“Nancy! Where are you?”
Quickly she filled him in on what had happened.
Mr. Drew was silent for a moment, then said, “I have a contact in Cartagena through Jules Johnson. A classmate of his is now managing the beach hotel Triton. His name is George Rinaldo. I’ll call him and tell him you need help. Go see him right away. You will have very little chance of rescuing Rosalinda del Luz on your own.”
“Yes, Dad,” Nancy said, and hung up without wasting any more precious time. She told her friends what Mr. Drew had suggested, and Ricardo smiled. “I know where the Triton is. I will drive you there.”
The sun was beginning to set when the young people pulled up in front of the elegant hotel. They felt self-conscious about their battered jeep but were in too much of a hurry to find another spot.
“We don’t look too great, either,” Nancy said, glancing at her dirty jeans and sweater.
Ricardo grinned ruefully. “I will wait in the car,” he decided. “When people see me with my battered face, they are liable to call the police!” “Good idea,” Nancy said. “Come on, Elena.” The two girls went through the revolving door and approached the clerk behind the desk. “I would like to speak to Mr. Rinaldo, please,” Nancy told him.
The man stared at her for a moment. “Er, Mr. Rinaldo is not here right now,” he replied. “If you will take a seat over there,” he said, nodding toward several sofas and armchairs in the middle of the lobby, “I will find out when he is expected.”
He disappeared through a door leading into
an office right behind him. Nancy and Elena were too anxious to sit down. They waited nervously for him to come back.
A young woman in a blue and white uniform, one of the hotel workers, strode through the lobby, slipped behind the counter, and entered the office. She left the door open while she walked to a file on the far left.
Nancy and Elena could hear the clerk talking, although his words were muffled, but did not see him. Suddenly Nancy stiffened. At the same moment, Elena grabbed her hand. Both had overheard the name Dodsworth!
Nancy pulled Elena away from the desk. “Come on!” she hissed, and the girls hurried outside. They jumped into the jeep and Nancy cried, “Let’s go, Ricardo! Hurry!”
Ricardo asked no questions until they had put several miles between themselves and the Triton Hotel. Then he turned to Nancy. “Now tell me what this was all about?”
“When Cordova checked out Mr. Johnson in Phoenix, he must have done an extremely thorough job,” Nancy replied. “Obviously, he learned that Johnson had a friend in Cartagena—Mr. Rinaldo, who may or may not have been at the Triton when we arrived. If he was, I’m sure the clerk didn’t tell him about us.
Anyway, either Dodsworth, or Cordova pretending to be Dodsworth, called the hotel and alerted the clerk to look out for an American girl who may ask for Mr. Rinaldo.”
“We heard the clerk in the office mention the name Dodsworth,” Elena took up the story. “He was probably phoning the police, asking them to come arrest us because Nancy is in the country illegally.”
Ricardo bit his lip. “I have friends who live about sixty miles away from the city,” he said. “Perhaps we could go there.”
“Can you call them?” Nancy asked.
Ricardo shook his head. “Their number is unlisted and I do not have it with me.”
“Do they live on the way to the hacienda?” the girl detective went on.
“No, their home is in the other direction.” Nancy stared into the falling dusk. “We don’t have time,” she decided. “We must go back to the hacienda and try to rescue Rosalinda del Luz ourselves. How long will it take us?”
“We know a shortcut,” Elena spoke up. “It’s a rough road, but it saves about an hour. We should be able to make it in an hour and a half.” “Okay,” Nancy said.
Ricardo raced through the heavy traffic to a serenade of blaring horns and screeching tires.
Half an hour later he turned off the main highway.
The ride was worse than Nancy had expected. The road was no more than two runs in the ground that disappeared on rocky ridges and tormented their weary, aching bodies. They passed through deserted woods and fields, and never spotted a human being during the entire trip.
Darkness had long fallen when Nancy finally asked, “Is it much farther?”
“No,” Ricardo replied. “Only a few more minutes.”
“Where does this road end?”
“At the gate.”
“We can’t go in that way!” the young detective objected. “We’ll have to enter the way I came out.”
“That would take too long,” Ricardo said. “We will go through the caves.”
“The caves?” Nancy asked.
“There are tunnels and underground vaults inside the cliffs,” Elena explained. “When we were children, we used to play there and explore the passages.”
“Good!” Nancy was relieved, as Ricardo turned off the rutted road and plunged into the trees. Branches scraped at the sides of the jeep, but he did not dare use the headlights, inching forward by the dim glow of his parking lights.
“Will we be able to see our way in the caves?” Nancy asked.
“We always left candles in there,” Elena replied. “I don’t suppose anyone has taken them.”
“I still have matches,” the girl detective declared, putting her hand in her pocket to make sure that they had not fallen out.
“Here they are.”
Suddenly a series of sharp reports penetrated the stillness. The jeep quivered, then plunged forward, bounding and twisting, before it came to a stop near a tree.
“What was that?” Elena gasped.
“Somebody heard us and fired shots,” Ricardo whispered, pulling the girls down low. “He must have hit a tire.”
Several more shots rang out, but found no target.
“We have to get out of here!” Nancy said urgently. “Eventually they’ll find the jeep!”.
“Yes,” Ricardo said. “Just try to stay as close to the ground as you can. The entrance is not far from here.”
He took the girls by the hands and led them through the dim forest, toward the deep shadows of the cliffs. Nancy held her breath as
they left the shelter of the trees and climbed up the slippery rock to an opening about fifteen feet off the ground. It was camouflaged by low bushes, and she marveled that Ricardo found it without a search. Once inside, they collapsed on the rocky ground.
“We made it!” Elena exclaimed.
“But they know we are here, and will be looking for us,” Ricardo warned. “It will not be easy to get into the house.” He felt around in a crevice and produced two fat candles. “These have been here for years,” he said. “I hope they will still bum.”
Nancy pulled out her matches. She had trouble lighting the dusty, damp candles, but succeeded after several attempts. A moment later, the trio moved cautiously into the depths of the
cave.
Their climb was a nightmare as they made their way through rough, often sliding, shifting rocks that rattled ominously behind them. Ricardo set a quick pace, but neither Nancy nor Elena tried to slow him. Finally he came to a stop.
“We must blow out the candles now,” he declared.
“Where are we?” Nancy whispered.
“Just around the corner from the exit,” Elena replied. “We come out in the burro pasture.”
A moment later, they found themselves in pitch darkness. Holding on to one another, they pressed forward until Nancy could make out the shape of an opening concealed by heavy brush. The rays of a nearly full moon helped them to see the exit. They emerged into the cool night air with sighs of relief.
“Now comes the hard part,” Ricardo warned, as he surveyed the hacienda in the distance. Searchlights were sweeping the grounds from the walls, and Cordova’s men could be seen as they patrolled the estate.
The young people crept cautiously toward the house. Twice the light almost caught the
m, but finally they reached the sanctuary of the heavy vines that covered the hidden door. Once inside the tunnel, Nancy lit the two candles again. “I’ll be out of matches soon,” she said worriedly.
“Perhaps we will find some in the Senora’s room,” Ricardo said.
“If we ever get there,” Elena added, her voice not too steady.
Nancy pressed her friend’s hand. “We will!” she said firmly. “We have to!”
Ricardo led the way to the foyer closet. “I would feel better if I knew Cordova was in his office before we go upstairs,” he said.
When they came to the closet door, he cracked it open cautiously and looked out. “The light is on in the office,” he whispered. “Come on!” Silently the young people slipped out of the closet and tiptoed up the stairs. No one was in the second floor hallway, and they hurried to Elena’s aunt’s room. It appeared to be quiet, so they went in.
But when they stepped up to the bed, they gasped. Rosalinda del Luz was gone!
19. Where is the Señora?
“We’re too late!” Elena cried.
“Where could they have taken her?” Ricardo asked.
“I don’t know—” Nancy stopped short when they heard footsteps outside. “Someone’s coming!” she hissed. “Quick, under the bed!”
All three instantly dived under the large, canopied bed. A moment later, the door opened.
“She’s sleeping,” Isabella said. “You must not wake her, Senor Cordova. She was very upset about signing the paper. She did not want to take her pills.”
“We must get her away from here,” Cordova muttered. “Those snoopers are somewhere in the area, and I do not trust them. The plane is
ready. You will take her to the sanitarium. Tell them she is deranged, and make sure they do not believe any of her wild tales.”
“But, Senor ...” Isabella’s voice trailed off.
“Where is she?” Cordova demanded a second later.
“She was here less than an hour ago,” Isabella replied. “I went to make the sandwiches for the guards and—”
“You idiot!” the man screamed. “Where is she?”
“You told the servants to go,” Isabella wailed. “You ordered me to make the food. I had to leave her!”
There were sounds of something breaking, then Cordova’s bellowed accusations. Isabella’s replies were just as loud and furious.
“We must find her,” the man finally declared. “Do you have any idea where she could have gone?”
“She asked for Ciomara several times during the last few days,” Isabella said after a moment’s hesitation.
“What did she want from the old woman?” Cordova demanded.
“Ciomara was her personal servant for many years,” Isabella replied. “Perhaps she felt that Cio was the only person she could trust.”
“Cio lives at the end of the east wing,” Cordova said. “How could the Señora have gone so far?”
“I do not know,” Isabella replied. “But she refused to take her sedative tonight. Perhaps she had more strength than we thought.”
“All right!” the man stormed. “We will look!” A moment later, the door slammed.
Nancy and her friends emerged from their hiding place. “Do you think that’s where your aunt has gone?” Nancy asked Elena.
“It’s possible,” the girl declared. “I know a quick way to get there—through the secret panel in the alcove.”
“But that just leads to a room!” Nancy objected.
“There’s another exit from the room that connects to the underground passages,” Elena said. “Come on!”
The trio rushed out and flew down the hall. Elena pressed the button on the panel behind the tapestry, and a moment later they stepped into the small, cluttered room where Nancy had found the emerald-eyed cat.
Quickly Nancy lit one of her candles. Then Elena let out a muffled cry. On the floor lay Rosalinda del Luz, her fragile body curled up like a sleeping child’s. The golden cat was cradled in her arms!
Nancy dropped to her knees and reached out
to touch the woman’s pale cheek.
“Is she . . . ?” Elena asked, her face drawn with fear.
Nancy felt for Rosalinda’s pulse and found it steady and slow. “She’s all right,” the girl said. “Don’t worry, she’s just exhausted.”
“We have to get her away from here!” Elena urged. “She needs medical care. Nancy, what are we going to do?”
“The jeep is not running,” Ricardo pointed out. “And we cannot carry her to the next hospital.”
“Cordova mentioned that the plane was ready,” the young detective said. “I have a pilot’s license.”
“So do I,” Ricardo said. “I also know the plane. But how will we get there? It is beyond the gate, and we will never escape past the guards.”
“How did you bring me here after I was kidnapped?” Nancy inquired.
“Through the orchard gate,” Elena replied. “But that will be patrolled, as well.”
“Then we have to get rid of the guards,” Nancy declared. “How about the landing strip? Who will be there?”
“I believe only the pilot and the copilot,” Ricardo answered. “They usually wait in the
hangar office until they are needed to take off.”
“If we can think of a way to get the guard away from the orchard gate, can you carry the Señora to the plane?” Nancy asked the young man.
“Yes,” he replied.
“I have an idea!” Elena exclaimed suddenly, her dark eyes sparkling.
“What?” Nancy stared at her friend.
“If we could set off the alarm somehow, it would bring the guards running into the house, wouldn’t it?”
“Alarm?” Nancy asked.
Elena nodded. “Several years ago, there was a fire in the kitchen. It wasn’t much, but Aunt Rosalinda was terribly upset and had smoke alarms installed in the kitchen, the office, and several other places in the main living area.”
“That’s right!” Ricardo exclaimed. “I remember she rigged them to a siren on the roof in case no one was in the house when there was an emergency. I don’t know whether all the guards would respond, but I suspect most of them would.”
Nancy smiled. “Then we’ll use it!” she said confidently.
“But how?” Elena’s face suddenly fell. “I don’t want to bum down the hacienda just so the alarms will go off.”
“That’s no problem,” Nancy said. “You don’t need a big fire to set off a smoke alarm. I’ll take care of it.”
“What are you going to do?” Ricardo wanted to know.
“Trust me,” Nancy said. “We have no time to waste. I’d like you and Elena to take the Señora and get as close as you can to the orchard gate. How long will that take you?”
“Ten to fifteen minutes,” Ricardo replied. “Good. I’ll wait that long before triggering the alarm.”
“What if Cordova and Isabella are back by then?” Elena asked worriedly. “It’s not that far to Ciomara’s room in the east wing.”
Nancy frowned. “I know that’s a strong possibility. But there are only two of them, and I hope I can avoid them. Where are the other smoke alarms located?”
“One is in the first floor storage room, but that’s kept locked most of the time,” Elena said. “There’s another one at the far end of the house, but you’ll never make it all the way there without being seen.”
Nancy nodded. “Okay. You two leave now?” “What about you?” Elena’s voice was shaky again.
“I’ll try to make it. If I can’t, don’t let them
catch you.” She rummaged in her purse and pulled out a business card. “Here’s my father’s address and phone number. The minute you land, call him and tell him what happened. I can dodge Cordova and Isabella for a few days by using the secret passage.”
“I’ll stay and help you!” Elena offered.
“No. You take care of your aunt and help Ricardo get her on the plane. Hurry!”
/> Ricardo lifted the sleeping woman into his arms, and Elena took the emerald-eyed cat. She walked to the far end of the room and pushed a hidden button. Part of the wall opened into another passageway.
“Nancy,” Ricardo said before he went through it, “the orchard gate is to the right of the burro pasture. Go past the stables and you’ll find the path that leads there. From the gate, it continues straight to the landing strip.”
The girl nodded. “I’ll wait ten minutes, then I’ll try the alarm in the kitchen.”
“Good luck!” Elena said. A moment later, the two had disappeared.
20. Flight to Freedom
Nancy looked at her watch, counting the minutes as they ticked by. No sounds penetrated into her hiding place, and she had no idea where her enemies were at that moment.
Finally, it was time for her to leave. Cautiously she opened the panel behind the tapestry and stepped out. The hallway was empty. Nancy tiptoed to the stairs and stopped to listen. Then she descended silently, slipping into the - closet at the bottom of the staircase for temporary shelter. Again she listened carefully. The house appeared to be deserted.
Courage, Nancy told herself. This simply has to work, or we are all lost! She crept out of the closet and made her way to the kitchen. The
door stood open, and there was no one inside. Nancy spotted the smoke alarm on the ceiling. But then her heart fell. The device was disconnected!
Of course, the girl thought. It probably went off so many times in this room that someone just pulled out the wire. Now what’ll I do?
She stepped behind the doorway and peered out. There was still no sign of Cordova or Isabella. “I’ll have to try the office,” Nancy said to herself, and resolutely walked to the now familiar door.
She listened for any telltale noise, then slowly turned the doorknob. Cordova was not there! With a sigh of relief, the girl detective slipped inside and closed the door behind her. The light was on and she saw the smoke alarm was right over the desk. Nancy took some paper from a drawer and looked for matches. Luckily, she found two packets on top of a folder. She took them and opened the folder.