The Black Widow

  Randy relaxed. “Well, I’ll tell you one thing—” he began, when a silky female voice cut in.

  “My goodness, you two are serious.” Nancy turned and saw Lynn Ashley standing behind her. Lynn seemed to have materialized out of thin air. How much had she overheard?

  Lynn’s light blond hair was artistically tousled, and she wore a white string bikini that accented her perfect salon tan. Nancy had to admit that she was attractive—in a brittle way.

  Lynn gave Nancy a sugary smile. “Mind if I cut in?” She moved close to Randy. “You did promise to teach me how to play shuffleboard, remember?” she drawled.

  She took Randy’s arm and towed him away. He mouthed “Help” to Nancy over his shoulder, and she laughed out loud.

  “You’re on your own,” she whispered. Randy rolled his eyes in mock horror.

  Rats! Lynn sure had great timing. Or was there more to her interrupting than I thought? Nancy suddenly wondered. Maybe Lynn really was listening in. And maybe she was trying to warn Randy to stop talking!

  This was getting her nowhere. She was beginning to suspect everyone on the ship of being involved in a gigantic conspiracy. And she didn’t even know what they could possibly be hiding.

  • • •

  Nancy met her father for lunch on the outdoor terrace of the Opal Lounge. He’d spent most of the morning with Nina da Silva.

  “Nina’s quite a woman,” he commented. “She was born in the States, but she went to Brazil to teach,” Carson Drew continued. “She met and married Hector da Silva about five years later, but she went on teaching and working with the local poor people until his death last year. She didn’t need to teach for a living—he was a wealthy shipping magnate—but she wanted to.”

  “A shipping magnate?” Nancy was interested. If Nina da Silva had shipping interests, that would explain the blueprint in her cabin—but not why she had lied about it.

  Carson nodded. “She’s had to take over Hector’s various enterprises since his death, I gather, which is why she’s given up teaching. But she plans to resume as soon as she can. That’s dedication, wouldn’t you say?”

  “It sure is.” Nancy decided to tell him about the conversation she’d overheard. “Dad, this morning—” she began.

  “Yes, this morning,” her father broke in. He leaned forward. “Listen, Nan, I’m sorry if I sounded harsh this morning. You know I love you very much, and I also respect what you do. I believe you’ve helped a lot of people—”

  “Uh-oh, I think I hear a ‘but’ coming,” Nancy said.

  “But even if Nina’s having some sort of trouble, it would be wrong to intrude if she hasn’t asked for help. We have no evidence of any kind of criminal activity.”

  “What if I find some?” Nancy asked.

  Carson Drew sighed. “That’s what’s at issue here. Do you have the right to go digging into someone else’s life, just on a shadowy suspicion? A suspicion of a suspicion? I don’t think so. And unless she invites our help, I have to respect her privacy. I hope you’ll do the same,” Carson said earnestly.

  Nancy squirmed in her seat, not answering her father. How could she promise to go against all her instincts?

  Glancing up, she saw a couple walk past with badminton racquets in their hands. She remembered then that she’d promised the Jordans she’d play a few games with them! Glad to be off the hook, she stood up.

  “Dad,” she said, holding out her hand to her father. “Matt and Melissa Jordan have challenged the Drew dynasty to a badminton tournament. Let’s go show them what we’re made of.”

  Carson Drew looked apologetic. “Actually, Nina and I are going to meet in the solarium and soak up some sun.”

  “Oh. Uh, sounds great.” Nancy hid her disappointment, but as she was walking back to her cabin to change, she couldn’t help feeling a little hurt.

  It was only the second day of the cruise, and already her father had made plans that didn’t include her! What had happened to their family vacation? With the appearance of Nina da Silva, it had gone down the drain in more ways than one.

  • • •

  “Oh, Nancy, there’s Randy Wolfe. Isn’t he gorgeous!” At Nancy’s raised eyebrows, Melissa Jordan blushed a little and giggled. “It’s a good thing Matt’s not listening, but I’m just expressing an opinion! I’m allowed—I’m an old married lady.”

  Nancy had to laugh. Melissa couldn’t be much older than she was.

  They were at the captain’s reception now, in one of the large ultraplush cocktail lounges that dotted the ship. This was where the officers and passengers were supposed to get acquainted, and Nancy was hoping she’d see Antonio Ribeiro. She definitely wanted to talk to him, although she hadn’t yet decided what to say.

  She didn’t have to look far—Ribeiro suddenly appeared out of the crowd in front of them, smiling and nodding his head once. Nancy blinked. He was wearing a heavy, musky cologne that clung to him like a cloak. “Ah, the captain’s guests!” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “I trust you are enjoying the cruise so far?”

  “Oh, it’s wonderful,” Nancy gushed and jumped in before Melissa could say anything. Here was her chance. “We’re having a fantastic time!

  “The ship is just so huge,” she went on, improvising rapidly. “I don’t know how you manage to find your way around. You must need a map!”

  Ribeiro smiled indulgently. “I’ve learned to do without.”

  “Well, I definitely need one.” With what she hoped was an airhead giggle, Nancy brought out her next line. “Mrs. da Silva says she has a map she’ll lend me. Isn’t that nice of her?”

  Ribeiro’s eyes narrowed. He gave Nancy a long look. “Very nice indeed,” he said at last. Then he excused himself and moved on to a cluster of older women.

  She’d definitely gotten his attention! She was sure now that it had been his voice that morning, threatening Mrs. da Silva. But it was impossible for her to tell whether or not he was suspicious of her.

  Melissa nudged her. “Did I miss something?”

  Nancy shook her head. “I’m not sure what happened myself.”

  • • •

  Nancy fumbled through her bag for the key to her cabin. That night was the second-night formal dinner, and she didn’t have much time to get ready after the captain’s reception.

  She turned the key in the lock and, as the door swung open, was greeted by a sweet, heady scent. Someone had sent her a huge arrangement of gardenias!

  She smiled; they must be from her father. “Thanks, Dad,” she said, picking up the bouquet from the dressing table. As her eye fell on the florist’s card lying beside the flowers, the cloying scent of the gardenias suddenly threatened to choke her.

  The message was simple:

  To Nancy Drew.

  For Your Funeral.

  Chapter

  Five

  NANCY BLANCHED. SHE crumpled the card, tossed it aside, and resolved to find and stop whoever had sent it.

  As she changed into a peach-colored dress with a flared skirt and matching high-heeled pumps, Nancy started feeling a little better—and a lot more angry.

  First, the spiders in Nina’s cabin, and now this. Nancy picked up the crumpled note, smoothed it out, and tucked it in her dresser drawer. It was time to get down to business.

  • • •

  Seated at the captain’s table, Nancy studied the other diners. Occupied with her own thoughts, she was unable to be social.

  Lynn Ashley was overdressed in a low-cut silvery dress. She was wearing the fake seed pearls around her neck, Nancy noticed, and hid a grin.

  As usual, Lynn was alternately flirting with Randy and sulking when he didn’t respond.

  “Well, Randy Wolfe!” Nancy overheard her saying. “That’s just the most exciting story I’ve ever heard! Do tell me about Rio. Is it as dangerous as they say? Would a young girl on her own need an escort?”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of guys anxious to escort you,” Randy replied. Obviously, he
had taken an instant dislike to Lynn.

  Nancy had to admit, maybe he had a good reason. Lynn Ashley appeared to be selfish, spoiled, and ruthless when it came to guys. Now she was looking past Randy to bat her eyelashes at Matt Jordan, who looked embarrassed.

  Was Lynn as ruthless about other things? Nancy wondered. Was she involved in the mystery surrounding Nina da Silva? They didn’t seem to know each other, but maybe . . .

  Now—Antonio Ribeiro. As the hotel manager, he could have secretly arranged for the flowers and card to be delivered to Nancy. And it was quite clear there were hostile feelings between him and Nina. Yes, as a villain, he was almost too perfect.

  What about Nina herself? She seemed to be a victim, but was she hiding something? Nancy still wondered why she wouldn’t guess who might have put the box of spiders in her room. Was she trying to protect someone? But who and why?

  Nancy studied her father, chatting with Nina da Silva. He looks so happy, she thought with a pang. I hope he doesn’t get hurt. If only he’d listen to my warnings, but so far he hasn’t been responsive.

  “Hey, blue eyes, can I at least have a dance after dinner?” Randy said softly. “I don’t want to seem conceited, but I’ve got to be better-looking than that lobster on your plate!”

  Nancy looked up and smiled at him. “Just a few things on my mind, I guess.”

  “A couple of fast dances will clear out those cobwebs in no time!” Randy said with a wink.

  Cobwebs! Nancy’s toes curled as she remembered the spiders in the chocolate box. Could Randy have said that on purpose? Were those green eyes as friendly as they looked?

  Out loud, she laughed. “Okay, you win. One dance, and then I want to study the stars for a while.”

  What she really wanted was a chance to take a look at Ribeiro’s cabin. Maybe something there would answer a few of her questions.

  • • •

  Nancy felt increasingly tense as dinner came to an end and the party moved on to the dance floor. Standing beside the band with Randy and the Jordans, Nancy felt more than a little jealous as she watched Melissa and Matt. They were so much in love, and she really missed Ned!

  “What a wonderful night!” Melissa said. “This trip is everything I thought it would be, and more.”

  Nancy nodded. More was definitely the right word for it! Suddenly she had an idea. If she could get Melissa to cover for her, she just might sneak the time she needed to search Ribeiro’s room.

  “Melissa, I’ve got something in my eye,” said Nancy quickly. “Do you think you could come to the lounge with me and take a look? I hate to drag you away from the dancing, but it hurts.”

  “Sure,” said Melissa, and the two weaved their way through the crowd toward the ladies’ lounge.

  Once inside, Nancy turned to Melissa and heaved a sigh of relief. “Thanks for the exit cue,” she said, joking. “Much as I like Randy Wolfe, he was holding onto me just a little too tightly. He’s a nice guy, but I’m starting to think he’s taking his job a bit too seriously.”

  Melissa laughed. “But, Nancy,” she said, “I think it would be fun to get all his attention. The other girls are dying for a chance at him!”

  Delicately changing the subject, Nancy said, “I know this may be asking a lot, but I have to get away by myself for a few minutes. Do you think you could cover for me?”

  Melissa’s eyes widened. “But, Nancy, what would I tell them?”

  Nancy thought fast. She didn’t want to make Melissa nervous or suspicious. “Melissa, it’s important to me. Randy doesn’t know I have a boyfriend. I’ve just got to have a little time to think things over before it goes too far—and someone gets hurt.”

  “All right, Nancy,” said Melissa doubtfully, “but what do I tell them? How long will you be gone? I can’t say you fell overboard!”

  “Tell them I broke the heel off my shoe. Tell them I ran my stocking. Come on, Melissa, a million things like that happen every day! You can do it. Just make something up.”

  Melissa nodded. “I do sympathize, I really do. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something. Now, get going or they’ll think we both fell overboard!”

  Nancy opened the door and, after a quick glance around, stole out on deck. Once she was around the bend, she took off her heels and ran down to the Amethyst Deck, where the officers had their cabins. She scanned the nameplates outside the cabin doors. Carruthers, Baldwin—Ribeiro! Luckily his cabin was the third one she came to.

  Nancy dug in her evening bag and pulled out her nail file. It wasn’t the ideal tool, but it had a little cuticle pusher that should work.

  Careful not to make a noise, she inserted the file into the lock and jiggled it gently until the knob turned under her hand. After a quick glance around her, Nancy slipped inside the darkened cabin and relocked the door.

  The room reeked of Ribeiro’s heavy, musky cologne. The scent filled Nancy’s lungs and made her want to cough.

  Nancy flashed her tiny penlight around the room until she spotted a desk against the wall. She went carefully through each drawer, but all she found were ship’s receipts for food, wine, and other supplies.

  Finally, in the back of the bottom drawer, she found something that looked promising—a plain white envelope, stuffed full. She opened it. It was some kind of financial statement with a wrinkled letter, addressed to R, attached. Holding the light closer, Nancy tried to decipher the crabbed handwriting.

  Then she realized why she couldn’t read it. It was all in Portuguese! Of course. Ribeiro was Brazilian—he spoke Portuguese. Nancy was fluent in Spanish and French but not this!

  Looking again at the letter, she picked out one familiar word. Mapa. She guessed that meant “map.”

  Then two names caught her eye: Nina in the second paragraph, all in capitals, and the letter was signed da Silva.

  Aha, Nancy thought. At last I’ve got something in writing. And it links Nina da Silva with Mr. Smooth Ribeiro!

  Suddenly, there was a noise at the door, and a key scraped in the lock.

  Ribeiro!

  Her heart pounding, Nancy looked for an escape route. Nothing! She shoved the papers back in the drawer and dashed for the closet.

  The cabin door opened, and Nancy held her breath as footsteps moved heavily over to the desk and stopped. A drawer was opened, carefully, and papers rustled. Then more steps, heading right for the closet!

  Now you’ve done it, thought Nancy. Cornered in a closet, of all places.

  She tried not to sneeze or cough from the overpowering smell of cologne and pushed herself farther back into the hanging suit jackets.

  The door was yanked open then. A black-sleeved arm reached in—straight for Nancy’s throat!

  Chapter

  Six

  NANCY SLOWLY SLID down against the closet wall, praying she could stay out of the reach of the groping hands.

  One hand pushed several coats aside and came to rest on an evening jacket. Nancy almost fainted as Ribeiro took the jacket out and closed the door with a sharp click.

  She listened as he changed and left the cabin. Cautiously, she nudged the door open and slid out. She stepped quickly to the desk and opened the bottom drawer.

  The papers were gone!

  Nancy clenched her teeth, furious with herself. The perfect chance to prove to her father that there was a mystery involving Nina da Silva and Antonio Ribeiro, and she had acted like an inexperienced amateur, losing her only piece of hard evidence and almost getting herself caught.

  Discouraged, Nancy made her way back to the dance, where Randy spotted her immediately and sauntered over.

  “Hey, blue eyes,” he greeted her, “that was some disappearing act. Let’s dance. I’m not missing my chance again, that’s for sure!”

  Actually, Nancy would have loved to dance—to a fast song, that is. She needed to work out some of her tension. But Randy pulled her out to the middle of the floor, just as a slow, romantic song was beginning.

  “Now, this isn’t bad, is it?”
he whispered in her ear. One of his hands strayed up her back, and he began playing with a lock of her hair.

  Nancy pulled back and looked into the handsome emerald green eyes and took a deep ragged breath. It was time to get a few things straight.

  “Look, this might not be the best time, but I think you should know my boyfriend is meeting the cruise in Rio,” she said, trying to keep a little distance between them as they danced.

  “So, we still have two whole days together,” replied Randy cheerfully. “After all, I’m only doing my job, making sure the passengers are entertained.”

  Finally, the dance over, Nancy and Randy rejoined the Jordans. Apparently deciding that Nancy could take care of herself, Melissa shot her a covert look, grasped Matt’s hand, and stood up.

  “I think it’s bedtime for us,” she said, yawning. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow. See you all at breakfast.”

  Matt added his good-nights, and the newlyweds headed for the Pearl Deck.

  “I’d better go, too,” Nancy told Randy. “It’s been a long day.” Randy walked her to the elevators.

  “Good night, blue eyes,” he said. “Sleep well.” After giving her a light kiss on the cheek, he strode back toward the thinning group of dancers.

  Nancy felt exhausted when she got to her cabin. She tried to sort through the events of the day, from the threats she had overheard to the letter in Ribeiro’s desk. Somehow, she had a feeling that that letter was crucial to the case. If only she knew what the case was.

  Finally, Nancy drifted into an uneasy sleep.

  • • •

  The next morning at breakfast Randy made an announcement: “Today is our first stop. We’ll be taking groups ashore to Paranagua. After a tour of the town, there’ll be time for shopping and sightseeing. Launches leave in an hour.”

  He sauntered over to the table where Nancy sat with her father and the Jordans. “Too bad I can’t come along,” he said. “Unfortunately, this job isn’t all fun and games. We get more than enough paperwork to earn our keep.”