NANCY DREW AND THE SECRET OF MERMAID COVE

Chapter Fourteen

Both girls were in a panic. They could feel the cold stare from the White Rabbit waiter. Nancy tried desperately to think of some simple solution. But what could she do? If only she had Ryan's phone number, maybe he would help. 

The waiter tapped his fingertips on the table rapidly more than eager for a answer. "Perhaps I should call the manager over here to sort this out." 

 "There will be no need for that, sir! My friend and I have not had dessert, yet ." Nancy declared as she attempted to buy them so time. She held the desert menu and glanced it over. The waiter raised his eyebrow amused by their strange behavior. 

"This looks pretty good. I would like two slices of apple pie and Bess will have a mini strawberry shortcake." Nancy said. The man sighed and headed to the kitchen. 

Bess glared at her friend. "What do you think you are doing? The bill is already high enough! We can not even pay for it now! Have you gone mad?"

"Calm down Bess. We are just trying to buy some time to plot a solution. Now make sure to eat that dessert slowly. I think that we will also need to act as if we are having a great time." 

Bess got the message and begun to chat about her last phone call with her cousin, George.  Apparently the athletic teen had won the marathon quite easily. She managed to earn a thousand bucks for the charity run in the process. 

"George is truly an amazing person. I just do not see where she gets all that energy from." Nancy added.

"It's genetic from her fathers side of the family. They are all very accomplished athletes."

Nancy rose up from her seat to head to the restroom, while Bess waited on their food to arrive. Once it did she took her time nibbling. 

"Are you not enjoying your dessert, miss?"  questioned the white rabbit waiter with a sly grin on his face.

"Why yes, I am enjoying it. Please give my compliments to the chief." Bess replied.

Once Nancy had come back to the table she whispered, "I think we are going to have to run out on the bill. Once we get back to the inn I will arrange to have an money order and a note sent back here to make things right." 

"That is not going to work they are watching us." 

"Then we need a distraction of some sort. " Nancy added. That was when Bess noticed a sign that said a performance would be held at two o'clock. That was just twenty more minutes until then.  The girls waited until the lights dimmed and the cast began to gather in the middle of the room. This time the actors were the Red Queen, Mad Hatter, and Alice. 

Nancy studied the room and once most of the guests where laughing, she and Bess ducked under the table. "It is now or never. There is a window that we can escape out of that opens on to the back ally." Nancy explained. They crept along and lucky did make it to the window unnoticed by the staff.    

Bess tried to open the window but it was painted shut. Nancy pondered for a moment before going to hide under a large table with a long cloth draped over it and waited until a waitress came near.  Then she pulled the rug out from underneath the waitress.  Nancy and Bess made a run for it as the other staff was checking on the fallen girl. 

Once outside, the two ran over to a department store to hide. "Thank God, Nancy! That was a close one." Bess said as they walked to the front of the store. 

"Yeah but I feel bad for having to trip that girl up like that. She could have been really hurt." Nancy admitted. Bess did not respond to her friend and looked away in the distance, as if in thought. The two girls waited inside the door until their ride came.

Authors note* 

This chapter was inspired by an episode of That 70's Show.