028 The Black Widow

  ''Nancy, why didn't you tell me about this before?" Carson's concern overcame his annoyance.

  Nancy shrugged. "You would have told me to leave the case alone."

  "You're right. I would have—for your own safety. But I still don't see how any of this connects Nina with any crime. I've changed my mind—I think we've got to go over and ask her if she needs our help."

  Together Nancy and her father walked the short distance to Nina da Silva's cabin. At their knock, she opened the door and stared at them, surprised. Then she stepped back to let them in.

  Carson seemed uncomfortable. "Nina," he began, "Nancy and I were wondering if you'd like to join us on the shore trip."

  "Thank you, but Fve some letters to write here," said Nina.

  Nancy took the plunge. "Mrs. da Silva, we don't want to intrude, but after that box you received I felt a little alarmed. Then I thought I heard someone talking to you by the pool—he sounded as if he were threatening you. I didn't intend to eavesdrop, but I would like to help if you're having trouble.

  "Is there anything you have that someone might want badly enough to threaten you?"

  Nina glanced at Carson, then turned to Nancy with a polite smile. "Of course not. I have no idea who might play such a joke on me. And I assure you that there's no trouble of any kind."

  "Nancy," Carson said in an embarrassed tone, "let's leave Nina to write her letters. Nina, I do apologize—sometimes my daughter's professional zeal gets the better of her."

  Nancy couldn't believe it! She'd never heard her father talk about her this way before. Her face burning with humiliation, she turned to go.

  Nina seemed lost in thought, but then she took a deep breath. "Carson, there is a small matter I'd like to discuss with you and Nancy, but I need to think it over. Perhaps this evening when you return? Now, I mustn't keep you from Paranagua."

  Nancy and Carson turned to go. Nancy looked back at the elegantly dressed woman. "Mrs. da Silva, Fm sorry if we disturbed you.''

  Nina nodded, and Nancy and Carson headed out to the Main Deck where the launches were loading for the shore trip.

  Nancy felt uncomfortable with her father. She knew he hadn't meant to hurt her, but his words had cut very deeply.

  Since they had a few minutes before the last boat left, Nancy decided to run over to the flower shop to see if she could find out who had sent the gardenias. She knew the sender had probably covered his tracks thoroughly, but at least it would give her time to collect her thoughts before she talked to her father again.

  The ship's florist, a kindly-looking man in his fifties, seemed surprised at Nancy's questions.

  "Someone left a note for the order," he said. "It's not uncommon. It was left with a sealed envelope—we keep a basket of cards and envelopes on the counter so that people can write private messages if they like. I simply assumed they were from your father since they were charged to his cabin. I hope there was no problem?"

  "No," replied Nancy cheerfully, "but I loved the arrangement, and I just wanted to find out if you still had the order so I could have another made up exactly like it."

  "Well, miss, I'm sorry," said the florist. "We don't usually keep orders once they've been delivered.''

  Nancy gave up and, after thanking him, just had time to catch the last boat with Carson Drew.

  Paranagua was beautiful. At last Carson Drew and Nancy had a whole day to wander around, enjoying the sights. Most of the other passengers —Lynn Ashley in the lead—headed straight for the shops after the tour, but the Drews decided to explore the town instead.

  But Nancy was having a hard time enjoying herself. In the sunny weather the whitewashed shops and houses gleamed, and waves of heat rippled off them so that they seemed to float in their gardens of exotic flowers. Nancy knew she had to break the tension somehow.

  "Dad," she said tentatively. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you in front of Mrs. da Silva."

  Carson Drew looked at his daughter. "Well," he said slowly, "maybe I did overreact—a little. It's just that I wanted to relax and enjoy this vacation, but it seems that you're determined to go around suspecting people of all sorts of things."

  Nancy knew he had a point. "I know there's not much to go on," she admitted, "but I also know there's something Mrs. da Silva wants to hide from us. It could be dangerous for her."

  "Let's forget it for now, at least," said Carson, reaching over to squeeze his daughter's hand-Nancy could feel the tension ebbing a little as she squeezed back.

  Together, father and daughter explored the historic town. Nancy was secretly glad that Nina da Silva had remained on board. At last she was spending time with her father—alone.

  At around four o'clock, they found a tiny cafe off the picturesque main square. They sat there sipping iced tea, watching the town pass by in the peaceful afternoon sun.

  "This is the life, Dad," said Nancy, as they reluctantly stood up and stretched, ready to leave the cafe to head back to the dock. "I think I could have stayed here forever."

  Carson laughed. "You'd go crazy without Ned and your friends, and you know it," he replied affectionately. "Besides, River Heights wouldn't be the same without its famous detective."

  "Hey, Nancy!" a voice called. Looking up, Nancy saw Randy Wolfe waving to her from across the street. As she was walking over to meet him, she heard a roar as an engine was kicked to life. She turned.

  A silver motorcycle was pulling out of a side street. The sun reflecting off it, the chrome fittings, and the driver's full mirrored helmet blinded her for a moment.

  She blinked once to clear her eyes. And when she opened them again, she saw the cycle heading strai^t for her—at about fifty miles an hour!

  Chapter Seven

  IT HAPPENED SO quickly Nancy had no time to react. One second the bike was thundering toward her—and the next she was flying through the air. A pair of tanned arms had wrapped around her in a flying tackle.

  She rolled in a jumble of arms and legs to the safety of the high wooden curb as the motorcycle's tires sped by, inches from her face. The growl of the cycle's engine sank in pitch and then faded into the distance.

  "We've got to stop meeting like this/' came Randy Wolfe's breathless voice right in Nancy's ear. Pale and dusty but grinning, he disengaged himself and got to his feet.

  "Wha—'' Nancy sat up dazedly. She spat out some dust and rubbed her eyes. "What are you doing here?''

  "Nancy! Are you all right?" Nancy's father came running to her. He knelt down, his face taut with anxiety. "Fil call an ambulance!"

  Nancy put a hand to her forehead. "I think I'm okay," she said. "Please, don't bother with an ambulance. I'll be fine." She held out a hand to her father, and he pulled her up.

  Carson Drew lumed to Randy. "That was one of the most incredible rescues I've ever seen. I don't know how to thank you."

  "Nor I," Nancy said. "You saved my life."

  Randy looked embarrassed. "Just part of my job," he said lightly. Then, more soberly, he added, "It's a good thing I just happened to be coming out of that shop over there. You've got to watch out for drivers in these small towns. They don't know what traffic laws are."

  Nancy was silent. She wasn't at all sure that the driver of the motorcycle was a local, or that her "accident" had been unintended.

  "I came over with the return launches to pick up a sweater for my kid sister," Randy explained. "I think we'd better head to the docks now."

  They were joined just then by the Jordans and Lynn Ashley. Nancy was surprised to learn that Lynn had gone off by herself for most of the day.

  "What was she doing all day?" Nancy whispered to Melissa as they hurried to the launches.

  "Probably figuring out how to cheat the local craftsmen out of their wares," Melissa whispered back. '*You know, Nancy, I hate to be catty, but that girl was just born mean—except when it comes to men."

  Nancy looked at Lynn, who was clinging to Randy and laughing at something he had said. Mean enough to hurt someone? she wondered.
Mean enough to try to kill me?

  Back on the Emerald Queen, Nancy was on deck, heading to her cabin, when she felt a hand on her arm. It was Randy, without a spark of humor in his dazzling green eyes now.

  "We need to talk," he said quietly. "I think we both know that that was no accident back there in Paranagua. I saw the way that cyclist headed straight for you. And I know you noticed it, too. Fm not prying, but it seems to me that you've made an enemy. And for some reason, I don't want you to get hurt, blue eyes."

  Nancy felt a rush of gratitude. "I've got to clean up and change, but meet me in the Opal Lounge in fifteen minutes," she said, grinning. "Have I got a story for you!"

  Twenty minutes later, over frosty tropical fruit shakes, Nancy was outlining the case for Randy. At last, when she had fijiished. Randy let out a long whistle. "So, what do we do next?"

  Nancy was grateful for the "we/' *Tor now, nothing," she said. "I need to get some answers from Nina da Silva before we do anything. But my dad insists I let her come to me."

  Randy nodded. "Sounds good, chief." He looked at his watch and stood up. "I've got to go run the bingo game for the senior citizens' group. Then I have to stand on a ladder and drape streamers for the Emerald Ball tonight. Such is the glamorous life of an ACD."

  Nancy walked out with him, and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Watch out for tall, dark strangers," he cautioned. Then he was gone.

  Nancy climbed the companionway, or stairs, to the Pearl Deck, hoping to find Melissa and Matt. She ran into Captain Brant first. He was leaning on a rail, watching a shuflBieboard game.

  "I never knew shufileboard was a combat skill!" Nancy said, joining him.

  "It's like pool. Some players take it pretty seriously." Captain Brant chuckled. "Why, Nina da Silva's husband. Hector, was the worst loser I ever met! He used to sulk for days whenever anyone beat him. Which, thank goodness, was rare."

  "How well do you know Mrs. da Silva?" Nancy asked in a casual voice.

  "Oh, Nina and I go way back. I knew her brother in the States. When I came down to Brazil with the Merchant Marine, I always stayed with her and Hector. Even took a cruise on the Emerald Queen with them. Hector used to own this cruise line, did you know?'*

  ''No, I didn't know." Nancy's heart suddenly beat faster. Another piece in the puzzle! But where did it go?

  "That's right. He ran into some money trouble a couple of years ago and had to sell the line to a big corporation. But he stayed on as general manager of this ship. That's when I came aboard. He was a good-hearted man, Hector was. A little impulsive, maybe, but good-hearted to a fault."

  "What exactly does a general manager do?" Nancy hardly heard the last part of Captain Brant's speech. Her mind was racing. She had the feeling that she'd just stumbled on an important fact.

  "He's the company liaison. Travels on all the cruises, oversees the ship's management—he's the final authority on everything outside the actual, mechanical running of the ship. I don't hold with it on general principle, but Fd trust Hector not to interfere with a captain's command of his ship."

  Nancy nodded absently. So Hector da Silva had traveled with the Emerald Queen! There was the link she was looking for between the da Silvas and Antonio Ribeiro. If, that is, Ribeiro had been on the ship for at least a year, since before Hector da Silva had died.

  Clearly, she needed to get more information on da Silva and the cruise line, but where? Suddenly an idea struck.

  Excusing herself, she hurried down to the radio room, where a bored-looking woman officer sat at a lighted panel, reading a romance novel.

  "Hi. I need to make a ship-to-shore call to the United States,'' Nancy said.

  The woman looked up. "It's all yours." She yawned, waving at the console and headset. Then her eyes strayed back to her novel.

  Nancy waited, but the woman just sat there. "Um—it's a personal call," Nancy said apologetically.

  The radio officer's face fell. With a single doleful sniff, she climbed to her feet and left the room. Nancy quickly dialed the number of the River Heights Morning Record, hoping to catch her friend, reporter Ann Granger, in the paper's office.

  "Ann, it's Nancy Drew," she said when she heard Ann's voice on the other end. "Listen, I don't have a lot of time to talk. I need some information. Can you help?"

  "No problem, Nancy," Ann said. "Sounds like your vacation got a little boring. What's the case?"

  "I wish I knew." Nancy sighed. "I'll give you the whole story when I get back." Nancy told Ann what she needed. "I'll call you tomorrow from Rio, and see what you've got for me. Bye."

  She hung up and walked outside. The radio officer was sitting in a deck chair, scanning her book without much interest.

  "Thanks," Nancy called. "It was wonderful talking to him.''

  Now for Nina da Silva. She said she'd talk to Dad and me tonight, Nancy thought. It's evening now. And I've got a tangible lead—the link between Hector da Silva and Ribeiro qualifies, doesn't it? Dad'll understand.

  Nancy decided to take the elevator up the three levels to the Opal Deck. There was a group of kids about her own age waiting for the elevator, and she exchanged a few words with one of the girls, who seemed very friendly.

  Boy, this ship really is huge, she thought as she watched them get off the elevator at the Sapphire Deck. I've never even seen any of them before!

  She walked along the rail to Cabin 0-23 and knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again, a little louder. The door swung open under her rapping knuckles.

  "Mrs. da Silva?" Nancy called. There was no reply, so she stepped inside, flicking on the light as she did so. She felt a sudden chill.

  The cabin was empty—much too empty. It was cleaned out as if no one had ever been there. All of Mrs. da Silva's personal items were gone from the dressing table and the nightstand. The bed had been stripped, and new linens lay folded at its foot. The closet door stood open, and Nancy could see there was nothing inside.

  Nancy crossed to the dressing table and yanked open the drawers. Not a sign of the mysterious blueprint. Could that have been the "map" Ribeiro wanted? No—he could have obtained his own plan of the ship easily enough.

  There was nothing here. Nancy moved toward the door. Then, frowning, she turned back for one last look. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Where could Nina have gone?

  Suddenly the room went black as the door behind her banged shut. Nancy headed swiftly for the bedside light, but an arm caught her from behind, squeezing her ribs painfully.

  There was a metallic click, and Nancy's heart leapt. She knew what that sound meant.

  A switchblade.

  Chapter Eight

  As SHE FELT her attacker raise the blade to her throat, Nancy went limp.

  Surprised, the attacker shifted his grasp, which was what Nancy had hoped he'd do. It gave her the second she needed to seize his knife hand in both of hers and squeeze—hard. The man gasped, and the knife dropped noiselessly to the thick carpet.

  They both dove for it at once. Nancy could hear her attacker granting as he struggled to keep a hold on her. His groping fingers must have found the blade, for she soon felt the chill of steel against her throat.

  Nancy reached behind her and started to rake his face with her nails, but he dropped the knife and caught her hand. Snarling, he twisted her arm painfully behind her back, hauling her to her feet.

  Nancy kicked back with her right leg, and they went sprawling to the floor again.

  For a moment they were face to face, so close that Nancy could smell the clean scent of soap that clung to him. He was wearing a diving mask, and because the curtains were drawn across the porthole Nancy couldn't make out his features. But she knew instinctively he was deadly.

  "AAAAAGGHH!" Nancy screamed at the top of her lungs—right in the man's face. It was a tactic she had learned in a martial arts class, and it worked well. The man flinched as if the sound were something solid.

  Nancy didn't stay to finish the fight. Scrambling to her feet,
she ran to the door and yanked it open. "Help!" she yelled into the deserted corridor as she darted through the doorway.

  She raced to the end of the hall and half ran, half fell down the metal steps of the companion-way.

  Nancy was going so fast that she couldn't stop herself when she saw a crewman hurrying up the steps directly in her path. She caromed into him, and they both tumbled down the steps, landing in a heap at the bottom. Nancy was on her feet immediately.

  "Sorry," she panted. "Please, come with me quickly! Mrs. da Silva is missing, and Antonio Ribeiro just tried to kill me!"

  "Senorita?" the young crewman yelped, looking at her as if she had just stepped out of a spaceship. He scrambled to his feet and straightened his steward's tunic. "Mr. Ribeiro is trying to kill you?"

  "Come on! He's probably getting away right now!"

  "Well, I—I—are you absolutely cer-certain, senorita?" he stammered.

  "Look, I'm telling you the truth," she said through gritted teeth. "If you don't believe me, come see for yourself."

  With a wary sidelong glance at her, the steward slowly climbed the companionway. Nancy was so frustrated, she wanted to scream. Ribeiro would definitely be gone by now!

  Sure enough, when they reached Nina's cabin door, it was firmly closed. Although she had little hope of finding anything inside, Nancy made the steward take out his passkey and open the door.

  There was no one there. The attacker was gone, and so was Nina da Silva.

  The steward made a tiny, formal bow and then hurried back the way he had come. At the end of the corridor he turned and gave her one last dubious look before disappearing. But Nancy wasn't paying any attention to him.

  I've got to find Dad and tell him that Mrs. da Silva is gone, she thought. Is he going to freak! Maybe Fd better find out if Captain Brant knows anything first.

  She stopped off in her room, just long enough to splash some water on her face, brush her hair, and smooth a little powder blush onto her pale cheeks. No point in letting the world know she was shaken up. Then she tore down to the bridge to speak with the captain.