Chapter 1

“Shopping makes me hungry,” said Bess Marvin.

“Everything makes you hungry,” George Fayne replied.

“Well, I’m hungry too,” said Nancy Drew. “There’s a snack stand nearby the ticket window. Let’s go.” Nancy smiled at the good-natured bickering between her two best friends. Bess and George were cousins but the two girls couldn’t be more different in physical appearance and personality. Bess was the more feminine of the two and the most likely to take fright to the unexpected. She was overly fond of food and was a bit overweight. In keeping with her masculine name, George could be tomboyish and very outspoken. It could be safely said that Nancy Drew was a titian haired beauty. All three young women were 18 years old and high school graduates.

After purchasing their snacks Nancy and her companions sat down on the waiting room bench to wait for the train back to River Heights after their shopping excursion to the city. Nancy noticed they had been joined in the waiting room by another girl around their own age. The girl was very pretty but the dress she wore was years out of fashion and a bit threadbare. Nancy also noticed the girl’s eyes were fixed on the snacks they had set on the bench.

“It’s a pleasant day, isn’t it,” said Nancy addressing the new girl.

“Yes, yes it is,” the young woman replied. She smiled nervously.

“My name is Nancy Drew. My friends are Bess Marvin and George Fayne.” Bess and George nodded and smiled.

“I’m Brianna Colby.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Colby.”

“Please call me Brianna.”

“I’m glad we’re all on a first name basis now, Brianna. We were just having a little snack while waiting for the train. Will you please join us?”

“Oh no, I couldn’t. Thank you for offering.”

“Go ahead and have some, Brianna,” said George. “You’ll be doing Bess a favor.”

“I ... guess I am a little hungry,” said Brianna, “if I’m not imposing. Thank you very much.” From what Nancy could see their new acquaintance was very hungry. Brianna must not have eaten in days. She ate almost as much as Bess.

“What’s your destination,” Nancy asked.

“I’m going to River Heights,” Brianna replied.

“That’s our town,” said Bess.

“I’m going to be starting a job in the area.”

“That’s wonderful,” Nancy exclaimed. “We’ll be able to visit each other after today.”

“The job is supposed to be somewhere outside of town, but yes, I’d love that. I feel like I’ve made some new friends just when I needed them.”

The train ride to River Heights was very pleasant. The four teen-aged girls talked and Nancy was able to hear a little about Brianna’s history. Brianna Colby was 18 years old also and had grown up with her family in the city. With the stock market crash and subsequent factory closings, Brianna’s father had lost his job and been unable to find a new one. Brianna had just been able to graduate from high school before beginning a job hunt to help out her family but the search in the city had been futile, so far. Recently she’d met a woman who had offered her a job but it would mean relocating outside the city. Since it was the only job she’d been offered during her search, Brianna immediately accepted. The advantage was that room and board was to be included because the company location was in a rural area. She could save her wages and send money back to help the family.

Nancy nodded in sympathy. She felt fortunate that the current economic upheaval hadn’t affected her family and friends but millions of families in America weren’t as lucky. Families separated by the need to find work wherever possible were commonplace. Franklin Roosevelt had just been elected president and he was proposing many new programs to help people return to gainful employment. Nancy hoped the country was soon back to work.

“What kind of work will you be doing?” said Nancy.

“I’m not sure,” Brianna replied. “I imagine it’s some kind of secretarial work. I took typing and shorthand in high school and got good grades. That’s what I told the lady I was good at; secretarial. The company is supposed to be some kind of research institute.”

“What kind of research do they do?” said George.

“You know, I forgot to ask.” Brianna giggled self consciously. The train was slowing down for the River Heights train station. The girls began to gather up their belongings.

“Do you need to be dropped off anywhere? I’d be happy to give you a ride,” said Nancy.

“Thank you for offering, but I was told someone would be here to pick me up at the station.”

“Well, there’s no one here yet. Would you like us to sit with you while you wait?”

“I’d love that, Nancy,” said Brianna. “I’m kind of scared and nervous right now. Maybe they won’t like me.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” Nancy assured their new friend. About ten minutes after they sat down a black sedan pulled up. A short barrel-chested man stepped out. The man’s hat was pulled down low as if he didn’t want to be recognized. He saw the girls and walked up to them.

“Are any of you called Brianna Colby?”

“I’m Brianna Colby,” said the teenager.

“I wasn’t told to expect four of you but more the merrier, heh heh.” His smile revealed yellow tobacco-stained teeth.

“We met while waiting for the train to River Heights,” Nancy explained. “We didn’t want Brianna to wait here alone so we decided to wait with her until her ride arrived. We’re not seeking employment.”

“That’s too bad.” The man had already made a bad first impression on Nancy. He failed to tip his hat like a gentleman would and the teenager had the distinct feeling he was trying to see through her clothes.

“What kind of research do you people do?” said George.

“Research? Oh uh ... we’re doing heavy research on the mating habits of the bearded clam, heh heh.”

“Why would you be doing research on clams in this part of the country,” Nancy asked. “We’re not near the ocean.”

“They’re a type of fresh water clam.”

“I’ve never heard of them. Are they rare?”

“They’re commoner than you think, heh heh.”

“Can you eat them?” Bess asked.

“I knew that question was coming from you,” said George.

“They’re very good eating, young lady,” the man asserted. “I can’t eat enough of them. In fact, I start drooling the moment I even get near a bearded clam, heh heh.”