“But not everything has worked out,” Nancy added, her face growing sober. Involuntarily her eyes went toward the tennis court. As far as the cheering crowd knew, Teresa Montenegro, about to win the tournament with one of her sizzling backhand returns, was on top of the world. But there were so many things the crowd didn’t know.
“I should have suspected something,” Teresa said to Nancy quietly when they were finally alone together in the locker room. “There was always a part of Roberto that was unreachable. A side of him I didn’t understand. I told myself it was because I was still so young. Now I see that he wanted to protect me by not letting me know too much.”
She glanced at Nancy, then away. “He must have been committed to the revolution, you know. That was why he did what he did. He must have thought that if an American senator was assassinated by orders of the dictator, then the U.S. government would have to come in on the rebels’ side.”
Nancy didn’t answer. She was afraid Roberto’s reasons had not been so noble. There had been large amounts of money found among his things at the hotel. That was one of the things Senator Kilpatrick had not announced and Teresa didn’t know about. Apparently Roberto really had been acting as a double agent. It still wasn’t clear whether he had been murdered on orders of the dictator or of the rebels.
“But he did protect you,” Nancy said gently.
“Yes, and so did you,” Teresa replied gravely. “I hope we shall be friends for a long time.”
That was another thing Senator Kilpatrick had not yet announced. Thanks to fast action by her, with help from Carson Drew, Teresa had been granted asylum in the United States.
George came into the locker room. “Hey, you guys, haven’t you gotten your stories straight yet? The press is waiting, and so’s the senator.”
“Coming.” Teresa gave her hair a quick shake into place and went out to meet her public, her head high.
Appropriately, Teresa’s press conference was held at a table in the Hollins Gymnasium, right under an American flag. Almost immediately, a reporter asked Teresa what her plans were, since civil war had broken out in her country.
Teresa glanced at Senator Kilpatrick, who stepped to the microphone. “I’m happy to announce that Teresa Montenegro has requested and been granted U.S. asylum. She will enter professional tennis in a few months—as an American player! America can be very proud to have her.”
“What about your San Carlos coach who was murdered?” a reporter shouted. “He was more than just your coach, wasn’t he?”
Everyone around Teresa stiffened. But Teresa’s head was high. “He was my good friend. I am . . . honored . . . to have had him as my coach, my friend. And to have these new friends who are here with me.”
Her eyes traveled around the circle—the senator, Carson Drew, Dan and Bess, George. Last of all, Nancy, whose hand was linked with Ned’s. Their eyes met. Nancy knew that Teresa’s mind, like hers, was whirling back over the terror-filled events of the past few days.
“I am very lucky just to be alive,” Teresa said simply. “And that is due most of all to my friend, the—what do you call it? Superstar? The superstar detective, Nancy Drew!”