Strangers on a Train (Nancy Drew Diaries #2)(26)

I crouched behind a tree and scanned the clearing for the hooded figure. When nothing moved, I stepped carefully into the clearing.

The shed’s door was standing ajar. I realized that could explain what I’d heard—a rusty metal door scraping over the earth might make just that sort of weird sound. Scurrying over, I peered inside. It was dark in there, of course, and at first I couldn’t see a thing.

Then my eyes adjusted a little, and I saw something large and square shoved into the darkest comer. A box? What was it doing way out here? And what was inside?

I carefully dragged it out. It was fairly large and surprisingly heavy. When I peeled back the packing tape holding it shut, a strange musty odor tickled my nose, and I let out a sneeze.

BANG!

Suddenly a shot rang out. I gasped and jumped back as a bullet pinged off the metal shed wall—inches from my head!





CHAPTER TEN




New Connections



ACTING ON INSTINCT, I LUNGED FOR COVER behind the shed as another gunshot exploded out of the woods. Leaping across the clearing and into the trees, I ran for my life.

My breath came in ragged gasps, making it hard to hear whether anyone was following me. But no more shots came. Finally I dared to slow to a jog and glanced up at the moon, trying to gauge which direction I needed to go to return to the lodge. I made my best guess and circled around that way, hoping I wasn’t too far off. If I went the wrong way, I could end up hopelessly lost in countless acres of Alaskan wilderness.

It wasn’t a comforting thought. I ran as fast as I dared, trying not to make too much noise. After a while I found myself on a trail. Was it the same one I’d taken in? I had no idea. The trees all looked the same, and I couldn’t see the moon anymore through the thick canopy overhead.



Just as I was starting to fear I’d gone the wrong way, that I was racing ever deeper into the forest, I caught a glimmer of light through the trees ahead. Could it be the lodge? I ran faster, glancing back over my shoulder for pursuers...

CRASH!

I let out a shrill scream as I smashed into something.

Make that someone. "Nancy?” a familiar voice said.

Glancing up, I blinked in surprise. “S-scott,” I stammered.

Panic grabbed me for a second. Was Scott the person I’d followed? Had that light come from the flashlight he was using to track me? Was he about to finish the job he’d started back in the clearing?

Then I blinked as I realized we were standing at the edge of the woods. The lodge was right there on the other side of the meadow, and there was a light on in one of the cabins—that was the glimmer I’d seen through the trees. Scott wasn’t holding a flashlight. He wasn’t wearing a dark hoodie, either—just jeans and a T-shirt.

I slumped with relief, gulping in deep breaths of air to try to catch my breath. "Sorry I crashed into you,” I said as soon as I could talk again.



"It’s okay.” Scott looked concerned. "What are you doing out here this time of night? I saw you wandering into the woods a little while ago.”



"Y-you did?” I glanced at those nearby cabins. Several had windows facing onto this meadow, just like mine. More lights were blinking on in some of them now. Obviously my scream had awakened people. Oops.

Scott nodded. “I got dressed and came out to see if I could catch up to you,” he said. “I was afraid you might not realize how dangerous the Alaskan wilderness can be, especially at night.”

"Yeah, no kidding.” I took a deep breath, looking back at the dark forest. “Urn, did you hear gunshots a few minutes ago?”

"Gunshots? Come to think of it, I guess I did. Probably some locals hunting or something. Why? Is that what scared you?”

I hesitated, not sure whether to trust him with what had really happened. By then I could see several people hurrying across the meadow toward us. In the lead was a big, beefy guy in a security guard’s uniform.

“What’s going on out here?” he asked in a deep voice.

I glanced at his name tag, which identified him as Hank. “Sorry,” I said with an apologetic smile. "I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk.”



Bess and George arrived moments later. George was rubbing her eyes, looking less than half awake, but Bess pushed her way forward. "Nancy, are you okay?” she exclaimed. “We heard a



scream, then realized you were gone. What happened?”

“I went walking in the woods and stumbled across a shed out in a clearing.” I waved a hand in the general direction of the forest. "There was a box inside, and I was about to open it to see what was inside when someone shot at me.”

Gasps came from all around. “Shot at you?” Hank the security guard said. "Are you sure?”

"Absolutely. The bullet landed close enough for me to see it.”

Hank looked grim. "I’d better go out and have a look around,” he said, patting the holster at his waist.

“I’ll come with you,” Scott offered. “I want to know what’s going on out there.”

A couple of other men also volunteered to go along. Soon the group was tramping off into the woods, following my vague directions to the clearing.

"Come on, Nancy.” Bess put an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get you inside.”