Nancy Drew: 2 . The Hidden Staircase

A Call for Sanity's Sake

"But I couldn't find it! Oh, it's hopeless!"

Helen let out a huff. "Fine, looks like I'm going to need backup." She pulled out her phone and began dialing a number on her phone. She put it on speaker and set it on the dashboard before grabbing Nancy's phone, unlocking it, and dialing another number.

"What, what are you doing?"

"I don't care if they're in the middle of court or anything, this is important," said Helen as she put Nancy's phone on speaker as well. Helen's phone got answered first.

"Hey Helen, what's up?" came Bess's cheery voice.

"Bess, hey! Is George with you?"

"Not right now, but I can get her real quick. Why do I hear ringing?"

"I'll explain in a moment, just get George, please!"

"I'm on it!"

At that moment, Nancy's phone was answered. "Hey Nancy!" came Joe's cheery voice. "Frank almost didn't pick up! The big lout."

"Oh shut up Joe, and give me that. Why do you have it on speaker anyway?"

"Keep it on speaker!" ordered Helen.

"Uh, why?" asked Frank slowly. Nancy sniffled as she pulled her hands off her face. "Nancy? Nancy what's wrong?"

"I've got George," said Bess. "Helen, what is going on?"

"Bess?" said Joe.

"Joe?"

"I have both of our phones on speaker so just listen will you?" said Helen.

"Is it, did something happen to Mr. Drew?" asked Frank softly.

"Nancy tell them, tell them everything, please," coaxed Helen gently.

"I-I don't know . . ."

"Nancy, we're here for you, you know that, right?" said Frank softly.

"I know."

"We might not be there physically, but we'll see what we can do to help," said George.

Nancy wiped her eyes. "Alright." So she told them everything about the mystery. She started off slow, but then the words came tumbling out. When she ended with the recent conversation with Hannah, there was a moment of silence.

"Oh, he definitely kidnapped your dad," said Joe finally.

"But, if he was going to threaten Nancy with that information, wouldn't he have just told her about it this morning?" asked George.

"She has a point, Joe. There's something missing," said Frank.

"Yeah, the door to the secret tunnel," quipped Joe.

"Yeah, my brains," said Nancy at the same time.

Bess gasped. "Nancy Drew! You are not missing your brains! Didn't you just say that the Caldwell brothers didn't want anyone to find their secret hiding places?"

"Yeah, and those crooks apparently took the one book with the clues to their locations," pointed out George. "How did you expect to find something if you have no clue what you're looking for?"

"Those Caldwell brothers must have hid those secret doors really well if you can't hear any hollow sounds," said Frank.

"That too," said George.

"And that Gomber fellow just so happened to get into the one room that had the easiest one to find!" said Bess.

"Or was it a coincidence?" said Joe. "Maybe they already knew about it some time ago and cooked up this plan to strike at the right moment."