Carolyn Keene_Nancy Drew Mysteries 050 by The Double Jinx Mystery

again.”
    Nancy, Bess, and George exchanged satisfied glances. This truly was good news!
    On the way to George’s car, Kammy stopped at the housing office to arrange permission to return to the Thurston farm. Then the girls rode to the spot where they had seen the wryneck.
    “Look!” Bess exclaimed. “Petra is sitting on that broken limb!”
    When Kammy alighted from the car, she slowly walked toward her pet. He did not fly away nor even move. When she opened the bird-cage door, he flew to it and hopped inside. The Eurasian girl began speaking to him in her native language. The bird jumped around the cage excitedly, apparently understanding her words.
    The next moment she reached in and took Petra in her hands. Lovingly she stroked his feathers.
    Suddenly Petra began to show signs of being uncomfortable, so Kammy held him by his feet. The bird stretched his wings wide. His owner gave a little gasp.
    Taped underneath one wing was a tiny package!
    George spoke up. “So Petra was stolen!” she remarked angrily.
    Carefully Kammy detached the little package, returned the pet to his cage, and closed the door. As the girls watched, she unwrapped the package, looked at the object inside, then burst into tears.

CHAPTER XV
    Fingerprint Proof
     
     
     
    “KAMMY, what’s the matter?” Nancy asked as her Eurasian friend continued to sob.
    Bess and George were trying to see what she was holding, but the girl had doubled her fist, hiding the object from view.
    A few seconds later Kammy stopped crying and opened her hand. On the palm lay a gorgeous ring. She slipped it onto her thumb and they all stared at the golden band. Mounted on the top were three circles of gems. The outer one was sparkling green emeralds. The middle one contained glistening yellow topaz and the inner circle was set with small diamonds clustered around a larger one.
    “It’s fabulous!” Bess exclaimed. “But why would it be taped under Petra’s wing?”
    “I do not know,” Kammy replied. “This is a family heirloom which I brought with me when I came to this country. It disappeared about a month ago and I thought I had lost it. I am very puzzled now—and a little frightened too.”
    “Why should getting the ring back frighten you?” Bess asked her.
    Kammy said it was not the ring itself which bothered her, but the strange way in which it was returned. Had someone found it? Had an enemy stolen it? But if so, why would he or she want to give the valuable piece back?
    Bess gave a great sigh. “Oh, if Petra could only talk, he could solve the whole thing!”
    Nancy, seeing that Kammy was becoming more upset, decided to change the subject. “Since you’re going back to the Thurstons, and if George doesn’t mind, why don’t drive over there now and leave Petra?”
    Kammy agreed and George said she would be happy to take them all.
    But Bess was concerned about how Nancy was feeling. “Maybe you’ve had enough excitement for one day. You were supposed to take it easy, and I wouldn’t say you have.”
    Nancy laughed and assured the others she felt all right. “I’m sure I’ve recovered completely.”
    The Thurstons were delighted to see the girls. They especially welcomed Kammy cordially and said they were delighted she was coming back.
    “My birds haven’t seemed entirely happy since you left,” Oscar told her. “They don’t sing or chatter much.”
    Kammy blushed. “It’s good to hear that they missed me,” she replied. “Is there some work I can do right now?”
    “Not out in the cages,” the man answered. “But—”
    Mrs. Thurston interrupted him and said to the girls, “Oscar and I are very much alarmed!” She turned to her husband. “Show the girls that awful letter you got.”
    Oscar took it from the desk and read the contents aloud. The letter was from Mr. Ramsey Wright, president of the High Rise Construction Company. It was an order for the Thurstons to vacate the premises totally within a month.
    “We are raising our