy, call the police and get an ambulance here right away.”
As she dialed the number, the River Heights couple gently laid the patient on the floor. Mrs. Thompson took some smelling salts from her handbag and tried to revive Mr. Atkin. There was no response.
Nancy by this time was talking to Captain Turner. When she told of her discovery, he said a hospital ambulance would be sent at once to the shop. Within minutes a doctor was giving the victim oxygen.
“He’s in bad shape,” the doctor said.
During this procedure Nancy had been glancing around the office to learn as much as she could about it. On the desk lay a penciled notation. It read: M De K 500 on acct.
Just then Mr. Basswood walked in. He turned pale at the sight. “What happened?” he asked.
Nancy replied, “Apparently Mr. Atkin has had a heart attack. I found the door unlocked and entered. He was slumped across the desk. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson came in to help.”
The shop owner gave her a searching look. “This office is private and I don’t like any outsiders coming into it!” he said unpleasantly.
The doctor and Mr. and Mrs. Thompson looked at the man in disgust. He did not seem the least bit concerned about the condition of his assistant.
“I’m taking Mr. Atkin to the hospital,” the doctor told him.
“Very well. And be quick about it,” Mr. Basswood said icily.
A stretcher was brought in, but before Mr. Atkin could be put on it, Mr. Basswood ordered Nancy and the Thompsons out of the office. The instant the victim had been removed, he stepped outside, slammed the door shut, and locked it.
Nancy was shocked by the man’s rudeness, but she said calmly, “Mr. Basswood, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson bought two books and a statuette. I left these and the sales slip in your office.”
“I’ll get them,” the shop owner said.
He brought them outside and told Nancy to wrap the two volumes. “I’ll attend to the statuette myself,” he said, handing the change to Mr. Thompson.
After he had disappeared into the back room, Mrs. Thompson whispered to Nancy, “Don’t bother to wrap the books. They’re so small they’ll fit in my purse. How do you stand it to work for such a man? And why are you here?”
“I can’t tell you now.” Nancy glanced at her watch. “It’s almost lunchtime. Where are you going?”
“To the yacht club.”
“Would you mind giving me a ride?” Nancy asked.
“Glad to,” Mr. Thompson said.
Presently Mr. Basswood arrived with the statuette. “I noticed from the sales slip that you’re from River Heights,” he said. “By any chance do you know Carson Drew who lives there with his daughter Nancy?”
Nancy did not show any emotion at the question. She listened intently for her friends’ answer.
To her delight Mr. Thompson replied, “Mr. Drew is a prominent lawyer in town. He’s well known. I understand his daughter is very attractive.”
Mrs. Thompson spoke up. “She has the loveliest golden red hair you ever saw.”
Nancy could have hugged both of them but she remained motionless.
She said to the shop owner, “It’s twelve o’clock. May I go now?”
“All right. But be back here promptly at two.”
He turned and walked away without another word. The Thompsons grinned and shook their heads.
A few minutes later Nancy was in the couple’s car and heading toward the yacht club. Mr. Thompson asked Nancy, “What name are you using? I don’t want to make a mistake if I happen to see you in the lobby or the dining room.”
His
“Anyway, he’s alive,” she murmured. “But I must get help.”
She hurried back to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and told them what had happened.
“Please come,” she begged.
They immediately followed her. Mr. Thompson, a physical education teacher, gave the victim a quick examination and said he thought Mr. Atkin had had a heart attack.
“We must get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Nancy, call the police and get an ambulance here right away.”
As she dialed the number, the River Heights couple gently laid the patient on the floor. Mrs. Thompson took some smelling salts from her handbag and tried to revive Mr. Atkin. There was no response.
Nancy by this time was talking to Captain Turner. When she told of her discovery, he said a hospital ambulance would be sent at once to the shop. Within minutes a doctor was giving the victim oxygen.
“He’s in bad shape,” the doctor said.
During this procedure Nancy had been glancing around the office to learn as much as she could about it. On the desk lay a penciled notation. It read: M De K 500 on acct.
Just then Mr. Basswood walked in. He turned pale at the sight. “What happened?” he asked.
Nancy replied, “Apparently Mr. Atkin has had a heart attack. I found the door unlocked and entered. He was slumped across the desk. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson came in to help.”
The shop owner gave her a searching look. “This office is private and I don’t like any outsiders coming into it!” he said unpleasantly.
The doctor and Mr. and Mrs. Thompson looked at the man in disgust. He did not seem the least bit concerned about the condition of his assistant.
“I’m taking Mr. Atkin to the hospital,” the doctor told him.
“Very well. And be quick about it,” Mr. Basswood said icily.
A stretcher was brought in, but before Mr. Atkin could be put on it, Mr. Basswood ordered Nancy and the Thompsons out of the office. The instant the victim had been removed, he stepped outside, slammed the door shut, and locked it.
Nancy was shocked by the man’s rudeness, but she said calmly, “Mr. Basswood, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson bought two books and a statuette. I left these and the sales slip in your office.”
“I’ll get them,” the shop owner said.
He brought them outside and told Nancy to wrap the two volumes. “I’ll attend to the statuette myself,” he said, handing the change to Mr. Thompson.
After he had disappeared into the back room, Mrs. Thompson whispered to Nancy, “Don’t bother to wrap the books. They’re so small they’ll fit in my purse. How do you stand it to work for such a man? And why are you here?”
“I can’t tell you now.” Nancy glanced at her watch. “It’s almost lunchtime. Where are you going?”
“To the yacht club.”
“Would you mind giving me a ride?” Nancy asked.
“Glad to,” Mr. Thompson said.
Presently Mr. Basswood arrived with the statuette. “I noticed from the sales slip that you’re from River Heights,” he said. “By any chance do you know Carson Drew who lives there with his daughter Nancy?”
Nancy did not show any emotion at the question. She listened intently for her friends’ answer.
To her delight Mr. Thompson replied, “Mr. Drew is a prominent lawyer in town. He’s well known. I understand his daughter is very attractive.”
Mrs. Thompson spoke up. “She has the loveliest golden red hair you ever saw.”
Nancy could have hugged both of them but she remained motionless.
She said to the shop owner, “It’s twelve o’clock. May I go now?”
“All right. But be back here promptly at two.”
He turned and walked away without another word. The Thompsons grinned and shook their heads.
A few minutes later Nancy was in the couple’s car and heading toward the yacht club. Mr. Thompson asked Nancy, “What name are you using? I don’t want to make a mistake if I happen to see you in the lobby or the dining room.”
His
Similar Books
