Close Encounters (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 21) by Carolyn Keene Page B
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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barking.
“Oh, keep quiet,” I cried, feeling annoyed, frustrated, and, deep down, scared about what might have happened to Bess.
The dogs continued to bark as I knocked on the front door, hoping Addie May was still home waiting for Aldwin’s return. But no one answered. I figured I’d better check the backyard.
I hurried down the porch steps and rounded the corner of the house, only to find myself eye to eye with the barrel of a shotgun.
And the shabby man pointing the gun at my chest was none other than Nathan Blackman.
14
The Missing Link
F ace-to-face with a shotgun, I swiftly weighed my options—not that there were many. Addie’s truck was not in the barnyard, so it was a good bet I was alone.
Bolting was out of the question. So was a good karate kick; the gun might go off, and one of us would surely get hurt, if not killed. I had only one choice: I’d have to talk my way out of it.
Before I could open my mouth, though, Nathan lowered the gun. His scowl, however, remained as dark as the lowering sky.
“What are you doing here?” he challenged. With his free hand he turned up the collar of his red wool jacket.
“I might ask the same of you,” I snapped.
“I live here.” He paused. “What’s your excuse?”
“I’m looking for Addie May,” I said, trying not to feel foolish. Blackman was right of course. He did technically live on the farm. That didn’t give him an excuse to accost me with a gun, though.
He leaned the gun against the side of the house and folded his arms across his chest. “Well, she’s not here.” He jerked his head toward the barnyard. “See for yourself. Her truck’s gone.”
“Right.”
“She went into town to check in with the police. Fat good that lot’ll do. She actually thinks they’ll find her brother.”
Nathan had given me the opening I was looking for. “What do you think?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’ll tell you what I don’t think. No way aliens whooshed down here to the old farmstead and ’napped an old lame farmer and his dog.” He narrowed his eyes and studied my face. “You think somewhat like I do. There are no UFOs—no real ones, at any rate—secreted back there in them there hills!” He grinned as he mocked a television backwoods accent. Then, as quickly as his grin had appeared, it vanished. “So why are you snooping around here?”
“Because I think the UFOs are a hoax, and I have a feeling you know something about the whole scam.”
He surprised me by nodding slowly. “I do.”
Was he so ready to admit it? Suddenly I was terriblyconscious of that gun. If Nathan confessed to perpetrating such a major con, why would he stop at kidnapping just two people? Might as well make it three!
“Aren’t you going to ask me exactly what I know?” he asked.
“Please. Tell me,” I said, trying to sound skeptical instead of frightened.
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather do that someplace more comfortable.” He looked up toward the sky. “A storm’s brewing, the temperature’s dropping, and standing around, I’m getting cold.”
Without waiting for my answer, he picked up the gun. Holding it barrel down to the ground, Nathan started back toward the circle of cabins behind the barn.
When I didn’t follow, he turned around. “Aren’t you coming?” He hesitated, glanced from to me to the gun, then grinned. “Not to worry. I’m not about to hang you out as bait for the so-called aliens. And I won’t hurt you. The gun’s for hunting. I was on my way to see if I could bag a deer when I heard the dogs barking. I came back up here to see who was lurking around the house . . . given what’s been going on here lately. Anyway, I’m not the bad guy here.”
I wasn’t convinced. At the same time, standing in the cold wind was quickly getting old. I wondered if I actually had a choice. Would he let me just walk away and leave?
As if reading my mind, he said, “Hey, whatever you decide. Stay. Go. I’m going back to the cabin
“Oh, keep quiet,” I cried, feeling annoyed, frustrated, and, deep down, scared about what might have happened to Bess.
The dogs continued to bark as I knocked on the front door, hoping Addie May was still home waiting for Aldwin’s return. But no one answered. I figured I’d better check the backyard.
I hurried down the porch steps and rounded the corner of the house, only to find myself eye to eye with the barrel of a shotgun.
And the shabby man pointing the gun at my chest was none other than Nathan Blackman.
14
The Missing Link
F ace-to-face with a shotgun, I swiftly weighed my options—not that there were many. Addie’s truck was not in the barnyard, so it was a good bet I was alone.
Bolting was out of the question. So was a good karate kick; the gun might go off, and one of us would surely get hurt, if not killed. I had only one choice: I’d have to talk my way out of it.
Before I could open my mouth, though, Nathan lowered the gun. His scowl, however, remained as dark as the lowering sky.
“What are you doing here?” he challenged. With his free hand he turned up the collar of his red wool jacket.
“I might ask the same of you,” I snapped.
“I live here.” He paused. “What’s your excuse?”
“I’m looking for Addie May,” I said, trying not to feel foolish. Blackman was right of course. He did technically live on the farm. That didn’t give him an excuse to accost me with a gun, though.
He leaned the gun against the side of the house and folded his arms across his chest. “Well, she’s not here.” He jerked his head toward the barnyard. “See for yourself. Her truck’s gone.”
“Right.”
“She went into town to check in with the police. Fat good that lot’ll do. She actually thinks they’ll find her brother.”
Nathan had given me the opening I was looking for. “What do you think?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’ll tell you what I don’t think. No way aliens whooshed down here to the old farmstead and ’napped an old lame farmer and his dog.” He narrowed his eyes and studied my face. “You think somewhat like I do. There are no UFOs—no real ones, at any rate—secreted back there in them there hills!” He grinned as he mocked a television backwoods accent. Then, as quickly as his grin had appeared, it vanished. “So why are you snooping around here?”
“Because I think the UFOs are a hoax, and I have a feeling you know something about the whole scam.”
He surprised me by nodding slowly. “I do.”
Was he so ready to admit it? Suddenly I was terriblyconscious of that gun. If Nathan confessed to perpetrating such a major con, why would he stop at kidnapping just two people? Might as well make it three!
“Aren’t you going to ask me exactly what I know?” he asked.
“Please. Tell me,” I said, trying to sound skeptical instead of frightened.
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather do that someplace more comfortable.” He looked up toward the sky. “A storm’s brewing, the temperature’s dropping, and standing around, I’m getting cold.”
Without waiting for my answer, he picked up the gun. Holding it barrel down to the ground, Nathan started back toward the circle of cabins behind the barn.
When I didn’t follow, he turned around. “Aren’t you coming?” He hesitated, glanced from to me to the gun, then grinned. “Not to worry. I’m not about to hang you out as bait for the so-called aliens. And I won’t hurt you. The gun’s for hunting. I was on my way to see if I could bag a deer when I heard the dogs barking. I came back up here to see who was lurking around the house . . . given what’s been going on here lately. Anyway, I’m not the bad guy here.”
I wasn’t convinced. At the same time, standing in the cold wind was quickly getting old. I wondered if I actually had a choice. Would he let me just walk away and leave?
As if reading my mind, he said, “Hey, whatever you decide. Stay. Go. I’m going back to the cabin
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