Free The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene

we’ll leave.” The girl detective’s mind continued to dwell on all the possible clues they had uncovered so far. She had not forgotten the flashing light from the bull’s-eye window at the lodge which she still believed was a signal.
    Nancy sat up straight. Certain pieces of the mystery puzzle were beginning to fit into place. “Maybe it’s too fantastic, but it is a pattern.”
    “Detective Drew,” George said, “don’t keep your deductions a secret.”
    Nancy smiled, then said somberly, “There might be something more sinister to this whole thing than we imagined.”
    “Like what?” Bess asked, wide-eyed.
    “Well, that red-haired girl may not show up because she might have been kidnapped.”
    “Kidnapped! By whom?”
    “The Driscolls.”
    Bess gasped. “What makes you think that?”
    Quickly Nancy revealed her recent speculations. “And,” she went on, “I’m sure the Driscolls are involved in something underhanded, and that their service business is a front.”
    George caught the drift of Nancy’s thoughts. “You mean that this girl may have been searching around Pudding Stone Lodge and have discovered something crooked about the Driscolls? They caught her and are holding her prisoner to keep her from revealing it?”
    “Exactly.”
    George whistled. “This mystery sure is getting complicated. Now Nancy has put kidnappers into the picture.”
    Nancy laughed. “I didn’t say I know this is true,” she defended herself. “I was just thinking out loud.”
    “I like it,” said Bess. “Tell us some more of your thoughts.”
    Nancy went on, “You remember that machine noise—well, it could be from a printing press—the Driscoll brothers may even be counterfeiters.”
    “You mean you and I were in the house of people who are trying to cheat Uncle Sam?” Bess inquired.
    Again Nancy chuckled. “You asked me to think out loud, Bess. Have you had enough of the awful possibilities?”
    Bess looked hurt. “I can take it, but I really think that if any of these ideas you mentioned have any truth in them, the police should be notified.”
    “Without one shred of evidence?” Nancy asked. “No, I won’t make any accusations at this point. But I’m going to prove or disprove my theories.”
    George stood up. She glanced at her watch and said, “The half hour is up, and if that red-haired gal is a prisoner, she’s not going to come around here. Let’s go!”
    In her haste George stepped backward down the slope and lost her balance. She teetered for several seconds as both Nancy and Bess made a dive for her. But they could not reach the swaying girl in time. She fell on her back, hitting her head hard. The blow stunned her, and George began to roll down the hill.
    Nancy and Bess gasped. Their friend was heading straight for a group of thorny bushes at the bottom!
    The two girls leaped forward but were too late. Bess screamed as her dazed cousin hurtled into the bushes. Fortunately, her body had swerved and landed feet first. This saved her face and hands from being scratched.
    By the time Nancy and Bess reached her, George was coming out of her daze.
    “Thank goodness!” Bess heaved a sigh of relief, and pulled George from the bushes. Her legs were badly scratched and her clothes dirty and torn.
    Bess rushed over to the water and soaked a handkerchief, which she brought back and laid across George’s eyes and forehead. The dark-haired girl sat up. “What a ninny I am!” she exclaimed. “Well, at least I can wash my face and hands.”
    Bess insisted upon getting fresh water and doing the washing. George smiled. “I have to admit sometimes you treat me pretty well, cousin,” she teased.
    Bess made a face, then went again to the lake, and after the third cleanup George began to look more like herself. There was a slight lump on the back of her head, but she said it was not really bothering her.
    “But I would appreciate going back to the cottage,” she said.
    George objected to being