Nancy Clue Mysteries 2 - The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend (42 page)

Cherry thrilled to the sight of Nancy in her natural surroundings-her cheeks rosy from hard work, her pretty eyes flashing with excitement each time she came into the kitchen to announce a new discovery. This was the Nancy of her dreams: hard at work, level-headed, and outfitted in a charming jumper and dotted blouse. "Gosh, I wish I had Velma to talk to," Cherry thought. "Yesterday I was so sure that Nancy and I could never be more than just friends, and today I think I've changed my mind!"

"Cherry, your long-distance call to Pleasantville, Idaho, has finally gone through," Nancy informed her.

All thoughts of her own quandary flew out of Cherry's head when she realized she was finally going to get a chance to speak to her mother!

"Mother? It's Cherry," she exclaimed when she picked up the telephone. But to Cherry's surprise, it wasn't her mother on the other end. It was Visiting Nurse Katie Klempke, an attractive, pleasantfaced girl with lovely blond hair and sparkling blue eyes, who had been Cherry's classmate at Stencer Nursing School. "Is mother ill?" Cherry gasped.

"Both your parents have had complete mental breakdowns," the pleasant-voiced nurse replied.

Cherry quickly relived her last moments at her parents' house in Pleasantville. She had just finished dressing for an early supper when her mother informed her that there was a carload of rather noisy girls waiting for her. "We'll explain everything," her brother Charley and his close chum Johnny, partners in a successful interior design shop in New York City, had promised as Cherry raced out the door and into Nancy's arms.

What could the boys have said that could have caused her parents to go into complete and utter shock?

"Oh, no," Cherry cried. "I must come right home!"

"There's no need for that," Nurse Klempke replied in a brisk tone. "Your parents are being moved to the Pleasantville Sanitarium later today. Besides, Charley and his handsome friend Johnny are here. And they've taken care of everything! "

Cherry could see that!

"Hello, Charley? It's Cherry."

"It's good to hear your voice, Cherry," Charley cried. "Are you having fun?"

"In a way," Cherry said. "It's hard to say. Oh, Charley, what's happened to Mother and Father?"

"Nothing too terrible," Charley chuckled. "They had rather a shock the day you left, but they'll recover in time."

"Did you tell Mother about me and Nancy?" Cherry wondered.

"Mother's stopped planning your wedding, dear," Charley admitted. "I was going to tell her about me and Johnny next, but she collapsed, so I told Father instead."

"Oh dear!" Cherry cried. She shut the door to the den so she could speak her mind. "I almost wish you hadn't done that," she said.

"We mustn't blame ourselves for Mother's collapse," Charley warned. "She's been due for a good long vacation for years."

"It's not that," Cherry cried. "It's just that now something has happened, and I'm not sure if what you told Mother is true. Oh, Charley, you're going to have to go and tell her I'm in love with two girls now!"

Charley let out a whistle. "Is this the shy nurse who used to be my sister?" he teased. "Tell me everything, sis," he said. So Cherry did. But when she got off the phone with her brother, she was no closer to a decision. "You'll know what's right when it's time to choose," her brother advised.

Cherry went back to the kitchen with a heavy heart. As she was telling Nancy all about her parents' complete and utter nervous breakdowns, there was a knock at the door. It was Mrs. Milton Meeks-the real Mrs. Milton Meeks. "At least, I think it is," Cherry puzzled. She got a closer look at the matron. "Oh, yes, it is you, Mrs. Meeks! " she cried when she spied the beady eyes and small, determined chin.

"Oh course it's me, dear," Mrs. Meeks pushed past Cherry into the kitchen. "Will you help me with this cake?" she asked, struggling to keep her balance under the weight of a pink and white iced, three-layer wedding cake.

"How nice," Cherry cried, "Someone you know is getting married!"

Mrs. Meeks laughed. "You're such a goose. You know good and well this is the day Nancy Clue and Frank Hardly are tying the knot. Remember when I said I'd help with the wedding? Well, I felt so blue about our little misunderstanding in court, I decided to take it upon myself to provide a lavish wedding the likes of which River Depths will never forget. Now, hurry, dear. We've got little sandwiches to cut into triangles and punch to make. And it all begins in exactly one hour!

"Nancy, hadn't you better go and get dressed? Of course you're wearing your dear mother's wedding gown, aren't you?"

Jackie came into the room to see what all the fuss was about.

"Oh, good, you've hired more help. Will you be a good girl and get the fancy punch bowl out of storage?" Mrs. Meeks cried when she spied Jackie. "And, goodness, dear, put on an apron. We have guests arriving soon."

Jackie raised one eyebrow, crossed her arms over her chest, and gave Mrs. Milton Meeks a fearless look. Cherry put one arm through Jackie's and said, "I guess you don't recognize our friend; you met her in court yesterday." She continued with pride, "Mrs. Meeks, this is Detective Jackie Jones from the San Francisco Police Department."

When Nancy saw Cherry take Jackie's arm, she hurried out of the room.

"Oh, really," Mrs. Meeks thrilled. She put on her spectacles and took a good look at Jackie. "Goodness," she said. "You're with the police," she tittered. "Oh, my."

"Jewel heists are my specialty," Jackie said dryly.

"But she does many other things equally well," Cherry boasted.

"Dear, do you have a powder room free?" Mrs. Meeks cried. Cherry directed her toward the downstairs washroom.

"That was nice, Cherry," Jackie grinned.

"You mean, the way she ran off with that look in her eyes?" Cherry giggled.

"No, I mean the way you took my arm and showed me off," Jackie said softly.

Cherry blushed to the roots of her hairdo. Golly, a few minutes ago she was feeling all tingly about Nancy, and now suddenly her heart was pounding something terrible because of Jackie!

Suddenly, she felt like crawling into Jackie's strong embrace and staying there forever. "Love is supposed to be such a many splendored thing, but it's really full of heartbreak and sorrow," Cherry exclaimed. Golly, she had done a lot of growing up in the last few days!

"Midge and Velma swear they'll never speak to one another again, and Nancy and I...well, I don't know what we are to each other anymore. Only last week I was sure she was my one true love. But now I don't know. Oh, I'm so confused," Cherry cried. "Why can't things be simple, like in the movies?"

"Because life's not like that. Because girls aren't like that," Jackie grinned.

Cherry had to laugh. "You sound like Midge now," she smiled. Then she grew somber. As bad as her own problems were, as much as her own heart was aching, she knew there were two people who were hurting much worse.

"If Midge and Velma really do break up, then there's no hope for love!" she cried.

Jackie agreed. "We've got to bring them back together."

"Girls, stop standing there gossiping and help Mr. Donald with the decorations," Mrs. Meeks ordered. "And where's that other dark-haired girl? The one who looks like you?" she asked Cherry. "Nancy would look so lovely at the altar, flanked by two brunettes."

Cherry was delighted to see Mr. Donald standing in the living room, holding a big tissue-paper bell and a box of assorted theatrical supplies. He was clad in mustard yellow sporty cashmere slacks, a matching silk shirt, and soft white suede loafers.

"When I heard Frank and Nancy were getting married, I just had to see for myself!" he cried. Under Mrs. Meeks's watchful eye, Mr. Donald got to work transforming the attractive yet staid formal living area into a dream. Using crepe paper, fresh flowers from Hannah's garden, and a bolt of the softest pink velvet, he created a milieu straight out of a fairy tale.

"We haven't any music!" Mrs. Meeks suddenly gasped.

Mr. Donald opened his box of tricks and took out a Liberace recording of a wedding march. "Will this do?" he asked.

Mrs. Meeks lit up. "I love him!" she cried. "I practically swooned when I saw him perform last year at the River Depths Symphony Hall." She raced out of the room to call her friend Mrs. Tweeds and ask her to bring her new portable phonograph along with the clam dip.

"What's really going on here?" Mr. Donald wondered as soon as she had left the room. "Darlings, you all look so weepy-eyed."

"Oh, Mr. Donald, we're all having troubles today of the most wretched kind," Cherry sighed.

"Love problems, I'll bet," Mr. Donald guessed. "Tell me everything," he urged. "If there's one thing I am, it's lucky in love."

Jackie and Cherry quickly explained the argument that had led to the break-up of everyone's favorite couple.

"And even though they love each other madly, they're both too proud to give in," Cherry exclaimed.

"It sounds like those two need a good swat," he declared.

"I believe Velma already tried that," Cherry said.

"Then we'll go with Plan B!" Mr. Donald cried.

"Sounds great!" the girls enthused. "What is it?"

"It goes like this." Soon the trio was whispering furiously and giggling hysterically.

"The wedding will begin in fifteen minutes!" Mrs. Meeks cried as she came into the room holding a tray of canapes. Guests began arriving, all excited by the turn of events in the Clue house. Gifts piled up, and soon the dining room was overflowing with gaily wrapped packages.

Mrs. Meeks shrieked with delight when she spotted Miss Gladys Gertz and Miss Martha Mannish outfitted in crisp summer suits and wearing their press badges pinned to their lapels.

"The reporters I met in court are here!" Mrs. Meeks called. "Now this is one wedding that should be on the front page!" She raced past them, all aflutter.

Miss Gertz grinned and winked at Cherry. "Have you seen the latest edition of The River Depths Defender?" she asked.

"I haven't had time to read a thing," Cherry explained earnestly. "Last-minute weddings can be such a headache!"

Miss Gertz laughed merrily and handed Cherry the newspaper. "I'm so glad I didn't run you down in Dust Bin, dear," she smiled. "You're such a delight!"

Cherry gasped when she saw Miss Gertz's by-line on the front page.

River Depths, Illinois-Intrepid girl detective Nancy Clue, with selfless disregard for her own well-being, revealed herself as the true murderer of her father, respected attorney Carson Clue, thus causing the judge to free accused murderess and housekeeper Hannah Gruel, who had been like a mother to the titian-haired sleuth since the death of her own mother twenty-two years ago.

In a startling courtroom confession, Miss Clue revealed heretofore unknown diabolical aspects of her late father's nature that shocked and stunned the court. In recounting the events that led up to the justifiable homicide, Nancy described a side to Mr. Clue that startled even his most ardent fans.

"He was really going to kill Hannah! Oh, it was just awful! " Miss Clue recalled after describing how she rescued the frail, elderly housekeeper from her father's clutches.

In a decision that surprised few courtroom spectators, Judge Milton Meeks exonerated Miss Clue of all wrongdoing in the unhappy shooting.

"I knew all along she must have had good reason," Mrs. Milton Meeks declared as the courtroom cleared.

In related news, Police Chief Charles "Chick" Chumley has reportedly fled the state after admitting to this reporter that he fabricated evidence against Hannah Gruel.

"The Chief was trying to cover for his friend, Carson Clue, by framing the housekeeper," Deputy Dwight Drone admitted. "Why, everyone knows Hannah wouldn't harm a fly!"

Right next to the story was a photograph of Cherry, Nancy, Midge, Velma, and Lauren, taken at the square dance in Dust Bin. The caption read, "A disguised Nancy Clue stopping for some brief recreation at the Round-Up Club in Dust Bin, Wy., on her way to save housekeeper Hannah Gruel from wrongful conviction-Photo by Miss Martha Mannish."

"I don't know what you girls did with the Chief, and I don't think I want to know, but according to my sources, he deserved everything he got," Miss Gertz giggled.

Cherry raced upstairs to prepare the bride while Mr. Donald, dismayed that Midge hadn't packed a tuxedo, hopped in his sports car and raced home for one of his.

"What are we going to do?" Nancy wondered aloud when she peeked down the banister and saw there really was going to be a wedding. "I put on my mother's dress just to placate Mrs. Meeks," she explained.

"I'll spell out everything later! " Cherry cried. "Get in your bedroom and take off that dress," she ordered. Nancy blushed happily, hummed a gay tune, and raced for her room. By the time she got there, she had stripped off the ivory taffeta gown with its majestic flounced chapel sweep train, lacetrimmed veil, and chantilly lace elbow-length gloves.

"The shoes, too," Cherry cried. Nancy kicked off her satin slippers. "Shall I take off my panties and stockings?" she wondered shyly. Cherry pondered this.