Author Note: Here is the twenty-first chapter. Sorry that this is out so much later than I had hoped for. I have been so much busier this summer than I thought I would be. There are only a few more chapters left. I am a bit worried about this chapter and how it turned out so I hope that you like it. Can you guess who the villain is now? Anyway I don't own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. I hope that you enjoy this chapter!
Searing pain filled the back of Nancy's head as she groggily sat up before quickly lying her head back down. Clenching her jaw, she waited until the sharp ache dulled and tried gingerly to once again use her arms to push herself upwards. Once seated, the muddled sleuth rubbed the dust out of her eyes. Gazing around with squinted watery eyes, she saw to her great confusion the fuzzy shapes of the tunnels in the cliff dwellings surrounding her. Wondering how on earth had she left Starlight Cliff and ended up here, the weakened detective grasped onto the wall beside her to drag herself to her feet. Although her legs shook and the room spun around in dizzying circles, Nancy stabled herself and looked searchingly around for any clues. Now she could see that she was in the dusty corner of the tight room with the hand-woven rug that covered the gaping hole in the floor. Furrowing her eyebrows, the persistent sleuth racked her brain to think of what had happened. The culprit had evidently crept up on her, knocked her out, and carried her here but why? They hadn't had any reserves about murdering Ned so why was she still alive? And where was the metal box she had just discovered on Starlight Cliff that hopefully contained the treasure? Had her assailant found her discovery and taken off? If so, why was she left here in the cliff dwellings alone?
"Nancy, it's so good to see you awake! For a minute, I was afraid that I hit you too hard." Whirling around to face the soft drawling voice, Nancy saw a blurry dark shape of a man standing in the doorway. Crawling backwards into the corner to flatten herself against the chalky wall, the trapped girl held her breath as the speaker entered the room. Her heart dropped with the terrifying realization that she recognized the deep voice and muscular silhouette.
"Dave, is that you?" Half in disbelief still, the dismayed detective tried to keep back the tears. Although she had tried as in every case not to fully trust any of her suspects, the shy cowboy had seemed to be a kind listener and helpful ally. If anyone else had showed up, Nancy might have been able to keep herself composed. However after the last few days events including the horror of Ned's death and insensitivity of the love letters, the weary girl could only take so much more pain. Seeing the bashful man who had become her friend now standing before her as the criminal behind this whole mystery felt like a shot into her already broken heart. Licking her dusty dry lips, she attempted to remain calm and question her suspect. "What is going on? Why are you here?"
"I'm truly sorry, ma'am, but we don't have time to chat." Taking a few steps nearer, Dave shook his head forlornly. Crouching before the cornered detective, he looked anxiously at her face before hesitantly reaching out to lightly touch the bloody lump on the back of her head. "Although the bleeding has stopped, you will be having a painful wound there for awhile. Sorry about all of this, ma'am, I honestly am."
"You have to tell me what is going on!" Slapping the cowboy's hand away and scooting hurriedly away from him, Nancy demanded harshly. "Are you the one who knocked me out on Starlight Cliff?"
"I'm so sorry. I know that don't make it no better, but I wish I didn't have to do any of this." Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, the guilty man hung his head to gaze ashamedly at the ground.
"So it was you all along. You are the monster who devised and carried out all of these crimes." Voice cold as ice, the furious sleuth spat out. Dave flinched as if with pain and jolted up in shock to look her straight in the eye. However Nancy paid no attention to the agony in his widened eyes and continued on in her rant. "You are the reason that so many people are suffering. Not only did you cause accidents for the Rawleys, your kindhearted bosses, in your search for the treasure, but you also probably robbed that bank with your broke brother. Then you had to go and make my life a living nightmare by murdering my boyfriend, threatening myself and others that I love, and tormented me with those sickening love notes. If you had only made trouble at the ranch in order to get Dirk's wealth, I might have understood that you were going overboard trying to care for your family. However, the fact that you have been playing disgusting mind games with us and have no problem with killing innocent people proves that you are a vile heartless person."
"Nancy, I didn't do any of that." Grasping the detective's hands desperately, Dave pleaded with her as soon as she stopped to take a breath.
"Oh really, you claim to be innocent?" Pulling away, she chuckled without humor. "Then how did you end up here? Did someone knock you out and drag you up here as well?"
"No, I was the one who hit you on the head and I'm sorry." Softly confessing his deed, the remorseful cowboy stood up and turned his back. "I have been helping someone else occasionally so that I can support my little brother. However all that I did was care for the hidden "ghost horse", stand as look-out for them, keeping a watchful eye on you, and knocking you out up on that cliff. I really didn't want to but I figured it was better me than them. If you had been seriously hurt. . ." Trailing off, Dave's voice quivered with strong emotion. Confusion filled Nancy as she stared at the bewildering man. Could this story of his be accurate? But even if he was being honest, would that make this situation any better?
"Even if that is true, you should have told me who was behind everything." Anger once again bubbling up inside of her, the strong-willed girl grabbed the wall and pulled herself up to stand. "You hid the identity of and aided a murderer, thief, and liar."
"But they didn't kill your friend." Whirling around to face Nancy swiftly, the young man earnestly protested. Upon seeing the incredulous look on the shrewd girl's face, he continued on in his explanation. "I've no idea who murdered Mr. Nickerson but I promise you, ma'am, that if I did, I'd tell you straight away."
"But I thought you just told me you were helping the person behind all of the accidents." Bewildered by the seemingly contradictory statements the cowboy kept making, the inquisitive sleuth attempted to figure out what part he had truly played in this mystery.
"Well, ma'am, certain things were caused by them but others had nothing to do with either of us." Stepping cautiously nearer, Dave clarified thoughtfully. "The ghost horse was our doing as what happened to the pump house. The only thing that I know about the bank robbery is what was printed in the paper. Your steady's murder as well as any harm that came to you physically or in letters were done by some other fellow entirely. If I knew anything, you'd have been the first I would have told."
With a sigh of disappointment, Nancy bit her lip worriedly. If Dave wasn't the criminal, then who was? Was he still lying to her? "Why didn't you just come clean with me still? Everything could have turned out so differently."
"I wish that I could've but I really needed the extra money for my brother." Glancing over his shoulder anxiously, the ashamed man wrung his hands. Turning back toward the girl detective with a sincerely apologetic look on his handsome face, Dave approached her. Frightened and unsure, the sleuth backed away nervously until the sandy wall scraped her back. "Already it's been too long. I just need to do this. I'm sorry, ma'am. Please trust me that this is for the best."
"What are you doing?" Exclaiming with fear as the strong man gently scooped her up into arms, the quick-thinking sleuth immediately began kicking and clawing at him. However he refused to loosen his grip as he carried her over to the middle of the room. Bending down, he swiftly lowered the squirming girl into the hole into the ground. Realizing what his intent for her was, Nancy clung to Dave in effort to save herself from being trapped out on the ledge. Grasping his shoulder, she attempted to pull herself up. Prepared for this, the cowboy unwrapped her clinging from him which caused her to fall heavily several feet to the dusty ledge below that was far too high off the ground to get off of except for climbing back up into the room. Desperate not to be trapped, Nancy stood on her tiptoes and stretched her arms to reach as high as possible. But no matter how hard she tried, the terrified detective could not get out of her stony prison. "Let me out! Are you really going to leave me here to die? How could you, Dave?"
Crouching down over the opening above so that Nancy could just see his face, the cowboy whispered hurriedly. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Although this is asking the impossible, could you please be quiet? Trust me if only for five more minutes. You'll understand later." His face disappeared from the hole and for a dreadful instant, Nancy thought that she was all alone. However a minute later, Dave returned and lowered down a heavy metal chest to her. Gasping sharply in puzzled surprise, the inquisitive detective snatched the iron box. Kneeling down with the chest set in front of her, the girl pried open the lid and stared in stunned amazement. Inside glistened magnificent gold and gems shaped like hearts. This was Dirk's treasure that she had worked so diligently to find. But why on earth had the man who had been searching for this wealth as well hand it down to her?
"Dave, what is going on?" Repeating one of her first questions, the bewildered sleuth gazed upward into the cowboy's serious face. Her confusion grew greater as he threw down a coil of rope, canteen full of water, and bag of trail mix. Catching the items that would enable her to escape and stay alive in the desert, Nancy bit her lip nervously and looked searchingly at her captor. Was he helping or hindering her?
"Please just be quiet and cautious, ma'am. It should be over soon." With a lingering glance, Dave covered the hole between them with the shaggy rug. Nancy opened her mouth to call but then shut it again. Perhaps he was tricking her, but even so she not only had the means with which to get back to the ranch but also the long sought treasure. Resigning herself to heeding his advice for awhile, the detective sat upon the ground with her back to the rock running her hands through the smooth cool jewels. Silence filled the air with only the lone howl from a coyote making noise. After about ten minutes, the impatient girl squirmed into another position before standing to stare up at the gap above. Although she trusted the mysterious man more once again, she wondered if she had waited long enough. Walking back to Shadow Ranch in the cool night air would be much more enjoyable than in the steaming Arizona sun. Reaching down to pick up the rope, Nancy decided that the cowboy had left even if she had not heard him and leaving the cliff dwellings would be fine. However the sound of heavy footsteps made her freeze. Was Dave coming back? Straining to hear, the concentrating girl held her breath.
"Where is the treasure?" Nancy barely heard a muffled voice ask.
"I don't know." Devoid of any emotion, Dave responded from right above her. Eyebrows knit together, the hidden girl realized that he had never left. Her eyes grew wide as she comprehended that the second person was the mastermind behind the ghost horse. Even if they had not murdered her boyfriend, they were still a criminal who was not afraid to injure or cheat others. Standing on her tiptoes to get closer, Nancy's heart pounded quickly in fear. Would Dave give away the whereabouts of her or Dirk's treasure?
"Don't tell me you went soft on her!" Raising their voice in fury, the other person moved in nearer. "I told you to make her find the treasure and bring it to me."
"Sorry, Sir, I couldn't find her anywhere." Steadily, the brave cowboy lied. Although relief washed over the girl sleuth, she tensed as she waited for the response. In the back of her mind, she noted that it was another man with Dave.
"I don't believe you." The criminal spat back. "Tell me the truth right now and I'll let you off easy."
"Then that's your problem." Voice ringing with quiet strength, Dave refused to back down. "I won't tell you anything more." For a few minutes, a terrifying silence filled the air and Nancy wondered anxiously if his boss finally bought his story. Hopefully they would both leave to search for her elsewhere. Finally, a low short sinister chuckle broke the quiet filling the waiting girl's heart with dread.
"Nope, you sure won't." Almost too low to make out, the other man hissed. Following that, Nancy heard two of the most horrifying noises; the sharp bang of a gun being shot off and the sickening thud of a body falling to the ground.