Тайна загадочной лестницы [with w_cat] - [35]

Nancy looked down on the grounds of Twin Elms and tried in her mind to reconstruct the original landscaping.

[1054] "That brick walk to the next property must have had a lovely boxwood hedge at one time," she said to herself.

[1055] Her gaze now turned to Riverview Manor. The grounds there were overgrown with weeds and several shutters were missing from the house. Suddenly Nancy's attention was drawn to one of the uncovered windowpanes. Did she see a light moving inside?

[1056] It disappeared a moment later and Nancy could not be sure. Perhaps the sun shining on the glass had created an optical illusion.

[1057] "Still, somebody just might be in that house," the young sleuth thought. "The sooner I get over there and see what I can find out, the better! If the ghost is hiding out there, maybe he uses some underground passage from one of the outbuildings on the property."

[1058] She crawled cautiously back to the trap door and together the girls closed it. Aunt Rosemary had already gone downstairs to take care of her mother.

[1059] Nancy told Helen what she thought she had just seen in the neighboring mansion. "I'll change my clothes right away. Then let's go see Mr. Dodd, the realtor broker for Riverview Manor."

[1060] A half hour later the two girls walked into the real-estate office. Mr. Dodd himself was there and Nancy asked him about looking at Riverview Manor.

[1061] "I'm sorry, miss," he said, "but the house has just been sold."

[1062] Nancy was stunned. She could see all her plans crumbling into nothingness. Then a thought came to her. Perhaps the new owner would not object if she looked around, anyway.

[1063] "Would you mind telling me, Mr. Dodd, who purchased Riverview Manor?"

[1064] "Not at all," the realtor replied. "A man named Nathan Comber."

[ 1065 ] CHAPTER XVIII. A Confession.

[1066] NANCY DREW'S face wore such a disappointed look that Mr. Dodd, the realtor, said kindly, "Don't take it so hard, miss. I don't think you'd be particularly interested in Riverview Manor. It's really not in very good condition. Besides, you'd need a pile of money to fix that place up."

[1067] Without commenting on his statement, Nancy asked, "Couldn't you possibly arrange for me to see the inside of the mansion?"

[1068] Mr. Dodd shook his head. "I'm afraid Mr. Comber wouldn't like that."

[1069] Nancy was reluctant to give up. Why, her father might even be a prisoner in that very house! "Of course I can report my suspicion to the police," the young sleuth thought.

[1070] She decided to wait until morning. Then, if there was still no news of Mr. Drew, she would pass along the word to Captain Rossland.

[1071] Mr. Dodd's telephone rang. As he answered it, Nancy and Helen started to leave his office. But he immediately waved them back.

[1072] "The call is from Chief Rossland, Miss Drew," he said. "He phoned Twin Elms and learned you were here. He wants to see you at once."

[1073] "Thank you," said Nancy, and the girls left.

They hurried to police headquarters, wondering why the officer wanted to speak to Nancy.

[1074] "Oh, if only it's news of Dad," she exclaimed fervently. "But why didn't he get in touch with me himself?"

[1075] "I don't want to be a killjoy," Helen spoke up. "But maybe it's not about your father at all. Perhaps they've caught Nathan Comber."

[1076] Nancy parked in front of headquarters and the two girls hurried inside the building. Captain Rossland was expecting them and they were immediately ushered into his office. Nancy introduced Helen Corning.

[1077] "I won't keep you in suspense," the officer said, watching Nancy's eager face. "We have arrested Samuel Greenman!"

[1078] "The crinkly-eared man?" Helen asked.

[1079] "That's right," Captain Rossland replied. "Thanks to your tip about the used car, Miss Drew, our men had no trouble at all locating him."

[1080] The officer went on to say, however, that the prisoner refused to confess that he had had anything to do with Mr. Drew's disappearance.

[1081] "Furthermore, Harry the taxi driver—we have him here—insists that he cannot positively identify Greenman as one of the passengers in his cab. We believe Harry is scared that Greenman's pals will beat him up or attack members of his family."

[1082] "Harry did tell me," Nancy put in, "that his passenger had threatened harm to his family unless he forgot all about what he had seen."

[1083] "That proves our theory," Captain Rossland stated with conviction. "Miss Drew, we think you can help the police."

[1084] "I'll be glad to. How?"

Captain Rossland smiled. "You may not know it, but you're a very persuasive young lady. 1 believe that you might be able to get information out of both Harry and Greenman, where we have failed."

[1085] After a moment's thought, Nancy replied modestly, "I'll be happy to try, but on one condition." She grinned at the officer. "I must talk to these men alone."

[1086] "Request granted." Captain Rossland smiled. He added that he and Helen would wait outside and he would have Harry brought in.

[1087] "Good luck," said Helen as she and the captain left the room.