The Mystery of the 99 Steps Read Online Free

the audience insisted upon encores. Just before the show ended, Detective Panzer and Detective Keely walked into the lobby.
    Nancy quickly led them inside and pointed out their quarry. Suddenly Claude Aubert arose, pushed into the side aisle, and, without limping, hurried toward the stage.
    “Come on!” Nancy urged the detectives. “He may be planning to harm the Bardots!”
    The three hurried after the French ex-gardener. He went through the door that led up a short flight of stairs to the stage. To the left of the steps was an exit to the parking lot. When the pursuers reached the spot, the suspect was not in sight.
    “Where did he go?” Nancy asked in dismay.
    Detective Panzer yanked open the exit door and reported, “I don’t see him.” He and Keely dashed outside.
    The next instant a scream came from somewhere backstage. Electrified, Nancy raced up the steps where a throng milled about on stage. Many persons were asking, “What happened?”
    A sob could be heard above the noise. Nancy went to investigate and found Monique in hysterics. Marie was trying to comfort her.
    Seeing Nancy, they cried out together, “He threatened us!”
    “Claude Aubert?”
    “Yes,” said Monique. “He grasped my arm so hard I screamed. Then Claude said in French, “ ‘If you sisters let Nancy Drew go to France, you will suffer and she will tool’”
    “He must be Monsieur Neuf!” Marie added fearfully.
    “Where did he go?” Nancy asked.
    Marie pointed to the opposite side of the stage from where Nancy had entered. When Nancy reached it, she found an exit to a walk that ran behind the building to the parking lot.
    Nancy was elated. Mr. Nine was trapped! The walk ran between the school and a high concrete wall. There was no way out except through the parking lot. By this time the detectives must have nabbed the suspect!
    Nancy dashed along the walk to the lot and stared ahead. A large crowd was making its way to the cars and some of the automobiles had already started to move out. The detectives were not in sight. Neither was Claude Aubert.
    “Oh great!” Nancy groaned in disgust. Then she took heart. “Maybe he’s already been captured and is on his way to jail!”
    Nevertheless, Nancy searched thoroughly among the cars, but saw neither Claude Aubert nor the detectives. She returned to the stage. By this time Monique had calmed down and was receiving congratulations with her sister from many persons for their excellent performance.
    “You certainly made a hit,” said Bess, coming up with George. “Just as Hannah said.”
    “Oh, thank you.” The Bardots smiled.
    George added, “Someone told us a fresh guy came up and bothered you. Who was he?”
    “A Frenchman who threatened Marie and me if we let Nancy make the trip.”
    “Such nerve!” George exclaimed. “What’s his name?”
    Nancy whispered it, then brought Bess and George up to date, telling of her suspicion that Aubert was Monsieur Neuf.
    “Wow!” said George. “Mr. Nine must be worried you’ll solve the mystery.”
    In a low tone Nancy said, “We’d better go home, and I’ll call headquarters to see what happened to the detectives.”
    They found Mrs. Gruen waiting in Nancy’s convertible. After bidding good night to Bess and George, Nancy drove off. The housekeeper was astounded at the story of the threat.
    “Starting tonight, I’m going to keep the burglar alarm on all the time!” she declared. “I’m glad we had it put in.”
    Nancy grinned. “Marie and Monique, be careful not to come home unexpectedly. You may scare Hannah.”
    “Just the same,” said Mrs. Gruen, “I don’t like this whole thing. Nancy, perhaps you ought to postpone your trip for at least a few days.”
    “I can’t,” Nancy replied. “Dad and Mrs. Blair are counting on me. Let’s not worry until we find out if Claude Aubert has been captured.”
    As soon as she reached home Nancy telephoned the police. The suspect, she learned, had not been brought in.