📚 NANCY DREW📓
in
🎠SNOW MYSTERY🎠
by Ann ♪
~A Nancy Drew Fanfic~
Chapter Fifteen
Wanting to run and yell, Thug #1 blurted out in rapid fire succession, “I’ll tell you! That nosy Drew girl and her boyfriend were supposed to be the victims because of their meddling. The person who hired us–“
“SHUT UP!” Thug #3 slugged his cohort, who dropped to the ground.
“Enough of that,” ordered the rider. “Help him back up.”
Thug #3 muttered as he did what he’d been encouraged to do. Thug #1 looked groggy, but conscious. And still scared of the stallion and ready to talk.
“–Greg, that’s who hired us. We’d never worked for him before. Except, he sounded an awful lot like Rom, who’s hired us on behalf of a conglomerate.”
Thug #2 stared at the talkative thug. “Anything else you want to tell him?”
Just as Thug #1 was about to say no, the stallion took the opportunity to stretch over with a fast move as if to get a quick bite in. So, the scared killer threw out another bit of information, although it seemed like he was doing so in response to what Thug #2 had sarcastically asked. “We’re paid off in cryptocurrency. Call off your animal!”
The rider gave a deep chuckle. He told Thug #2, “Thanks for the help.” To Thug #1, he said, “Don’t worry, here come the local police. They’ll rescue you from my friendly stallion and arrest you.” The stallion reared up and gave a neigh that sorta sounded like a laugh as two police cruisers arrived. The Arizona Marshal made it look easy to stay casually astride as his horse kept his front two hooves in the air for several seconds.
“That horse is dangerous!” complained Thug #1 loudly to the approaching officers.
“This beautiful stallion?” asked one of the police officers. She went over to the large horse, now with all four hooves firmly on the ground, and gave him a friendly pat. A happy neigh and a gentle touch from the stallion followed. “Why, he’s a sweetheart.” She took a few steps to the nearest thug and gestured toward the police cars. “Your ride’s here. Unless you want to ride the stallion to the station.”
“No way! I don’t want him anywhere me. He tried to bite me!”
Bill Law laughed again and corrected the thug. “He didn’t try to bite you. If he had, you would have been bit.”
Another officer patted the horse, too, on his way by to haul in the defeated killers. “I’d describe him as warm and friendly.” The stallion nickered and nodded his thanks for the compliment.
“Thanks, Bill,” called the officers once they got the apprehended killers loaded into the vehicles.
“See you at the station.” The rider gave a wave and with just a little encouragement, the stallion started on the way.
************
Nancy, Ned, and Miranda’s cousin made it to the police station and while they were there, Bill Law and the arrested attempted murderers came in. He gave Nancy, Ned, and Patricia a wave as he went to give his statement.
“That guy is a real hero,” stated Ned.
“Yep. So are you.” Nancy smiled.
“Then you and I are a good match, since you’re a heroine.” Ned’s tender look of love filled Nancy’s heart with silent prayers of thanks to the Creator.
************
The next day news crews from around the country, as well as some from outside the US, had accumulated for the press conference that the mayor and police chief were giving. Patricia was in protective custody after giving her statement, and confession, to the police. She’d also told Nancy and Ned the information she had concerning what Miranda had been up to.
Due to legal manipulation, Miranda had been released almost immediately on bail. She gave a news conference, too. Only hers contained finger-pointing without anything to back up her false accusations. Unlike the case against Miranda, which had a number of sworn affidavits of witnesses, as well as former comrades in crime, to help prove her guilt.
By the time Miranda got done babbling for what seemed like forever, and saying absolutely nothing, at her news conference, it was noontime. Everyone there sighed with relief and went for nourishment, thankful to be free of Miranda’s annoying talking. Some people had listened for their job, while some, like Nancy and Ned, did because of their involvement in trying to help the good people of Hopeville.
“Can you believe Miranda accusing Emmie of abuse of power?” Nancy raised her eyebrows at the ridiculousness of it. “I shouldn’t be surprised about it actually. That fits Miranda’s lack of character.”
“Sometimes people accuse others of what they themselves are guilty of,” stated Ned.
“That is the case in some cases.” Nancy nodded. They were having lunch in a retro styled diner, complete with chrome on the outside of the restaurant, and for some of the furnishings as well. The stools along the shiny countertop and tables lining the large front windows had plenty of customers ordering, eating, and discussing the big subject of the day.
Nancy swiveled on her stool toward her boyfriend. They were waiting for their order of burgers, fries, and sodas. “This is a cool place. I love stuff like this.”
“I agree. Especially if the food is good.” Ned grinned. “If the food aroma is any indication, it’ll be delicious.”
“Encouraging, too, is the presence of locals. That’s one of Dad’s rules, don’t eat somewhere the residents avoid, if you’re able to find that out.” Nancy glanced around at the other customers. “I understand they do a good business here even without the big news story.”
“From what I’ve noticed, most people realize Miranda and her posse are losers by choice. Of course, Miranda isn’t yet one of those people who realizes that fact.”
Nancy gave a quick, sarcastic laugh. “To hear Miranda tell it, she’s the victim.”
“And that her friends and family were acting on their own. All of those things, they were the masterminds who came up with all of that.”
“I wonder if we could get her to brag about it all, that she was the mastermind…” Nancy speculated at the possibility. “They’re gathering the evidence – and witnesses – now to stop Miranda before she skips the country. They already have a lot. It’s frustrating, Ned, I can tell she fully plans, and expects, to come out of this without jail time. You know she’ll keep doing these kind of things. She has no remorse at all.”
“There’s plenty of evidence against her. More than enough. The only other thing probably is if we could catch her actually trying to kill someone herself.”
“Maybe I could make her mad enough.”
Ned frowned. “No, that’s not what I meant at all.”
“I know.” Nancy wasn’t trying to upset Ned, but she did entertain the idea of seeing whether or not Miranda would try to kill her or not. “It could be a controlled situation-“
“You know what I think about you being the bait. You wouldn’t like it if I tried something like that.”
“No, I definitely wouldn’t.” Nancy sighed. She found her eyes kept drifting over to a man sitting a few stools down from them. He had a ball cap pulled low over his eyes and a trim beard. She’d noticed him when she and Ned had first entered the diner. He was blocked a little from Nancy’s view, so she couldn’t see his face or hands from where she was. The man seemed very focused on his phone the entire time while eating a burger and fries with a cup of coffee. Nancy continued talking with Ned about the case. “It’s just she’s gotten away with stuff so far.”
“But you know, ultimately, she won’t get away with anything. Here’s another comforting thought about people like Miranda. Also poetic justice. They’re stuck with themselves,” Ned pointed out.
“Comforting about both points.”
Their delicious smelling meals came right then, much to both of their delights. As they enjoyed it, they talked of fun things, taking a short break from the danger and drama.
“I really hope we get to ride the carousel while we’re here.” Nancy took a bite of fry and turned to glance out the windows at the light fluffy snowflakes drifting easily through the air. “I’m enjoying the snow a lot, too.”
“Pretty cool sledding while it’s snowing.” Ned swiveled around on his stool to watch also. Looking over at Nancy, he smiled as he watched her. She saw him in her peripheral and blushed a little. “I’m glad you delight from good things, Nancy.”
“Like you?”
Now it was Ned’s turn to look a little bashful. “Sure.”
They ate the rest of their meal in that happy enjoyment that comes when a man and a woman are in love.
~ TAP/CLICK HERE FOR CHAPTER SIXTEEN! ~
Hardy and Drew Mysteries 