Nancy Drew: 1. The Old Clock at Lilac Inn

A Boat Ride

 Nancy noticed that it had been Richard Topham who had pushed her in, right as he dashed out of the door. The three women quickly helped Nancy up and tied her to a chair.

"Take off Buddy!" he shouted. Nancy's spirits began to sink a little, they were moving! This was not working. Hopefully Helen and Jenny could get help.

"Why were you waiting for me?" Nancy asked.

Jean leaned in. "Because you either know where the real will is by now, or you're real close to finding it. Can't have you finding the real will before we clear out Josiah's money with a fake one, now, can we?"

Nancy's eyes widened. They had forged a will! "But the bank won't let you take out all of the money!"

"It's our money," said Gwen with a sneer, "we can do whatever we want with it."

"Why, why you monsters!"

Jane crossed her arms. "Oh honey, we're not the monsters."

"What? You're stealing money from people who need it!"

"Who said we didn't?" asked Jean cooly.

Nancy turned blazing eyes on her. "I think you need more than money."

Jean burst out laughing. "Will you listen to her, Mother? Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes thinks morality is more important than money!"

Nancy's eyes widened as she had gone on a different train of thought. "Wait, your mother?"

"Oh that's right, where are my manners?" said Jean sarcastically. "Allow me to introduce ourselves. Nancy, meet my mother Marion, my sister Gwen, I'm Gayle, and the role of Richard Topham was expertly played by my father, Gary. We're the Moreau family." The three women gave her exaggerated bows.

Nancy blinked, the names sound familiar, but where had she heard them from?

"Isabella", or Gwen, groaned. "Of course you wouldn't know."

"Well, she might not quite know your names, but she might know me by my maiden name, Marion Aborns."

"It also doesn't help that we're still in costume, idiot," said Gayle. "Of course she wouldn't recognise us."

But Nancy's mouth had dropped at the name of Marion Aborns as the visage of Jane Willoughby gave way to the face of a rather well-known actress who had disappeared some years ago. "You're Marion Aborn?"

Marion glanced at her daughters with a grin. "Told you." Gayle and Gwen rolled their eyes.

"But, but, who's Gary Moreau?"

"My stylist, so of course you wouldn't know him. And Gayle here has gotten a few roles in some big movies. Hurry it up and take your make-up off, Gayle, she'll recognize you for sure."

"A whole family of celebrity crooks," said Nancy. "Why am I not surprised?" She gasped when Gayle took off all her make-up. "I do recognize you! Why you were sent to prison for fraud! Among other horrible things." She gritted her teeth.

"Aw, are those things too horrible for Miss Goody-Two-Shoes to talk about?" teased Gayle.

Nancy growled. "You really are a monster! I'm surprised they even let you out of jail!"

"Money does talk big time, even with prison guards," said Marion with a smirk.

"Yeah, can you believe there are people who try to curb the corruptness in Hollywood? There's so much of it that there's no way it can all be stopped." Gayle smiled cruelly. "Even by someone like your prestigious father."