“I know that, Dad. That’s why it’s important that I work on the case. We think someone might have taken the jewels to upset Janine Sedgewick enough to ruin Pineview’s chances of winning the Canadian Cup.”
“Hmmm.” Mr. Drew looked surprised. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“You see? They need me,” Nancy insisted. She smiled so confidently that Mr. Drew had to grin in spite of his doubts.
“Well, then, I suppose all I can do is try to help.”
Nancy, George, and Bess sat down in the living room to listen to Carson Drew’s story. “Janine’s father was a very successful businessman. He died about three years ago,” he began. “At the time it looked as though he had made his family’s future secure. But most of the money he left them was in stocks, instead of cash in the bank. About six months ago, a big chunk of the stocks plunged in value. They became almost worthless overnight. Ellen Sedgewick can’t sell them, so she suddenly finds herself almost broke.”
“Can’t she just hold on to the stocks until they’re worth something again?” Bess asked.
“Sure,” Mr. Drew answered. “But in the meantime, she has very little money to pay her bills with. That’s why she was talking to me at the ball. She wanted me to give her the name of a good accountant to help her find a way out of this mess.”
Nancy nodded thoughtfully. “Did you get the feeling she was trying to hide anything?”
“Not at all. I think she wants to straighten everything out. With good planning I hope she’ll be able to get back on her feet.”
“Did she mention the brooches when she talked to you?”
Carson Drew took a deep breath. “Yes. She told me that the brooches had been sitting in a vault for years. And now, when she would have liked to sell them, she had already promised them to the school.”
“So the cash from the insurance would be very helpful.”
“No doubt about it. But I’m sure the insurance company will check out her story thoroughly before they pay such a big claim.”
“Unfortunately,” Nancy said, “she does have a very strong motive for theft.”
“I’m sure the police are investigating carefully,” Mr. Drew said. “But they can’t arrest her without evidence.”
“Then we’ve got to hurry,” Nancy said. “The team plays its last game Tuesday. If they win, they’ll soon be on their way to Canada.”
“We’re playing the Forsythe School next,” George said. “It will be an easy game. We can win it without Janine if we have to. Getting into the tournament is practically a sure thing.”
Nancy nodded thoughtfully. “This case may be tougher than I thought,” she said. “I guess it’s time for some good old-fashioned legwork.”
• • •
Bright and early the next morning Nancy entered the Pineview School’s main office and asked to see Russell Garrison. She gave his secretary her name and said she wanted to speak to him about the jewel theft. After a long wait, she was told to go in.
There was another man with Russell Garrison in his large, elegant office. Nancy got the feeling that the two men had been arguing right before she entered. Now they both stood stiffly in front of Mr. Garrison’s desk, looking at her.
Russell Garrison was neatly dressed in a blue suit and dark tie. His graying hair was close-cropped.
The other man was older and less well dressed. He looked nervous and out of place in the elegant room.
“Ms. Drew, come in,” Mr. Garrison said. “I understand you’re Carson Drew’s daughter. He and I have met several times. Always a pleasure.”
Garrison shook Nancy’s hand firmly. Then he turned to the older man.
“This is Jonathan Morse. He’s been the art teacher here since . . . well, let’s just say for a very long time. He’s one of Pineview’s most popular teachers.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Morse,” Nancy said.
“You’re not a Pineview girl,” Mr. Morse said. “I remember all my girls.”
“No. I went to River Heights High.”
“A shame,” the old man said. “We’ve got an excellent school here. Maybe you’ll send your daughter to us someday.”
Nancy smiled. The old man was charming. “Maybe,” she said. “If I have a daughter someday.”
“Well, I must get to my first class,” Mr. Morse said. “Haven’t missed one in nearly fifty years.”
After Jonathan Morse left, Nancy noticed that Garrison relaxed a bit and looked much more at ease. He motioned to Nancy to have a seat. He then walked around his large oak desk and sat down.
“Is that true?” Nancy asked. “He hasn’t missed a class in all that time?”
“Almost,” the headmaster said. “He’s an institution, all right. Now, my secretary said you wanted to talk about the unfortunate theft we had the other night. How may I help you?”
“Janine Sedgewick has asked me to look into the jewel theft. She feels that people might suspect her mother. She’s sure Mrs. Sedgewick had nothing to do with it.”
“You’re looking into it? Ms. Drew, isn’t this a matter for the police?”
“I’m a detective, Mr. Garrison. Although I’m not a professional, I’ve solved some tough cases.”
Garrison nodded his head slowly.
“Yes, yes, now it all comes back,” he said. “Pineview business takes up most of my time, but I do remember reading about you in the past. A detective. Well, as I said, how may I help you?”
