Landmine Chapter 9
"I'm really sorry that we have to leave," Frank said to Nancy. She, Frank, and Joe were standing by the boys' rental van, which they had just packed.
"It's okay, Frank," Nancy assured him. "Besides, the trial isn't for another two months."
"Still, if we didn't have to help out Dad on a case, we could stay here," Frank said.
Nancy tilted her head at him. "For two months? Frank, I know River Heights is a hopping little town, but we're not that entertaining. And you would go crazy in no time, especially with no case to solve."
"What about you?" Frank asked.
"I could use a good lengthy break," Nancy said.
"If you get too bored, you know you're always welcome in Bayport," Frank said. "It's not that long of a drive."
Nancy let out a rueful laugh. "Do we remember what happened the last time I drove up?"
"Yeah, you broke your leg, witnessed a 'pretend' murder, made my brother insanely jealous, and almost got yourself killed," Joe spoke up. He let out a sigh. "Good times…good times."
Frank sent Joe a look that could have melted iron. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" he asked, annoyed.
"Not this second—no ," Joe said, smiling at his brother.
Nancy laughed. "He's just trying to get at you, Frank," she said. "But he is right, you know."
"Fine. You can fly up to see us, then," Frank said through gritted teeth.
"This never gets old," Joe said, amused.
"It's almost four o'clock," Nancy said, changing to subject before the brothers got into a fight. "You're going to miss your flight if you don't leave."
Frank stopped glaring at Joe long enough to give Nancy a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Call us if you need anything."
"I promise," Nancy said.
Joe stepped up and gave her a hug as well. "We'll be back for the trial, Nan."
Nancy nodded and Frank tossed the keys to Joe. "You better drive—for your own sake."
Joe looked at his brother in mock surprise. "Was that a threat I just heard, big brother?"
"Take it any way you want, Joe," Frank said, smiling.
Nancy chuckled and shook her head as the boys climbed into the car and took off down the road. She stayed outside until she was unable to see their car anymore and then made her way inside.
Her stomach started to rumble at her so she pointed herself towards the kitchen. She had barely taken five steps when the doorbell rang. Thinking that Frank or Joe forgot something, she smiled as she opened the door. But her smile was quickly replaced with a frown when she saw who was standing in front of her.
"What do you want?" she asked coldly.
Ned Nickerson bent down and picked up a large bouquet of daisies that had been hidden from Nancy's view. He presented them to her and said, "I was stupid."
Nancy didn't take the flowers from him. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and continued to frown. "I'm listening."
"Can I come in?' Ned asked, hopefully. "I really don't want the entire neighborhood included in this."
Nancy studied him for a while. A part of her wanted him to embarrass himself in front of the neighbors; the reasonable part of her couldn't put him through that. She let out a sigh and stepped back so he could enter the house. She closed the door behind him and led the way to the living room.
Ned sat down on the sofa and placed the flowers in his lap. "So…where are Frank and Joe?" he asked.
"They had to go home," Nancy said. "But I'm sure you didn't come all the way over here to ask about them."
Ned sighed, realizing that this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. "Like I said before—I was stupid."
"Keep going," Nancy said.
"Do I really have to lay out everything?" he asked.
Nancy shrugged. "I have all the time in the world."
"Nancy, I overreacted. I should have trusted your judgment and supported you. Instead, I acted like a complete idiot and I snapped," Ned explained. "I was jealous of Frank," he added softly.
Nancy cupped her ear with her hand. "I'm sorry. I don't think I caught that last part. Can you say it again?"
Ned rolled his eyes. "You heard what I said."
Nancy shook her head slowly. "I just want to make sure I heard you right because I could have sworn you just admitted you were jealous of Frank Hardy."
"I can't help it, Nan," Ned said. "Every time I turn around, he's right beside you. He's always the one you call when you have a problem with a case and he's always there to help you out of a jam. I want to be that guy. I want to be the one you can count on."
Nancy got up from the chair she was sitting in and pulled the ottoman over so she could sit in front of Ned. She took his hands in hers and looked into his deep brown eyes.
"Ned, I never meant to make you feel inadequate," she said. "Yes, I count on Frank a lot but I don't see him that much. The only time we are ever together is on a case, so I have to rely on him especially if the situation is bad."
"But the immature side of me refuses to see it that way," Ned said. "I see Frank and my defensive side perks up. I feel like I have to defend myself whenever he's around you."
"I understand, Ned—I really do," Nancy said. "I'm the same way when I see a girl around you. I immediately think I have to prove myself to you. I hate that feeling, Ned."
Ned brought his hand up and softly caressed her face. "I guess we both have our own issues to work on."
Nancy nodded. "We need to learn to trust each other again. When Dom had us and I chose Frank it wasn't because I wanted him to live and you to die. It was the only way I could think of how to save the man I love and my best friend. That's what I need for you to understand, Ned."
"I am trying to understand that, Nancy; it's just taking some time. It's been the only thing I've been thinking about for the past few days," Ned said. "I hate to admit it, but I let Dom get to me. I allowed myself to believe what he was saying about you and Frank. And I'm stupid for that, Nancy. I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose and I should have realized that then."
Nancy touched his hand that was on her cheek and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"I'm sorry, Nancy—for everything," he said, looking intently into her eyes. "I love you so much."
Nancy smiled her first genuine smile at him. "I love you too, Ned."
Their lips met in a long, tender kiss and to Nancy it felt as if they were kissing for the very first time. She had missed his lips so much and she wasn't sure how she would have felt if she hadn't been able to kiss him again.
They finally broke apart and she smiled at him again. "I think I'm ready for those flowers now."
Ned looked down at the flowers and then back at her. "You can have these flowers on one condition."
"Name it," Nancy said.
"You have to let me buy you dinner and take you to a movie—tonight," he said.
Nancy kissed him again. "You drive a hard bargain, Nickerson."
Ned handed her the flowers and chuckled as she brought them up to her nose and sniffed them. "Actually, I think I'm getting off pretty cheap."
"That you are," Nancy said. "But I can think of ways for you to pay."
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Dean Sayers looked at his watch and saw that it was approaching eleven o'clock. He was beginning to grow frustrated and antsy. He head been hiding in the Drews' garage for a few hours and he was starting to have second thoughts.
Was he really sure that he could do this? And what was he doing agreeing to help a suspected serial killer? He had his own problems to contend with and this stunt could only hurt him more.
He had been trying to talk himself out of it to no avail. He just wouldn't listen to common sense. So that was what had led him to follow Carson Drew as he left his law office. And that was what had led him to hide in a dark garage for the past few hours.
Dean stood up slowly and stretched until he heard several pops from his stiff bones. This would be over soon enough, he thought.
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"I'm really happy that we made up, Nancy," Ned said as he pulled up in the Drews' driveway behind Nancy's car.
"I am, too," Nancy said, smiling at him.
"So, do you want to go out again tomorrow night?" he asked, hopefully.
"You're going to get tired of seeing me," Nancy said, laughing.
Ned beamed at her. "Never," he whispered.
Nancy leaned forward and kissed him. "I need to put my car back in the garage. I'll call you in the morning."
"I love you," Ned said between kisses.
"I love you, too," Nancy said and opened the car door. She waved as Ned pulled away and then got into her car. She had moved it earlier so Frank and Joe could pack their car and meant to move it back as soon as they left, but Ned had distracted her from doing it.
But at least it was a good distraction, she thought happily as the garage door opened. She pulled her car in and the door closed behind her as she shut it off. She got out of the car and was about to unlock the door to her house when she heard a faint sound. It was almost as if someone was quietly moving around the garage.
Nancy tensed and began to look around the silent garage. Even though it was dark, she could still make out familiar shapes. She remained still and listened for a full two minutes for any other sounds, but silence was the only thing that greeted her.
Clutching her keys and purse tightly, she reached for the knob again. But she was stopped short when someone grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her against her car.
Nancy grunted in pain, and then pushed back as hard as she could, forcing her mystery assailant into a wall with the full force of her weight. He muttered a curse, but Nancy didn't give him time to recuperate. She stomped down on his foot as hard as she could and forced him to let go of her. But before she could make it to the door again, he grabbed her ankle and yanked as hard as he could causing her to fall painfully to the ground.
Nancy turned on her back so she wouldn't be completely defenseless as he got on top of her. She started hitting him anywhere she could until her grabbed her arms and pinned above her head.
"What do you want?" Nancy demanded, struggling underneath him. She tried to see if she could recognize her attacker, but the darkness that surrounded them and the fact that he was wearing a ski mask, hindered that.
"Just shut up!" he whispered fiercely.
Nancy wasn't sure if he had a weapon or not so she went for the most obvious motive. "If you want money, just take it. It's in my purse," she said, frantically. "Just leave me alone!"
"I don't want your damn money," he snarled.
"Then what do you want?" she asked again. Her eyes widened as other possible scenarios flashed through her mind. No! a voice screamed in her head. You have a voice—scream already!
That finally snapped Nancy back to reality. She let out a deafening scream, startling her attacker. She used that distraction to push him off of her forcing his to fall against a shelving unit that held household chemicals. The items fell off and pelted him as Nancy ran for the door again.
She managed to unlock the door and dash inside as her attacker started to move around again. She didn't allow herself to catch her breath. Instead, she reached for the phone and dialed 911. "I need someone here now!" she barked into the phone. "1013 River Road!" She hung up before the operator could say anything.
She turned around as she heard a rush of footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Nancy, what's going on?" Carson Drew asked, Hannah at his heels.
"In the garage. Someone just attacked me," Nancy said quickly.
"Goodness!" Hannah exclaimed.
"Are you all right? Did you call the police?" her father demanded.
"Yes on both counts," Nancy said.
Carson reached over and grabbed a fireplace poker. He then started to make his way towards the garage.
"What are you doing?" Nancy asked.
"I'm going to see if he's still in there," Carson said.
"Dad, no!" Nancy said, grabbing his arm. "I'm not sure if her had a weapon or not and he may go after you."
"Nancy, I'm not going to let him get away if I can help it," Carson said. "Now, stay here with Hannah and I'll be right back."
"No," Nancy said firmly. "If you're going out there then I'm coming with you."
"Nancy, now isn't the time to argue," Carson said.
"I agree," Nancy said. "So either I go with you, or I'll go check myself."
Carson was about to protest when the saw the defiant look in Nancy's eyes. "Fine. But stay behind me."
"Be careful!" Hannah said.
Carson and Nancy cautiously made their way to the door that led out to the garage. Carson put his hand on the doorknob and looked back at Nancy. She nodded her head and he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open, bracing himself for a surprise attack.
After a minute with no one jumping out at them, Carson entered the garage. He stood there, a look of frustration evident on his face. Nancy stepped into the garage and saw what had frustrated him.
The garage door stood wide open and there was no one in sight.
As she heard the sound of approaching sirens, she knew her mysterious attacker had vanished and would probably never be found.
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Author's Note: Some of you guessed that the case number in the previous chapter and you were right. So what date was it, you ask? It was the debut date of Nancy Drew! (And Katie...that was swell of you not to ruin it for everyone!)
Well, I know I told you there would be a lull in the update for this chapter, but surprise, surprise...I got it out for you. Not sure when the next update will be, but as always, let me know what you think!