Liam!
The assistant coach was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and his hair was sticky with blood. I pressed my fingers to the side of his neck and was relieved to feel a strong pulse there. “Liam!” I shouted, shaking him. “Wake up! We’ve got to get out of here!”
He didn’t stir.
Meanwhile, the fire was moving closer to us every second. Burning overhead, the inferno had created a rippling blanket of heat; I could feel the top of my hair singeing. I’d have to drag Liam out of the building—and fast—or we were both toast.
Staggering to my feet, I grabbed Liam’s limp body by the armpits and started inching him across the floor toward the exit. He probably weighed close to two hundred pounds, but he might as well have weighed a ton. I started panting from the effort, but every breath meant choking on the thick smoke.
Slow, shallow breaths, I told myself. You’re almost there.
The door seemed miles away. My eyes stung, watering from the soot; I squeezed them shut and kept moving one painful inch at a time.
When I opened them again, the door was only a few feet away.
Just a little farther…
With one last herculean heave, I dragged Liam’s deadweight through the shattered front door to the sidewalk outside, not stopping until we were a safe distance from the building. Then I fell gasping to the pavement next to him, the cool night air like a balm to my burning skin.
We made it, I thought. We’re alive. A few seconds later I heard the distant blare of sirens and breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, they’d get here in time to save Iron Dragon, too.
Sitting up, I tried to rub my stinging eyes but quickly realized that my hands were coated in a thin film of ash, as was everything else. Instead I pulled a tissue from my pocket and used that to wipe my face, so at least I’d be able to see properly. As I blinked rapidly, my eyes focused on the now-visible flames lighting up the inside of the academy.
But then something else caught my attention. Movement in the alleyway between two buildings. Craning my neck, I saw a figure sneaking out the back door of Iron Dragon before taking off down the dark alley.
That head wound looks nasty. Someone must have knocked Liam out, I thought. And fires don’t usually start themselves.…
I struggled to my feet, every muscle crying out for relief.
No rest for the weary, I thought, and took off after the mysterious shadow.
CHAPTER SIX
Grappling with the Truth
I RACED INTO THE DARKNESS. My lungs burned as I ran, but I tried to ignore the pain and concentrate on not tripping over the garbage cans that jammed the narrow alleyway. As my pounding footsteps got closer, the figure must have heard me on their heels, because they glanced over their shoulder. I studied the face, but it was much too dark to make out any identifying features. All I could tell was that the person had an average build and was wearing jeans and some kind of hooded jacket.
As soon as the person caught sight of me, they grabbed the nearest garbage can and upended it, sending the foul-smelling contents spilling everywhere. I lost a few seconds as I struggled to push the metal can out of the way. When I looked up again, the alley was empty.
Where did they go?
After ten more yards the alley split three ways, following the lines of the neighboring buildings. I scanned each route, looking for any sign of the figure, but they were gone.
Then, in the left-hand branch, I saw it: a puddle from a rainstorm earlier in the day. The water rippled as if someone had splashed through it just seconds before. Gotta be this way, I thought, before taking off down that route.
Moments later I knew my hunch had been right. I turned a corner and caught sight of the hooded figure up ahead, scaling a chain-link fence. “Hey!” I shouted. “Stop!” Instead, the person climbed faster, straddling the top of the fence and snagging their jacket on it in the process. I heard the sound of fabric ripping and thought I saw something small and square drop out of a pocket as they struggled to get untangled. By the time I hit the fence, they’d already jumped down on the other side and bolted.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed onto the chain-link and hoisted myself up. I might not be the most graceful climber in the world, but I made it to the top in record time—especially considering how tired I was. It’s amazing what a little adrenaline can do! Gingerly avoiding the poky parts at the top, I leaped down and landed in a squat among a scattering of windblown trash, then tore out of the alley, which opened out onto another darkened street lined with shuttered shops and parked cars. Squinting into the gloom, I searched for any movement, but once again, the figure was nowhere to be seen.
I’d lost the suspect.
“Darn!” I muttered, kicking an empty bottle down the sidewalk. I’d been so close!
I started to double back to Iron Dragon, but then I turned around, picked up the bottle, and tossed it into a nearby garbage can. What can I say? Nancy Drew may be a little slow on her feet, but she’s no litterbug!
As I brushed the dirt off my hands, I remembered the object that had fallen out of the person’s pocket as they were scaling the fence. I had to try to find it. Maybe it would help me work out their identity or what they’d been up to.
I returned to the fence and climbed back over, more carefully this time. Once I was safely on the other side again, I yanked out my phone and pulled up the flashlight app, casting the glow across the ground. There wasn’t much there: a few candy bar wrappers, some empty soda cans—and a green matchbox.
“Well, hello,” I said, bending to pick up the matchbox. I held it close to the light to get a better look. Below an illustration of a hand of playing cards were the words CRAZY EIGHTS. I shook the box. It sounded about half full. Probably enough matches missing to start a pretty good fire. Pushing the matchbox into my pocket, I made my way back to Iron Dragon as quickly as I could.
By the time I’d navigated the maze of alleys back to the academy, most of the excitement seemed to be over. It looked like the fire was out. I could see half a dozen firefighters inside the lobby, moving damaged furniture and searching for anything still burning. Liam was sitting on the curb next to an ambulance, wrapped in a silver blanket and breathing through an oxygen mask. A gauze bandage was secured around his head with medical tape, but apart from some soot smeared across his face, he looked okay.
A young, uniformed police officer with bronze-colored skin a short beard was talking to him. The officer looked up as I approached.
“Are you the young lady who called 911?” he asked. The name tag above his badge read NADEEM.
I nodded. “Is the academy going to be all right?” I asked.
“It is, thanks to you,” he replied. “Fire services got here just in time to contain the blaze before it really got going. Another ten minutes, and it might have taken the whole building down. And I’m sure this fellow with it.”
Liam looked up at me and blinked. “N-Nancy?” he stammered. “You pulled me out of the building? But how? What are you doing here?”
“It was luck, really,” I said. “I just happened to be driving by on my way home and I saw some strange lights inside the academy. When I got closer to make sure everything was okay, I saw the fire—and you.”
Liam’s eyes went wide. As he stood up shakily, the silver blanket slipped from his shoulders. “Oh my word. You saved my life,” he said, grasping my shoulder. “I don’t know what to say.”
Officer Nadeem leaned over. “ ‘Thank you’ might be a good start, my friend.”
“Oh, uh, of course,” Liam said, his cheeks going pink. “Thank you, Nancy. Thank you so much!”
I shrugged. “It’s what any good person would have done.” I turned to the police officer. “By the way, after I got us out, I saw someone leaving through the back door. I chased them down the alleys, but I couldn’t get a good look at their face before they got away. I did find this, though.” I pulled the matchbox out of my pocket and handed it to the officer. “It makes me think this was
arson.”
Officer Nadeem studied the matchbox, and then me. “First you run into a burning building, and then you chase a suspect through this part of the city in the pitch dark?” He cocked his head, his face curious. “Who are you, young lady?”
I stood a little taller, a grin pulling at the corner of my lips. “I’m Nancy Drew.”
The officer smiled. “I see. A bit of a detective yourself, are you?”
“You could say that.”
“Well, Nancy Drew,” he said, peering at the matchbox, “if you don’t mind sticking around for a few minutes, I’d like to take a statement from you.”
“Of course,” I said, and told him everything that had happened, including all about the rat incident the night before.
Officer Nadeem scribbled everything down in his notebook before flipping it closed. “Well, that helps a lot, Miss Drew. Thank you. I’ll take this evidence to my superiors and include the information you provided in my report.”
“Oh, can I take a photo of it first?” I asked, pointing at the matchbox.
“I guess so…,” Officer Nadeem said, handing it to me. “But don’t even think about getting involved in this, young lady. Leave the crime solving to the professionals, please.”
“Yes, sir,” I said, not meeting his eyes.
I snapped a couple of pictures of the matchbox with my phone before handing it back to the officer.
As Officer Nadeem went over to consult with the other police officers on the scene, I turned back to Liam. “I’m glad you’re okay. I was so worried. But what were you doing at the academy so late?”
Unsteady on his feet, Liam sank back down on the curb, wincing. “I’d had a couple of private lessons earlier in the evening, and I stayed to finish entering some membership data into the computer in the office. I was at it for about half an hour when I heard a noise and got up to check it out. The second I walked out of the office door, someone hit me. I didn’t go down right away, though—I stumbled through the hall to try to get help, but I didn’t make it far before I collapsed. That must have been when you saw me.”
I nodded. “Try to remember, Liam—did you see or hear anything that might help us figure out who did this to you? I have a feeling that whoever hit you and started the fire is the same person who left that dead rat in the academy last night.”
Deep concern crossed Liam’s face. “Really? Are you sure?”
“I can’t be absolutely certain,” I said. “But it makes sense. Someone is threatening Iron Dragon and one of its members. I have some ideas on who and why… but I’m still exploring different possibilities. That’s why I really need to know if you saw anything.”
Liam pressed his lips together and sighed. “I don’t know,” he said after a moment, running his fingers through his messy hair. “Everything happened so fast, and I was barely conscious. But I think I might have seen something on the back of the person’s jacket. Some kind of logo.”
“Go on,” I urged. “Think back.…”
He closed his eyes, concentrating. “An animal, maybe? Yeah, it had a dark, thick body and arms and a big head. A bear, maybe? Or an ape?” He shook his head. “That’s all I’ve got. I don’t know if that helps at all. I’m sorry.”
“No, that’s good,” I reassured him. “Anything helps. Have you been cleared by the paramedics to drive home?”
Liam nodded.
“Then you should go get some rest,” I said, helping him back to his feet. “You’ve had a long night.”
“It sounds like you have too. Thanks again for what you did.”
Once I got Liam safely into his car, I walked back to the academy, where Officer Nadeem was standing guard at the door while the firefighters finished up their work. The dark clouds of smoke that had been billowing out the door had cleared, and surprisingly, the academy didn’t look too bad. One of the walls and a big section of the ceiling and carpet were blackened and melted, but that was pretty much it. What a relief!
My body was yelling at me to go lie down, somewhere—anywhere—but I wasn’t done for the night. Not quite yet.
“Excuse me, officer,” I said.
Officer Nadeem looked up at me, puzzled. “Hello again! You’re still here.… Can I help you?”
“Yes, I think I left something of mine inside,” I lied. “Would you mind if I went in to get it?”
Officer Nadeem crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a stern look. “You wouldn’t be trying to snoop around, would you?”
“Me?” I said, feigning shock. “Of course not. I just wanted to grab my things and—”
“I’m afraid it isn’t safe to come in at the moment,” he said, cutting me off. “Not until the firefighters clear the area. You’ll have to get your things tomorrow. Good night, Miss Drew.” His last words had an edge of finality.
I nodded, giving the officer a smile and a wave. My smile turned into a grimace as soon as I had my back to him. I have to check the place for evidence. If I don’t find a way inside tonight, someone might move something important before I can come back. With Officer Nadeem standing guard at the door, and three firefighters still working inside, that wasn’t going to be easy.
Unless…
Why not get in the same way the dark figure had gotten out?
I made my way through the alley and found the back door to the academy slightly ajar. It had a sticky latch, and the suspect must not have closed it all the way earlier when they fled. All the better for me, I thought with satisfaction, and slipped quietly inside.
The smell of smoke in the dark training room almost made me cough, but I managed to stifle the sound in my sleeve. I stuck to the shadows, unmoving, and took in the scene. The three firefighters were up in the lobby where the fire had started, and luckily had their backs to me. Unfortunately, that meant that I wouldn’t be able to check the lobby or the office, but hey, it was better than nothing.
Careful not to make a sound, I switched on the flashlight on my phone and searched the training room, looking for anything out of place. Nothing. Next I snuck into the men’s locker room, but I didn’t find anything there, either. Finally I slipped into the women’s locker room.
Again, everything looked normal. I was about to give up and head home when my foot landed on something hard and sharp lying on the floor. “Ouch!” I muttered, and cast my light down to see what it was.
A broken padlock.
I picked it up, walked over to the wall of lockers, and began inspecting each one. They were all labeled with names, written in black marker. Out of the fifteen doors, only one was missing a lock—Penny’s. Inside, her locker was a mess. It looked like someone had rummaged through it. I wondered what they’d been looking for, and if they’d found it.
I rubbed my chin, suddenly very confused. Why would anyone break into Penny’s locker? I remembered sparring with her the night before. She was a white belt and fairly new to the sport, so I couldn’t imagine someone going to all this trouble to threaten her. Was she even fighting in the upcoming tournament? No, it didn’t make any sense.
I studied the lockers again and noticed that Carly’s was right next to Penny’s. Was it possible that the intruder had mistakenly robbed the wrong locker? The room was dark, and they were probably in a hurry, so… maybe? But why break into her locker at all? Was there something important in there, or even something they could use to blackmail Carly? I made a mental note to ask her about it the next day.
Voices outside the locker room brought me out of my speculation, and I quickly shut off my light and snuck back out into the training room. The firefighters were still chatting in the lobby.
But as the locker room door closed, it let out a loud creak. The voices cut off abruptly.
“Did you hear something?”
I froze, not daring even to breathe.
“Nah, probably just stuff shifting around,” a different firefighter replied. “Always happens after a fire.”
I exhaled, then hurried out the back door, avoiding the glanc
es of the police officers as I made my way to my car.
I should have felt victorious—after all, I’d saved someone’s life, stopped the academy from burning down, and found two new pieces of evidence in the case. So… why did I feel so troubled?
You’re just tired, I told myself. Everything will make more sense in the morning. I shook my head, trying to clear it. Somehow, even though I’d left the fire far behind, I still felt like I was walking through a house full of smoke.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Going to the Mat
“NANCY.”
The voice sounded so far away. I was in a dark, quiet place. It was so nice there.
“Nancy!”
Why won’t they leave me alone? I nuzzled deeper into the warm softness all around me.
“Nancy, wake up!”
I heard curtain rings sliding across a rod, and the comfortable darkness was shattered by a blast of light that burned through my eyelids. Groaning, I opened my eyes and saw Bess’s grinning face only inches from my own.
“Time to get up, sleepyhead!” she sang. “I can hardly believe you’re still in bed! It’s past nine!” Her loose hair glowed golden in the sunlight. She looked annoyingly awake and fresh in her pale blue cotton dress.
“I can hardly believe you’re getting both of us up this early,” George grumbled from across the room. She was dressed in jeans, an army-green T-shirt, and high-tops, and was splayed out in the armchair I keep by the window, a steaming mug in her hand.
“I can’t help it!” Bess said. “This case has got me all excited. I thought we should get together and share notes before we start on the day.”
“Is that coffee?” I asked, sitting up in bed. Apparently, it was the wrong move, because the minute I tried to stand up, every single part of my body screamed out in pain. “Auggghhhh,” I moaned, slumping back into bed.
Danger at the Iron Dragon Page 5