"Did they lock you in here?" (Nancy)
The freezer is PERILOUSLY FRIGID. A fact that seems hopelessly entombed in Nancy Drew's bones even as she shiveringly crouches beside an injured Frank Hardy. The cornered burly suspect had intended the blow for her, but that STUBBORN menace of a boy interceded on her behalf. It was FOOLISH. So damnably FOOLISH, that she intended to lecture him at LENGTH. That is, provided they SURVIVE this mess.
"Come on, Frank. Stay with me." The Strawberry blonde mutters, draping her only coat over his quivering figure. Her stiffened fingers cradle his handsome face as she studies the steady rise and fall of his chest. He's still ALIVE!!! A surge of reassurance pushes through Nancy's veins. Settling with that realization, she returns once more to render a valid escape plan. Fenton would never forgive her if she was the cause of death for his eldest boy.
For over an hour, Nancy tries with a sense of desperation to unjam the fail-safe door. Their murder suspect must have blocked it. With battered and raw hands, she continues the ceaseless rapping on the door. "H--- He---HELP!!!" She rasps. Her usually pleasant voice crumbles, grating, much like the texture of an old town back road. "H-- help!" She persists though the chord of her voice is growing more fragile with every beckoning.
Thankfully, she reminds herself that she left a note for Sadie explaining that she and Frank were going to Le Bistro De Pari in order to confront Brugo Delefant (the murder suspect) in hopes of gaining a confession. Unfortunately, all of her plans went OFF the rails. Brugo happened to have there heavy weight bodyguards. Now, Frank was hurt, and she is being forced to play a dangerous waiting game.
Precious moments seem to tick by so gradually, its a question as to IF they're really passing at all. Her strength is rapidly waning. It is replaced with a NUMB almost a thousand fathoms deep. The only thing that snaps Drew from her RESIGNATION to an ugly FATE, is the COMFORTING sound of Sadie's VOICE.
Tired eyes flicker upwards. "Frank. He-- he ne-- needs help!!!" Nan stiffly mutters. His health and safety taking prescident over answering Sadie's inquiry. Then she swallows down harshly. "Brugo Delefant did this---be--be--because - he's--- is-- g---u---guilty."
"O-- once I -- I thaw I want to help you n--n-nail him."