Dangerous Relations

  Nancy smiled as she slipped into black flats, then fastened a gold chain around her neck. “Ready when you are!”

  • • •

  Hayden and Natalia were greeting guests as Nancy and her friends entered the arena. The rosebud in Natalia’s hair matched her pale yellow dress. She looked as graceful as Hayden was handsome in his dark suit. Nancy squeezed their hands and offered her best wishes.

  “You two look so good together,” Bess said sincerely.

  Nancy noticed that the arena floor had been cleared for dancing. One low trapeze bar, left hanging, was decorated with bright pink flowers and purple ribbons.

  “Have you set a date yet?” Bess was asking.

  “End of the season, I guess. Nat has her heart set on a formal wedding,” Hayden said.

  “I want Mother in the front row and all of our friends in the pews. What I’d like most of all is to have my father walk me down the aisle,” Natalia said softly.

  “I’m working on it.” Nancy smiled.

  Natalia turned to welcome another guest. Bess was tapping her toe to the music drifting from the bandstand set up at one side of the room. Five men in gold-braided uniforms were playing a medley of love songs.

  Richard Smith, looking tan and attractive in white trousers and a pale pink shirt, came up to offer his congratulations. Nancy nodded to him, then turned as Bess nudged her. “Are you going to tell Natalia about learning her father’s name?” Bess asked.

  “Not tonight,” Nancy replied in a low voice. “It raises as many questions as it answers. And besides, Natalia will have to know soon enough that Vera’s been lying to her all these years.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that,” Bess admitted. She looked disappointed, but a moment later, she nudged Nancy again and whispered, “Look who’s here!”

  It was Katrina, dressed in a red, snug-fitting satin mini, clinging to Tim’s arm. Nancy could see that the clown was proud to be Katrina’s date.

  “She has some nerve, showing up here after what she did,” George muttered.

  Just then the gold-toothed acrobat Nancy had met in the tent that day swung into a dance step with a woman a head taller than he. Her dangling earrings tinkled as she danced. The band picked up the tempo. Soon other couples joined in.

  “Nancy! You look lovely tonight.”

  Nancy pivoted to meet Richard Smith’s approving gaze.

  “Why, thank you! You look pretty nice yourself,” she said, smiling.

  Richard returned her smile. “Have you managed to collect any more shells for your housekeeper?”

  “No,” Nancy said. “I’d love to, but I’ve been too busy.”

  “Well, how about taking a couple of hours off tomorrow? I check the paper every day for the tides, so I know there’s a low tide in the midafternoon and one about four-something in the morning. I’ve got a meeting in the afternoon, though. Would you like to go before dawn?”

  “And collect shells in my sleep?” Nancy said, laughing.

  George poked Nancy gently. “Careful,” she murmured. “If Ned were here, he’d be getting jealous around now.”

  “There are Eduardo and Joseph!” Bess’s eyes lit up as the Pomatto brothers headed their way.

  “Good news!” cried Eduardo. “The police found my motorcycle abandoned in a downtown park.”

  “It was propped up against a tree. There wasn’t a scratch on it,” Joseph said.

  “That’s great!” Bess exclaimed. “See? Sometimes even terrible things turn out okay.”

  “Do the police have any idea who left it there?” Nancy asked.

  “Nope,” Eduardo said. “Which means whoever the jerk was, he’s going to get away with it.”

  The music stopped. Nancy looked to see Hayden escorting Natalia to the table that had been set up for refreshments. Packrat stood by the punch bowl, about to make a toast.

  A smile on his face, the clown waited as Bonnie Luttrelli and her mother, Hilary, passed glasses to all the guests. Then Packrat lifted his glass. “Marshall isn’t here to do the honors, so I’ve stepped in. Hayden, Natalia, may you fly through life together, never missing a trick.”

  “And may you have lots of little flyers,” Dillard hollered from the dance floor.

  The guests applauded as Hayden and Natalia drank to the toast. Then the guests moved toward the food. Nancy and Richard got in line.

  “I hear you’re making progress tracking down Natalia’s father,” Richard remarked as the line inched forward.

  How did he know? wondered Nancy. She hid her surprise and asked, “What makes you think so?”

  “I overheard Bess talking to you a few minutes ago. She said something about your having learned Natalia’s father’s name.” Smiling, he added, “Congratulations to a very clever young lady.”

  “I’ve had a few breaks,” Nancy said, then changed the subject as she filled her plate with fresh fruit, a vegetable salad, and baked clams.

  George and Joseph joined Nancy and Richard at their table. Bess and Eduardo soon came along, with Bonnie Luttrelli and a shy, freckled sword-swallower trailing after them.

  There was a table at the head of the room for Natalia and Hayden. Vera sat with them, leaving one empty space. Nancy wondered if the empty chair had been meant for Marshall Keiser. Where was he, anyway?

  When everyone had finished eating, the lights over the arena dimmed, and the band struck up a romantic slow dance. Nancy saw Hayden rise from the table and take Natalia’s hand. The tender smile they exchanged made Nancy think longingly of Ned. For two people in love, they certainly spent a lot of time apart.

  A moment later, as other couples joined them, Richard asked Nancy to dance. His musk-scented cologne tickled her nose as she followed his steps.

  “You dance very well,” Richard said, and smiled. “Come to think of it, you seem to do everything well.”

  Nancy laughed lightly. “You don’t know me.”

  “I’m trying,” Richard said smoothly. “Which reminds me, you never did say whether you’d go shelling with me in the morning.”

  He certainly is persistent, Nancy thought. “It sounds like fun, but I don’t think I’d better. I’m pretty focused on my work right now,” she answered.

  The band struck up a fast song with a strong beat. Nancy was about to excuse herself when long-limbed Slowpoke, in dress pants that showed an inch of white sock, cut in. He danced so loosely it was as if he had elastic for limbs. They were both laughing when Jiffy cut in and stole her away.

  Everyone else was changing partners, too. Nancy changed so many times, she completely lost track of Richard. She was matching steps with the gold-toothed tumbler when Bess danced by with the lion tamer and said behind her hand, “Look at the clowns. They’re up to something.”

  Nancy saw Jiffy, Tim, Slowpoke, Dillard, Packrat, and Winky drift around to the far side of the tables and stoop down. When Tim stood up again, she caught a glimpse of white passing from his hand to his pocket.

  The music changed to a slow song. Nancy’s partner escorted her off the floor. The lights dimmed. The spotlight came on, casting a circle of light around Natalia and Hayden. The clowns moved forward in shadow. What were they doing? Nancy wondered, amused and intrigued.

  The other dancers fell back, forming a wide circle around the engaged couple. Anticipation mounting, Nancy watched the clowns creep up on Hayden and Natalia, who were too lost in each other to notice. The clowns crept closer and closer. Then they sprang.

  Hayden turned in surprise. A shout rattled the rafters. The clowns jerked white balls from their pockets and swung at the lovers’ heads. White puffs of dust exploded into the air.

  Natalia shrieked. Nancy saw her bury her face against Hayden as the clowns kept pummeling the couple. Then Nancy lost sight of Hayden and Natalia in a cloud of fine dust. But she could hear Natalia wheezing. Gasping. Something was wrong!

  “Stop!” Nancy cried. Fear thrust her through the wall of clowns. She reached Natalia’s side just as the girl crumpled to the
floor.

  Chapter

  Twelve

  GET HER INHALER!” Hayden cried, as Nancy helped him lower Natalia to the floor.

  “M-my p-purse,” Natalia choked out, wheezing and gasping for breath.

  Nancy backed out of the way as Vera dropped down beside her daughter and pressed the inhaler into her hand. “Here, darling, here! Calm down, now. Just breathe.”

  To Nancy’s alarm, Natalia’s hand fell away, and she dropped the inhaler. Vera scooped it up, then let out a cry. “It’s empty! Hayden, run to the trailer. There’s another one on the table.”

  Hayden raced away, leaving Natalia to Vera and Nancy. Nancy knew each second counted. “I’ll call an ambulance,” she said quickly.

  The only phone in the building was in Keiser’s office. Nancy took off at a dead run. She popped Keiser’s door open with a credit card, Richard at her heels. Her fingers flew as she dialed the emergency number. A dispatcher answered. Quickly Nancy explained the emergency.

  “What’s your address?”

  “What’s the address?” Nancy asked Richard.

  “I’m not sure.” He shuffled through the papers on Marshall Keiser’s desk. “Maybe there’s something here with an address on it.”

  As Richard searched, Nancy said in a rush, “It’s Grand Royal Circus Winter Quarters, off Highway Forty-one. I don’t know the exact number.”

  “All right. Stay where you are—we know the location. The unit is leaving right now.”

  Nancy thanked him and hung up. She turned to Richard, who was staring at a slip of paper he had picked up off Keiser’s desk.

  “Did you find the address?” she asked.

  “No,” Richard said slowly. He frowned.

  “What’s wrong?” Nancy asked.

  He seemed hesitant. “It’s this post—Never mind. Keiser’s correspondence is none of my business. Let’s go tell them help is on the way.”

  “You go ahead. I’ll be right there,” Nancy said, determined to find out what Richard seemed so anxious to conceal from her.

  The moment he’d gone, Nancy reached for the card that had caught his eye. Her throat went dry. A tombstone was pictured on the front, just like the card she’d received. She flipped it over and read the typewritten message: “N.D. You’re an accident waiting to happen.”

  Just then the door banged open. Nancy braced herself for action, but it was George and Bess who came running in.

  Nancy held out the card. “Look at this.”

  “Another card! Where’d you find it?” George asked.

  “Richard found it on Keiser’s desk. He didn’t want me to see it. I guess he thought it would upset me.”

  “It should!” Bess said, her voice filled with concern.

  Nancy returned to the crisis at hand. “How’s Natalia?”

  “She can’t get her breath. Nan, she’s in a bad way,” George said.

  “Didn’t the medicine help?”

  “Hayden hasn’t come back with it yet.”

  “I’d better go see what’s keeping him,” Nancy said, striding out of Keiser’s office. “You two go to the gate. The ambulance won’t know which building to go to when they get here.”

  The night was dark, with only a few stars overhead. The girls ran past the animal barn and the outdoor ring, then past the row of motor homes. Every dog in the place seemed to be barking. Nancy turned at Vera and Natalia’s home while Bess and George raced on toward the front gate.

  The trailer was all lit up, the front door standing open. Nancy took the three steps in a single bound. The kitchen and front room had been turned upside down. Hayden came rushing down the hallway. White dust still clung to his clothes and face and hair. He was frantic.

  “I’ve looked everywhere. I can’t find another inhaler.”

  “Where does she keep them?” Nancy asked.

  “On the kitchen table. But there’s nothing there.”

  “Easy, Hayden,” Nancy said, hearing the panic in his voice. “There’s a rescue unit on the way. Go back to the arena. I’ll look for the medicine,” she added, guessing that in his state, he wouldn’t find it even if it were in front of his nose.

  “Thanks, Nancy,” Hayden said gratefully, and ran out the door. Nancy made a swift search of the kitchen. Nothing. She tried the bathroom medicine cabinet. No spare inhalers there, either.

  She raced into Natalia’s bedroom and jerked open her dresser drawers, her makeup cases, her closet door. Nothing but shoes and clothes and an athletic bag. Natalia’s athletic bag! Nancy grabbed it off the floor and scattered the contents. The inhaler! She worked the thumb squeeze. Yes! It contained medicine.

  Nancy glanced at her watch. Ten minutes had passed since she’d called for the ambulance, yet she’d heard no siren. Where was it? Couldn’t the driver find them after all?

  Nancy grabbed an envelope with the circus address on it, ran to the phone, and punched in the emergency number again. “This is Nancy Drew at the circus,” she said when the dispatcher answered. “I phoned ten minutes ago. Where are you?”

  The dispatcher sounded confused. “But I—I don’t understand.”

  “What do you mean?” Nancy demanded.

  “Someone called and canceled the unit. They said the girl was being driven to the hospital.”

  “No!” Nancy cried. “That’s wrong, my friend’s still here.” She gave him the address on the envelope. “Hurry!”

  Nancy clutched the inhaler in her hand and ran back the way she’d come, questions racing through her mind. Who could have canceled the call? And what had provoked Natalia’s asthma attack? Surely, whatever it was, the clowns hadn’t done it on purpose, had they?

  As Nancy sped past the wide front doors of the animal barn, she was suddenly jerked off her feet. A gloved hand muffled her scream. A strong arm pulled her inside, into the darkness. She threw her head back, trying to land a painful blow on her attacker’s nose, but she hit something hard instead. A motorcycle helmet! The inhaler flew out of her hand.

  She kicked and struggled and clawed, but her fingers couldn’t penetrate the thick leather worn by her attacker. She was flung to the floor. A knee jabbed into her stomach, holding her down. An oily tasting rag was jammed into her mouth, and a gag was tied over that. Then her assailant bound her wrists and ankles with rope and dragged her through the barn. She recognized the jingle of the shackles that linked the elephants to their stakes.

  Her attacker opened another door and dragged her through it. Then suddenly she was flung into a cage. The metal door clanged shut. The smell was terrible—a wild, jungle smell. Her pulse roared in her ears.

  She was locked in the tiger cage!

  Chapter

  Thirteen

  KEEP COOL, Nancy ordered herself. She knew that if the tiger sensed fear, he would attack.

  There was a thud off to her left, then a snarl. Nancy tensed, but nothing happened.

  Then she realized the tiger must be in the cage next to hers. She sagged with relief. Shakily she tried to loosen the ropes binding her. The gag was tight, too, and the oily rag burned her throat.

  Patiently she worked at the ropes. As the minutes passed, more cats began to roar. Off in their own part of the barn, the horses whinnied. An elephant trumpeted. Above the roars and trumpets of the animals, a siren wailed.

  Natalia! In her own peril, Nancy had nearly forgotten. The siren came closer, then stopped. It was a few minutes before it wailed again. Nancy hoped they hadn’t come too late to help.

  Who had been hiding behind the motorcycle gear? Marshall Keiser? Or Katrina? No, she was at the party. Or at least, she had been, earlier. Nancy realized that she hadn’t seen Katrina among those gathered around Natalia.

  Suddenly the doors to the barn opened, and a light came on. “What’s the matter, kids?” came the soft voice of Burton, the elephant trainer.

  “Is something wrong? What’s going on?” asked a second voice. Richard! Nancy thought.

  “Hold it down,” Burton said quietly. ??
?Something’s got these critters all stirred up. You wait here.”

  Nancy followed the beam of a powerful flashlight as it traveled from cage to cage. This whole room was full of caged cats! She shivered as Burton murmured from the door, “Don’t seem to be nothin’ wrong.”

  Afraid he’d go off and leave her, she started kicking the cage. A moment later, Burton’s shuffling steps came her way. He peered at her in astonishment. “Missy, what happened to you?” Quickly he opened the door.

  “What is it? Nancy!” Richard was beside Burton. His hands were gentle as he helped her out. “Are you hurt? How on earth—”

  “Cut her free, son,” Burton said, producing a pocketknife.

  Richard cut the ropes. As he sliced the gag and pulled the oily rag out of her mouth, Nancy spit the terrible taste out. “How’s Natalia?” she asked, breathless.

  “Not good,” Richard said. “Hayden and Vera went to the hospital with her. How did you get in there, Nancy?” He wrapped his arms around her protectively.

  Nancy explained what had happened. Shaking a little from shock, she was comforted by Richard’s warm embrace. It felt good to be safe.

  “Who’d do such a thing?” Richard asked.

  “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” Nancy slipped out of Richard’s arms and brushed straw off her clothes. She looked at him. “That postcard you found wasn’t kidding, was it?”

  “You saw it?” Richard’s voice contained a mixture of worry and regret. “I didn’t know what to do when I found it. I didn’t want to upset you. I never dreamed something like this was going to happen, or I would have—”

  “You folks better go so I can get these critters settled down,” Burton cut in.

  Richard and Nancy headed back to the arena. Most of the guests had left the party. Jiffy, Packrat, and Dillard were washing tables. Eduardo, Joseph, Bess, and George were folding chairs while Tim, Winky, and Slowpoke took down streamers.

  Bess was quick to notice Nancy’s soiled white skirt. “Nancy! What happened to you?”