had wanted to meet her here. Then she spotted a
whaler chugging toward the wharf, Police written in
huge block letters on the center console. Maybe he was
making a grand entrance by boat.
Nancy was raising her arm to wave, when she felt
something cold and hard press into her ribcage. The
same instant, an arm stole around her shoulders.
“Oh Nancy, I'm so glad I ran into you!” a woman
gushed in her ear, the arm around her shoulder
tightening as the person added in a hoarse whisper,
“This time don't try to get away from me like you did at
the aquarium because I'll shoot. And in this rowdy
crowd, no one would even notice.”
13. Cat and Mouse
What felt like a gun muzzle poked Nancy again,
bruising her ribs. “Head to your right along the wharf,”
the woman ordered, and this time Nancy recognized
the voice.
“Selena,” Nancy said, imitating her fake-happy tone.
“How nice to see you, too.”
“Shut up,” Selena retorted, “and get moving.”
“Not until you tell me where we're going,” Nancy
said, stalling. Out of the corner of her eye, she tried to
catch sight of the police boat. But it had disappeared
behind a cruise ship slowly making its way to the dock.
“Look. You might have outwitted other criminals in
your so-called detective career,” Selena snapped. “But
you're not pulling stupid stalling tricks on me.”
Her cold tone sent shivers up Nancy's arm. How did
Selena know Nancy was a detective? Was she the
accomplice working with Chance? What else did she
know?
Reluctantly, Nancy started walking to the right, her
eyes scanning the crowded walkway. If only she could
make a run for it. But Selena kept her arm around
Nancy's shoulder as they wove through the crowds. She
also kept up a constant stream of happy chatter in her
ruse to make it look as if they were friends.
“I'll bet you never guessed it was me,” Selena said.
“All this time you've been hounding clueless Harold
and stupid Karl.” She snorted. “Like they had the
brains to pull off countless heists.”
“So you're the cat burglar's accomplice,” Nancy said.
“No!” Selena's fingers dug into her shoulder like
claws. “I'm not the flunky accomplice,” she spat in
Nancy's ear. “I am the cat burglar!”
Nancy gasped in astonishment. Selena gave a low
chuckle of satisfaction. “Don't worry. You're not the
only one I've fooled. Let me see, how many police
departments are after clever little ol' me?”
“You're Chance Curran?” Nancy exclaimed.
“No way. Chance is my accomplice. Do you think I'd
be stupid enough to leave fingerprints behind? Ten
different heists up and down the East Coast, and the
cops don't have a clue I exist. I plan on keeping it that
way.”
“Only they do know you exist,” Nancy said. “They
have you on videotape.”
“They have George and Daniel on videotape,”
Selena corrected her.
“Oh, right,” Nancy said, realizing Detective Weller's
con had worked. George and Daniel had tricked Selena
into believing they were still suspects. That meant she
didn't know the police were still searching for the real
burglars.
As Selena propelled her along, Nancy's mind raced
to put the pieces together. Selena had been in a perfect
position to frame George and Daniel. She knew what
they wore, she had access to the doubloons, she knew
about the pirate flags. And Nancy had never suspected
her of being anything other than a publicity-hungry
actress.
“If you're in the clear, why risk everything by
kidnapping me?” Nancy asked.
“Because you've gotten entirely too nosy. I don't
make many mistakes,” Selena said, “but I did make one
when I framed your friend. When I picked George for
a fall guy, I didn't know you were a detective. Then
when I found out you were trying to clear her, I
couldn't take the chance you'd blow our plans.”
“Plans?”
“Big plans. Chance and I have one last heist before
we leave the City of Pirates, and I want you out of the
way until we've pulled it off and cleared out. So get
moving.”
She shoved the gun in Nancy's back, propelling her
forward. Looking around, Nancy tried to get her
bearings. They'd passed the science center and were
heading along a darker stretch of walkway that led to
rows of docks jutting into the river. Each dock had at
least ten pleasure boats moored to each side.
Had Selena's accomplice been living on a boat all
this time? Nancy wondered. Was it Karl? Eli? Or one
of the nameless extras on the film who blended into the
crowd?
“What's the big robbery you're pulling off?” Nancy
asked.
Selena chuckled. “You're not getting that out of me,
Drew. I've planned it too carefully. I will tell you it'll
be big enough that it'll bankroll my retirement.”
Nancy shrugged. “Gee, and give up such a
promising acting career?”
“Oh, I don't know. I may head to Hollywood.
Obviously, I've got the talent. I fooled everybody on
the ship as well as that gullible Mascelli.”
Mascelli. Nancy bet the reporter had a police
contact and had been feeding Selena information. “Is
that how you knew I was a detective?” Nancy asked.
Selena leaned so close that Nancy could smell her
perfume. “I've got so many men wrapped around my
fingers, I forgot who gave me that bit of information.
Still, I'll have to think about it so I can thank whoever
he is.”
Selena prodded her in the side. “Take a left and
walk to the end of the dock. And don't try anything
funny.” She laughed ruefully. “Contrary to my earlier
performance today, I'm a great shot.”
“So you knew the pistol was loaded all the time,”
Nancy fumed as she headed down the dock.
“Of course. I set the whole thing up. Just like I set
up every theft, planning every move so Chance and I
blended into the environment. Sometimes we work at
the place we hit, sometimes we work nearby. That way
no one ever suspects us when we finally strike.”
At the end of the dock, Nancy halted in front of a
small yacht. My Treasure was written on the stern.
“Appropriately named, don't you think?” Selena
commented. “Since we collected a boatload of treasure
from those hotel rooms.”
“How did you get a master key card?” Nancy asked.
“Easy,” a male voice answered from the boat. “I just
swiped it from the gullible manager of housekeeping.”
Chance Curran! Heart thumping, Nancy stared into
the shadows. A guy stepped onto the deck of the stern,
and Nancy inhaled sharply.
It was Scott Harlow.
Nancy stared at Scott, her brain numb. How could
the nice guy she knew as a bumbling waiter be Chance
Curran? Though, now that she saw him, it all made
sense. A hotel employee would be able to find out
information about guests and security as well as slip in
and out of rooms without attracting too much
attention. Partnered, Selena and Scott made a
formidable team.
“You seem surprised,” he said. He was holding a
soda can. Dressed in jeans, deck shoes, and a black
windbreaker, he looked like a weekend boater—not a
burglar.
“I'm only surprised they let you off work early,”
Nancy said, her voice clear and calm though she felt
anything but. No wonder he'd acted so funny and
clumsy. Who would have suspected such a clown? “The
restaurant was crowded.”
Shrugging, he took a sip. “I told them I had an
emergency.”
“And that's the truth,” Selena said abruptly. “We
need to pull our last heist, then hightail it out of
Baltimore. Get in the boat, Nancy.”
Nancy hesitated. Could she make a run for it?
Scream for help?
“Get in the boat,” Selena repeated.
“Do what she says,” Scott told her.
“Do you always do what she says?” Nancy asked in a
mocking tone. “Because she's the boss and you're the
lowly accomplice?”
“She's not my boss,” Scott said, only Nancy could
see the spark of anger that flared in his eyes when he
glanced at Selena.
I've touched a nerve, Nancy thought. Maybe she
could use his anger to her advantage.
“Cut the chatter, you two.” Selena squeezed Nancy's
shoulder. “This isn't a date. Get in the boat, detective.”
She shoved Nancy in the back, sending her flying
forward. Nancy landed awkwardly beside Scott, who
grabbed her upper arm to steady her.
As graceful as a cat, Selena jumped into the boat
beside them. “You've got the rope?”
Chance nodded toward the bow. “Coiled up front.
Once we tie her up, we can stash her in the cabin.”
Alarmed, Nancy cast her gaze about. She had to
make a break before they tied her up. But the other
boats moored on the dock were quiet and empty. And
the water beyond looked cold and dark.
Behind her, at the far end of the dock, a few people
still strolled along the wharf. “Don't even try it,” Selena
warned as if she could read Nancy's mind.
“Hurry and get that rope before she gets any stupid
ideas,” Selena barked.
“Yeah, do what she says, Chance,” Nancy said.
“After all, she's the mastermind and you're just the
lackey.”
“You're wrong,” Chance said forcefully, but he
didn't move. “We've planned every heist as a team, and
we've shared everything fifty-fifty.”
“You haven't shared everything,” Nancy pointed out.
“The evidence is all stacked against you. The police
found your fingerprints in the hotel room. In fact,
they've found them at several different heists. Selena
made sure of that.”
Chance glanced sharply at Selena. “You told me
you'd wiped everything clean!”
“I did. Don't listen to her. Can't you tell what she's
doing? She's trying to pit us against each other so she
can escape.” Selena jerked her head to the doorway
leading into the cabin. “Forget the rope and get that
duct tape. We need to seal her mouth to keep her from
blabbing.”
“That's right, Chance,” Nancy said. “But before you
do, call Selena's puppy dog, Mascelli. He obviously has
a snitch in the police department. He'll tell you the
truth—Detective Jackson Weller's got your prints and
your name. You'll be the one they pin the thefts on.
Selena's made sure she's never been identified.”
“Shut up!” Selena roared, pushing Nancy so hard,
she slammed into the wall of the cabin.
Striding across the deck, Scott grabbed Selena's
wrist. “She's telling the truth, isn't she?”
“No.” Selena glared at him, taking her eyes off
Nancy, who saw her chance. In two strides she reached
the side of the boat and, without hesitating, jumped
over the stainless steel railing into the cold, murky
water of the harbor.
It was so black, Nancy couldn't see a thing. Panic
shot through her, but she fought it off. She had to
concentrate on one thing—getting away from the boat.
Propelling herself forward with a strong kick, Nancy
swam underwater until it felt as if her lungs would
burst. She broke the surface, trying to keep quiet, but
automatically, she gasped for air.
“I told you she was trying to escape,” she heard
Selena screech. “There she is!”
Frantically, Nancy pushed her wet hair from her
face and glanced around. Should she swim to open
harbor? Or try to hide among the boats and work her
way to the wharf?
The harbor stretched in front of her like a sheet of
black glass, the lights from shore reflecting
mysteriously on its shimmering surface. Nancy
shuddered. It was at least a mile to the other side. She
might get run over by a cruise ship.
Diving again, she swam in the direction of the dock,
hoping she didn't bump into something first. The water
was so dark, it was impossible to see.
She surfaced beside the boat moored on the other
on the dock told her that someone was already hunting
for her.
Hiding behind the other boat, she held her breath.
“You go down the dock,” she heard Selena say. “We
can trap her between the boats. She'll never get away.”
Nancy's heart skipped a beat. She'd never make it to
shore before they caught her. She'd have to head
toward the open harbor.
Reaching down, she took off her shoes. Then she
held on to the edge of the boat and threw them toward
shore, hoping to send Selena and Chance in that
direction. When she heard them splash, she dove and
swam underwater away from the dock.
She was a strong swimmer, and she knew the wharf
by the science center wasn't too far away. Nancy just
hoped she could make it.
Nancy broke the surface, took several gulps of air,
and was about to go under again when she heard the
roar of a boat motor behind her.
Selena and Chance were coming after her, and there
was no place to hide!
14. A Daring Rescue
Swim! Nancy told herself. Don't look back! Hand over
hand she propelled herself through the cold, black
water. The lights of the science center were getting
closer.
But the roar of the boat was getting closer, too. Soon
Nancy would be in plain sight. She didn't think Selena
would hesitate to shoot.
Diving under, Nancy switched direction, hoping to
lose Selena and Scott. When she came up for air, a
bright light illuminated her head. “There she is!” she
heard Selena shout. “Steer to the right.”
Nancy filled her lungs with air and dove. But her
time and her energy were running out. When she came
up again, the roar of the boat was so deafening it
sounded as if it was right on top of her. Then she heard
another sound—the whir of a siren.
The police boat! Nancy twisted, catching sight of the
flashing blue light on the whaler's center console.
Selena and Chance must have spotted it, too. Their
boat careened sharply and took off.
“Nancy!” Jackson Weller, dressed in a slicker, waved
to her from the police boat. “I'm throwing you a life
ring. Grab hold and we'll pull you to the ladder.”
Nancy nodded. Her teeth were chattering, and now
that she'd stopped swimming, she could feel the cold
seep to her bones.
The police boat slowed, and Weller threw her a life
ring attached to a rope. Holding on, Nancy kicked
while Weller pulled her to the ladder mounted outside
the stern.
She was trembling so hard, he had to help her up.
“Put this on!” he shouted over the noise as the police
boat sped up. He held out a waterproof coat with
Police written on the back in white letters.
“Thank-k-k y-y-you,” Nancy said, her teeth
chattering. “How did you find me?”
“Karl Kidd, believe it or not. The gambler's boat was
docked over on this side of the harbor. Karl said that
one evening he saw Selena coming down to a boat
named My Treasure, which was docked near the
gambler's boat. When he came in to talk to us about
the gambling stuff, he mentioned it.”
“That was your hot tip?”
“Right. We were going to pick you up, then take you
over to check out the boat, when we spotted you with
Selena walking along the wharf.” He grabbed hold of
the railing as the police boat swerved sharply. “When I
looked at the two of you through the binoculars, I
could tell by your expression and actions you weren't
happy to be with Ms. Ramirez.”
“She had a gun on me.” Nancy shuddered.
“How'd you get away?” Weller asked.
“When Chance and Selena started arguing, I
jumped overboard.”
“Chance?”
“Also known as Scott Harlow, a waiter at the