Illusions of Evil (6 page)

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.

“That's not so bad,” Chris consoled her. “It'll heal in no time.” The boy looked behind him and then unlocked the screen door. “Why don't you come in? My mom should be back soon.”

He led them into the living room, where the television was blaring, and eased himself into a nearby wheelchair.

“Grab a seat,” Chris said, pointing to the couch. He flicked off the television with a remote control. “You guys were at Riverfront last night? Boy, do I miss that place!”

“You do?” George asked, a bit surprised.

“Sure—I always loved going there,” he said.

“But isn't that where you were hurt?” George pressed.

“I guess.” He looked away sheepishly. “But maybe that wasn't all the park's fault.”

“What do you mean?” Nancy asked.

Now Chris really looked embarrassed. “I was in the Whirl-o-Looper with my friends, and we were horsing around. I had my safety belt kind of loose so I could reach over and take a poke at this guy, Teddy. But the belt came all the way off, and I got thrown around in the car.”

“And that's how you got hurt?” George asked in amazement.

“Yeah,” Chris replied, staring down into his lap.

“Did you tell your mom that?” Nancy pressed.

“Yeah,” he said, “but she's convinced the strap shouldn't have come undone.”

From the doorway there came a stunned gasp. Nancy and George whirled around to see a woman standing in the entrance to the living room, her arms full of packages. It was Freda Clarke. Beside her was a tall man, muscular and broad shouldered.

“I recognize you!” Freda cried, dropping her packages on the floor. “You're that friend of Adriana Polidori's. You were at the hospital last night.”

At the mention of Adriana's name, the man strode across the living room and grabbed Nancy by the shoulder.

“Get out,” he growled, “before I throw you out!”

T
HE MAN
'
S GRIP
on Nancy's shoulder felt like a powerful vise. She squirmed, but he wouldn't let go, so she elbowed him hard in the stomach.

“Ummph,” he cried, releasing her and staggering backward several steps.

Nancy straightened up, and George came to her side. “You could have at least asked us nicely,” George shot at him.

Nancy turned to Freda. “Listen,” she said, searching for a way to get the woman to simmer down and talk, “we both want the same thing.”

“We do?” Freda was obviously skeptical.

“Yes.” Nancy took a deep breath. “Riverfront Park isn't safe, that's clear.” At this, Freda smiled, and Nancy went on. “I want it to be safe, and so do you. But you think the only way for that to happen is to shut the place down. I think
we need to find out what's going on there, so Adriana can keep it open.”

“This is hogwash,” the man cut in. Nancy studied him for a second. His face was slightly tanned, and he wore jeans, a sports jacket, and loafers.

“Just a minute, Vince,” Freda said. “Let's hear what she has to say.”

“You're Vince Garraty?” Nancy asked.

“Yes,” he replied curtly, “Freda's fiancé. What's it to you?”

“Nothing,” Nancy said mildly.

“She just likes to know the names of the people who assault her,” George snapped.

From his wheelchair, Chris giggled softly, making Nancy suspect that the boy didn't like Vince very much.

“Get on with it,” Vince growled.

Nancy smiled as sweetly as she could under the circumstances. “I just want to talk about the accidents, because—well, there's a chance the park's being sabotaged.”

“That's ridiculous,” Freda cried, her eyes sparkling. “The accidents are being caused by negligence. Nothing more and nothing less. Her uncle mismanaged the place, and now Adriana is. It's a hazard, and we all know it.” Freda stared hard at Chris. “Aren't we proof enough?”