A Ghost In The Closet

Cherry puzzled her pretty brow. There was one thing she still didn’t understand. If Midge was masquerading as Frank Hardly, and had married Velma while in disguise, was Velma Mrs. Midge Fontaine, or really Mrs. Frank Hardly? “Maybe now isn’t the best time to bring that up,” Cherry decided. “Since everyone’s having such a swell time.”

The chums had kept a low profile for days, waiting for the news to blow over that it had been Nancy who had murdered her father. “Not that it’s been a dull period in the least,” Cherry murmured to herself. Why, the house had been a whirlwind of activity!

Shortly after Nancy’s release from jail, the president of the River Depths Bank had arrived with a briefcase stuffed with stocks and bonds and insurance policies for Nancy to peruse. There were numerous financial decisions for River Depth’s newest heiress to mull over, for besides inheriting the comfortable three-story brick house and her father’s considerable bank account, Nancy had come into a large trust left to her by her late mother, Rebecca Clue. Why, the interest alone would keep Nancy in fashionable frocks and necessary accessories for the rest of her days!

When Nancy had begged Cherry to be her date for the show, Jackie had suddenly announced that she had official work to do, strapped on her gun and left the house. Cherry was frankly relieved that she didn’t have to choose between two escorts for that day!

“Although Jackie is missing all the fun,” Cherry thought woefully as she followed the others through the crowd to the center arena where the Parade of Hounds was underway. Soon Cherry forgot all about her troubled romances as many delightful dogs, led by a handsome bloodhound, paraded about in a large circle.

“These can’t all be hounds,” Cherry exclaimed to Midge. “They look nothing alike.” As she said this, she noticed a burly man clad in a tight-fitting shiny black suit prick up his ears and tilt his head so as to hear Midge’s response. Cherry was glad she wasn’t the only uninformed one in the crowd!

Midge quickly explained that all sorts of contrary-appearing dogs, from the merry beagle to the regal Afghan, were hounds. “There are two classifications of hounds: coursing hounds, which use their eyesight for tracking, and tracking hounds, which rely on their acute sense of smell,” Midge explained earnestly, adding, “Dogs have a sense of smell three hundred times that of humans.”

“Bloodhounds are often used by the police to solve crimes,” Nancy interjected. “I had one with me when I cracked The Case of the Fetid Footwear.”

“Goodness!” Cherry exclaimed. Before she could hear any more about Nancy’s exciting case, a roar went up from the crowd. It was the Cavalcade of Collies! The crowd applauded in approval as the majestic looking, thick-coated herding dogs rounded up sheep, jumped over barriers, and saved a small boy from a simulated swimming accident. Cherry was not at all surprised to learn that the plucky dogs had long been used to aid mankind during times of national emergency.

“Aren’t they the cleverest dogs you’ve ever seen?” Cherry cried to Nancy as she jumped to her feet and smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt in preparation for a trip to the cafeteria.

“And so loyal, too,” Nancy exclaimed. “Why, they’re practically famous for their dutiful obedience to their masters!” Nancy put one arm on Cherry’s shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. “Loyalty has always been one of my favorite characteristics in a girlfriend,” she confided. “Don’t you think it’s one of the most important virtues ever?”

Cherry gulped. “Goodness, I’m starved!” she cried. “Is anyone else hungry?”

As they consumed a yummy luncheon of ham salad sandwiches, cabbage slaw and fruit compote, Midge happily read aloud more interesting things about the delightful dogs. She had taken copious notes in her program during the trials and declared herself quite taken with the handsome beasts. Next the girls browsed at a nearby booth offering good bargains on necessary items. Nancy purchased a cute tartan collar for her terrier, Gogo, and Midge picked up a handsome braided red leather collar and leash set for her own dog, Eleanor, a black and white cocker spaniel left at home in Warm Springs, Oregon with close chums.

“Attention ladies and gentlemen!” a voice blared out over the loudspeaker. “The Wiener Dog Races will begin in four minutes’ time in Exhibition Hall C, followed shortly thereafter by the Pageant of Poodles in Exhibition Hall D!”

“I met two poodles who are going to compete,” Midge told her chums. “I promised their owner we’d be there to cheer them on.”

Cherry had to smile. Tough, sarcastic Midge always became a puddle when it came to pooches! The happy group was eagerly making its way down the long corridor connecting the exhibition halls when suddenly a tall, thin man in a dark-colored trenchcoat with an upturned collar stepped right in their path.

“Hey!” Midge cried as the man took an umbrella from under his arm and thoughtlessly shook it out, spraying the hapless girls with rain water before disappearing into the sea of dog lovers. “What the—!” she added as she felt someone jostle her from behind. Midge turned around to find a burly man in a shiny, tight-fitting black sharkskin suit behind her.

“Sorry, sonny,” he grumbled as he slipped something into his jacket pocket and walked briskly away. Midge checked her pocket and was relieved to find her wallet still there.

“How discourteous that trenchcoat-clad man is!” Cherry exclaimed, realizing that he had gotten water on her new ballerina flats. Not only that, he had left a puddle that could prove dangerous on the slick, tile flooring! Cherry opened her purse and whipped out a clean handkerchief so she could mop up the mess, but stopped when she spied the look of astonishment on Midge’s face. By now, Midge had had time to check all her pockets, and had discovered a queer thing.

“That man in the black suit stole my program!” Midge gasped angrily.

—— CHAPTER 2 ——

Dog Gone!

“At first I thought he had taken my money,” Midge explained. “I’ve got my wallet, all right, but my program’s missing. Why would he steal a five-cent program?” she cried, more bewildered than angry.

“I’ll bet you just dropped it, Midge,” Cherry piped up. “What possible reason could someone have for stealing your program?”

“You’re right, Cherry, I probably left it in the cafeteria,” Midge sighed after a quick look around. “And it’s got all my notes about my favorite dogs in it!” Midge looked decidedly downcast.

“I’ll get you another,” Cherry cried as she fished a nickel from her coin purse, walked over to a vendor and purchased a crisp new program.

“Thanks, Cherry,” Midge grinned. Then an expression of alarm crossed her face. She checked her watch. “We’ve got just seconds to go before the Pageant of Poodles starts, and I promised Miss Pansy we’d be there!” Quick as a wink, the girls took off for Exhibition Hall D, but as they got close to the room they heard a terrible cry, one that sent a chill through the gay little group.

“Help! Help!” someone cried. “Someone’s—kidnapped—the—miniature—poodles!”

They raced to the Petite Poodle Room, which proved a pandemonious place indeed. People were milling about, talking excitedly. “That’s the third dognapping this summer in Central Illinois!” they overheard one man exclaim.

“So that’s why the police are here,” Midge realized.

“They must have suspected something like this might happen,” Nancy surmised.

Meanwhile, Cherry had begun fussing over Miss Pansy, who was lying flat on her back on the cold tile floor. Cherry noted with approval that the Veterinarian Nurse she had met earlier in the ladies’ lounge had loosened the woman’s garments and had made a pillow for her out of a pile of small woolen dog sweaters. The color was coming back in the elderly woman’s face and soon she was able to sit up and tell the girls the dreadful details of the tragic event.

“It’s the most awful thing,” Miss Pansy said in a shaky voice. Tears welled in her soft brown eyes. “I left Pierre and Patsy alone in their stalls for just a moment so I could purchase a cucumber sandwich and a cup of coffee. In the excitement of the day, I had forgotten to have any breakfast,” she explained weakly.

Cherry kept a cheery expression on her face, but inwardly she frowned. Of all people, a librarian should know that breakfast provides the fuel that powers the human engine! Cherry sent a bystander off for a cup of tea and some dry toast. As soon as Miss Pansy had had some nourishment and regained her strength, Cherry would set her straight about the most important meal of the day!

Miss Pansy continued her story. “When I came through these doors and looked over and saw this, why, I must have fainted,” she said in a tremulous tone. She gestured limply toward a row of tiny stalls, each outfitted with a plush pillow, rubber toy, colorful ribbons, and a gay sign bearing the occupant’s name.

But Tiny, Stella, Precious, Bubbles, Patsy and Pierre were gone!

Tears welled in Cherry’s eyes. She had never seen a sadder sight than those six, small empty beds.

“Oh, Frank, you’ve simply got to do something,” Miss Pansy begged Midge. “Oh, and Nancy Clue, you’re here, too,” the woman sighed in relief as she spotted the well-known girl detective.

Setting aside her own desire to frolic on this gay day, Nancy got right on the case. “Miss Pansy, was there anyone in here when you came through the door? Did you see anyone suspicious milling around earlier?”

But Miss Pansy was too perturbed to pay attention. “Pierre and Patsy have never spent the night away from me,” she cried. “Why, they’ll be petrified!”

“Maybe they’ll escape and find their way home,” Cherry said brightly. “Why just today at the Cavalcade of Collies I overheard a heartwarming story about a dog named—”

Nancy stepped in. “I must question Miss Pansy before she forgets important details that might crack this case,” Nancy told Cherry. Cherry nodded. She made a mental note to tell Miss Pansy the rest of the inspirational story later, for surely she would find comfort in it!

“Miss Pansy, did you see or hear anything suspicious earlier today?”

Miss Pansy shook her head. “Nothing happened that indicated a crime of this nature was about to be committed here!” Miss Pansy shuttered. Lake Merrimen was a gay little town where people were friendly and nothing bad had ever happened. Until today!

“There must be some—” but before Nancy could continue, a familiar person interrupted her. It was Mrs. Milton Meeks, well-known society matron, president of the River Depths Women’s Club, and a Wiener Race judge. She was clad in a stylish navy blue linen suit accessorized with an ornate diamond and sapphire starburst brooch and matching earrings, and reeked of the most odorous rose perfume. By the looks of it, Mrs. Meeks wasn’t at all pleased to have been called away from her post.

“What’s going on in here?” she huffed. “The Pageant of Poodles was scheduled to begin five minutes ago. We’re all going to fall dangerously behind,” she cried as she checked the small, diamond-encrusted watch on her wrist.

“At-ch-oo!” Miss Pansy gave a little sneeze. Quick as wink, Cherry handed her patient a fresh handkerchief. Could Miss Pansy be malnourished and catching a cold? In that case, she would need medical care—and quick!

Miss Pansy sneezed three more dainty little sneezes, then explained. “It’s your perfume, Myra. I’m terribly allergic to roses.”

Mrs. Meeks rudely ignored her. She just stood there in her blue and white spectator pumps and looked annoyed.

“Mrs. Meeks, all the poodles are missing!” Cherry cried. She stood by with her portable first-aid kit in hand in case Mrs. Meeks fainted from shock, for she knew from a recent feature in The River Depths Defender that Mrs. Meeks owned an apricot poodle the exact color of her new sectional sofa.

“My Precious is gone?” Mrs. Meeks gasped. “It can’t be,” she cried. She turned pale as a ghost. “Who’s the fool who left these valuable dogs alone? Where’s the Poodle Room Monitor? Why, I’ll make sure that particular individual never darkens the door of the Dog Show again!”

Cherry put a comforting hand on her elbow. “There, there,” she said. She knew Mrs. Meeks’ angry words were just a cover-up for jangled nerves. “Surely your Precious will turn up, and in good health, besides,” she said in a calm tone.

“You don’t understand,” Mrs. Meeks said in a huffy tone as she shook off Cherry’s effort. “It’s not only that someone’s stolen my prize poodle, worth over one hundred dollars, but he was wearing a white leather collar my jeweler made special just for today, using diamonds from one of my tiaras! It’s worth thousands, I tell you, thousands!” she moaned. “My husband, Judge Milton Meeks, has the authority to close down this show if my diamonds are not found,” she declared angrily. “He’ll do it, too,” she promised. She then took a crisp bill from her handbag. “I’ll give fifty dollars to whoever returns it to me,” she declared.

As people raced out of the room in search of the kidnapped canines, Midge grew red with anger. Somewhere out there, six small, frightened dogs were being held against their will, and all Mrs. Meeks cared about were her diamonds!

“Mrs. Meeks, did you happen to mention to anyone else that your Precious was wearing real diamonds in his collar?” Nancy inquired.

Mrs. Meeks flushed angrily. “Surely you don’t think I’m as naïve as that!” she snapped. “Why, no one but myself and that nice gentleman who helped me carry in Precious’ stall knows his collar is studded with genuine diamonds.”

“Mrs. Meeks, what did this man look like?” Nancy asked eagerly.

Mrs. Meeks sighed and rolled her eyes. “I don’t see how it could make any difference, but he was wearing a dark trenchcoat and carrying an umbrella.”

The girls gasped. Why, it sounded like the same rude fellow who had splashed them not ten minutes ago!

Nancy’s bright blue eyes glittered in excitement. Her keen mind was racing a mile a minute. Mrs. Meeks had given them a fine start to solving this dognapping!

A sly smile came over Nancy’s face. “Mrs. Meeks, I do so adore your lovely perfume,” she said in an admiring tone. “Would you be a dear and let me sample some?” The older woman, flattered by Nancy’s interest, sprayed her arm liberally with the heavy floral scent. “And the other arm, too,” Nancy urged. Mrs. Meeks complied, until Nancy smelled like a rose bush in bloom.

How odd, Cherry thought, for just that morning, Nancy had declared that she thought obvious fragrance on a girl gauche. Cherry had agreed, knowing that the clean smell of well-scrubbed skin was all the scent a young lady needed, unless it was a special dress-up occasion, of course.

Nancy gathered the girls around her. “Be on the lookout for the fellow in the trenchcoat,” she said in an urgent tone whilst she waved her arms about until the perfume was dry. “It’s our only lead. Let’s go!” After leaving Miss Pansy in the capable hands of the Veterinarian Nurse, they raced out of the room and fanned out through the civic center, searching for the suspect.

“Be careful,” Nancy warned them. “Dognappers are a particularly ruthless breed,” she said, her eyes narrowing in anger. “They care little that the stolen goods they’re transporting are living creatures. We must find those dogs soon, before any harm befalls them!”

—— CHAPTER 3 ——

A Daring Rescue!

A quick search of the four main exhibition halls proved fruitless. “Have you seen a man in a dark trenchcoat carrying six poodles and an umbrella?” they queried everyone they met, but to their utter dismay, no one remembered any such fellow.

“What’s that peculiar odor?” Cherry heard people cry when they smelled the aromatic sleuth. But Nancy didn’t seem at all concerned by the commotion she was causing as she pushed through the crowd, craning her neck in search of their suspect and waving her arms about.

“Nancy’s so brave,” Cherry thought, her bosom swelling with pride at the sight of the flailing detective.

A shrill yip suddenly caught their attention. “Was that a poodle, Midge?” Nancy asked her chum.

Midge shook her head and pointed toward a small cage being wheeled by an elderly gentleman. Inside was a tan and white chihuahua perched on a purple velvet pillow fringed by gay green pom-poms. “A poodle’s yap is higher and shriller,” Midge explained.

Just then a coon hound threw back his head and started to howl. Soon all the dogs in the room were barking and howling, whining and whoofing. Nancy led her chums back to the hallway, and once there, explained her scheme.

“I deliberately sprayed myself with Mrs. Meeks’ potent perfume hoping to gain the attention of her poodle Precious. Midge, didn’t you say earlier that a dog’s sense of smell is three hundred times stronger than that of a human’s? I was so hoping that Precious would recognize this odor and bark.”

Cherry gasped. Nancy’s keen logic never ceased to amaze her!

“But in that din, we’ll never recognize Precious’ bark,” Nancy continued. “I’m going back to the Poodle Room to search for clues. Midge, you search the Police Dog Room, Cherry, you check out the Saint Bernard Rescue Trials and Velma, search over there by the dancing terriers,” she directed.

But before the girls could split up, Midge spied a tall, thin man wearing a dark trenchcoat, not ten feet from her. He was pulling a large black trunk with one hand and had an umbrella tucked under the other arm.

“There he is!” Midge cried to her friends. “Hey, you! Stop!” she yelled, taking off after him. At the sight of the girl, the man’s face blanched in fright, and he took off down the long corridor; the heavy trunk rocked to and fro as he rudely pushed past people, striking some of them in the legs.

Cherry was thankful that she had had the foresight to include in her first-aid kit sterile bandages and germicidal ointment for the scraped shins of surprised spectators.

Midge leapt over an enormous Irish wolfhound in an effort to catch the suspect, who, despite his heavy burden, was slipping away. He would have disappeared around the next corner had he not become entangled in the leash of a miniature smooth-coated dachshund who had unwittingly blocked his path.

“Curses!” the man cried, dropping the black trunk as he struggled to free himself. Just as Midge was closing in on him, he glared at her with a fierce mocking gaze, opened his umbrella over his head and—poof! In the wink of an eye, the man disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke!

Cherry gaped at the spot where the man, just moments before, had stood. “Why, he’s gone!” she shrieked. “The trunk is moving!” Cherry then cried. The trunk was indeed bumping about on the slick tile floor, seemingly of its own volition!

Midge, her wits still intact, raced over to the trunk but found it locked. Using Velma’s nail file, she was soon able to break the lock and fling open the lid. Midge grinned with glee when six nervous poodles in various stages of disarray hopped out and covered her face with little wet kisses. The crowd gave a happy sigh of relief when they saw the missing pups. True, two poodles’ topknots had been tangled beyond ready repair, and Mrs. Meeks’ Precious would surely benefit from a good bath—and quick—but on the whole, the six missing dogs seemed to be in fine fettle.

“Frank Hardly’s saved the dogs!” the crowd cried. “Hip, hip hooray!”

—— CHAPTER 4 ——

Thwarted!

“Despite our queer encounter with that devious dognapper, all in all I’d say it’s been a lovely day,” Cherry exclaimed as she slipped off her ballerina flats and stretched out on the wide back seat of Nancy’s snappy canary-yellow convertible. It was a soft summer night and the little group was as happy as could be. Nancy and Cherry were contentedly curled up in the back seat while Midge was behind the wheel, expertly steering the automobile down the country lane leading to River Depths. She had one arm around Velma, who was humming a gay tune.

The girls had made quite a day of it; first the Dog Show and the exciting rescue of the purloined poodles, then a leisurely supper at a quaint restaurant overlooking the lake, and to top it off, a romantic movie at the Royale followed by scrumptious chocolate sodas at an inexpensive but clean corner drugstore.

Midge grinned. She had a crisp new fifty-dollar bill in her wallet—her reward for returning Mrs. Meeks’ diamond dog collar—and her girl by her side.

“It’s been a great night, hasn’t it?” Velma sighed contentedly as she snuggled closer to Midge.

“Sure has,” Midge replied. That evening had been fun, but their earlier experience at the Dog Show had left her feeling uneasy. Who could relax knowing innocent dogs all over town were in danger of being snatched? “If only we could have caught that fellow,” Midge thought to herself. “Nancy, do you think—” but she stopped when she realized no one in the back seat was listening. Cherry and Nancy appeared to be lost in their own world, one of summer evenings spent round a windswept lake.

“Lake Merrimen is certainly one of the loveliest bodies of water I’ve ever seen,” Cherry chirped happily, recalling the sight of the large, limpid lake ringed by giant paper birches, the best-loved tree in America. As dusk fell, the inky black water reflected the starry skies and the creamy white bark of the tall, elegant trees shimmered in the moonlight. Cherry made a mental note to write a letter that very night to her nurse chums back in Seattle describing the high white clouds, deep blue water, boats and passengers in bright summer clothing that dotted the calm surface of the crystal-clear lake.

Cherry, an Idaho girl, secretly wondered what it would be like to be a Lake Resort Nurse and spend her summers cautioning vacationers about the dangers of sunstroke, or to be a Prairie Nurse in a nifty tan uniform warning people about the hazards of grass allergies. Either job, Cherry knew, would be a challenge!

“Why, I could be happy being an Illinois Nurse,” she suddenly realized. She snuck a peek at Nancy, who was leaning on the door of the car, her titian-haired mane blowing in the warm breeze. Her eyes were shut, but Cherry could tell by the contented expression on her face that she was having the very same thought!

“Golly,” Cherry gulped. All day long, she had wished Jackie was with them, but now she couldn’t get over how lovely Nancy looked in the warm glow of the midsummer moon. Suddenly the tender feelings she had once had for Nancy came flooding back.

Just then Nancy opened her eyes and gave Cherry a winsome smile. “Lake Merrimen is everything I said it would be, isn’t it?” Nancy asked softly.

“It certainly is,” Cherry enthused. “Imagine seeing for myself a Midwestern lake whose water is purported to cure chicken pox and halitosis,” she cried.

“Next visit, we’ll use my boat, the Swift Sleuth, and I’ll take you to the spire of rock that juts up from the middle of the lake. It’s called Treasure Island,” Nancy promised with a twinkle in her eye.

“Now I know firsthand why they call this part of the country America’s Playland,” Cherry chirped. “Why, a girl could spend years exploring all its natural wonders!”

Nancy gave Cherry’s hand a warm squeeze. “I was so hoping you’d say that,” she sighed happily.