Nancy Clue Mysteries 2 - The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend (34 page)

"She started to run wild when you and George went away to St. Agatha's," Terry explained. "I know she sorely missed you two, but there must have been other reasons for her reckless behavior. It was as if she were running from something terrible."

"Did you know Nancy was the one who shot her father?" Midge blurted out. After first swearing the Navy Nurse to secrecy, she filled her in on Hannah's attempt to take the blame for the murder, and Nancy's scheme to switch places with Hannah.

Terry gasped. "She told me the very same thing last night, but I thought it was just one of her wild stories," she confessed. "One night years ago, she got really drunk and told me some of the most unbelievable things about her father." Terry stopped talking when she saw the expression on Midge's face. "You mean Nancy wasn't making it up?" she gasped. "Golly! No wonder she shot him! How could I have not believed her?" Terry castigated herself.

"I was one of her closest chums and didn't know anything was going on," Bess cried. "Nancy had a whole, horrible secret life and it's news to me!"

"I guess, when you really think about it, it's easy to understand Nancy's behavior," Midge admitted. "Although I'm sure it's little comfort to Cherry."

"What a pickle we're in! " Bess groaned. "Whatever will we do now?"

"I know what I'm going to do," Jackie declared. She jumped up from the table and put on her coat. "I'm going to find Cherry. The poor kid must be miserable. Where did she say she was going?"

"The Tin Tan Club," Bess answered. She wrote down the address.

"We'd better go with you," Velma and Midge declared.

"I can handle her by myself," Jackie said.

"I have no doubt whatsoever about that," Midge replied. "But I still think it's best for all concerned if we go with you."

"Cherry might need a shoulder to cry on," Velma pointed out.

Jackie shrugged her own broad shoulders. "What's wrong with mine?" she wanted to know. "I'm a cop; I know what to do with a distraught citizen."

"Especially an attractive femme wearing a stylish chiffon cocktail dress?" Midge wanted to know. "A helpless nurse with a broken heart and an eagerness to please?"

Jackie flushed indignantly. "You're not saying I'd use my professional status to take advantage of a vulnerable girl, are you?" she cried.

Midge suddenly grew serious. "Let's go out on the porch and have a smoke, shall we?" she proposed.

"What gives?" Jackie urged once they were safely out of earshot of the others. "What do you know?"

"I know that you've got a big thing for that little nurse, that's what," Midge shot back in a serious tone. "You have since you first laid eyes on her in San Francisco. What's more, I think the reason you flipped for Head Nurse Margaret Marstad is because she reminds you of Cherry. I'd dismiss it as a simple nurse fetish, but I think it's more than that. I think you've got it bad for our Miss Aimless. Real bad."

Jackie opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. What Midge was saying was true!

"Want more?" Midge offered.

Jackie nodded.

"I'd love to see you two together," Midge admitted.

"Nothing would thrill me more. I think you're tops and Cherry's a swell kid. What's more, I think you'd be a whole lot better for her than Nancy, but she's all ga-ga over the girl dick, so what's there to do about it? I'm not so much worried about Cherry," Midge admitted. "The first heartbreak's a given, so she may as well get it over with. It might do her some good, in fact. But, Jack..." Midge shook her head. "You don't want her cutting her baby teeth on you, do you?"

Jackie looked glum. "No, I guess not," she confessed.

"Cherry's a young one. She's sweet and loyal and would probably love you to pieces if she ever got her mind off that Clue girl. Maybe tonight she will. I say, let her be. Let her get over this thing she has for Nancy-on her own. Then it's just a matter of time before she puts two and two together."

"You think so, Midge? You think Cherry and I have a chance?" Jackie cried excitedly. She quickly regained her composure. "Not that I've actually thought it through that far," she added hastily.

"Right," Midge laughed. Then she grew serious again. "Normally I would never encourage anyone to go after someone else's girl, but after the way Nancy's treated Cherry, I'd say she's ripe for the picking," Midge said, not even trying to disguise the angry tone in her voice. "Besides, I've seen how Cherry looks at you," Midge added with a sly smile. "She's already halfway there. You've just got to let her come the rest of the way on her own."

"You're right, Midge," Jackie sighed.

"I'm always right, and it's about time someone around here realized that," Midge said smugly. Then she smiled a sad, sweet little smile that let Jackie know she only half meant it. If that.

"Thanks, Midge!" Jackie cried. "You're swell."

"The doctor is always in," Midge replied. "Besides, the way these femmes boss us around, we've got to stick together!"

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, I really respect how you keep a real tight reign on Velma."

"You said it, Jack," Midge said as she playfully punched her chum on the arm. "Shall we solve the mystery at hand and let Cherry puzzle the enigma of love on her own?"

"Sounds good to me," Jackie grinned. "Let's go find this police chief and teach him some manners," she proposed. "Although I'm willing to admit I'd love to steal Nancy's girl, I'm not about to let the sleuth stew in jail!" She took her gun from her hip harness, snapped out the cylinder, and loaded the revolver.

"We've got six chances to persuade him to hand over the evidence. Think it's enough?" she smiled slyly.

Midge grinned and showed Jackie something she had been hiding in her pocket. It was a black leather gun case and a box of bullets. "Courtesy of the San Francisco Police Department," Midge said, adding, "Although they don't know it."

She loaded the revolver and tucked it into the waistband of her trousers. "During your promotion ceremony, some rookie left his gun on his chair, so I snatched it. I used Velma's nail file to remove the serial number."

Jackie's eyes grew wide in wonder. "Midge, you're amazing," she grinned.

Midge winked. "Let's go," she said.

Inside, they discovered Bess, Velma, and Terry sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and gossiping in a halfhearted way.

"Everything okay?" Velma asked softly.

"Fine," Jackie assured her.

"Grab your purse, babe," Midge ordered. "We're going sleuthing." Velma shivered in delight. She loved it when Midge talked rugged.

"Aren't we going to wait for George to return with Hannah?" Bess queried. She was more than a little anxious to see her girlfriend again, and to be reassured of her deep and abiding love.

Jackie shook her head. "We've already lost enough time with all the crying and wailing going on around here. Why don't you wait here, Bess," she suggested. "You can help Terry with Hannah. Terry, you're Head Nurse now," she added. "How's that sit with you?"

Terry smiled and gave Jackie a smart salute. "I already went upstairs and looked over Cherry's equipment, and I must say, she's one well-stocked nurse. Everything I'll need for a bedridden patient is already sterilized and arranged in alphabetical order," she said.

Jackie smiled when she heard this. That Cherry was just so darn prepared!

Velma threw some cookies in her purse, tied a chiffon scarf over her lovely locks and, with Midge on one arm and Jackie on the other, headed for the door. She gave Jackie's strong bicep a little squeeze. "I'm glad we have a girl with a gun along," she admitted.

Jackie and Midge exchanged grins. "Two girls with two guns," they boasted.

Velma became furious when she realized Midge had a gun stuck in her trousers. "What are you doing with a gun?" she cried.

"Jackie has a gun," Midge pointed out.

"Jackie's gun is official!" Velma exclaimed. "Midge Fontaine, give me that gun!" she said, her voice all atremble. She held out her hand, palm up.

Midge set her jaw in a stubborn lock and looked annoyed.

Velma stamped her foot and frowned. "I mean it-hand it over! "

Midge did as she was told.

Velma put the gun in her purse and snapped it shut. Her bottom lip quivered and her green eyes filled with tears. "You've promised me so many times that you would stop taking chances," she said. "And here you are, ready to run off half-cocked. Jackie has a gun because it's her business to have one!"

Velma drew herself up to her full five feet and three inches. "Life is not a detective novel, Midge," she said angrily. "It's not full of mysteries and hairpin plot twists and crooks running around everywhere. I think it's time you grew up and realized that." With this, Velma stalked out the door, with Midge and Jackie right behind.

While Terry sat in a chair polishing the brass buttons on her uniform, Bess happily hummed about the well-equipped kitchen, planning a scrumptious meal for her honey's return.

"I'll make all of George's favorite foods," she schemed as she tied a fresh apron around her plump waist and checked the pantry and icebox for supplies. Lucky for them, Hannah had stocked up right before the murder, and there were plenty of delectable things to eat.

"We'll have Cream-of-Tomato Soup, Wilted-Leaf Lettuce Salad, Stuffed Celery, Carrots Au Gratin, Swiss Steak, and fresh-baked Buttermilk Biscuits," she planned aloud. "How does that sound?"

"Yummy," Terry replied.

"And Apple Brown Betty," Bess licked her lips.

"It's been ages since I've had a home-cooked meal!" Terry cried excitedly. "How can I help? Sitting here with nothing to do is giving me the jitters," she explained. "I've already polished all my buttons and my Good Conduct medal."

Bess handed Terry the spare apron, a sharp knife, and a bunch of carrots. "Peel these, then grate them," she instructed. Terry happily set to work while Bess lit the oven and mixed a batch of biscuit batter. Soon the kitchen was filled with delightful aromas. The two girls chatted happily as they prepared the homecoming feast. Terry told Bess about her exciting adventures aboard ship, and Bess detailed the triumphs and tribulations of teaching home economics to modern girls.

"I tell them every girl needs a good recipe for white sauce to fall back on, but they just laugh and think me hopelessly old-fashioned," Bess confessed.

Terry smiled. "How do the students take to George?" she wondered.

"Oh, George is a wonderful physical education instructor," Bess told her proudly.

Terry could well imagine. "Remember our favorite gym teacher, Miss Pleats?"

"Do I!" Bess cried as she remembered her most favorite teacher ever! "Why, I adored her. I used to bake double-fudge brownies for her every Sunday night and slip them into her locker on Monday," Bess blushed. "Oh, the daydreams I used to have about her! "

"She was a dreamboat, wasn't she?" Terry cried.

Bess nodded. "You know who reminds me of her?" she realized. "Midge!"

"You're right!" Terry exclaimed. "Same thick blond hair, cut short and worn off her handsome face."

"Big, strong shoulders."

"And long, muscular legs."

"That dry wit."

"Her playful, teasing manner."

"Stop!" Bess cried. "My biscuits are burning!" She jumped up from the table and flew to the oven just in the nick of time.

Just then they heard someone in the hallway outside the kitchen.

Terry opened the door to find Lauren standing there with a packet of letters in her hand.

"Haven't those caused enough trouble already?" Terry cried as she snatched up the bundle, went over to the stove, and turned the flame up high. Lauren grabbed them just before they ignited.

"Lauren! What are you doing? Eek! " Bess added in alarm when she got a good look at their auburn-haired young friend. Lauren's hair stuck out in short, uneven tufts all over her head.

"She's a friend of Midge and Velma's," she hurriedly explained to Terry. "And she used to have a beautiful, long auburn braid. Where have you been? And what did you do to your hair?" Bess shrieked.

"I've been up in the attic," Lauren explained. "I just came downstairs to show you these letters I found."