False Information

THE phone connection remained on but there were no voices. Evidently Patrick Croft had run away from the instrument without hanging it up. Nancy could hear banging and shouting, then a crash, as if the intruder had broken open the door.

Nancy hung up, waited a few minutes for the connection to be broken, then called police headquarters. She told the sergeant on duty what had happened at Croft’s house. He assured her that two officers would be sent there immediately.

Nancy rushed upstairs to tell Hannah and the girls of Croft’s predicament. “I’m going over to see what happened! ”

“Not by yourself, ” Hannah spoke up firmly. “We’ll all go. This is shocking. Poor Mr. Croft! ”

With Nancy at the wheel, they covered the distance to his house in a short time. A police car and an ambulance stood in front and sympathetic neighbors had begun to gather.

“Oh, he’s been hurt! ” Bess exclaimed.

Nancy pulled up to the curb and jumped out.

Patrick Croft was just being brought out on a stretcher. He was unconscious and his face the color of pale alabaster.

Two policemen followed. After the ambulance pulled away, Nancy spoke to the taller officer, telling him she was the person who had phoned headquarters.

“I’d like to explain to you in more detail what I know about the attack tonight.”

“Come with me, miss, ” said the officer, and added, “My name is Regan.”

He led the way back into the house, then took a notebook and pencil from a pocket. “Tell me everything you can, ” he said. “Sometimes a small detail that the average person considers unimportant can prove to be a valuable clue.”

Nancy knew this very well from her own sleuthing experiences. She introduced herself and told where she was from, then said, “Mr. Croft was a security guard at NASA. He’s the one responsible for allowing the truck with explosive oranges to come onto the Base.”

“Oh you know about that, ” the officer replied.

Nancy nodded, then related Patrick Croft’s telephone conversation verbatim.

“So Croft thought the caller might have been the truck driver, ” Officer Regan observed. “If he wasn’t Mr. Billington, have you any idea who he is? And why did the person who phoned not want Croft to contact you? ”

“I don’t know the man’s name, ” Nancy answered. “That’s what I’m in Florida to find out. My father and a local lawyer are trying to solve this case and prove Mr. Billington innocent.”

“I see, ” the policeman said. “Poor Croft was beaten into unconsciousness so it will be some time before he’ll be able to answer any of our questions.”

Regan told her that there was only one set of clear footprints but this was not a help in identification because the intruder had worn flippers.

“Also, the man must have had on gloves, ” the officer said, “because he left no fingerprints.”

The word flippers caught Nancy’s attention and she remarked, “The man you’ll be looking for could be a snorkeler.”

“You’re right, ” Regan admitted. Then he asked, “By the way, have you and your friends visited the Real Eight Museum of Sunken Treasure yet? ”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Do by all means. It’s most interesting, even though a little terrifying if you visualize what happened during one of the worst hurricanes on record. Well, ” the officer said, “I must go. Thank you for your information.”

He escorted Nancy outside. His fellow officer produced a padlock for the broken front door and pocketed the key. The police car pulled away. A curious group of neighbors who had gathered finally dispersed.

Hannah and the girls started home. On the way Nancy said she felt largely responsible for what had happened to Croft.

Hannah asked, “How could you possibly be responsible? ”

Nancy replied, “We know there are people who don’t want us working on Mr. Billington’s case. They’re probably watching all our movements. They found out I went to Croft’s house today and figured he had told me all he knew about the case. That’s why he was beaten up! ”

“How terrible! ” Bess said angrily.

“Here’s another possibility, ” said George. “Suppose Croft is actually one of the gang? He might have been the inside man.”

Hannah spoke up. “If Croft is one of the gang, why would they beat him up? ”

“Because, ” George replied, “he was given a job to do at the Base and he bungled it.”

Nancy remarked, “That’s good reasoning, George. I don’t happen to agree with it, though. I think Croft was given the beating to keep him from saying any more. He may suspect other people whom he didn’t tell us about.”

When she turned into the Billingtons’ driveway, George said, “The Resardos’ car is here.”

“That Antin is a cheat! ” Hannah burst out. “Mr. Billington pays him for working in the grove and taking care of these grounds. He hasn’t touched the lawn or garden since we came. The grass is getting so brown I put on the sprinkler today.”

The housekeeper unlocked the rear door and turned on the light. “How about a little ice cream before we go to bed? ” She went to the refrigerator to take some out.

Nancy glanced at her watch. It was after eleven o’clock. “I wonder if it’s too late to call Mr. Datsun, ” she said to the others. “I think I should tell him what happened tonight.”

Hannah, Bess, and George agreed, so Nancy went to the phone and picked it up. Someone was using it!

As the young detective listened, a man said, “Got it straight? R-day.”

George had followed Nancy to the hall. Nancy made motions indicating that her friend was to run upstairs and see who was on the extension phone.

As George took the steps two at a time, Nancy heard a man’s muffled reply, “Okay.” The connection was cut off.

George came down the stairs to report that she had found no one using the extension phone up there.

“The call must have been made from the orange packing house, ” Nancy declared.

Hannah had come to see what was troubling Nancy. After hearing about the conversation, she said firmly, “Nancy, you’re not going to that place to find out. It’s too dangerous. Anyway, the person who used the phone has probably left by this time.”

Nancy agreed. “But I think Antin should investigate, ” she said. “I’m going upstairs and tell him.”

George gave a sardonic laugh. “He won’t thank you for waking him up.”

“I don’t care, ” Nancy replied, and mounted the stairway. She knocked on the Resardos’ door. There was no response, but after a second knock, a woman’s sleepy voice said, “Who’s there? ”

“It’s Nancy Drew, Tina. I’d like to speak to Antin. It’s very important.”

There was a long pause, then finally Tina came to the door. “Antin can’t see you now. He’s taking a bath.”

“Please tell him that some prowler is in the packing house. He’d better go find out about him.”

“Okay, I’ll tell him.”

Nancy returned to the first floor. She and the others ate their ice cream, but Antin Resardo did not appear.

“Some more of his indifference, ” George remarked. “He’s a surly person.”

“Yes, ” Bess spoke up. “He’s no help at all around here. I certainly think Mr. Billington should be told.”

“You can bet he will be, ” Hannah informed her.

When they finished the ice cream, the girls washed and dried the dishes and spoons. Then they put out the lights and followed Hannah up the stairway. Suddenly Nancy turned back.

“What is it? ” Bess asked her.

“Listen! ” said Nancy. “I think someone is using a key to open the kitchen door.”

Led by Nancy, the group tiptoed down the stairway and went toward the kitchen. The rear door opened just as Nancy clicked on the overhead light. They were astounded to see Antin Resardo coming in.

“You weren’t taking a bath at all as Tina said! ” George cried out. “You were in the orange packing house phoning! ”

Nancy walked up to him. “What does R-day mean? ” she demanded.

Antin gave a start, then suddenly his face flushed with anger and he glared at the young detective.

“You little sneak! ” he yelled.

The next second he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her so hard Nancy felt as if her head would snap off.