Nancy watched as the police forensic team took picture after picture of the scene and the corpse of the dead Network courier. Detective Johnson was examining the evidence. He was now going through White's wallet looking for contact numbers. At Mr. Fairchild's request she had pocketed White's Network identification card. Fairchild had also told her that White did not have any family members and not to worry about dealing with that stuff.
Nancy sighed and walked up the stairs to the square where the merry-go-round lied. It had been cleared of patrons. The only people left were a handful of witnesses and Nancy's friends. She motioned to them that she'd be a minute. Two officers were questioning the witness that had screamed.
"Ma'am, how did you exactly discover it?"
Nancy took a moment to study the woman. She was perhaps in her sixties or seventies, and more handsome than beautiful. Her hair was dark brown with hints of gray at the edges. She appeared to be extremely nervous.
"I was walking around the square trying to look for my son and his family. We had arranged to meet here and then spend the rest of the evening together. I arrived at the side that overlooked the boardwalk," she pointed over towards where White had been found. "I saw a man looking around at the ground as if looking for something. He looked up, saw me and made a break for it. I looked down toward where he had been scrounging and saw a motionless figure. I figured that she had been killed or something so I yelled."
The officer nodded as he took down notes. "Did you get a good look at the man?"
The woman shook her head. "I'm afraid not. It was too dark. I couldn't see a thing."
"Thank you ma'am, could we get your name and contact information in case we have some more questions?"
"Of course, my name is Ms. Claire Anderson. I can be contacted at the following number. . . ."
Nancy walked away toward where her friends had found a bench to sit on. "Sorry," she apologized, "I was just looking at the evidence."
"How did you get onto the scene like that?" George asked.
Nancy winced inwardly. That was going to take some explaining so that she didn't get her cover blown. "I guess they recognized me and all that." Nancy said.
"So what happened?" Brenda asked eagerly. Obviously she had decided to stay and get a scoop on the murder.
"Just a normal, everyday mugging," Nancy bluffed. It was assassination really. Brenda looked disappointed. Little did she know how much Nancy had deceived her.
"Are you ready to go back to River Heights?" Ned asked.
Nancy shook her head no, "I'm sorry Ned, the police want me to stay so they can get an official statement. I also came up with a couple of theories and they want to hear them. Just go back to River Heights and tell my father for me. Tell him I'll call him as soon as I can." In reality Nancy was in charge of the investigation until Frank arrived.
"I can stay and wait." Ned said.
"That won't work Ned," Nancy pointed out, "then Bess and George won't have a ride home."
Ned nodded. "Okay Nancy, but call me when you need a ride back, I'll come and pick you up."
"Don't worry," Nancy told him.
"That won't be necessary," Brenda cut in. "I could wait here with Nancy and drive her home when she's ready to go home."
That devil! Nancy thought. She was still trying to get in on the details.
"That's perfect!" Ned declared. He said goodby to Nancy and left with George and Bess. Nancy watched him leave sadly. She hated to deceive him. He hated it too.
"So who do we question first?" Brenda asked, getting out her pen and a notepad to take notes on.
"Who said you were involved?" Nancy countered.
Brenda smiled smugly. "You and I know perfectly well why you got Ned, Bess, and George away. You want to investigate without them in the way."
"So?"
"So, if you don't let me in on this I'll tell them that." Brenda announced in an even more smug voice.
Great! Nancy thought sarcastically. Now what do I do? Suddenly Nancy had an idea. They wouldn't be doing too much investigating at the scene. The forensic team was quickly wrapping up. The officers were running out of witnesses to question. She could just hitch a ride with one of the cops back to headquarters and leave Brenda high and dry. Except that Brenda had a car. Oh well, no one would let her past the front desk. "Fine," Nancy announced, "try and follow me."
Nancy walked down the stairs with Brenda following. Detective Johnson was talking to one of the members of the forensic team. "Are we about finished?" Nancy asked.
"Actually, we are," Johnson replied with a smile.
"I'm afraid I didn't bring a car to the park with me," Nancy said. "Is it all right if I hitch a ride with you?"
"Of course," Johnson said, "I was just about to leave, follow me."
Unfortunately Brenda followed. As Nancy and Detective Johnson arrived in the square Nancy spotted the officer that had been questioning the woman who had screamed. "Excuse me officer," Nancy said, "this woman tells me that she saw something important, could you question her quickly?"
"Of course ma'am," the officer replied. He took Brenda's arm and led her over the other questioning officer. Brenda shot Nancy a murderous glare as she and Johnson walked away.
"What was that about?" Johnson asked.
"She's with the press," Nancy responded crossly. "Make sure you keep her away from the investigation, she'll ruin it if she can. If necessary I can get a gag order issued." Frank would be more than glad to do so.
"Wow! Now that's what I call high and mighty power." Detective Johnson joked.
*********
Nancy sat down at Johnson's desk. He had gone to go and get Ms. White's belongings at Nancy's request. He had also given her permission to use his phone. She picked it up and dialed her home number. Her father answered.
"Nancy? Is that you? Where have you been?" came Carson Drew's voice.
"It's me all right," Nancy replied with a smile.
"Ned came and told me that you've gotten involved with a murder."
"Sort of," Nancy said, "I'm on the case all right."
"How did you pull that off?" Mr. Drew asked. "Isn't the Chicago Police Department in charge of the investigation?"
"Basically." Nancy said. It was time for her to tell her father some sort of explanation about the Network. Mr. Fairchild had given her permission especially because she was the only one in her family that knew about the Network, whereas, Frank and Joe had each other and their father. "Remember how I was away taking all those 'courses' in June?"
"What about it?"
"I took them because I'm now, um, employed." Nancy said.
"Employed by whom?"
"The government," Nancy explained. "It's sort of the FBI and CIA wrapped into one."
"Is it dangerous?" Mr. Drew asked in a worried voice.
"It depends on how good I am." Nancy replied.
"What kind of answer is that!"
"Don't worry Dad. Anyway, Ned told you that some woman died in a mugging, right?"
"Yes, what about it?"
"It wasn't just a plain murder. It was an assassination. She was a courier for the government. The Hardys and I are in charge of the investigation."
"That's a lot to take in," Mr. Drew managed to get out.
"Look, I got to hurry. Chances are that Brenda is going to show up and try to cause some trouble with Bess and George. Tell them that I haven't abandoned them or anything like that okay?"
"I'll do that Nancy, but you have to promise that you'll explain it to me when you get back."
"Don't worry, I will. Bye."
"Bye."
Nancy sighed and hung up the phone. I hope Bess and George understand, and Ned, Nancy thought.
Johnson walked back into the room carrying an open box. "Here's the stuff we found on her body and the contents of her purse."
Nancy stood up and began to carefully sort through the box. First she took the purse and examined it for any secret compartments. There was nothing.
"What is she? A smuggler?" Johnson queried.
Nancy shook her head. "This is not a simple murder. This is an assassination."
Johnson sat down in one of the chairs. "An assassination eh? Who was she?"
"You'll have to keep this to yourself. She was a courier for a government agency. That is all I will say about her." Nancy said to Johnson as she examined a makeup kit.
"You don't have to say anything else Ms. Drew. I can tell you're looking for what she was carrying."
Nancy smiled as she set down the makeup kit. There had been nothing in it. Next she examined White's appointment book. It was obvious that several pages had been neatly torn out. The pages from the last six months. There was one entry left in the book:
Rendezvous w/ Col. Carnival- Jul4-Chicago- 22:30
She must have met the Colonel all right. Whoever he was, Nancy thought to herself grimly. She would have to notify Fairchild that one of the traitors was a colonel either in the Network or the armed forces. Probably the Network.
Nancy set down the appointment book and looked through the other contents of the purse while Johnson silently looked on. Next she came to a pouch. The type was familiar to Nancy. She pulled out a standard issue Network pistol. She held it up to her nose and sniffed it. Used recently, Nancy noted to herself. She set it down and began to go through the things that had been found on White's person.
Two daggers and their sheaths, a necklace, two earrings, clothing and undergarments that had no secret pockets, shoes, stockings, and a ring. A very old ring, it looked like an antique. Nancy studied it curiously. Fairchild had said that she had no family. Did she have a fiancé? A lover perhaps. The ring wasn't a class ring for a high school or college.
"Do you mind if I use your phone again?" Nancy asked the detective.
"Not at all," Johnson responded. "Is that what she was carrying?"
Nancy shook her head and picked up the phone and dialed Fairchild's number. It rang several times before someone picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Who is this?" Nancy asked.
"Don't you recognize me?"
"Oh, sorry Elayne," Nancy said. "Can I speak with your father?"
"No." Elayne replied.
"Why not?" Nancy asked.
"I don't know. Did you know that Dad married Amanda?"
"Yes, he told us that Elayne. How are things?"
"Just wonderful. Amanda spends a lot of time with me." Elayne said.
"Elayne, I really need to talk to your father, can you put him on the line?"
"No, he left to go have a meeting. He's not home."
"Why didn't you tell that to me in the first place?" Nancy demanded, trying to keep her calm.
Elayne laughed. "It's funny! I do that all the time."
"Look Elayne, do you know where your father keeps his files? I need to find something out." Nancy inquired.
"Like something about that courier that got killed in Chicago? Maybe something from her dossier? The very dossier my father left with me in case you or Joe called?"
"I give up!" Nancy said in an exasperated voice. "Did Ms. White have a lover, fiancé, or husband?"
The sound of rustling paper came through the line. Finally Elayne answered. "Nope."
"Please tell your father that I found a peculiar ring in her belongings. Tell him I need to know where it came from and to contact me sometime soon." Nancy instructed.
"Aye aye ma'am!" Elayne said.
"Bye Elayne."
Nancy hung up. So, the ring was most likely important. It could be a clue to where the cache was. Either that or a clue as to where White spent some time. "Do you mind if I keep this ring?" Nancy asked Johnson.
"It's your investigation," he replied cheerfully.
"Not for long," Nancy said. "I, nor my associates will spend very much time here. When we leave you're back in charge. It's doubtful that you'll find the murderer. He'll probably be going where we're going. To the place this all started at."
"Oh well, you can take the ring anyway." Johnson said.
Nancy smiled as she sat down and began to sort through the evidence once again. Maybe she had missed something. Hopefully Frank and Joe would show up soon. Frank and I always seem to be able to come up good theories and ideas between us, Nancy noted absently as she studied White's purse.
Review Responses:
Okay, so I got a lot of questions in my reviews, thank you very much, I'm more than happy to answer questions. Also, a quick note- I'm going out of town for the next week, so that means that I won't be updating for a while. If you're desperate for chapter 3, (which has been typed already) You can check for it at www.hardydetectiveagency.com It will be published there sometime in the middle of the coming week. :) Check the message board under story announcements/updates for the link. :)
anonymous 327- Nancy's friends didn't see Nancy flash the card, they might've seen her flash something, but they don't know that the cops think she's in the FBI. And. . . . Fairchild wanted to talk to Frank because, #1- He senses that Frank is the dominant brother, #2, Frank outranks Joe, #3 Fairchild relates to Frank more easily, therefore he's better at communicating with him.
halo_ - How do I come up with story ideas? Hmmmm. . . . lots of different ways. Basically, I come up with some sort of idea, or a cool title that I can put something too, then I make a beginning sort of, I know what the problem is, then I already know the solution. Next I began writing. I just have to pump enough life into the characters, (good and bad) and they tend to then drag me through the story helping me come up with the plot. Sometimes if I give them too much life, the villain might get changed, or the basic idea might get changed and the case will turn out different. In the Fairchild Affair I did not really plan on putting Fairchild on top of the Network for the first couple of chapters. I made him too much of a 'spook' so he became the head of the Network. (He was supposed to be a retired Navy Admiral. . . . but then I had him start using his handy dandy garotte. . . . In this story I have it planned out well enough that it will end in the basic way I plan though. :) It'll be a very interesting showdown, if I do say so myself. . . .