the doctor says so. Since itâs Saturday, he wonât start his rounds for a couple of hours yet.â
âA couple of hours!â Nancy moaned. âBy then it could all be over!â
âIt might be over sooner than that if you donât relax,â the nurse warned with a smile.
âCalm down, Nancy,â Ned said gently. âYouâll think better after you eat.â When the nurse had left the room, he added, âHow about filling me in on everythingâfrom the beginning?â
By the time Nancy had finished breakfast, she had sketched out the events of the day before, beginning with her discussion with Chief Saunders and ending with her unexpected side trip into the cornfield. âThe thing I canât figure out,â she added, âis how Felix knew I was in Batesville. Unlessââ She tried to think, but her head was still aching and it was hard to concentrate.
The door opened. âGood morning, Miss Drew.â It was Chief Saunders, in uniform. He took off his brown hat and glanced at Ned. âIâd like to talk to this young lady alone, if you donât mind.â
â I mind,â Nancy told him. âNedâs staying.â
The chief shrugged. âHave it your way,â he said, watching her with his cold blue eyes. âAre you ready to answer a few questions? I want to know why you went out to the DeCamp place and bothered Mr. and Mrs. DeCamp.â
âI needed to know how Darla DeCamp had died.â
âAnd what did you find out?â
âThat her skull was fractured, and that she died from drowning.â
âAnd what else?â
âThat her parents think that she was murderedâby a guy calling himself Pete Mitchell.â
âAnd you think you know where this Pete Mitchell can be found?â
Nancy folded her arms across her chest. âI thought you werenât interested,â she said cagily.
âI am interested,â the chief said. âIâm going to put my deputy on this case, and I want you out of it.â
âNo way,â Nancy said in a low, firm tone. âI have a clientâs interests to protect, and I have absolutely no intention of getting off this case.â
âMiss Drew,â the chief said, leaning forward and fixing his eyes on hers, âdo you know what a material witness is?â
Wordlessly, Nancy nodded.
âIf you donât swear that youâll get off this case, I am going to lock you up. As a material witness to the death of Darla DeCamp.â
Nancy looked at him calmly. âI think my father might have something to say aboutââ
The phone rang. Ned reached for it, spoke into it briefly, and then handed it to Nancy. âItâs for you,â he said with a glance at Chief Saunders. âItâs Dirk Bowman.â
âWhoâs that?â the chief snapped.
âDirk Bowman is a Fort Lauderdale detective,â Nancy said coldly. âHeâs assisting me on this case. If you donât let me talk to him, heâs going to know that something very odd is going on here.â
The chief frowned, his ruddy forehead wrinkling. âWell, okay,â he growled. âI guess you can take the call. But Iâm going down to the nursesâ station and listen in.â
âSuit yourself.â Nancy took the phone from Ned as the chief hurried out of the room.
âNancy?â Dirk asked. His voice was worried. âYou okay?â
Nancy laughed ruefully. âJust a little the worse for wear,â she said. âBut Iâm going to be out of here shortly. Howâd you track me down?â
âYour housekeeper told me youâd been in an accident and that I could reach you at the Batesville hospital. Listen, detective, Iâve got a make on that print you sent me.â
Nancy sat up straighter. âOh, yes? What did you find out, Dirk?â
âThe print doesnât belong to your boy, after
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