Mrs. Shields dialed Patricia’s number and handed the phone to Nancy. Patricia’s mother picked up the phone. “No,” she said, “Amy isn’t here. But it’s strange that you’re asking about her. I just saw her a few minutes ago.”
“You did?” Nancy asked.
“I went to get a prescription for Patricia. I was driving home from the pharmacist’s when I saw Amy on Widmer Road.” Nancy knew Widmer was the road below the one that led onto Terry’s drive. “She was with someone.”
“Who?” Nancy asked, dreading the answer.
“A big blond-haired man. She got into his car, a red one.” The woman’s voice faltered. “Now that I think about it, it was quite odd. But I’ve been so worried about Patricia’s running a fever, I’m afraid I didn’t pay much attention to Amy. I hope she’s all right.”
“Thank you,” Nancy said, hanging up. She had an aching, hollow feeling in her stomach. It felt as if someone had just knocked the wind out of her.
“What is it?” Mrs. Shields asked. “You don’t look very well.”
“The news isn’t good,” Nancy replied in a shaky voice. “Amy Kirkland’s been kidnapped.”
12
A Warning from the Past
Nancy stood in the school office, feeling paralyzed by what she’d just heard. The man in the dark red car had kidnapped Amy. She couldn’t let herself think about what might happen to the girl. Instead, she forced herself to remain calm. The important thing now was to find a way to help Amy before it was too late.
“We’d better call the police,” she told Mrs. Shields.
“What about Amy’s father?” the teacher asked.
The Mendocino art show was a two-day exhibit, and Terry had not planned to return home until the next afternoon.
“I have the number of his hotel,” Nancy said. “I’ll call there next.”
Nancy called the police and was relieved when she learned that Detective Brower was out. Instead, Officer Grant asked Nancy and Mrs. Shields to remain at the school until a squad car arrived. The police would need them both to file the report.
Next she called Terry’s hotel. He wasn’t in, but she left a message for him to call her at the house as soon as possible. She just couldn’t leave a message saying his daughter had been kidnapped.
“My friends Bess and George are waiting for me,” Nancy told Mrs. Shields when she hung up. “I’d better tell them what happened.”
Nancy returned to the car. Bess and George were standing outside, leaning against the hood.
“Where’s Amy?” Bess asked as Nancy approached.
“Oh, no,” George said after taking one look at Nancy’s face. “Don’t tell me . . .”
“Amy’s been kidnapped by the man in the dark red car,” Nancy said shakily. “We have to wait here until the police come.” She shut her eyes briefly. “How are we ever going to explain this to Terry?”
Nearly two hours later the three friends returned to the empty Kirkland house. “It feels awful coming back here without Amy,” Bess said.
“I know,” Nancy said. She hung up her jacket and tried once again to reach Terry.
“I’m sorry,” said the hotel desk clerk. “Mr. Kirkland still hasn’t returned.”
“When he does, would you please have him call his home?” Nancy asked. “Tell him it’s urgent!”
“Of course,” the man replied.
“No luck?” George guessed as she hung up.
“Actually, I’m kind of relieved he wasn’t there,” Nancy admitted to her friends. “I don’t know how I can tell him that his daughter’s been kidnapped. I feel so awful that we were late. I’m hoping the police will have some good news before he calls back.”
“What I don’t understand,” Bess said, “is why Amy would have gone off with a stranger.”
“I’ve been wondering about that, too,” Nancy said. “The only thing I can think of is that he threatened her.”
George paced restlessly. “If only we knew more about the blond-haired man.”
“I know he’s dangerous,” Nancy said with a shudder. “I can’t stand to think that Amy is his captive.”
“There’s got to be something we can do,” Bess said.
Nancy sighed in defeat. “If there is I don’t know what it is. I think all we can do now is wait.”
“I hate waiting,” George complained.
“Then help me make dinner,” Bess said, trying to keep busy.
The two cousins made pasta for dinner. Although everyone made an effort to eat, no one had an appetite. Later, the girls cleaned up the kitchen, rubbing at the counters long after they’d come clean.
“Why don’t we put on the news?” George suggested as they stood in the spotless kitchen. “I don’t really think they’d mention Amy this soon, but you never know.”
They settled down in front of the television. Again Nancy found her thoughts drifting. Where was Amy now? Who was the man in the dark red car and what did he really want? Was Amy’s kidnapping connected to the theft of the jade tiger?
