Illusions of Evil

  “Nancy! There you are!” Adriana cried. The magician was wearing a pair of black trousers and a deep red sweater. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the roller coaster. But did you see Rand there? I told him to meet you.”

  “Yes, I did.” Nancy decided to wait to tell Adriana what she’d discovered until they were alone. “I’ll talk to you afterward.”

  Adriana smiled and said, “Perfect.” She called out to get the crew’s attention and introduced Nancy to them. Then Adriana went around the room and called out their names. “That’s Shauna and Glenn, our carpenters. André you’ve met. There’s Maxine, the special effects expert, and Jenny, the pyrotechnician.”

  “I’ll never remember you all,” Nancy said, smiling as she sat down in the front row. “But I’ll try.” Then she turned to Adriana. “Has anyone figured out how the carpet got sprayed with kerosene last night?”

  The group turned quiet and serious, and Nancy could see that they were upset.

  Obviously uncomfortable, André spoke up at last. “I filled the tank the night before last. I had one of the new stagehands spray down the carpet before the show.” He glanced over at Adriana. “I’m sorry. There were a million things to do. I never imagined someone would dump the No-Flame and substitute something else.”

  “Not your fault,” Adriana told him. “You thought it was taken care of.” She turned to Nancy. “We’ve discussed this pretty thoroughly. Someone from outside must have slipped in and made the switch. Maybe one of the new stagehands.”

  “Do you have a list of their names?” Nancy asked.

  “I’ll get it for you,” Adriana said.

  “To be honest,” Nancy began, “I’m looking for someone who not only had access backstage, but knew enough about the rides to sabotage the Typhoon.”

  For a long moment nobody said a word. Then André whistled. “I guess that lets all of us off the hook,” he said.

  “Of course,” Adriana said. “We’d never doubt any of you.”

  “Besides,” Jenny piped up, “none of us has a clue about the Typhoon. We all worked with Adriana on the road. Amusement park rides are definitely not our thing. Right, guys?”

  The group murmured in agreement.

  Nancy took a moment to digest the information, then focused on Adriana. “Do you remember a man named Benny Gotnick?” she asked.

  Adriana’s eyebrows shot up, but then she nodded. “I’m afraid I had to fire him when I took over. He was really hopeless, a terrible worker.”

  “Was he upset when you let him go?” Nancy continued.

  Adriana sighed, pushed herself up on the apron of the stage, and crossed her long legs. “When I fired him, Benny promised me I’d regret it. I suppose he could have been serious.”

  Nancy was about to ask another question when a young man leaned out from the wings and said, “There’s a phone call for you, Ms. Polidori. He says it’s important.”

  “Who is it?” she called.

  “Carson Drew,” he replied.

  Adriana smiled at Nancy. “I spoke to him a little while ago. He said he needed to make a few calls before he could get back to me,” she explained, then got to her feet gracefully. “I’ll make this as brief as I can.” With that, she strode backstage.

  Nancy turned to André. “How well do you know Rand Hagan?” she asked.

  He smiled broadly. “Not that well. I met him when I came here two months ago. But without him, I don’t know how this park would run. He’s really good at his job—a little gruff, I guess, but smart.”

  “I played pool with him once at a place in Conklin Falls,” the carpenter named Glenn mentioned, then laughed ruefully. “He’s good at that, too.”

  Nancy chatted with the staff about life on the road with Adriana. They all clearly adored the woman and seemed happy to be at Riverfront. “I haven’t stayed in one place for this long in years,” Jenny commented.

  Just then Adriana reappeared on the stage. She stopped walking for a moment and studied the group intently. Then she started moving toward them again. When she reached their circle, she stood still, her arms hanging at her sides.

  After a long moment of silence, Adriana began speaking. “As you know I’ve been conferring with my lawyer, Carson Drew, about keeping the park open until the state inspectors come to check the Typhoon.”

  Her voice was hollow and lifeless. Nancy held her breath, waiting for Adriana to go on.

  The magician hit her hands against her thighs. “Well, they’re coming next week. But that may be a moot point.”

  Anger flashed through the magician’s eyes. “Carson Drew just informed me that Freda Clarke has obtained an emergency restraining order to shut the park down. Effective immediately.”

  Chapter

  Six

  WHAT?” NANCY ASKED. “How can she do that?”

  Adriana turned to Nancy, her expression hard as steel. “Apparently, the first thing this morning, her lawyer petitioned the court for an injunction against the park. A hearing to determine whether we stay shut until the state inspectors show up next week is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Until then we’re forbidden to open.”

  “That’s not fair,” Glenn cried.

  “Fair or not, it’s the way things will be,” Adriana replied bitterly. “There goes our first week’s receipts.”

  “Adriana!” a deep voice boomed from behind them.

  It was Grigov. Within seconds he’d come down the aisle, bounded onstage, and wrapped the magician in his arms. She crumpled against him, her strength clearly gone.

  Holding her to him, he addressed the group. “There’s nothing more to say. The meeting is over.”

  Adriana remained motionless as the members of her staff stood up and filed out of the auditorium. Nancy stayed in her seat in the front row, watching the two performers intently.

  Grigov was stroking Adriana’s hair in a way that made Nancy realize the two of them were more than professional partners. How deep did their attachment go? she wondered.

  She cleared her throat to remind them that she was there, then stood and approached the stage.

  Adriana drew away from Grigov and composed herself. “Forgive me,” she said. “But this has all been too much.”

  “I understand,” Nancy said softly.

  “I’m going to fight this, though,” she went on with fresh determination. “And when the state inspectors come, I know they’ll vindicate me.”

  “I wanted to discuss that with you,” Nancy began carefully, then went on to explain what Rand Hagan had shown her that morning.

  Grigov sprang to life, his dark eyes flashing. “It’s hopeless, my darling. You may suspect the ride was sabotaged, but you have no proof. You saw the paper this morning. The press is making you out to be a monster. You must give up this wretched plan of yours.”

  Adriana shot him an impatient look. “Absolutely not. Someone is trying to ruin this park, and when I find out who it is, I’ll have him locked away for good.” She smiled down at Nancy. “And I know someone who will help.”

  “Fine,” Grigov spat out. “But when you’re finished chasing ridiculous dreams, I’ll be here, Adriana. My show leaves for Minneapolis in five days. Until then I plan to stay in Conklin Falls and do everything I can to convince you that I am right!”

  “It won’t do any good, Misha,” she said calmly.

  “Then, for the moment, I will say goodbye,” Grigov told her.

  Adriana’s eyes followed him as he descended the steps at the side of the stage and strode back up the aisle. Then she turned to Nancy. “What is the next step in finding the culprit? Is there anything I can do to help you?” she asked.

  “We’ve got two possibilities,” Nancy said. “Either we’re dealing with a vengeful ex-employee or someone else is trying to force you out. I need Benny Gotnick’s address. But first, I’m going to pay a visit to Freda Clarke.”

  Adriana nodded. “Come with me and I’ll get you Benny’s file.”

  Ten minutes later Nanc
y left the auditorium with Benny Gotnick’s address on a scrap of paper in her pocket. She was ravenously hungry and decided to stop to have a quick lunch. Then she’d call Ned and George.

  Just as she was getting into her car, Nancy heard someone call her name. She looked up to see Mikhail Grigov striding toward her.

  When he came closer, Nancy saw that his expression was furious. He grabbed Nancy by the arm and said, “You’re not doing Adriana any favors by giving her all this so-called help of yours.”

  Nancy pulled free. “I don’t appreciate being threatened,” she said. “Why does it matter so much to you if Adriana keeps the park, anyway?”

  Grigov pursed his lips. “We are old, old friends, Adriana and I.” He shrugged, then backed off. “But I couldn’t expect you to understand. All I know is this—Adriana belongs with me, not running this ridiculous park!”

  With that, Grigov stormed away and got into a low black sports car that was parked on the far side of the lot. The car’s engine roared to life, and Grigov’s tires squealed as he pulled onto the road.

  “Interesting,” Nancy said out loud, watching him disappear. For a minute she recalled the way he’d held Adriana in the auditorium. Clearly he’d do anything for her. But did he want her to leave Conklin Falls so badly that he might actually sabotage her amusement park?

  • • •

  Nancy stopped at a diner and ordered a hamburger and soda, which she quickly ate. Then, after paying, she went out to make her calls at a telephone booth in the far corner of the parking lot. She reached Ned first. He said he had a bit of a headache but otherwise was fine. She got him to find the piece of paper Freda Clarke had given him and jotted down the woman’s address.

  The sound of cars and trucks whizzing by made it hard for Nancy to hear, and it had started to rain again.

  “Look, Nancy,” Ned said, “I’d like to see you tonight. After you’re through at Benny Gotnick’s and Freda Clarke’s, I’m taking you out for a terrific dinner.”

  Tired and chilled as she was, the prospect filled her with pleasure. “Will you be feeling well enough?” she asked.

  “Just talking to you makes me feel better,” he said teasingly.

  Nancy laughed. “Okay, you convinced me.”

  “I’ll make reservations at Finian’s and pick you up at eight,” he said.

  Nancy was smiling when she hung up. Finian’s was one of the best restaurants in River Heights, which meant that Ned planned to make the evening special. She couldn’t wait.

  She called George next and found that her friend was in no pain but was seriously bored. Nancy told her everything that had happened and filled her in on her plans for the rest of the afternoon. George was only too happy to come along for the ride. Nancy told her she’d pick her up in an hour. She wanted to stop by her father’s office first, because she had a few questions to ask him about Freda Clarke’s injunction.

  The rain was letting up a little when Nancy parked her car in the lot across from the building in downtown River Heights, where her father’s law office was located. She nodded to the guard in the lobby, then got into a waiting elevator.

  When she reached the office, the receptionist recognized her and called Carson Drew’s secretary to let her know that Nancy was there.

  As the woman put down the phone, she said, “Your father will be right out.”

  Nancy thanked her and was just about to sit down when Carson Drew stuck his head out the door.

  “Nancy, honey! It’s great to see you. What a surprise,” he said. He hugged her, then ushered her down the long corridor that led to his office.

  “I’m really sorry to bother you, Dad,” she said as they went. “I just need to know what’s going on with Freda Clarke’s injunction. I can’t believe that she managed to get it so fast.”

  Carson’s office was lined with bookcases and furnished with mahogany chairs and a leather couch. Behind his desk was a large window that overlooked Courthouse Square.

  He closed the door behind them, then sat down at his desk and propped his feet up on its paper-cluttered surface.

  Nancy sat down in one of the chairs across from his desk.

  “As you can see,” he said, “I’m overwhelmed with work.” He grinned at his daughter. “But I’m never too busy to see you. Especially when I’m involved in a case that requires your detective skills.”

  “That’s exactly why I’m here,” Nancy said. She started to explain what she’d learned that morning at the roller coaster, but her father stopped her.

  “Adriana told me.” He rubbed his jaw.

  Nancy gazed out the window for a minute, then said, “Things don’t look good for her, do they, Dad?”

  He sighed. “I’ll tell you one thing. Freda Clarke’s got one sharp lawyer.” He proceeded to explain how Freda’s legal counsel had managed to get the injunction against the park. Then he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “I’m afraid that after the incident last night, I’m going to have a tough time making a case for her at the hearing on Thursday.”

  “What happens when the state inspectors make a determination about what really caused the accident?” Nancy asked.

  “I imagine that there will be another hearing about the park’s long-range future,” he replied.

  Nancy hit her fist on her thigh. “I know someone’s trying to sabotage the park! The things that have been happening there are just too weird.”

  “I agree,” Carson said. “But unless you can prove that there’s been sabotage, I’ve got nothing to go on, I’m afraid.” He picked up a pen and started twisting it between his thumb and fingers. “I’d really like to save Riverfront, though—for Adriana’s sake.”

  “What do you know about Freda Clarke? I plan to pay her a call,” Nancy said.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Only that she’s been after Riverfront since her son Chris’s accident. And that she’s got money and power behind her.”

  Nancy frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “She’s divorced and her fiancé is a very prominent businessman in Conklin Falls. He used to be on the city council there, as I recall. Vince Garraty’s his name. He owns a big garbage hauling and disposal plant just south of town.”

  “Interesting,” Nancy murmured.

  “Mind you, I don’t think he cares all that much about the park. I get the feeling he’s just humoring Freda,” Carson went on.

  Just then the phone rang, and he grabbed it. “Yes, hello,” he said.

  Nancy listened as he made arrangements to pick up the person he was talking to at eight-thirty that night. When he put the phone down several minutes later, he raised his eyes to Nancy. “I’ve got a business dinner tonight, I’m afraid. Don’t wait up for me.”

  Nancy nodded.

  “We’ll talk tomorrow morning. I want to know what you find out from Freda. It could help me at the hearing,” he said.

  • • •

  After Nancy had swung by George’s house to pick her up, the weather had become almost mild and the sun was peeking out from behind the clouds. At a stoplight Nancy took off her jacket and rolled down the window. Then she spoke to George. “Something kind of weird happened when I was at my father’s office,” she began.

  “An escaped convict your father put away showed up with a gun and tried to kidnap you, right?” George teased, bending down to scratch the skin just beneath the top of her cast. “This thing itches like crazy.”

  Nancy rolled her eyes. “I’m serious, George. I was sitting in his office and he got a call. He acted like it was a client, but it sounded more like a date.”

  “Get real, Nancy,” George replied. “Your dad’s a good-looking guy. There’s no reason he shouldn’t have a date or two.”

  Nancy felt herself blushing. “Of course not. But like I said, it was strange.”

  After a twenty-minute drive up the parkway, Nancy took an exit that led to quiet, tree-lined streets. George navigated from a map in her lap, and they quickly found Freda Clarke’s house
on a block of well-kept homes.

  “This is it,” George said as Nancy pulled to a stop in front of a white bungalow.

  After parking the car, Nancy and George approached the house. Four wide steps led up to the front porch, and a sturdy plywood panel had been nailed over them, turning half the staircase into a ramp.

  George walked up the steps beside Nancy, and Nancy rang the doorbell.

  A minute later the door swung open and a voice asked, “May I help you?”

  “Chris Clarke?” Nancy asked when she saw the young boy standing at the door.

  “That’s me. Who are you?”

  “My name is Nancy Drew. This is my friend, George Fayne. Is your mother home?”

  Chris peered at them from behind the screen door. Nancy guessed he was about twelve years old. He was a cute, sandy-haired boy with braces on his legs and was supporting himself on a pair of metal crutches. Nancy could see that he was considering his answer before saying, “Uh, no, she’s out shopping. She won’t be back for a while.”

  “Could you tell her we stopped “by?” Nancy suggested.

  “Sure,” Chris said. Nancy was about to turn to go when Chris asked, “Is there something I can help you with?”

  Nancy could tell from the eagerness in his voice that he wanted company. “Maybe there is,” she said. “We want to ask your mom some questions about your accident last summer, but as long as you’re here, maybe you can answer them.”

  Now Chris seemed a bit doubtful. “I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe I shouldn’t talk to you.” He acted disappointed. Then he noticed George’s cast. “Hey, how did you hurt your foot?”

  “I was on the roller coaster at Riverfront Park last night,” she answered.

  “Really?” he cried. “That must have been scary! And all you hurt was your foot?”

  “My big toe, actually,” George explained.