"At least my car's still in one piece," Bess said cheerfully . "Not to mention you ."

"Thanks ." Nancy grinned . The two friends were sitting in Nancy's kitchen, sharing a late afternoon snack . "Sorry to break the bad news about Tom ."

"It's okay," Bess said, making a sour face . "Actually, I'd been hoping he'd call to ask me out again . Now I won't wait around for the phone to ring ."

"I kind of like Philip, too," Nancy admitted .

"Mmmm ---- well, he's truly awesome," Bess said, rolling her eyes . " "I don't know how you can keep your mind on investigating him . Those eyes of his are totally distracting ."

"Totally," Nancy agreed . "Actually, I've been feeling kind of guilty . I keep thinking about Ned ----"

"Aw, Nan, give it up," Bess said . "Ned would understand ---- Philip's a suspect, right ?"

"A very cute suspect, Bess ."

"All right, so he's irresistible . Leaving that aside, do you really think he tried to kill Nila,"

"I'm not sure anybody tried to kill Nila," Nancy replied . "It looks as if she set the whole thing up herself to get the others in trouble with Pierce . But I can't be sure . Something about that cranberry juice still bothers me . I can't put my finger on what it is . But there's no doubt that someone tried to kill me this morning . And I'm not about to let whoever it was get away with it ---- even if it means nailing the cutest guy in the whole world ."

Just then the phone rang . Nancy picked it up and said hello to Charles Pierce . He was inviting her to dinner that night .

"I've spoken to Bishop, and the new will's drawn up," he told her with a note of satisfaction in his voice . "He's bringing it over here this evening for me to look over before signing . The only trouble is, I need two witnesses . I can't use the family, of course . Nor the staff . I've left each of them a little something, and no one who's a beneficiary of a will can be a witness ."

"Gee, Mr. Pierce," Nancy said uncomfortably . "Are you sure you ---- You said you'd wait twenty-four hours before signing it ."

"I've changed my mind," he declared . "And don't try to talk me out of it . My family has made their own bad luck, and now they're going to have learn to live with it . It'll be good for them ---- teach them to make their own way in the world . After all, I did, and it didn't do me any harm . At any rate, that's why I'm inviting you ---- so you can witness the signing . Please don't say no . I do so appreciate the good work you've done ."

Nancy was profoundly disturbed by what Pierce had just told her . She would have to take him aside to tell him about the newspaper article about Nila . Perhaps that, on top of what she'd already told him about the lab report, would shake Pierce's certainty enough for him to delay signing this new will of his . But for the moment, she decided, the best thing to do would be to accept his offer . She glanced across the table .

"Could I bring my friend Bess ?" Nancy asked . "You did say you needed two witnesses, and she works with me ."

"Of course, bring her along ! See you both in an hour, around five," he finished, sounding extremely cheerful .

"Well, Bess," Nancy said after hanging up, "it looks like you're going to get inside the Pierce mansion sooner than you thought ."

* * * * *

Nancy and Bess arrived at the mansion at five o'clock . The butler, noticing that Bess was staring open-mouthed at the opulent furnishings, offered to escort her on a quick tour of the ground floor rooms . Bess happily accepted, and the two of them left Nancy in the hallway .

She was alone only for a moment because Jack and Karen came in from outside . Jack greeted Nancy with an icy stare, then said, "Karen, I'm going upstairs ." He trotted up the staircase, but the chill he'd cast remained behind him .

Karen sighed . "I shouldn't have blown up at you the way I did," she said to Nancy . "Jack and I have a lot to work out, I can see that now . It looks as if I've closed my eyes to a lot that was going on . I guess I owe you my thanks ---- it's just that it's all so shocking and painful ."

"You don't have to say anything," Nancy told her . "I understand ." I just hope I'm not the one who winds up paying the price, Nancy thought, recalling Jack's hateful look a moment earlier .

Just then a memory popped into Nancy's head, a memory of Jack beating up an opposing player he thought had tackled him too hard . Yes, he'd always had a temper, even back in high school .

Karen went upstairs, passing Philip on his way down . He came up to Nancy and swept her into his arms .

"Hi, gorgeous," he said, giving her a passionate kiss before Nancy could prepare herself or resist . "What's going on tonight, anyway ? Did the old man tell you anything ? Eleanor seems so glum, but she won't say a word about it to any of us ."

"I think we're all going to find out before too long," Nancy assured him, not wanting to give away the fact that she already knew .

Eleanor and Cecilia came down the stairs, wearing serious expressions .

"Hello, Aunt Ellie," Philip said, giving her a little kiss on the cheek . "Hi, Cecie . Look, cheer up, you two . Whatever happens, we'll all get through it ."

"That's easy for you to say, Philip," Cecilia commented, taking her mother by the arm . "You've got an allowance, and you can always go find a job if you have to . But who's going to hire mother at her age and without any experience ? Where are we supposed to live ?" She led Eleanor into the parlor without waiting for an answer from Philip .

Philip gazed at the pair, shaking his head . "That Cecie," he said with a sigh . "It's like there's this little black cloud that follows her around wherever she goes . Since she was a little kid, she's always looked on the dark side of things . But in this case, she's probably right . I know I wouldn't hire either of them to work for me ---- too glum and timid ."

He shook off the thought and turned to Nancy . "Want to take a walk with me in the garden ?" he asked . "It's a beautiful evening ."

"Actually," Nancy replied, "I was hoping to get a chance to talk with Nila alone. I want to ask her some questions before I speak to your father ."

"Okay, Detective," he said with an impish grin . "What are you up to ? Are you going to try and talk Father out of disowning us ?"

"Never mind that," Nancy told him in a playful manner . "Do you know where Nila is, or don't you ?"

"Of course I do," he said cheerfully . "Every day at this time she takes a walk in the rose garden out back . You'll find her there . But I'm warning you, you'll have a better time with me than with the ice queen ."

Nancy responded with a smile . "You're probably right . But I'm on the job, remember ." With a wave, she headed outside for the back of the house .

As Philip had said, Nancy found Nila in the rose garden . "Ah, Nancy," Nila said when she spotted her coming . "Come here and smell these ."

Nancy did as Nila requested . "Mmmm . . . . ." she said . "They really are amazing ."

Looking at Nila out here, Nancy noticed the classical beauty of her features, and also a peace and lightness she hadn't seen before . It was as if a great weight had been lifted from Nila's shoulders . Nancy wondered if Pierce had told her about the new will .

"Nila," Nancy began cautiously, "could I ask you something ?"

"Of course, Nancy," Nila said, turning her innocent, light blue eyes on Nancy . "What is it ?"

"It's about the job you had before you came here," Nancy said . "I happened to hear about an article in a local newspaper . It was about you stealing from your former employer ."

The question was packed with dynamite, and Nancy knew it . Nila blinked rapidly, and her delicate mouth widened in shock . "If the article said I stole anything, it's nothing but a pack of lies," she said firmly . "Show it to me !"

"I, er, I haven't even seen it, actually," Nancy admitted .

"Aha ! I thought not ! More poisoning of my reputation by Charles's family . I'm sure there is no such article . And if my former employer hadn't died, I would still be with her, and you could question her to your heart's content . She was a wonderful old lady, and I loved her dearly ."

Her face softened, and Nancy suddenly felt sorry, even guilty, for bringing up the article without having first seen it .

"If you'll excuse me," Nancy said, backing away . "It's a little chilly out here . I'm going back inside ." She'd found out what she'd come for . Now, Nancy wanted a few minutes alone to consider Nila's reaction, and her own next move .

"Of course," Nila said . "I'm sorry I snapped at you like that, Nancy . It's just that you have no idea what I've been put through since the day Charles's family showed up here ."

"I'd like to hear more about that later," Nancy said, before heading back toward the house .

Nancy was confused . Nila had seemed so genuinely shocked and affronted when she'd been told about the article . It was impossible for Nancy to believe she was faking her surprise and indignation .

If Nila was innocent, then was she also innocent of faking the attempt of her life ? That would fit in with the fact that someone had tried to kill Nancy . It would also mean that Nila still might be in danger . . . . .

Nancy stepped inside, feeling worried and anxious . She wanted to find Bess and talk things over with her .

Nancy was about to close the door behind her, when she heard a piercing scream from the garden . It was followed by the sound of something smashing to the ground !

"Nila !" she gasped in horror . "Oh, no ---- no !"
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