Chapter Eight
Ann Granger called at seven the next morning.
“Where are you?” Nancy asked.
“Back home, over the strong objections of the River Heights Police Department.”
“Why?”
“They checked me out of the hospital and wanted me to hole up in an apartment they use for people under protective custody. It took a lot of yelling and screaming before I convinced them that I had to be free.”
“Ann, are you sure that’s smart?” Nancy asked.
“It may not be smart, but it’s the only way I’ll be able to help your father out of this mess. After all, it’s my fault he’s in it. By the way, I’m sorry about the judge. He didn’t deserve that.”
“No, he really didn’t.” Nancy was beginning to like Ann more and more. Ann was, in effect, risking her life to help Carson Drew. And it was very generous of her to express sympathy for Jonathan Renk.
“I’m also sorry the trip to the Grand didn’t pan out. Did you wait for the guy long?”
Nancy had stretched the truth the day before. She simply told Ann her source hadn’t shown. Evidently that part of the story had not made the news. Perhaps they hadn’t believed her. But Ann Granger would, and now that Ann was out of the hospital Nancy knew she would want the truth. She told Ann all about her harrowing half-hour in the kidnap car.
Ann was horrified. “Nancy, I’m sorry! First I get Carson into trouble, and now you. I had no idea—”
“I know you didn’t,” Nancy assured her. “Now, maybe you should change your mind about protective custody. It was you they were after.”
On the other end of the line, the reporter was very quiet. Finally, she cleared her throat. “No. I can’t. Don’t get me wrong, Nancy. I’m not all that brave. But I have a family tradition to uphold,” Ann said. “My parents risked their lives in the early sixties, marching for their civil rights. Now it’s my turn to risk mine to protect my First Amendment rights. End of speech. What can I do to help?”
Nancy and Ned had discussed this the night before, so Nancy was ready with an answer. “We need to know if Mid-City was the only scam those guys were running. Can you find out what else its parent corporation owns? They’re hiding something more, and we’ve got to find out what.”
“I’ll try. That’s all I can do.”
“Great. Since you don’t have a car, I’ll have Bess pick you up, okay?”
“That’s too risky,” Ann said. “Hanging out with me will put her in danger.”
“She’ll understand. I’ll phone her, then you can call her and let her know when you’ll be ready.”
“Will do. Luck to us. ’Bye.”
Nancy hung up. She knew they’d need more than luck to get through this. Then she made a quick call to Bess, who agreed to drive Ann wherever she needed to go.
Nancy ducked into the shower. Afterward she pulled a navy suit and a pale blue blouse from the closet. A single strand of pearls and her navy blue heels completed the ensemble.
Nancy considered this her “working woman” outfit. She wore it whenever she had to invade the nine-to-five world. For a few hours that day, she would be invading her father’s.
Ned called just as she was leaving. “Man Friday reporting in,” he said. “I’ve got George’s car. I figured I’d start with the cable company.”
“And tell them what?”
“I’m an insurance investigator trying to track a white van involved in a hit-and-run accident. They’ll swear it wasn’t one of theirs. Then they should give me a couple of leads to other companies that use white vans. And so on and so on.”
“Ned, that’s brilliant!”
“I thought so, too. Meet you for lunch at the Pizza Palace. One o’clock. I’ll tell Ann and Bess, too. That way if one of us doesn’t show up, we’ll know that person’s in trouble. Good luck.”
Luck seemed to be on everyone’s mind that day, Nancy thought as she locked the door behind her.
The law offices of Carson Drew and his associates always made Nancy feel as if she should whisper. With its solid mahogany desks, leather-upholstered chairs, and wood-paneled walls, there was a quiet, dignified aura about it. The tang of lemon oil scented the air, mixed with the smell of leather-bound law books.