First Case: Missing Files: Chapter 1: News and Trouble

Nancy Drew stared at the clock hanging on tried gray wall of the classroom. Criminology was usually her favorite class but, on a Friday afternoon with an exciting weekend ahead she could barley concentrate.

It didn't help that the "exciting" guest speaker was an 80 year old desk sergeant who thought a woman's place was in the home, not in any form law enforcement. Well, expect as a secretary.

The officer was going on about some "dangerous" cases he had solved in the past. "The suspect was going a good 25 miles and hour" the cop went on, "when I shot his tires out!" The cop, Oscar McDean, paused as if waiting for the whole class to erupt in applause.

I solved more dangerous cases in my sleep! Plus didn't he say he was a desk sergeant? Nancy thought rolling her eyes.

Again she glanced at the clock. Only 25 more minutes until freedom!!! She smiled at the plans for the weekend. Nancy and her two close friends, the Hardy brothers were going to look at offices to house their new detective agency, Hardy, Drew and Hardy Detectives Inc. Frank, who had graduated in December, had flown up to Chicago the week before to start the search.

As for Joe, that was another story. He had flown up on Wednesday (after bribing a friend to take all his notes for him) to help Frank in the search. But Frank said Joe had done a lot more flirting than real work. That thought made Nancy smile. Joe was the biggest flirt in history.

For the third time Nancy glanced at the clock. 2:45. Only 15 minutes, she might as well put it to good use.

Nancy pulled out a clean sheet of paper and started thinking about interesting slogans.

Hardy Drew and Hardy will hang out all your dirty laundry!

Yuck, no way. It makes it sound like a dry cleaners! The strawberry blonde girl thought.

Hardy, Hardy and Drew are always here for you!

Now it sounds like an insurance company!

Hardy, Drew and Hardy, we are here to clean up the party!

Nope!

Well, she thought I can do this later. Just 5 more minutes! Just as Nancy turned her attion back to Sergeant McDean she felt her phone vibrate.

Text! Maybe it's Frank! As Nancy pulled out her phone Sergeant McDean looked over at her.

"What are you doing young lady?" he asked looking at her suspiciously.

"Nothing sir," Nancy answered

"You going into law enforcement?" he asked like it was a really weird thing for a woman to do.

"Yes and no sir," Nancy started

"Oh, you're going to be a secretary, good choice." McDean finished for her. Snickers arose from the people who knew Nancy really well.

"I am a private detective," Nancy said coolly. "And this lecture was over 2 minutes ago, Sorry to rush off but, I have a plane to catch." Nancy stood up and grabbed her jacket and backpack.

As she calmly walked toward the door she felt her phone buzz again. As soon as she was out the door she pulled out her phone to look at the messages. The first read:

Nancy-

Please call me!

Frank

She laughed, Frank never abbreviated anything. The second one was also from Frank:

Hello!!!! Are you there????

As Nancy walked toward the door she dialed Frank's number. Riiiiiiing! Riiiiin- Frank picked up half way through the second ring.

"That took long enough! What happened did you lose your phone again?" Frank asked

"Sorry, I was in class!" Nancy answered "What's up?"

"I think I found the perfect place!" Frank said and in the background Nancy heard Joe protest, "Hey I was there to!"

"Yea," Frank answered "You were flirting with the real estate agent the whole time!"

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"Guys," Nancy interrupted "Tell me more about the office!"

"Well, it has one big office space, a bathroom and a file room. Plus, it's already furnished." Frank responded.

In the background Joe was saying "It's on the 11th flood and it has great views and it has a room full of old files for us to clean out."

"What are the files from?" Nancy asked.

"From the detective agency that was here about 5 years ago" Joe answered "That's what Heather said"

"Heather is the real estate agent." Frank cut in, "And Joe's newest girl friend."

Nancy laughed "Has the office been empty for all 5 years?"

"Yep, apparently the old owner just died and his family put up for sale. For a really good price too." Frank said "When are you coming up Nan?"

"On the 3 o'clock" Nancy answered "So I should get going."

"Okay, see you at the airport." Frank said

"Bye" Nancy closed her phone. It might be fun looking at old cases. You just never know.

And little did she know what those files would lead to.