Free Carolyn Keene_Nancy Drew Mysteries 050 by The Double Jinx Mystery Page A

on record did not mention a tattoo.” Aloud she said, “Evelyn, this is important information. Thanks a lot. Let’s try to meet again soon.”
    “I’d love to,” her old school friend replied as Nancy left.
    She went directly to see Chief Pepper. He greeted her with a smile and said, “I’m glad you dropped in. The fingerprints on the can of chloroform were definitely those of Slick Fingers. And have you brought me a new lead on him?”
    The young detective puckered her mouth into a half-grin and said, “Yes, I have.”
    The chief listened attentively to her story. At the end he commented, “Every time I hear about your latest discoveries, I admire your sleuthing ability a little more. This bit of your detective work is excellent. I’ll station men to watch the doctor’s office and hope we can nab Slick Fingers.”
    Nancy said, “If he doesn’t show up, can’t your men locate him by looking for a man with the strange tattoo?”
    “It’s an excellent clue,” the chief said. “We’ll certainly use it.”
    Nancy arose and said good-by. As she was walking toward her car, she saw Oscar Thurston’s assistant, Rausch, coming toward her. She waited for him.
    “Oh hello,” he said. “Say, I’m certainly glad I met you.”
    After greeting him, Nancy waited for the man to proceed. He went on to say that Kammy had phoned the Thurstons just before he had left the house.
    “She was terribly upset,” Rausch said. “Her pet wryneck, Petra, has disappeared!”
    “What! How?” Nancy asked.
    “Someone must have sneaked into her room in the college dorm and opened the cage. The window was open but there’s no clue as to whether the bird got loose and flew away or was stolen.”
    “That’s a shame,” said Nancy. “How long ago did this happen?”
    Rausch said apparently it had occurred during the morning. Kammy made the discovery at lunchtime when she returned to her room after class.
    “She is heartbroken,” Rausch went on, “and more than that she’s fearful. You know Kammy thinks of that wryneck as if it were a Eurasian pal of hers. Now she’s convinced she’ll be jinxed. In fact,” Rausch went on, “she told Oscar that she has already had some bad luck.”
    “What kind?” Nancy queried.
    Rausch said that Kammy would not divulge what it was. Then he gazed steadfastly at Nancy and declared, “Maybe you can find out.”

CHAPTER XII
    The Double Jinx
     
     
     
    As soon as Nancy heard of Kammy’s problem, she wanted to rush out to Harper University and find her.
    “She seems to trust me,” the young detective thought. “Maybe she’ll tell me what the bad luck is that has come to her.
    As Nancy walked to her car with every intention of going to Harper University she suddenly became extremely weary. She felt light-headed and realized that she had to force herself either to walk or to think fast.
    “I’d better not drive very long feeling this way,” she concluded. “What in the world is the matter with me?”
    Deciding that she should go home and rest, Nancy turned her car toward the highway that led to River Heights. By the time she reached her own house, Nancy was better and told herself she was probably imagining the weariness.
    “But I’m hot.”
    Hannah Gruen was just coming from the second floor. “How’s Ned?” Nancy asked her.
    The housekeeper replied that she was glad to report Ned was feeling much better. “I guess the fever is going away.” She smiled. “Nancy, I’m sure it will be all right for you to spend a little time with Ned. Your father won’t be home to dinner. Suppose I fix the meal on two trays and you and Ned can eat together.”
    “That will be great,” Nancy said. “I have so much to tell him about the mystery.”
    Still feeling warm, she took a shower and changed her clothes. Then she went into Ned’s room.
    “Hi!” she said. “I’m certainly glad you’re more like your old self. You know you gave all of us quite a scare.”
    Ned grinned, then said,