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Suspect's Return






 

Just in time, Tina grabbed hold of some bushes and saved herself from falling into the pond.

" Are you all right? " Nancy called out, running to her assistance.

" Y-Y-Yes, I think so."

Thankfully, Nancy helped her up the slope. Except for some scratches and a slight tear in her shirt, the little girl seemed unharmed.

Nancy gave her a reassuring hug. " Do they hurt much? " she said, looking at the scratches.

Tina shook her head and gave a little grin.

" Let's get over to the stables and attend to those, shall we? " Nancy had noticed a well-stocked, first-aid cabinet there earlier.

After cleaning off the scratches with sterile cotton and hot water, Nancy prepared to paint them with iodine. " This may hurt a little, " she said.

Tina had taken her fall bravely enough and, up until now, had shown no apprehension about the first-aid treatment. But as Nancy took the bottle of iodine out of the cabinet, the little girl suddenly lost her composure. She ran out of the stables with a look of fright on her face!

Puzzled and alarmed, Nancy capped the bottle and ran after her.

Assuming that Tina feared the pain of iodine on her open cuts, Nancy said soothingly, " Don't worry, dear. It won't hurt that much. Come on, well go in the house and find something else to treat those scratches with."

Mr. Harlow's maid brought another kind of antiseptic from a bathroom medicine cabinet. This time there was no flinching as it was applied. In fact, Tina scarcely noticed because she was so busy telling Nancy about the letter with a colorful foreign stamp on it that she had gotten from her mom and dad that morning.

The whole incident seemed trivial once it was over. Yet it bothered Nancy in a way she could not quite explain. It seemed to remind her of something else, perhaps something connected with the mysteries she was trying to solve. If only she could remember what!

Never mind, Nancy told herself. If it's really important, it will come back to me.

She had said good-bye and was just about to step into her car when Tina came running out of the house. " Nancy, Nancy! Wait! " she shouted. " There's a phone call for you! "

The pretty detective hurried back to the house. Tina led her into a side hall and pointed to a beige phone on a small table.

" Hello, Nancy, " Carson Drew said. " One of my investigators just gave me some information that you'll be interested in. Do you have a pencil and paper handy? "

Nancy picked up a pen and notepad kept beside the phone. " All right, I'm ready, Dad."

" This concerns Pepper Nash, that jockey you asked me to have traced. It seems he's been living and racing in England since he left here. But he returned about the first of the month, and he's now living at 172 Hickory Court in River Heights! "

Nancy was startled. " Dad, that's great news! " she exclaimed. " Thanks a lot. I think I'll go talk to him right now. See you tonight."

" Good-bye, honey. Drive carefully, " Carson Drew said and hung up.

Heading into town, Nancy turned this latest development over in her mind. The fact that Pepper Nash had returned to River Heights just before Shooting Star was stolen was bound to make him an even more likely suspect in the case.

She found him to be a slender, sandy-haired young man in his early twenties. He met her at the door and invited her into a small living room that looked comfortable but not very neat.

" Please excuse the disorder, " he smiled. " I'm not too good in the housekeeping department."

Pushing a book out of the way, he sat down opposite Nancy. " Now, what can I do for you? " His blue eyes looked frankly into hers.

" I understand you've just returned from England, " Nancy remarked. " Did you race over there? "

" I certainly did! " He quickly got up and brought her a large, leather-covered book from a shelf. " My scrapbook, " he smiled. Opening it, he pointed out pictures and news reports of various races clipped from British papers.

Judging by the stories and photos, he seemed to be a winning jockey.

" Congratulations." Nancy smiled up at him. " You ought to show this to Roger Harlow."

" What do you mean? " Pepper's eyes narrowed.

" Oh, you know about that old dispute, do you? "

When Nancy nodded, he went on, " Well, part of my reason for coming back here was to clear up that misunderstanding. I know what he believed—that I threw that race—even though he didn't complain officially."

" But you knew how he felt? " Nancy inquired gently.

" I'll say I did! He made that very clear... really blasted me with both barrels! All the same, he was decent enough not to spread word around or try to give me a bad name. Someone else who overheard our quarrel did that."

Nancy said, " Now that you're back, what exactly do you intend to do? "

" Admit the truth to him, that I was a bullheaded know-it-all. You see, I thought the instructions he gave me for running the race were all wrong. He wanted me to hold back and take it easy at first, not really open up until the final stretch. Instead, I ran it my own way. I set a hot pace right from the start and lost—by two lengths! I was mad at myself, and Mr. Harlow's bawling out made me madder than ever. That's why I couldn't face the truth and take my medicine."

Pepper Nash began walking about the room. " I think I've grown up quite a bit since then. I'm going to apologize and ask Roger Harlow for another chance. I want to clear my name with him."

" I hope you do, " Nancy said earnestly.

As she got up to leave, he said in a puzzled tone, " We never got around to why you came to see me. Are you a reporter or what? "

Nancy smiled. " No, I'm trying to solve a mystery. Originally, I came to talk to you about a racehorse called Shooting Star. He's disappeared. But now I realize you couldn't have had anything to do with it."

An understanding expression came over Pepper Nash's face, and he smiled back ruefully at Nancy. " I read the news stories, of course, about him being stolen. But you're right, I know nothing more about it, and I certainly had nothing to do with the theft. I hope Harlow gets him back, though. From his record, Shooting Star sounds like a promising horse." He held the door open for Nancy and solemnly said good-bye.

Before going out to the Grimsby Mansion, Nancy decided to have a sandwich and milkshake at The Hangout. As she ate, she mused on her interview with the jockey. If nothing else, Nancy felt it had at least eliminated one suspect.

Soon she was on her way again, refreshed and looking eagerly forward to the afternoon's shooting at the mansion. This time, her only role would be that of spectator. Her own scenes were finished.

When she arrived, Ned came out to greet her, smiling happily. He told her that he expected to wrap up the project that afternoon, a whole day ahead of schedule. Everyone seemed in high spirits at the prospect, and things went smoothly.

In between scenes, Nancy went out to walk around a bit and enjoy the fresh air. The sun was shining down brightly through the treetops, and at this moment the only sign of past troubles were the blackened ruins of the burned-down stables.

Wisps of hay were scattered about nearby. This was not the first time she had noticed them. But suddenly Nancy stood stock still, struck by an idea. The old Grimsby Mansion had stood empty for years. Yet this was fresh hay, which meant a horse must have been stabled here recently!

Nancy's brain was in a whirl. Everything began falling into place.

A horse had been kept here recently. Of course! And that was precisely why the stable had been burned down. To keep the film club from discovering that very fact!

As for the silver bud vase and that missing painting, Nancy already knew they were items of loot from the country-house burglaries. And perhaps they were not the only such items to have been brought here. For some reason, the Grimsby Mansion must have served as a storage place until the loot was disposed of! But then the club members had spoiled it all by reopening the old house!

Was there any connection between the two halves of the puzzle?

Another thought flashed into Nancy’s mind. What was it that had tantalized her earlier that day? Something she couldn't quite recall to memory. It had occurred to her after Tina's downhill fall when the little girl had been scared by the sight of that iodine bottle.

Suddenly, the final piece of the jigsaw clicked into place. All at once the young detective knew why Tina had been so frightened!

Impulsively, Nancy got into her car and set out for Rainbow Ranch. She was determined to get the full story from Tina!

 






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