Dangerous Relations (14 page)

Nancy followed at a safe distance to a lovely bayside home with clouds of lavender flowers and an immaculately tended lawn. She was tired and hungry by the time Richard turned out his lights, at ten. Still, she waited another half hour before picking up a sandwich to eat on the drive back to Sarasota.

Bess and George were waiting up for her. She filled them in on her day, then asked, “How's Natalia?”

“Doing fine,” George said. “They're going to keep her one more day.”

“She'll be safer there, until Richard's behind bars.” Nancy sat down and untied her tennis shoes. “Did you set everything up with Keiser?” she asked Bess.

“I tried, but he was so busy all day, I ended up going through Eduardo,” Bess admitted. “He
gave me this whistle for you, and he said he'd take care of everything.”

Nancy smiled tiredly, guessing Bess had been too intimidated by Keiser to approach him. It would be all right, though. She could count on Eduardo.

• • •

The next morning Nancy drove to the meeting place early. She'd put fresh batteries in her flashlight, and the whistle was around her neck, hidden by her jacket. Bess and George were coming later in the second car.

It was cold on the beach, and the rush of the ocean seemed overly loud in the quiet morning. Nervous, Nancy paced in the dark, waiting for Richard to arrive.

The sky was turning to shades of gray when his headlights lit up the parking lot. “Here goes,” she muttered, taking a deep breath.

“Great morning for shelling,” Richard called cheerily as he walked toward her. “Let's head south toward Rocky Point.”

My choice, too, thought Nancy grimly. Her friends were waiting there. She glanced at him. Was that bulge in his jacket a gun? Cold all over, she stooped and picked up a shell.

They walked, few words passing between them. The powdery white sand narrowed to a path between green vegetation and the gulf waters. Nancy forced herself not to look toward the
bushes where her friends presumably lay hidden. Rocky Point was just ahead. As they drew level with the rocks and the promenade, she stopped.

“Get a stone in your shoe?” Richard asked.

“No, Dickie, I just think it's time we had a little talk,” she said, watching him closely.

He blinked and jerked his head in surprise. Softly, Nancy added, “You should have claimed the watch stem. When you didn't, you gave yourself away.”

It was as if a veil dropped over his face. “What do you mean?” he said in a tight voice.

“I know that Victor Bykov is Natalia's father,” Nancy said, tensed for action. “And that you're trying to kill her.”

He stared at her, his expression unreadable. “Do go on,” he said in that same tight voice.

Why was he reacting so oddly? Nancy thought nervously. “You didn't want her to find Victor. When I came to help her, you got worried and decided to kill to keep her and Victor apart, just as you came between Victor and Irina.

“Why is that, Richard?” Nancy kept her voice calm and steady, despite her racing pulse. “Was it hurt over the loss of your own mother? Or were you just a spoiled brat who had to be the center of Victor's universe?”

Sudden, raw anger burned in Richard's eyes. Through clenched teeth, he ground out, “No one could replace my mother. And I
don't
want a sister.”

She had him going! Time to push a little harder. Nancy taunted, “Why is that? Still can't share, Dickie?”

“Victor will give everything to her! He doesn't even know she's alive, and he's been threatening to will everything he owns to Russian relatives. If he found out about her, I wouldn't get a dime.”

“He must have his reasons,” Nancy prodded. “Maybe he doesn't like you?”

Richard's voice shook. “He says I'm weak and self-centered. That I don't know what work is. But why should I have to get my hands greasy? Sunshine Enterprises was my father's company—my
real
father's! Victor's not going to cheat me out of it.”

“You're
the cheat,” Nancy said, her disgust stronger than her fear. “You cheated Victor and Irina. You've cheated Victor and Natalia. For eighteen years, you've kept them apart. Victor's right about you. You
are
weak and self-centered!”

Richard glared at her. Then his hand went to his jacket pocket. Reflexes taking over, Nancy jerked back a step.

To her horror the flashlight slipped out of her hand. As she was bending to pick it up, Richard's foot slammed down on it. He grabbed her hair and jerked her upright, then jabbed the barrel of a gun into her side. “Scream, and I'll drop you right here. Start walking!” he growled.

Desperate, Nancy stomped down on Richard's foot with her heel. The element of surprise gave
her a split second to jerk the whistle from inside her jacket and blow.

It didn't make a sound! Fear surged through her as Richard yanked it off her neck and flung it away.

The promenade jutted out over the water. Richard held Nancy roughly, forcing her step by step down the length of the walk. The drop was at least twelve feet, and waves crashed over jagged boulders. When they reached the edge, Richard jabbed her and said in a low, cruel voice, “Take your choice. Jump. Or get pushed!”

D
ON'T DO THIS
, Richard. You haven't killed anyone yet,” Nancy said in a tight voice.

Her heart leapt at the sound of feet pounding along the promenade behind her. She drove her elbow into Richard's stomach and whirled around.

But the dark specter thundering down the promenade was a dog. Hugo! He was coming straight at her, mouth gaping, teeth bared.

It was like a nightmare. Nancy saw him lunge and clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the pain. The dog hit so hard, he toppled both her and Richard. Richard's gun flew into the water. Nancy rolled free, bracing for the attack.

But the scream that rang out was Richard's! Then, above Hugo's angry snarls, Nancy heard running footsteps. Marshall Keiser, the Pomatto
boys, the clowns, George, and Bess were racing down the promenade toward her.

Richard was cowering on the ground. Keiser called off the dog, then grabbed Richard by the front of his shirt. “I ought to finish you right here, Smith!” He drew back his fist.

“Stop!” Richard whimpered. “Stop!”

“Nancy, are you hurt?” cried George, helping her to her feet.

Nancy quickly reassured her friends, scarcely noticing the pain of scrapes and bruises. She was worried that Keiser might get carried away. “Tim, call Lieutenant Green,” she said, and gave him the number. “Richard's ready to talk.”

Tim dashed off to make the call. The rest of the clowns closed around Richard, hauling him off the promenade. Nancy followed close behind with Eduardo, Joseph, and her friends.

“I thought you were going to signal us,” Bess said breathlessly.

“Richard knocked my flashlight away.” Nancy's knees felt weak after her narrow escape. “Then the whistle wouldn't work.”

“What do you mean, it didn't work? Hugo heard it just fine!” Eduardo beamed and patted the dog on the head.

“It was a
dog
whistle?” Nancy cried. “Why didn't anyone tell me?”

“Would you have trusted Katrina's dog?” Eduardo challenged.

“Probably not,” Nancy admitted, her anger draining away. “Does Katrina know he's here?”

Eduardo flashed a sheepish grin. “Not exactly. I sort of borrowed him.”

Nancy looked down at Hugo. He wagged his tail and poked his wet nose into her palm. She bent down and gave him a hug. “I never dreamed Katrina's dog would save me.”

Eduardo beamed. “That's the circus for you. It's best at delivering the unexpected!”

• • •

Later that day Lieutenant Green called Nancy to tell her that Richard had confessed to everything. Green also filled in some missing details.

“It seems Richard Smith was a motorcycle racer when he was younger,” Green said. “He could handle that Sphere of Death.”

“How did he know Natalia was allergic to carpet cleaner?” Nancy wanted to know.

“He'd heard several people mention her asthma, so he knew about that. It so happens that Victor Bykov suffers from the same thing—and apparently, Victor once had a violent reaction to the same product,” Green explained. “As for knowing to put it in a clown's white-sock, Richard heard the clowns planning their joke at the beach party. He also made sure Keiser looked guilty by planting the empty can in his office.”

“Just like the postcard,” Nancy said, thinking out loud. “He brought it into Keiser's office, then
planted it while I was calling the ambulance. And I fell for it!” She sounded rueful.

“Well, you had no reason to suspect him,” Green pointed out.

“And then he canceled the call for the ambulance and sidelined me when I was trying to bring Natalia her inhaler. It makes sense now,” Nancy said. “But there's one thing I can't figure out. How did he know who Natalia was in the first place?”

“Smith's very observant,” Green began, and Nancy remembered something Richard had said about listening to people around him. “He saw Vera when the Russian Circus played in New York.”

“When Piotr died in his fall?” Nancy said.

“Yes. When the accident happened, Victor ran backstage to check on his brother-in-law. Hearing he was dead, he started searching for Vera. Richard helped him look. In the confusion they got separated. Victor never saw Vera. But Richard did. He saw her run out into the street with a baby in her arms. Her resemblance to Irina was so striking, he knew immediately who she was.”

“And he just let her go. So that's it!” Nancy said.

“After a couple of years, Victor moved his chauffeur business to Saint Petersburg, where he called it Sunshine Enterprises. Over the years it expanded into a very successful transport business.
A few months ago, when Victor got the contract with the circus, Richard called at the grounds on business. He saw Vera and recognized her.”

“One glance, and eighteen years later, he hadn't forgotten? That's incredible!” Nancy exclaimed. “Especially when he couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen!”

Green agreed. “Of course, when he saw Natalia, Smith got very worried,” he added.

“So then he made those attempts to kill her?”

“Only when you arrived and started searching for Victor. Then Smith decided to get rid of her and frame Keiser for her murder. Might have worked, too,” Green added, “if it weren't for you, Nancy.”

• • •

When her call with Phillip Green ended, Nancy and her friends drove to Victor Bykov's home. Richard had used his single phone call to call Victor, so Nancy knew he wasn't unprepared for news of Natalia. Still, she was very nervous as she rang the bell.

A tall, thin man with gray hair and hazel eyes opened the door.

“Mr. Bykov?” Nancy asked. At his nod she extended her hand. “I'm Nancy Drew. My friends and I would like to take you to your daughter.”

Victor looked dazed. “I never knew I could
have such a day as this. How do you meet, for the first time, a daughter who is all grown up?” he asked.

“With open arms,” Bess said softly.

Nancy glanced fondly at her friend. Bess always knew the right words at times like this.

Victor clutched Nancy's hand in his own. “Please. Take me to see my daughter.”

“Right now?” George asked.

Tears of emotion glistened in Victor's eyes. “Eighteen years is much too long to wait.”

The ride to the hospital, however, was not entirely happy. Victor spoke of Richard, and Nancy could see how difficult it was for him. His big hands trembled in his lap as they sped along.

“I could not have loved him more if he'd been my own flesh and blood. And now—he almost kills my daughter! What will happen to him?” he asked, as Nancy stopped for a light.

“Attempted murder is a serious charge. He's going to spend some time in jail,” Nancy said.

Victor nodded sorrowfully. “He has to pay for what he has done. Life will not be so easy for Richard now.” He was silent for a moment, and when Nancy glanced over at him she saw that his eyes were once again full of tears.

After a pause, Nancy asked him about Vera's letters. She was not surprised to learn that he had never received them.

“Richard always got the mail,” he said. “He must have thrown all Vera's letters away.”

As they talked on, Nancy could see that it hurt Victor terribly to learn that Irina had gone to prison for her attempted defection. He had learned of her death through the newspaper. But the article he read had made no mention of a surviving child.

“Then you never knew whether you had a child or not?” George asked.

“No. That's why I was so excited to receive her slipper and the ticket to the Russian Circus. I hoped at last to get some answers. But that went awry, too, when Piotr died and Vera fled. The other performers were scared,” Victor explained. “No one would talk to me, for fear that the KGB would destroy them as they had destroyed Irina. Had I known Vera had a baby with her, though, I would have tried everything to find her.”