Mr. Drew smiled. “That’s an excellent plan,” he praised his daughter.
He went to buy the tickets, while Nancy hurried to the women’s lounge for Lola Flanders and then led the way to the helicopter.
The trip was made in an hour. When they arrived at Eloise Drew’s apartment, the lawyer took his sister aside to ask if Lola Flanders might stay at her apartment temporarily. Under the circumstances, it seemed best to keep her in hiding until the riddle of the strange telegram had been solved.
Eloise Drew was delighted with the arrangement. Nancy was to stay there also. Mr. Drew said that he had to return to his office at once and would catch an afternoon plane to River Heights.
After luncheon, Nancy said she would like to do an errand. Actually she wanted to talk to Captain Smith and tell him what she had found out in England. Miss Drew also said that she had an errand which must be taken care of.
“Do you mind staying alone?” Nancy asked Mrs. Flanders.
The woman laughed. It was the first time Nancy had heard her laugh and it reassured the girl as to Lola Flanders’ condition.
“Go ahead,” Mrs. Flanders said. “You know, I feel like a new person. I have no more fears.”
Nancy and her aunt left the apartment together. Miss Drew said that she would not be gone more than twenty minutes, and Nancy could take all the time she needed. They separated, and Nancy went at once to call on Captain Smith.
“You back so soon?” the officer shook his head. “Well, what’s the news?”
After hearing Nancy’s story, Captain Smith looked at her in admiration. He said no detective or police officer could have done the job better and probably not so fast.
“There’s still a great deal to be done,” Nancy said. “Have you found out any more about the Tristam Booking Agency or Lola Flanders’ dividend checks?”
“I have some news that will amaze you,” the officer said. “The Tristam Booking Agency has gone out of business!”
“It has?” Nancy exclaimed.
The police officer said that the firm had folded up overnight. It had left no forwarding address.
“There has been no mail for Lola Flanders for two days,” the captain stated. “I was just about to telephone one of the companies from which the dividend checks come to find out if they had been notified of any change of address. I’ll do it now.”
He put in a call to an oil company. Presently he received the information he wanted. Hanging up, he turned to Nancy and said:
“Well, that’s a break. The new address is the Hotel Coles in this city!”
Before Nancy could do any more than show her surprise, the captain was placing another call. This time it was to the hotel desk. He learned that a young dancer named Lola Flanders had registered there the day before.
Nancy told Captain Smith about the fake telegram, directing her to go to the Hotel Coles.
“But you didn’t do it?” the man asked, a look oŁ disapproval crossing his face.
“No.”
“I’m glad,” the officer said. “It’s a low-class place.”
Captain Smith said he would send a detective to the hotel at once to check on Lola Flanders. He would have another man check to find out who had sent the telegram.
“Please call me at my aunt’s home if you find out anything,” Nancy requested.
The officer promised to do so and Nancy returned to the Drew apartment. She rang the bell and instantly the door was opened by her Aunt Eloise. The woman’s eyes had a frightened look in them.
“Nancy! Lola Flanders is gone!” she cried.
CHAPTER XXIV
Terror at the Circus
Miss Eloise Drew began pacing the floor. She was convinced that Lola Flanders had suffered another attack of amnesia and wandered off.
Nancy was even more alarmed than her aunt. She was fearful that one of her enemies had enticed Mrs. Flanders away.
Hastening to the street, she asked a group of children she saw playing there if they had seen a woman come from the apartment house.
“A thin, small woman with graying hair,” she added.