flier poking through the morning mail on the hall table. It was an announcement from the River Heights Music Festival, which she opened quickly.
“Canceled?” she said, mystified, as her eyes fell on the large stamp mark that obliterated the names of several artist groups, including the Jansen Theater Troupe, which was scheduled to perform that evening.
I wonder if Dad knows about this, the girl detective thought.
Carson Drew, however, had already left for a business appointment, and the only way she could get some answers was to go to the River Heights Theater herself. Taking a quick glance at her watch, she pocketed the flier and dashed to her car.
It was no surprise to Nancy when she arrived that at least thirty ticket holders to the festival had begun to descend on the box office. Many of them were carrying the cancellation notice and complaining angrily.
“Excuse me,” the girl found herself saying over and over as she weaved through the crowd now queuing up into long lines.
“Hey, kid,” one man snarled at Nancy when she stepped in front of him. “Where do you think you’re going? I was here first.”
“I only want to find out where the manager is,” Nancy insisted.
“Don’t we all,” he replied, as a tall, angular man strode into view.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Mr. Hillyer, the manager,” he said, “and I want you to know that none of the performances have been canceled. The notice is a mistake—”
“I’ll say it was!” one irritated woman cut in loudly, causing the people around her to echo the complaint.
“Please—please. Let me explain,” the manager replied. He raised his hand, signaling the crowd to be quiet. “Your tickets will be honored at every performance. Nothing has been canceled. Believe me.”
Somebody must’ve gotten hold of the festival’s mailing list and sent that announcement just to stir up trouble, Nancy concluded.
She waited for the crowd to disperse, then approached the manager.
“I’m Carson Drew’s daughter,” she said brightly, watching the man’s relaxed demeanor fade.
Had the ill will of some of the townspeople toward the attorney filtered down to the festival management?
“What can I do for you?” the manager answered coolly.
“Well, I was wondering if you had any idea about the person who sent that cancellation notice.”
“Why don’t you ask your father?” the man snapped, and before Nancy could come to her father’s defense, he excused himself.
Now, more than ever, she was determined to vindicate the Drew name.
All the way to the restaurant where she was to meet George and Bess, the girl constructed her next move. When they were all finally seated at a vacant table, Bess’s eyes sparkled.
“You’re awfully happy today,” Nancy commented.
Bess shook her head excitedly, while George smiled pleasantly. Had the cousins made some important discovery? Nancy wondered.
“Don’t keep me in suspense,” she told them. “Did you find Cliff, or do you know where—”
“No, nothing that spectacular,” George mumbled.
“But I think we’ve figured out an ingenious way to find his ring,” Bess put in. “Since it’s so unusual—”
“And valuable,” George added.
“All we have to do is put an ad in the newspaper,” her cousin finished.
“But if the guy who ran off with it is a thief, why would he even consider selling it back? I’m sure he’s not stupid.”
“True, but I bet he’s greedy,” Bess replied, “and if the reward is tempting enough, he might just fall into the trap.”
Nancy half agreed, but was far from convinced and changed the subject momentarily. She brought the girls up to date on everything that had happened so far, ending with the information about Dev Singh.
“Do you have time now to check out his address?” Nancy asked her friends.
“Sure,” George said. “Let’s go.”
The threesome ate their lunch quickly, then headed for Nancy’s car, as another idea occurred to Bess.
“Mr.
“Canceled?” she said, mystified, as her eyes fell on the large stamp mark that obliterated the names of several artist groups, including the Jansen Theater Troupe, which was scheduled to perform that evening.
I wonder if Dad knows about this, the girl detective thought.
Carson Drew, however, had already left for a business appointment, and the only way she could get some answers was to go to the River Heights Theater herself. Taking a quick glance at her watch, she pocketed the flier and dashed to her car.
It was no surprise to Nancy when she arrived that at least thirty ticket holders to the festival had begun to descend on the box office. Many of them were carrying the cancellation notice and complaining angrily.
“Excuse me,” the girl found herself saying over and over as she weaved through the crowd now queuing up into long lines.
“Hey, kid,” one man snarled at Nancy when she stepped in front of him. “Where do you think you’re going? I was here first.”
“I only want to find out where the manager is,” Nancy insisted.
“Don’t we all,” he replied, as a tall, angular man strode into view.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Mr. Hillyer, the manager,” he said, “and I want you to know that none of the performances have been canceled. The notice is a mistake—”
“I’ll say it was!” one irritated woman cut in loudly, causing the people around her to echo the complaint.
“Please—please. Let me explain,” the manager replied. He raised his hand, signaling the crowd to be quiet. “Your tickets will be honored at every performance. Nothing has been canceled. Believe me.”
Somebody must’ve gotten hold of the festival’s mailing list and sent that announcement just to stir up trouble, Nancy concluded.
She waited for the crowd to disperse, then approached the manager.
“I’m Carson Drew’s daughter,” she said brightly, watching the man’s relaxed demeanor fade.
Had the ill will of some of the townspeople toward the attorney filtered down to the festival management?
“What can I do for you?” the manager answered coolly.
“Well, I was wondering if you had any idea about the person who sent that cancellation notice.”
“Why don’t you ask your father?” the man snapped, and before Nancy could come to her father’s defense, he excused himself.
Now, more than ever, she was determined to vindicate the Drew name.
All the way to the restaurant where she was to meet George and Bess, the girl constructed her next move. When they were all finally seated at a vacant table, Bess’s eyes sparkled.
“You’re awfully happy today,” Nancy commented.
Bess shook her head excitedly, while George smiled pleasantly. Had the cousins made some important discovery? Nancy wondered.
“Don’t keep me in suspense,” she told them. “Did you find Cliff, or do you know where—”
“No, nothing that spectacular,” George mumbled.
“But I think we’ve figured out an ingenious way to find his ring,” Bess put in. “Since it’s so unusual—”
“And valuable,” George added.
“All we have to do is put an ad in the newspaper,” her cousin finished.
“But if the guy who ran off with it is a thief, why would he even consider selling it back? I’m sure he’s not stupid.”
“True, but I bet he’s greedy,” Bess replied, “and if the reward is tempting enough, he might just fall into the trap.”
Nancy half agreed, but was far from convinced and changed the subject momentarily. She brought the girls up to date on everything that had happened so far, ending with the information about Dev Singh.
“Do you have time now to check out his address?” Nancy asked her friends.
“Sure,” George said. “Let’s go.”
The threesome ate their lunch quickly, then headed for Nancy’s car, as another idea occurred to Bess.
“Mr.
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