Off the Market

THE partially burned newspaper which Nancy showed to Bess and George was a copy of the edition which held the name Drew in the code message.

“It’s ringed with red crayon! ” Bess burst out. “What does that mean? ”

George made a guess. “I think the person who set the fire is a member of some gang out to ruin Mr. Billington’s reputation and business. He’s worried because Mr. Drew and Nancy have been brought in to solve the mystery.”

Nancy agreed. “We have very few clues, ” she said, “and everything seems to be so disconnected. What we must do is find a motive for the whole thing.”

Bess suddenly caught her breath. The other girls looked at her and asked, “What’s the matter? ”

Bess’s reply was upsetting. “Suppose that firebug takes it into his head to burn down the house we’re staying in! ”

There was silence for a few moments. Finally Nancy said, “Perhaps we’d better go back and talk this over with Hannah.”

When they reached the house, Tina and Antin were with Mrs. Gruen. Hannah became alarmed at the thought of another fire.

“I wish we had a good watchdog here, ” she said.

Tina was fearful of the house being set on fire, but Antin shrugged off the idea.

“What reason would anyone have for doing such a thing? ” he asked Nancy.

She replied, “What reason would anyone have for burning down the packing house and setting fires in the grove? ”

As she spoke, Nancy watched the caretaker’s face intently. He showed no change of expression.

Nancy thought, “He certainly is a strange person.” Aloud she asked, “What do you think is going to happen to Mr. Billington’s orange business? ”

Antin set his jaw. “That’s up to Mr. Billington. I know what I’d do if it belonged to me—forget the whole thing. But of course I’ll follow whatever orders he gives me.” The foreman stalked from the house.

As it neared time for the girls to leave for the Melbourne airport to pick up Mr. Drew, Hannah confessed that she felt uneasy about staying alone. The Resardos had already left, saying they were going to Ruth’s birthday party.

When George suggested that she come with the girls, Mrs. Gruen said, “I don’t think I should go along and leave this house unprotected.”

“You’re absolutely right, ” said Bess. “Nancy, I’ll stay here with Hannah.”

Nancy and George set off. On the way George remarked, “Wouldn’t you think after what happened here today Antin and Tina would have stayed home and waited for the Billingtons? They didn’t even offer to pick them up at the airport! ”

Back at the Billington house, Hannah and Bess were startled by loud knocking on the front door. Hannah went to answer it.

“Don’t let anybody in! ” Bess called out.

Hannah asked, “Who’s calling? ”

“Mr. Scarlett.”

Mrs. Gruen opened the door and the man stepped inside.

“Where’s Nancy Drew? ” he asked abruptly.

“She’s not here.”

“Where did she go? ”

Bess started to tell him, but Hannah gave the girl a warning look and answered for her.

“Nancy has gone on an errand. Do you have a message for her? ”

Mr. Scarlett said indeed he did—a very important one. “Mr. Webster has taken his house off the market. It’s no longer for sale. I must have the key to the house at once. Get it for me.”

Hannah said she had no idea where it was. He would have to wait until Nancy returned.

“I can’t wait, ” the realtor snapped. “I must have the key now.” He turned to Bess. “She probably told you where it is. Bring it to me! ”

“I don’t know, ” the girl replied firmly. “When Nancy returns, I’ll tell her you want the key. She can bring it to you in the morning.”

Mr. Scarlett seemed nonplussed as well as angry. Before he had a chance to make any further demands, Hannah said to him, “That’s all. Good night, Mr. Scarlett.”

She held the door for him and reluctantly he went out.

Immediately Bess said, “Nancy’s going to be dreadfully disappointed about the Webster house being taken off the market. I wonder what the reason was. I gathered from Mrs. Nickerson that Mr. Webster was eager to sell the place.”

As they continued to discuss the strange turn of events, Nancy and George were bowling along the road toward Melbourne. When they were about halfway there, George remarked that a car was racing up behind them.

“That driver certainly is in a hurry, ” Nancy remarked, glancing into the rear-view mirror.

Instead of whizzing by, the car suddenly drove up alongside and the driver yelled, “Stop! ”

Nancy suddenly recognized the driver and stopped her car.

“Mr. Scarlett! ” she exclaimed. “What do you want? ”

“The key to the Webster house, ” he replied. “Hand it over.”

Nancy said she did not have it with her. She changed the subject abruptly and asked Mr. Scarlett who lived in the moss-covered mansion next to the Webster home.

“I don’t know, ” he replied. “I’ve never been in there.”

Nancy and George looked at each other but said nothing. Why had Scarlett lied?

The realtor came back to the subject of the key. “Give it to me! ”

“I told you I don’t have it with me, ” Nancy replied. “But tell me why you want the key. My father is coming down tonight and I need it to show him the house tomorrow morning. I’m sure he’ll buy the place.”

“It’s no longer for sale, ” Mr. Scarlett snapped. “Mr. Webster has taken it off the market.”

“What! ” George exclaimed. “I understood he wanted to sell it as soon as possible.”

“Not any more. Tell me where the key is and I’ll go back to the house and get it from your friends.”

Nancy had no intention of doing this. It had occurred to her that this whole story might be false. She would ask her father to get in touch with Mr. Webster direct and learn the truth.

“Hurry up! ” Mr. Scarlett shouted.

Before Nancy had a chance to answer, a trooper on a motorcycle whizzed up and stopped. He pulled out a pad and pencil and said to Mr. Scarlett, “You were going way beyond the speed limit.”

“I was in a hurry, ” the realtor replied.

George nudged Nancy and whispered, “Now’s your chance to get away.”

Nancy thought so too. Putting the car into gear, she drove off down the road.

George glanced back several times to see if Mr. Scarlett was following them. There was no sign of his car.

As they neared the airport, George said, “It seems strange he knew where to find us. Do you suppose he was at the house and Hannah or Bess told him? ”

“Even if he were there, I’m sure they wouldn’t tell him. Besides, they could truthfully say they didn’t know where the key is because I hid it and forgot to tell you all the place.”

Nancy parked and glanced at her watch. Ten minutes to ten.

“Dad should be in soon, ” Nancy said, a smile crossing her face. “It will be so good to see him again.”

As the girls walked into the terminal building, they noticed that people waiting to meet relatives or friends looked tense and worried. One woman was pacing the floor nervously, wiping perspiration from her face, though the night was cool.

As she came close to the girls, she said, “The New York plane is in trouble.”

“What’s wrong? ” Nancy asked her.

The woman looked at the girl, terror in her eyes. “The landing gear jammed. The wheels won’t come down. This means a crash landing! ”