Carolyn Keene - Hit and Run Holiday

Nancy, Bess, and George stared at Kim, not knowing what to say. The doctors had told them that Kim was stable, that things looked very promising for her. But she still hadn’t wakened, and it was hard to sit and just watch her. It made them feel helpless, and that made them feel edgy.

Nancy was especially edgy. First of all, Kim’s mother couldn’t seem to stop crying. Not that Nancy blamed her. Her daughter had been run down; she had every right to cry. But all the sniffing and nose-blowing and sobbing made it hard to think. And Nancy needed to think. She was still in the dark about what was going on, despite the fact that she had two good leads—the picture of the girl and Ricardo. He was obviously mixed up in it, but how? And exactly what was he mixed up in? Maybe Dirk Bowman knew. His not-so-subtle hint made Nancy very curious, and she wished she could be with him at that very moment.

But one glance at Bess told Nancy that she’d better keep that wish to herself. Between the man-of-war sting and visiting Kim at the hospital, Nancy hadn’t had a chance to explain things to her. Not that she had much explaining to do. She hadn’t come on to the guy; he’d come on to her. Bess would realize that.

Actually, when Nancy thought about it, Dirk had started coming on to her as soon as she had mentioned what had happened to Kim. Perhaps he had more than just information for her. Nancy couldn’t pass up a chance to learn something. She’d talk to Bess as soon as she could.

About the only thing not annoying Nancy was her foot. It was feeling better by the minute, so she knew she could make good on her promise to Ricardo—she’d be back. That was what was really making her edgy—she wanted to get out of the hospital and back on the trail.

“Oh, how lovely!” Mrs. Baylor exclaimed suddenly. Nancy glanced up and saw that a good-looking guy had just entered Kim’s room carrying a big arrangement of flowers. He was wearing a brown uniform, so he must have been from a flower shop. He set the basket on the table, gave Kim a close look, then quickly left the room.

“That was so nice of you girls,” Mrs. Baylor said tearfully.

George looked embarrassed. “Don’t thank us,” she said. “I’m afraid we didn’t send them.”

“Then who did?” mused Kim’s mother.

Nancy reached over and carefully pushed aside the daisies and carnations, but she could find no card. Strange, she thought. Why would somebody send flowers without a card? And just who had sent them?

Kim’s mother started to cry again. “This is like a nightmare,” she sobbed. “Who on earth would want to hurt my daughter?”

“I don’t know, Mrs. Baylor,” Nancy told her. “But I promise you, I’m going to find out.”

When Dirk Bowman arrived at the Surfside Inn the next morning to pick her up, Nancy was sure of one thing—Bess was no longer upset with her. She understood what Nancy had to do. However, she was still hurt, and she was furious with Dirk for dumping her so rudely.

Nancy dressed casually in light cotton pants and a cotton shirt with a wild island print over her bikini. She wished she could wear her new sandals, but she put on her sneakers instead, since she wasn’t sure what Dirk would end up showing her.

At precisely eleven o’clock, Dirk, lean and tan, showed up. Nancy greeted him, then stepped out with him into the fresh morning air.

“Ever been windsurfing?” Dirk asked, taking her hand and leading her toward a red sports car parked at the curb.

“No,” Nancy told him. “I’ve surfed and I’ve sailed, but never at the same time.” She liked his car, and she couldn’t help admitting that she also liked the feel of his hand. Bess has great taste, she thought.

“Well, then, you’ll probably catch on quickly,” Dirk said with a dimpled smile. He put the car in gear and drove quickly down the street. “It’s really terrific once you get the hang of it.” For the next ten minutes, he kept up a steady, one-sided conversation about the joys of windsurfing.

It was all very interesting, Nancy thought, but it wasn’t the information she was after. If Dirk really wanted to turn Nancy on, he’d tell her what he knew about Kim.

“Listen,” she said, finally interrupting him. “I don’t want to be rude, but you said you might be able to help me out on this case, that you might have some information for me.”

“That’s right,” Dirk answered with an easy smile. “I might. But I told you, I need to know everything you know first.”

Nancy was trying to decide what to tell him when Dirk parked the car, got out, and led her to a dock where an outboard boat loaded with two surfboards was tied. They jumped on, Dirk started the engine, and as they sped away, Nancy glanced back at the dock. Ricardo was standing there, watching them. Nancy felt a chill as she watched his figure grow smaller and smaller. What was Ricardo doing there, anyway? Had he followed her and Dirk? Were he and Dirk connected in some way?

It was impossible to talk over the buzz of the motor and the thumping of the waves as the boat plowed through the ocean, but Nancy did manage to ask Dirk where they were going. When he answered her—telling her they were headed for a small island—he leaned so close she could smell his aftershave. He reminded her of Daryl Gray, a guy she’d almost fallen for. In fact, there was a lot about Dirk that reminded her of Daryl. He was gorgeous and friendly and would be easy to fall for too, but Nancy wasn’t about to do that. She was after information, not involvement.

After twenty minutes, Dirk cut the motor and let the boat drift gently toward a sandy island dotted with palm trees. It shimmered in the sun, like a beautiful mirage.

“This is where we bring all the party-goers,” he explained. “We drop them off around midnight and pick them up a few hours later. It’s wild, sort of a big bash in the middle of nowhere.”

Nancy nodded, remembering that he worked for some kind of excursion boat. As they beached the motorboat, she asked if he liked the job.

“It’s great,” he said. “And my boss, Lila Templeton, is one fun lady. Running these parties to nowhere isn’t a job for her—she doesn’t need one. Her boat is just a big toy. Ever eat a Templeton orange?”

“Probably,” Nancy said.

“Well, every time you do, you’re putting money in Lila’s pocket. Her family owns half the citrus and sugarcane farms in Florida.”

Nancy looked around. The island really is in the middle of nowhere, she thought. “Where does the party boat go after you drop everybody off?” she asked.

“Oh, it just cruises around.” Dirk took Nancy’s hand again and smiled at her. “I’m really glad you came out with me, you know. I wanted to be alone with you the minute I laid eyes on you, Detective.”

Again Nancy noticed the warmth of his hand and the dimple alongside his mouth. Dirk Bowman was a real charmer, all right, but charm wasn’t what she was after. “You called me ‘detective,’ ” she pointed out, “so let’s do some detecting, okay?”

With a laugh, Dirk agreed, so while they stripped down to their bathing suits, unloaded the surfboards, and unfurled the brightly colored sails, Nancy told him what had gone on the day before without giving away any important details. By the time she finished, they were on the boards, paddling away from the shore. “It’s your turn,” she said. “Tell me what you know.”

Dirk sighed and shook his head. “Sorry, Detective. I’m afraid I came up with a great big zero.”

Stunned, Nancy sat up, straddling the board. He never knew anything in the first place, she told herself furiously. It was just a line to get you out here, and you fell for it!

As if he read her mind, Dirk reached out and touched her knee. “Aw, come on, Detective. Don’t be mad. I did ask around, but nobody knew anything. If I’d told you that this morning, you wouldn’t have come with me, right?”