Read The Eskimo's Secret for Free Online Page B

and your father be my guests for dinner this evening?” Mr. Steele asked, surprising her once again. “It would be a professional consultation, if your father would consider representing me at this time.”
    “I’m sorry,” Nancy said, “ but I can’t speak for him, Mr. Steele. I’m not even sure when he will be arriving in Victoria. He hadn’t reached the hotel yet when I called.
    Mr. Steele nodded. “Well, please ask him to call me when you do see him.”
    “Of course.” Nancy started toward the door, suddenly anxious to leave the house.
    “It’s for Alana’s protection,” Mr. Steele said, stopping her. “The longer she’s missing, the more trouble she’s going to face when she returns. The gallery has its lawyers, but I’d like someone special to represent her.”
    “I’m sure my father would be glad to help her,” Nancy said. “The important thing is for us to find her.” She hesitated a moment, then told Mr. Steele about the phone call she’d received saying only that Alana had warned her to leave Victoria.
    Mr. Steele shook his head. “Perhaps she’s right, Nancy,” he said. “I have no right to ask you to stay here and put yourself in danger. Until I heard what happened to Harper, I honestly didn’t think there was any danger. I’ll understand if your father insists on your returning to Seattle tomorrow.”
    “I’m not going anywhere,” Nancy stated, making up her mind. “Alana called here for me because she needs my help, no matter what she said.”
    “She didn’t say where she is?”
    Nancy shook her head. “And I don’t think she’s the one who placed the call,” she observed, thinking out loud.
    “What do you mean?”
    “The maid said a gentleman was calling, but when I answered, it was Alana.”
    “But who would be with her?” Mr. Steele murmured.
    “I was planning to ask Tod if he had any ideas,” Nancy admitted. “You don’t know who it could be, do you?”
    Mr. Steele shook his head, but his eyes skittered away from hers guiltily. Finally, she sighed and started for the door again. He said nothing to stop her.
    It took little time to pack her few belongings, though she had to check the room carefully since everything had been torn apart by whoever was looking for the notebook. She would be glad to leave, yet she felt she was deserting Alana, since her friend would have no idea where to reach her now.
    After leaving the Creighton Hotel number with Mr. Steele and the servants, she set off alone. As she drove across town to the hotel, Nancy realized how famished she was, after her whirlwind day. She hurried into the respectable old hotel, eager to see her father, to sit down to dinner with him and discuss both the Haggler case and Alana’s mysterious disappearance.
    The desk clerk greeted her with sobering news. “Your father hasn’t checked in yet, Miss Drew,” he informed her.
    “Have there been any calls or messages?” Nancy asked.
    The man checked, then shook his head.
    Unhappy, Nancy accepted her key and went up to her attractive room. After about five minutes, she consulted the room service menu and ordered dinner. Waiting for her food only increased her unease and her feeling that something was wrong. Finally, she opened her address book and placed a call to Helen Haggler.
    “Ah, Nancy, how are you?” Miss Haggler asked.
    “A little anxious, Miss Haggler,” Nancy admitted. “I’ve been missing connections with my father all day and I was wondering if you could tell me what time he left your home today.”
    “What time he what?” Miss Haggler sounded surprised. “I thought you were calling to set up another appointment.”
    “Another appointment?”
    “Why, yes, I’ve been trying to reach him most of the day, myself.” Miss Haggler sounded upset. “It’s not like your father not to call, you know.”
    “But he was on his way to see you.” Nancy said. “He left the hotel early this morning.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Of course. He