Carolyn Keene - Trial By Fire

“They finally reeled him in by advancing him the money to pay off all the loans,” Nancy said sadly. “Then they let him work off the debt by passing along confidential information any time one of their people was about to get dropped on.”

“Who thought up the paperweight bugs?” Mr. Tyler asked.

“Reston,” Nancy answered. “Once they realized how valuable someone like the judge could be to the organization, they dreamed up the paperweights. Not only could they listen in and pick up information, they could use some things they heard for blackmail. Judge Leonard was on their list.”

“For what?” Hannah asked.

“He checked himself into a mental hospital a few years back,” Carson explained. “He’d just lost his wife and son in a car accident. He was suffering bouts of depression.”

Ann sat up. “That was no secret! It’s even in our files at the Morning Record , but Brownley and Reston didn’t know it was common knowledge.”

“They’d had such an easy time with Jonathan,” Carson said with a sigh, “that they figured anyone they leaned on would fall into line.”

“And once they thought someone they were paying was endangering their stolen car business by talking to Ann,” Bess said, “they really put the pressure on-everyone.”

“Only they didn’t bargain on this little lady.” Mr. Tyler patted Nancy’s arm.

“And I thought I’d let you help me when I met you in the alley that night,” Jim put in. “Look who ended up helping whom. My head still hurts!”

Ned put his arm around Nancy. “It doesn’t pay to underestimate Nancy Drew, private detective.”

Nancy smiled, gazing from Ned to her father affectionately. She felt terrific. She had Ned at her side. She had two new friends-Ann and Jim-the gratitude of Jim’s grandfather, Mr. Tyler, and she had just helped put the murderer of an old friend behind bars.

But the topper, the most important thing of all, was that she had cleared her father. She had just closed the most important case of her life!

Carolyn Keene is the pseudonym of the author of the Nancy Drew mystery series, and also The Dana Girls mystery series, both published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Stratemeyer hired writers, including Mildred Wirt Benson (who wrote the first 23 books) to write the novels in this series, who initially were paid only $125 for each book and were required by their contract to give up all rights to the work and to maintain confidentiality. Edward Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Adams, also wrote books in the Nancy Drew series under the pseudonym.

Mildred Wirt Benson was an American author of children's books, in particular several Nancy Drew mysteries. Writing under Stratemeyer Syndicate pen name Carolyn Keene from 1929 to 1947, she contributed to 23 of the first 25, originally published, Nancy Drew mysteries. She was one of 28 individuals who helped produce the Syndicate's Nancy Drew mystery books from 1929 to 1984. Edward Stratemeyer hired Mildred Benson in 1926 to assist in expanding his roughly-drafted stories with Syndicate directed, juvenile text in order to satisfy increasing demand for his series books.

Benson's favorite Nancy Drew story was The Hidden Staircase, the second mystery in the series. Benson also wrote many other series, including the Penny Parker books, which were published under her own name.