Free The Triple Hoax by Carolyn G. Keene Page B

Clara was alarmed. “You mean the man who is coming here might try to swindle me?”
    “It’s quite possible,” Nancy replied.
    “But what shall I do? I have already made the appointment.”
    “Don’t buy anything,” George advised.
    Señora Clara agreed. “Perhaps you would like to stay with me and see if you recognize the caller.”
    “We’d be glad to,” Nancy said. “If he’s Howie Barker, he would recognize us, so may we hide somewhere? Perhaps in a spot where we can get a good look at him?”
    “Of course. One of the dressing rooms has a perfect view of my desk,” Señora Clara declared. “And since I have no private office, this is where I’ll sit when I talk to the man.”
    “Good idea,” Nancy said and the girls crowded into the small cubicle. Its louvered door had slats through which the young detectives could look.
    “This will be perfect,” Nancy said.
    Señora Clara smiled. “Just don’t sneeze!”
    Bess giggled. “We’ll do our best not to.”
    A few minutes later two men entered the shop. They were well-dressed, good-looking, and very polite. When the taller one came closer and addressed Senora Clara, the girls stiffened. He was Barker, the man who had tried to swindle Bess!
    “My name is Barker,” he said. “I spoke to you on the telephone a little while ago. This is my colleague, Mr. Cadwell. We would like to tell you about a new firm that has developed a most fantastic fabric.”
    “Please be seated,” Senora Clara said and pointed to two chairs next to her desk.
    Mr. Cadwell pulled a brochure out of his briefcase and handed it to Senora Clara. It showed a little girl wearing the same attire in different settings. One picture depicted spring, with the child sitting in a field of crocuses; the next one summer, where she was perched at the side of a pool. In the third picture the girl was climbing a tree with bright yellow and reddish leaves, and the fourth showed her seated on a sled surrounded by snow.
    “You see,” Mr. Cadwell said, “this material can be worn at any time of year. It has a natural, built-in thermostat which adjusts itself to the wearer’s body temperature. It works for everyone in all climates!”
    “That’s amazing!” Senora Clara said. “You mean this fabric can be worn comfortably 365 days a year in all climates?”
    “That is correct.”
    “Do you have a sample with you?”
    “Certainly.”
    The man produced several pieces of cloth from his briefcase. They were of different colors and textures, but each felt like a lightweight wool.
    Señora Clara examined the samples but said nothing.
    “This fabulous new invention,” Mr. Cadwell went on, “is called Silk-O-Sheen. It is not mass-produced yet, but the inventor is setting up his first plant. We offer stock in this venture to people in the clothing business for a mere ten dollars a share. Now, how much can I sign you up for, Senora Clara?”
    Nancy, who had observed the scene closely from the girls’ hiding place, bit her lips. Would Senora Clara fall for the swindle?
    But the businesswoman had a ready answer. “I’d like to think about it first,” she said. “Besides, I have to consult my accountant to see if I have any extra cash to invest.”
    “Surely you have money in your cash register right now?” Mr. Barker urged. “You can give us a down payment of 20 percent and pay for the rest later.”
    “I never make hasty decisions,” Señora Clara said coolly. “If you will leave me your card, I’ll be glad to let you know in a day or two.”
    The men, who had been extremely affable until now, stopped smiling. Cadwell put the samples and the brochure back into his briefcase and snapped it shut angrily.
    The visitors got up and bowed curtly. “You are making a big mistake!” Mr. Cadwell said. “And I’m telling you ...”
    Just then his companion glanced at a nearby chair. On it lay a small cloth wallet with the name Bess embroidered on it. “Who else is here?” he