The Eskimo's Secret by Carolyn Keene Page B

around.”
    Ben looked insulted, then amused by her words.
    “Are you threatening me, Nancy Drew?” the voice asked.
    “I’m just telling you that I can’t do what you want me to if you keep blocking me. You have my father and you know I’ll do anything to get him back safely. But I can’t locate Alana if you frighten her away before I can reach her.” There was a long silence from the other end. Nancy covered the mouthpiece and took a couple of deep breaths to steady herself. She could be in desperate trouble if they knew she wasn’t telling the truth. If they believed her, she could buy time. That was what she needed most, she realized. Time to think and to study what her father had tried to tell her on the tape. Everything had happened too fast so far; she’d had to rely on intuition and quick responses. Now she needed a plan.
    “You do believe you can find her?”
    “I have to,” Nancy answered quietly. “For my father’s sake.”
    “I’m glad you’ve decided to be cooperative,” the voice said, warming slightly. “Did you find the tape?”
    “Of course. I was just listening to it.”
    “You will carry out your father’s instructions?”
    “To keep him safe, naturally. However, I can’t do anything until tomorrow morning.”
    “Why not?” The suspicion was back. “Because lawyers don’t call clients in the middle of the night unless it’s an emergency and I don’t think you want to make our clients suspicious about my father’s disappearance.” Again there was a moment of silence, then a sigh. “I suppose that’s correct, as long as they don’t report him missing before you call.”
    “I’ll make sure that they don’t,” Nancy assured him.
    “What about Alana Steele?”
    “That will have to wait until tomorrow, too,” Nancy said. “When I talk to her friend again, I’ll try to find out where she might be hiding. But that could take a little time.”
    “You don’t have much,” the voice snarled, “We can’t wait for long.”
    “But I’m doing my best.” Nancy allowed her real feelings of desperation to show in her voice. “Please don’t hurt my father. I’ll find Alana somehow. Just don’t hurt him!”
    “We’ll be in touch.” The phone clicked dead. Nancy replaced her own receiver and closed her eyes for a moment.
    “You were wonderful, Nancy,” Alana said. “Did they believe you?” Ben asked.
    “I think so,” Nancy said. “If they had known that Alana was with me, they would have come after her.”
    “So what’s our next move?” Alana asked, yawning.
    “Sleep, I think,” Nancy said. “I’ll write down everything from the tape, then sleep on it. Right now I don’t think I could decipher anything.” Ben nodded, getting to his feet. “Pound on the wall if you need me,” he said, then grinned, his black eyes dancing. “I’m really not afraid of those crooks.”
    “Sorry,” Nancy apologized with a giggle. “I thought it was better if they didn’t see you as a threat.”
    “I know,” he assured her. “I just hope I get a chance to show them how I really feel.”
    “I hope we all do,” Nancy said.
    Nancy worked on transcribing from the tape while Alana got ready for bed. A final check made her sure she had everything down exactly as he’d said it, but the words swam before her aching eyes and refused to make any sense to her.
    “You look worse than I feel,” Alana told her.
    “I just hate to give up,” Nancy admitted. “Every minute can be important to Dad. I have to figure out what he was trying to tell me.”
    “Nancy, there is something.” Alana’s serious tone brought Nancy’s attention away from the words.
    “What is it?” she asked.
    “If it comes right down to it. If we can’t figure out a way to trick them, I want you to make the exchange. I’ll go to them. I can’t help them, but if they’ll set your father free, it’s worth it. It’s my fault that all of you are involved in this mess. If I hadn’t asked so many