The Secret in the Old Lace Read Free Page B

the impressions under a plastic cover.
    “Would you identify these for me?” she asked.
    “As soon as I get back to headquarters,” the chief promised.
    He backed the patrol car out of the driveway as Bess and George pulled up at the curb.
    “Is everything okay?” Bess asked, darting across the lawn ahead of her cousin.
    “I’m afraid not,” Nancy said grimly. “The letter Madame Chambray sent your mother is missing and I’m practically certain Matey Johnson stole it. I’m waiting for Chief McGinnis to identify some fingerprints for me.”
    Bess and George were stunned. “What about your manuscript?” George asked. “Was that taken too?”
    “Fortunately, no,” the young detective said, “and before anything does happen to it, I’d better type up the final draft and mail it to Circle and Square magazine.”
    “This is really exciting,” Bess remarked, giving her friend an enthusiastic hug. “I hope you win first prize!”
    “Thanks,” Nancy said appreciatively. “The magazine is awarding a large cash prize which I’d like to donate to charity.”
    After Nancy had typed the story and labeled the precious package, the girls drove to the River Heights post office, where Nancy then suggested they speak to Mr. Kell. “I’d like to get Matey Johnson’s address from him. ”
    “You’re not planning to visit Matey, are you?” Bess inquired nervously.
    “I might,” Nancy said and aimed the car toward a small industrial park at the edge of town.
    Kell and Kell proved to be a fairly large company with an attractive office. When Nancy greeted the young woman behind the desk and asked to see the owner, the receptionist giggled.
    “Oh, you’re Nancy Drew. How I envy you trotting around the world and solving mysteries! Do they always start with something simple like a falling ladder?”
    Nancy and the other girls laughed. “It’s not that simple,” Nancy replied.
    “But just as startling,” Bess added, as the receptionist announced the visitors to Mr. Kell.
    Momentarily, he stepped out of an inner office. “No more trouble, I hope,” he said warily.
    The young detective bit her lip, not wishing to say anything in front of the receptionist. “May we talk to you privately?” she asked.
    “Certainly. ”
    As concisely as she could, Nancy told him what had happened that afternoon. “Would you please give me Mr. Johnson’s address?” she requested.
    “He was staying at a friend’s apartment while he worked here,” Mr. Kell said. “As a matter of fact, his friend—André Bergère—worked here a few years ago; a real loner and not too friendly to the other people in the shop.”
    He buzzed the receptionist for the address. It was in a section of River Heights where many European people lived.
    “Are you game to go?” Nancy turned to her friends.
    “I guess so,” Bess said reluctantly, “but I don’t relish meeting either André or Matey face to face.”
    When the girls arrived at the address, neither name was listed in the lobby directory. Bess was relieved. “Well, that settles that,” she stated. “Let’s go home.”
    “Not yet,” Nancy replied. She decided to knock at the door of a tenant on the first floor. An elderly man answered. “Would you happen to know if a Mr. André Bergère lives here?” she asked.
    “No, he doesn’t. Moved out a little while ago.”
    “Did he say where he was going?” George pressed the man.
    “I think he said Europe.”
    “That’s very interesting,” Bess commented. “You don’t suppose he went to Belgium?”
    The elderly tenant shrugged. “I have no idea,” he replied. “Sorry I can’t be of further help to you girls.”
    “Now what?” George asked.
    Nancy said she wanted to discuss everything with her father the next evening, when he was due to return from a business trip.
    “Well, don’t solve the mystery before we all see each other again!” Bess exclaimed as she and George parted to do errands.
    “Don’t worry,” Nancy