Nancy Drew and The Mystery Of The Ghost Maiden

Chapter Twenty-nine

Nancy sighed deeply, she was going to have to tell her aunt about the hunt for the necklace. She led them both into the small office and shut at the door. She didn't want any of the help to overhear this conversion. Nancy told her aunt only what she had to but purposely left out the details about the ghost and intruders.

"It is so kind of you to try and help find the lost treasure of this old mansion. If we could find it I could keep my home and never have to hear from that wicked banker ever again." Aunt Betty said as she shook her fist in the air. "Wait for just a minute dear while I go get the key for you." she before getting up and strolling over to a large painting on the wall. She took it off the wall behind it was a small wall safe.

"Now what was that combination?" the old women asked herself before dialing it in. Reaching in her grabbed a hand full of old papers and then purple velvet pouch and then brought it over to Nancy. She took Nancy's hand and said, "Now do be careful from the stories I have heard Heather doesn't like to have people invade her space. Her spirit needs to rest and must not be angered. "Nancy opened the small pouch to find a dainty silver key on a chain, so she put it around her neck for safe keeping.

"At least this way I will not lose It." she mused.

After safety getting the antique door key, Nancy found Ned and convinced him to help investigate Heather's bedroom. As they reached the third floor they noticed that the lights were off and it looked almost pitch dark up there. "It is awfully dark in here, especially since it is just a few minutes after noon," Ned commented while feeling along the textured walls until he found a light switch.

The pair of teens stood just outside the locked door, unsure of what they might find inside. Taking off the necklace and getting the key took a moment before Nancy could try to unlock the door. Her hands trembled with fear of what awaited them on the other side of that door. Ned noticing this took her other hand in his and gently squeezed. She carefully put the key into the lock and tried to unlock it. To their surprise, the key was stuck and would not turn or come back out.

"Is this Heather's way of keeping us out?" Ned asked while staring at his girlfriend.

"I am sure it must be stuck from not being used in so long. I just wish I would have thought to bring some oil to lubricate the inter-workings of this lock." Nancy said as she continued to fidget with the key, desperately trying to free it. Finally, she gestured towards the door for Ned to try his luck with it.

Still, it would not turn. So he shook it a little, before trying again. Thankfully this time to turn and the door opened with a loud squeak. "Wow, this place does look like a ghost's bedroom," Ned commented as they walked into the long forgotten space.

It had once been a grand room filled a handsome four steed redwood bed, Victorian furniture, lace curtains, exotic potted plants, many ball gowns, and the joy that was sweet Heather.

Now the wallpaper hung half off the dingy walls, the curtains where mere shreds of its former self, the bed had fallen in, and the plants were long dead, leaving behind empty pots. Nancy went over to the old style Victorian vanity but found nothing but the sad remands of antique makeup and broken perfume bottles.

Next, they searched the dresser which was filled with the remains of an old rats nest not fit to be touch. "Hum... what is next?" Ned questioned while tapping his foot on the hardwood floors.

"Wait Ned do you hear that?" Nancy said as she abandoned her search through an old hope chest.

"Hear what Nance? I really don't think there is anything here. The family must have gone all through here years ago looking for that blasted necklace!" He said before sitting himself down on the cast iron vanity bench.

"Right here where you were tapping your foot, it sounded hollow," Nancy said pointing to the floorboards. "Give me your pocket knife we might have found a long-lost secret compartment. Nancy tapped her foot along the floor to see how large the opening was then looked for spaces in between the floorboards. Carefully using the knife to pray up the boards, Nancy took out a small section to find space underneath.

The space was full of years' worth of dirt and dust. Right in the middle of this small space was a wooden ornate box. Nancy turned this over in her hands studying it carefully. "How do you open this?" she wondered.

Just then they turned when they heard the door slam shut and then locked from the other side. "Oh no we are trapped in here!" Nancy exclaimed before dropping the box to the floor just as a creepy evil female laugh came from the other side.

"Now you shall never leave here! You shall die in the same room I did, you Brats!" said a raspy voice before the women turned to rush away.

Ned fiddled with the door while Nancy continued to rummage through the cubby. There was no way she was going to let those crooks get a hold of this new discovery. There was not much else in there except for a small ivory cross and an old family bible. Nancy leaned over to retrieve the small wooden box when she noticed a piece had come loose. The piece of wood came off easily to reveal a set of four number keys like on an antique typewriter.

"Must be a sort of puzzle box. I've seen the like before but none made quite like this ornate," she said absentmindedly while pushing the keys.

"Nance, don't you think our freedom is more important right now? We will starve to death in here if we can't get out!" Ned said as he slid down to the bottom of the door in defeat.

Nancy leaned down and gently held his hand in hers before adding, "Ned, I need you to trust me, we are going to be alright. I really do think we should investigate this room thoroughly while we have the chance. In the future, we might not be able to get back in here if need be."

<Bonus Files>

While not as common as it once was, hidden wall safes can still be found in many old homes and hotels. I have seen these featured in many old movies and abandoned hotel exploring videos. I really liked the idea of a safe being hid in plain sight and was happy to weave this into a story. So readers, have you ever found a hidden safe or compartment before? If so please share your experience below. I would love to read all about it.