Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Six and a Half Keys
Chapter Fifteen
Agent Zane called Nancy. "I sent you the file again," he said.
"Great," Nancy said, although privately, she didn't care. She was so done with examining DEGAS files. "Anything coming up in your investigation that you can tell me about?"
"Actually, yes," Zane said. "Black market chatter says there's a major score, coming up. With the numbers they're throwing around, it can only be the crown jewels."
"Someone wants to steal the crown jewels?" Nancy asked. "But Radek told me you need six and a half keys to do that."
"There's more," Zane said. "They've added biometric security to their system. You need a retina scan from one of the seven keyholders."
"Gee, that sounds complicated," Nancy said. "If I was a thief, I'd wait for the jewels to go on display, before stealing them. Where would you even find one of the keyholders?"
"The Dean of St. Vitus is a keyholder," Vladena said.
Nancy blinked. She had forgotten Vladena was even in the room. "Who?"
"Father Leo Sokol," Vladena said. "His office is connected to the museum. I heard he's leaving on vacation today."
"So if he was kidnapped, nobody would notice he's missing," Zane said.
"Exactly," Vladena said.
"Who am I speaking to?" Zane asked. "One of your associates?"
"This is Vladena Zlaty, one of the main suspects in the necklace theft case," Nancy said.
"You put me on speakerphone, in front of a suspect?" Zane asked.
"I always have my phone on speaker mode," Nancy said. "I don't know how to turn it off. George showed me once, but I forgot."
"Perhaps we should communicate by email from now on," Zane said.
Nancy didn't think much of this idea. Zane's first email had a virus, and his second one had an incorrect file. "I think text messages might be better," Nancy said.
"Fine by me," Zane said. "Let me know what happens with Leo."
"But I'm not—" Nancy started to say. It was too late. Zane had already hung up.
"UGH!" Nancy complained. "First puppets, then phone security, now I've gotta check in on this Leo guy? I swear, I've been given so many different tasks, it's like people are trying to prevent me from solving the necklace mystery."
"Perhaps this Agent Zane is the thief, and he is distracting you on purpose," Vladena said with a smirk.
"Hmmm..." Nancy thought about it. "Maybe..."
Nancy thanked the ungrateful Vladena, and she made her way to the museum, where Oskar was standing in place, looking bored. Nancy went up the large staircase in the back and opened the large doors without meeting any resistance.
Looks like Oskar was right. The back entrance to the museum is kept unlocked at all times, Nancy thought. It'd be fairly easy for a thief to sneak in, through here. They should put up a "do not rob museum" sign.
Nancy went down the hallway, which led to a hallway, which led to a hallway. She was about to say something sarcastic about hallways, when she noticed an open door next to a candle display.
"Love is an open door!" Nancy said happily, as she entered the room. It was a small waiting room. A sign on the desk said the secretary was gone on a coffee break.
Nancy thought about messing with the secretary's computer—a screensaver with a silly message on it seemed like an appropriate prank—but she quickly spied a door labeled "Dean of St. Vitus Cathedral". Nancy wasn't sure who Dean was, but she quickly entered the forbidden office.
Two seconds later, the door closed behind her, and she heard two men arguing. Nancy wondered how she hadn't seen the men earlier, if they were that close behind her the whole time.
"I am here to meet the Dean," the one man said. Nancy identified his voice as Oskar's. "We need to discuss the security for the upcoming crown jewels exhibition."
"Oh, I'm sorry, but the Dean has already left on his trip," the other voice said. Nancy guessed he was the coffee-loving secretary. "I'm afraid he won't be getting back until after the exhibit has opened."
"By then, it will be too late!" Oskar said.
"I'm sorry, but the Dean's schedule is very tight, and he doesn't always have time to attend to, shall we say, more minor details."
"This is utterly ridiculous," Oskar said. "I am the Director of the Gems Exhibit, and there have been threats made against the safety of the crown jewels. Why do you keep preventing me from providing adequate security?"
The secretary took a long sip of coffee. "The Dean is responsible for security, not you," he said. "I fail to see how you should be connected to our plans, in any way."
"The gems are being placed in my museum!" Oskar said. "I don't want a repeat of the gem theft of twenty years ago!"
"Yes, it would be a dreadful shame if your shoddy museum was robbed yet again," the secretary said. "Perhaps you should consider investing in better security."
"You won't let me!" Oskar said, fuming. "When the Dean returns, I demand to meet with him instantly! If the crown jewels are harmed in any way, I will make sure that the blame falls upon you!"
There was a loud slamming of a door, after this. Nancy figured Oskar had stormed out of the office.
"You'll never get to meet with the Dean," the secretary said in a rude voice. "That's what you get for stealing my parking spot last week, you jerk!"
Author's Note: That is obviously the real reason why the secretary was so mean to Oskar.