While Bess was contacting a neighbor, Nancy and Eloise examined the package. “I think the ticking sounds different now,” Nancy’s aunt said in a frightened whisper. She was still holding the box, but now in trembling hands. “Let’s take it outside.”
Slowly and calmly, the two went out of the building and walked to the curb. As soon as they had stopped and put the box down, two police bomb-squad officers arrived. It didn’t take them long to discover that the box contained an ordinary, harmless alarm clock.
“I’ve never been so happy to see an alarm clock in my entire life.” Nancy’s aunt smiled with relief and clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking.
“Somebody went to a lot of trouble to scare your niece, ma’am. And from the sound of this note, that person is serious.”
“ ‘Last warning, Nancy Drew, leave town now,’ ” the officer read.
“Nancy, I think maybe we should get back to River Heights today.” Bess had rejoined them and stood listening as the note was read.
“Bess is right, Nancy. This is serious. Your father would never forgive me if anything happened to you while you were here. Worse, I would never forgive myself. In fact, after the officers leave, I’m calling the airport.”
Eloise, Nancy, and Bess thanked the men, and they turned and headed back into the building and up to Eloise’s apartment.
Nancy bit her lip. “Wait a minute, Aunt Eloise,” she said, trying to stop her aunt from calling the airport. She knew her aunt was only trying to protect her, but how could she leave New York while a dangerous killer was still after Rick? Even if he wasn’t the greatest guy in the world, he didn’t deserve to die. And obviously, the killer was getting closer and closer. Next time he might succeed.
“Our tickets are for the day after tomorrow,” she called out as her aunt was about to lift the phone. “Maybe I can solve the case before then.”
“Forget it, Nancy. I’m not going to let you risk your life—not even for a couple more days.” Eloise sounded definite. “And besides, the police are on the case now.”
“She’s probably right, Nancy,” Bess agreed.
“Wait a minute, everybody.” Nancy was groping for the right words. “You can’t ask me to just walk away from this! A man’s life is in danger!”
They looked back at her with questioning stares, unconvinced.
“How about this—I promise that if I don’t come up with any answers by tomorrow, I’ll go straight back to River Heights as we planned originally. But honestly, I could never live with myself if I knew I’d walked away when I could have helped.”
Eloise looked down at the floor. Nancy had gotten to her. Bess, despite everything, had to smile. Sleuthing was in Nancy’s blood.
“All right, Nancy,” Eloise said reluctantly. “I do have only myself to blame—I did introduce you to Mattie.”
“Thanks, Aunt Eloise,” Nancy cried warmly, throwing her arms around the older woman’s shoulders. “You’re a peach, you know that?”
“Some peach. I invite you to New York for a vacation, and you wind up running all over town, tracking down a murderer. And getting bomb threats delivered to your door!”
“He or she is not a murderer—not yet, anyway,” Nancy said. “Nobody’s been killed, and I hope we can keep it that way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s something I’ve got to take care of right away.”
“Who’s there?” came Mattie’s surprised voice in response to Nancy’s knock.
“It’s me. May I come in?”
“Oh, Nancy,” Mattie said when she opened the door. “Wasn’t it awful?” Mattie looked exhausted. Obviously, she had just been through quite an ordeal. “Come on in,” she added distractedly. “Sorry the place is such a mess. I just got back from the hospital.”
“How’s Rick doing?” Nancy asked.
“He’s going to be okay. But—oh, Nancy, his hands! They hurt him terribly. I just can’t believe he’s actually going to do the show tomorrow.”
“What?” she gasped. “Tomorrow?”
Nancy was truly amazed—he had sounded so frightened at the hospital. I have to give him a lot of credit, she thought. He really was brave.