Well, this is the last part of this story. Thankyou everyone who reviewed and I hope you all enjoyed this story. Until next time:)

PART TEN.

CHAPTER 36.

Lindbrook was moving closer and closer to Nancy, the barrel of the revolver coming un-nervingly close to her head.

"Hands out of you pockets and in the air!" he commanded in a harsh voice.

Before doing so, Nancy quickly pressed the green button on her phone, hoping Carron wouldn't notice.

He apparantly didn't. Any second now...

Suddenly BANG! The sound of the gun being fired echoed through the night.

Feeling no pain, Nancy's first thought was Ned. Had Carron seen him climbing out of the car and shot him?

Taking a deep breath, Nancy lifted her head and lokked into Lindbrook Carron's cold, calculating eyes. The gun was pointed into the sky.

He laughed, low and merciless. "Scared you, did I, Miss Drew?" he laughed again, then glanced in the direction Nancy had looked when the gun was fired. The direction she was hoping Ned had chaanged his mind not to come from.

"Why did you look that way with the shot, Miss Drew? There wouldn't by any chance be anyone hiding back there, would there?"

Nancy kept her face neutral. "Would I be so stupid as to bring someone else with me, Mr Carron?"

Lindbrook eyes narrowed into thin slits. "You never can tell, Miss Drew. Nancy," he said with a smirk.

"But if, for some reason, you were stupid enough to bring back-up, you can rest assured that I will find them. And don't worry, Nancy, it's not going to be long before you will be resting. A very long rest."

CHAPTER 37.

A shape moved in the shadows.

An owl hooted in the darkness.

The sound of a car on a gravel road sounded in the distance.

Another gunshot pierced the still night.

Nancy jumped.

Another shot had been fired into the sky.

Lindbrook Carron was laughing.

"Say goodbye, Nancy Drew!"

The gun was aimed at Nancy. She could see Lindbrook's finger begin to squeeze the trigger.

"No!" a voice shouted.

Ned came sprinting from the bushes and delivered a flying tackle.

Lindbrook fell to the ground and the gun went off, shooting harmlessly into a fence post.

Ned and Lindbrook were wrestling on the ground. Ned appeared to be winning, until suddenly another man appeared out of the dark. Samuel Dimitarkis.

The odds were deffinately against them now. Nancy tried to help, but was no match for the two strong men, and Ned appeared to have been hurt. He was clutching his side where he'd been kicked.

Then another figure appeared. James!

Nancy's eyes widened as James launched himself at his father, knocking the gun out of his hand and pulling his hands behind his back.

Despite his pain, Ned jumped up and grabbed Dimitarkis. James was holding the gun, aiming it at his dad and Samuel.

Nancy had already dialed 911.

It was over.

CHAPTER 38.

James looked at Nancy, a sad expression in his eyes. "Really? it's over?"

Nancy nodded and touched his hand. "I'm sorry- I, I don't know what else to say."

It was the day after the 'showdown' with Carron and Dimitarkis, and Nancy and James were sitting in her backyard. Having the conversation she had been dreading.

"I know what happened wasn't your fault," she said comfortingly to James, "I know, it was all your dad. And James, I also know this next little while is gonna be really tough for you, so if you need a friend, I'm here. Whenever you need me. I really mean that."

James gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Nancy. That really means a lot."

Nancy smiled back. "No problem."

"So, dad, ready for the trial?" Nancy asked her father that night. The two of them were sitting on the sofa, enjoying some time together after everything that had happened. Carson was going over some noted he'd already made for the trial of Lindbrook and Samuel, whom he was prosecuting in three weeks.

Carson shrugged. "A few weeks and I will be." He reached over and hugged his daughter. "In case I havn't said this enough times, thankyou, Nan. I'm so glad everything worked out. I love you."

Nancy hugged her father back. "Love you, too," she said. "But, you know, if it wasn't for James and Ned, we probably never would have gotten out of that one."

Carson nodded. "Don't I know it. Hey, listen, Nan, about Ned..."

Nancy blushed. "Yeah?"

Carson shrugged. "Well, I was just wondering how serious the two of you are. He seems like a very nice young man, and I was thinking maybe we could have him around for dinner tomorrow night- you know, so I could get to know him."

Nancy laughed. "So you can interogate him, you mean." She grinned at her dad's expression. "Just joking. I guess we are kinda serious. Sounds good."

CHAPTER 39.

Ned arrived at five that evening, and Nancy pretty much flew down the stairs to answer the door.

"So," Ned said when she threw it open, "Does this mean we get to go on a real date now?"

Nancy laughed and reached up to hug him. "Sure, Nickerson. I think that could be arranged."

"Could a hello kiss be arranged, too?" Ned teased, pulling her close to him.

"Well-"

"Ned! Hello," Carson Drew suddenly said, appearing behind the two of them.

Nancy and Ned pulled away from each other, and Ned gave her a wink. 'Later', he mouthed.

Nancy giggled, trying to keep a straight face when her father looked at her questioningly.

Carson shook his head. "Never mind. Ready for the most delicious dinner you've ever tasted, Ned?"

Ned rubbed his stomach. "Sure am, Mr Drew."

"It'll be another hour or so yet," came Hannah's voice from the kitchen. "So make yourselves comfortable for a little while."

Nancy, Carson, and Ned settled in the living room and Nancy steeled herself for an hour of her dad's questions to find out Ned's intensions with his baby girl.

But the questions she was excpecting didn't come. Half an hour later her father and Ned were involved in heated conversation, ranging from politics, to Ned's courses at College, to what pets he had.

Nancy was content just to listen, glad that the two of them were gettig along so well.

Just after six, Hannah called them for dinner, and Ned stated that he'd, "Never had food this good before."

CHAPTER 40.

"So...," Ned said to Nancy after dinner that night.

"So...," she replied. The two of them were sitting out on Nancy's front porch, curled up together on a deck chair.

"That was quite a case," Ned said. "Is your life always this exciting?"

Nancy laughed. "More often than not- so you'd better get used to it. If you plan on sticking around, that is."

Ned squeezed her tight and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "Oh, I plan on sticking around all right. For a lonnnng time."

Nancy turned slightly so that she could see his face. "Good," she murmered, running her hand through his hair."

Ned smiled and touched her cheek. "Hey, you wanna come up to Emerson next weekend? Maybe we could go camping or something. Something fun."

Nancy kissed his forehead. "Sounds like fun. I'm in."

"That's good." Ned pulled her against his chest and kissed her deeply. Nancy melted into the kiss, feeling totally relaxed for the first time in weeks.

THE END!!

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