Nancy Drew: 1. The Old Clock at Lilac Inn

The Radio Clue

 The two stared at each other for a moment before Mary Mason took off running. Nancy blinked before taking off after her.

"Hey! Stop! Jane! Emily! Help! Someone call the police!"

Jane came out of her room as Nancy ran past. "What in the world is going on?"

"The ghost was Mary Mason!" Nancy quickly shouted before dashing down the stairs. Nancy saw Mary shutting the front door behind her. No! She put on as much speed as she could once she left the house, Mary was not going to get away. Well, Nancy hoped she wasn't going to get away. She could clearly see Mary ahead of her, racing into the forest. She was fast, really fast. Nancy gritted her teeth, it would make sense, seeing as how Mary was able to disappear so quickly after a sighting. Did the girl run track for fun or something? And the people Nancy knew who would have been able to catch Mary weren't there! Nancy began to seeth when Mary began zigzagging her way around the trees. But then Nancy saw something in her peripheral vision. She turned her head and raised her arm right as a man reached out and grabbed her arm. She let out a shriek. "Let go of me!"

"It's no use trying to catch up to her, she's obviously really fast," he grumbled. "Best save catching her for another day."

"But . . ." Nancy looked into the forest. Mary was gone now. She yanked her arm out of the man's grip and glared at him. She imprinted the man's face in her mind. His face was narrow and long, with a hooked nose, a faint scar running down his right cheek that was just barely noticeable in the moonlight, and he had what looked like sandy blonde hair with a thin braid in the nape of his neck. She focused on his hazel eyes. "Well she's definitely gone now, thanks to you. Who are you anyway?"

"Nancy!" The two turned, Jane Emily, Helen, and Jenny were running towards them. "Are you alright?" asked Helen.

"I think so," said Nancy, returning her glare to the man. "Jane, who's this?"

"This is Buddy Holmes, I hired him to watch the Inn at night." She glanced at Buddy. "But I also hired Gil Gary. Where is he?"

At that moment, an older gentleman came towards them, panting. "I'm sorry, Miss Jane, Buddy assigned me to watch the kitchen door. I went around to the other side of the inn, but when I realized everything was happening here, I got here as fast as I could."

Nancy eyed Buddy suspiciously. "Did he now?"

Jane wrung her hands. "Oh, now what should we do. We lost our only waitress! And I can't expect you girls to keep on taking up jobs at Lilac Inn, you wouldn't be able to find Josiah's will!"

Buddy raised a hand. "May I make a suggestion? At least a temporary one."

"Of course, Mr. Holmes, I'm all ears."

"How about getting, uh, my daughter Jean to be a waitress. Sure, she's heading back to college in the fall, but she is looking for a summer job right now."

Jane grasped the man's shoulders, relief flooding her face. "Oh, you're a blessing, Buddy Holmes! Yes, please get her here as soon as possible!"

"Would tomorrow morning work?"

"Would it? It would be the best! Buddy Holmes, you truly are a lifesaver!"

Buddy gave a slight bow. "Glad to help." Nancy's eyes narrowed, was he really helping them out, or was he actually working with Mary Mason and this was just a way to get her back into the inn?

"Nancy! Are you alright?" asked Helen as she, Jenny, and Emily came rushing onto the scene.

"Well, yes, as in I'm not hurt, and no, because Mary Mason got away."