Disclaimer: I do not own Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys. Well, it's another story from me. This one was started in November 2017 and will be updated even less than the other two. As with all my stories, any comments including constructive criticism are welcomed.
Nancy Drew brushed her reddish-blonde hair back from her face and peered up at the elegant, red brick and pale stone mansion surrounded by rolling green lawns. "So this is Beech Hill", she said.
"Are we dressed up enough to go in there?", Bess Marvin asked nervously. Both girls were dressed for Washington DC's summer heat in T-shirts, shorts and baseball caps.
"It's a museum now, Bess. Not some fancy estate. Besides, my cousin Sandra invited us all for a behind the scenes look.", George Fayne said. Like Nancy and Bess, she was dressed casually.
The three girls were in Washington DC for a ten day vacation. They'd arrived in the city the night before and were looking forward to experiencing all that the city had to offer.
"What does your cousin do here?", Nancy asked.
"She's an assistant curator.". George said. "The museum's speciality is Pre-Columbian art and artefacts and Sandra says that they're unveiling something big tomorrow."
"Did she say what it was?". Nancy said.
"No", George looked thoughtful. "Actually she sounded like something was bothering her. She tried to hide it, but I could tell something was up."
"Maybe it has something to do with them.",Bess said.
A group of people had formed themselves into a semicircle around the museum's entrance. As the girls got closer to them, Nancy could see that most of them were young, probably college students, they wore white T-shirts with Let Pacal Go Home printed on them. They parted to let the girls through and one of the protesters handed Nancy a flyer as she passed.
Nancy pulled open the museum's polished oak door and the three girls stepped into a marble floored octagonal lobby. George crossed to a desk and gave their names to a uniformed guard standing behind it. "Sandra Fayne is expecting us.", she said.
As the guard made a call to announce their arrival, Nancy took a moment to gaze around the lobby. Long galleries stretched off in different directions and a guy and girl of about their own age sat on a bench nearby.
"It's so elegant!", Bess exclaimed as Nancy took in the gleaming marble floors, shining wood doors, and burnished brass fixtures. "This place must have belonged to some really wealthy people."
"It was originally the home of Samuel and Lavinia Cartwright. They were a prominent Washington DC couple in the 1920's and 30's."
The person who had spoken was a pretty young woman in her mid twenties. She was about Nancy's height and had dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and emerald green eyes.
"Sandra!", George exclaimed and enveloped the young woman in a hug.
"It's been too long since we've had a chance to catch up.", Sandra explained after untangling herself from George's embrace. She then looked at the other two girls, You must be Nancy and Bess."
"Pleased to meet you", Nancy said. "What's going on outside?"
"About that", Sandra said. "After I've shown you around, the museum director wants to see you. Apparently she's heard about Nancy's detective work from somewhere."
"Let's hope it's something small", Bess said. "That way we can get on with our vacation."
Sandra led the girls through a door and into a high-ceilinged gallery. Glass-fronted display cases lined the walls while visitors examined the contents of free standing cases. "The Cartwrights started collecting Pre-Columbian art during the time that Samuel was posted to Mexico as part of the Foreign Service.", she explained. "Then when they returned to DC, they bought the house and named it Beech Hill after the copper beech tree in the grounds."
"I can see why they started collecting.", Nancy said as she examined intricately carved pieces of jade, vividly painted pottery and ornate gold necklaces.
Nancy and her friends spent the next few hours taking in all the exquisite art and artefacts. Eventually Sandra led them away from the exhibit area and up a small flight of stairs and to an office door with a brass plate that read, Susan Caldwell, Director.
She knocked on the door and a woman answered,"Who is it?"
"It's Sandra, Mrs Caldwell. My cousin and her friends are here to see you."
"Well, all of you had better come in then."
Sandra pushed open the door and the girls found themselves in a spacious and well-lit office. Prints that showed some of the same motifs that they'd seen in the art and artefacts on display hung on the walls. The office overlooked the copper beech in the grounds. Seated behind a walnut desk in front of the windows was a petite middle-aged woman. She had short blonde hair and was wearing a tailored silk suit.
"You must be Nancy Drew", she said holding out a hand for Nancy to shake. "You're exactly like Marilyn described you."
"Would that be Senator Marilyn Kilpatrick?", Nancy asked. Nancy had solved a couple of important problems for the Senator in the past.
"Marilyn and I are good friends", Mrs Caldwell explained. "When I talked to her about the problems we've been having, she recommended that I talk to you."
"Those problems wouldn't have to do with the protestors outside, would they?", Nancy asked.
"We're unveiling a recent acquisition of ours tomorrow night", Mrs Caldwell said. "A jade carving of the Mayan ruler Pacal that we managed to get just last month."
"Who was Pacal?", Nancy asked.
"Pacal was one of the greatest rulers of the Maya age", Mrs Caldwell explained. "He ascended to the throne at age twelve and reigned for around seventy years in the six hundreds."
"Wow, that's amazing!", Bess said.
"Unfortunately, there are several people who don't agree with its exhibition here in the US. They believe that it's stolen and should be returned to Mexico."
"And is it?", Nancy asked.
"It's a complicated situation.", Mrs Caldwell explained. "Several pieces like this were looted from archaeological sites in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries."
"And the Pacal carving is one of those?", Nancy asked.
It's not.", Mrs Caldwell replied. "Had it been we would have returned it to Mexico. But its provenance checks out."
"Provenance?", Nancy echoed.
"An object's history.",Mrs Caldwell explained. "Who owned it in the past, when it was sold and through whom."
"So, what's the problem if it's not looted?", George asked.
"There are certain people who believe that this artefact and others like it should never have left Mexico in the first place."
"And those are the people who are protesting outside?", Nancy asked,
"Yes", Mrs Caldwell answered. "We're holding a celebration for our most dedicated supporters tomorrow night at which the carving will be unveiled. I'm concerned that there will be some publicity grabbing stunt which will disrupt the event."
"And you want us to make sure that doesn't happen?", Nancy asked.
"I'd like you three to attend the event tomorrow and keep your eyes and ears open and if there is anything amiss, I'd prefer if it was dealt with discreetly."
"And that's all you want us to do?", Nancy asked.
"That's all. Then you can enjoy the rest of your vacation."
"I say we go for it.", Bess said.
"I don't know.",George said. "How many times have we agreed to take on one little assignment and it turns out to be something much bigger?"
"George, you haven't looked at the real bright spot of this assignment.", Bess said.
"And that is?", Nancy asked, even though she had a feeling what Bess was going to say.
"We don't have anything to wear for this party.", Bess declared, a triumphant note in her voice."So, it's time to go shopping!"
###
At the same time in a house just outside of Bayport, Joe Hardy let out a yawn as he fidgeted in a chintz print armchair.
"Joe, will you just cool it?", Frank, his older brother, said. " Dad'll probably be finished in a minute."
"But we've been waiting forty-five minutes already", Joe complained.
The brothers had accompanied Fenton Hardy, their father, on a visit to Eudora Smith. The elderly woman had taught Fenton in fifth grade and had invited them to see her late husband's coin collection which included some rare Confederate coins. Although right now, Joe wished that his father and Mrs Smith would stop reminiscing about the past and get to the point already.
"Excuse me", Joe said. "But I need to use the little boys' room."
"Of course", Mrs Smith said. "It's straight down the hall and on your left."
Joe followed her directions and soon found himself in a hall with blue wallpaper. After visiting the bathroom, Joe had just finished washing his hands when a movement of shadow from the hall caught his eye.
Joe stopped and took a closer look at the moving shadow. It seemed to be coming from the door across the hall. Joe opened the door.
At first he saw only vague shapes but as his vision cleared, Joe saw a that the room was a study. There were book shelves lined with leather bound books, red leather armchairs and a black clad figure searching through the walnut desk.
Joe sprang into the room and leapt onto the figure. They struggled for a minute before Joe managed to pull off his opponent's ski mask to reveal the face of Fiona Fox.
For a moment they stared at each other before Fiona made her move. Almost without moving, the auburn-haired cat burglar reached into her belt and pulled out a tiny silver aerosol canister. That was the last thing Joe saw before a mist hit his face and he dropped to the floor, unconscious.