Sam turned back to see Nathan with one leg already through the window opening. He was stepping out onto the ledge. Was he crazy? “Nathan, get back in here! It’s too dangerous.”
“I have to get it,” said Nathan, shaking his head. “I have to make things right.”
Sam leaned his head as far out the window as he dared. He looked down to the parking lot and the street below. It was way too high. He moved back into the room and leaned against the wall, feeling dizzy.
“I think I can reach it,” said Nathan, grunting as he kneeled down, his hand stretched out. He inched toward the ring, his other hand pressed up against the bell tower for balance. “Almost got it…”
Sam watched from the next window. Nathan’s fingers brushed the ring, nudging it away from him. “Almost…” he groaned, just before his leg slipped on a patch of ice. “Whoa!” he screamed, his momentum nearly carrying him over the edge. The ring slipped over the side into the darkness below.
“Nathan!” Sam and Derek yelled in unison.
Nathan reached out and grabbed one of the brick ledges, pulling himself back toward the building.
“Oh my gosh!” said Sam, shaking hard even though he wasn’t the one on the ledge.
“Get back in here, Nathan. You’re going to get yourself killed,” Derek exclaimed.
Nathan stood frozen, his back pressed against the bricks. “I dropped the ring!” he sobbed. “My dad is going to kill me.”
“It’s okay,” called Sam. “He’ll be a lot more upset if you fall off that ledge. Come back in.”
Nathan carefully shook his head. “I can’t....m-m-move,” he stuttered.
Sam looked at his brother. “What should we do? We can’t just leave him.”
“Well I’m not going out there,” said Derek. “Why don’t you get him?”
“I can’t,” said Sam, staring out the window. “It’s too high.”
“Then what?”
Sam tried to think. Maybe they could throw him something to hold. He looked around the dark room. A rope hung from the ceiling, but it was too short. It would never reach out the window. “We need someone to help us.”
“That’s it!” Derek reached up and touched the rope hanging from the ceiling. “I have an idea.”
Sam shook his head. “I already thought of that. It’s too short. It won’t reach him.”
Derek grinned. “Nathan’s not who I’m trying to reach.” He held onto the rope with both hands, like he was going to climb it, then he tugged with all his weight.
Clang! An enormous sound rang out. Of course. The bells!
“Ahh!” screamed Nathan. “What was that?”
“Chillax,” muttered Derek. “It’s your rescue.”
Sam leaned out the window. He hadn’t thought about Nathan being startled by the sound. Maybe they should have warned him. “Hold on! We’re calling for help.”
“Help?” cried Nathan. “You’re going to make me fall!”
Sam covered his ears as Derek rang the bells again. It did seem like the whole bell tower might crumble down around them.
“That should get someone’s attention,” said Derek, releasing the rope after a bunch of rings.
The boys talked to Nathan, trying to keep him calm, until the sound of a door banged from below.
“Hello? Is somebody up there?” a voice called. It was Mo.
Sam didn’t really care who it was at this point. They just needed help.
“Up here!” shouted Derek. “In the bell tower.” He bent over and pulled back the trap door.
“Who’s up there?” said Mo.
Sam peered through the opening, careful not to crawl too close to the edge. “It’s us. Sam and Derek and Nathan.”
“What on earth are you doin’ up there, boys? Hang tight, I’m coming up.”
Soon, Mo’s face came into view at the top of the ladder.
“Nathan’s stuck out on the ledge,” said Sam. “You have to save him!”
NINETEEN
Mo hustled over to the window, leaning out to see Nathan, still pressed against the wall. “Hold on, son. I’m coming.” He turned to Derek. “Hold my belt.”
Derek grabbed the back of Mo’s belt as Mo held onto the window frame with one hand, and reached for Nathan with the other. “It’s okay, son. Just reach out for my hand. Nice and slow-like.”
Sam moved back to the other window so he could see. “It’s okay, Nathan. Take Mo’s hand.”
“I can’t,” said Nathan. “I’m stuck. My feet won’t move.”
“Yes, you can, Nathan,” said Mo. “Just take one step at a time.”
Nathan stood still for a moment. Then barely, almost unnoticeably, he took a tiny step toward Mo. He eased his arm out toward Mo’s, keeping his back pressed against the wall. As soon as he came within reach, Mo snatched Nathan’s wrist. “Gotcha!”
In one quick motion, Mo reeled Nathan inside the window. Nathan was shivering. It must have been even colder out on the ledge than it was in the bell tower.
Mo pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his forehead. “Oh, me,” he said, sitting down against the wall. “You boys are puttin’ me through my paces today.” He looked across at them. “What are you doing up here, anyway? This isn’t a good place for kids.”
“Well...” Sam didn’t know where to begin.
“We followed the alligator into the passageway under the stairs,” explained Derek.
Mo turned his head crooked. “What’s that now?”
Sam nodded. “And we found Lewis Ginter’s secret office.”
Mo raised his eyebrows.
“But then we found Alligator Lake and Sam threw a firebomb at it,” said Derek, smiling. “It was great.”
Mo’s eyes opened wide. “Alligator Lake?”
“So we ran away into the stairwell,” said Sam. “We kept climbing until we reached the top. We thought they were coming after us.”
“Who was?” asked Mo.
“The alligators!” exclaimed Sam. “Lots of them.”
“But then I lost the ring,” moaned Nathan, putting his hand over his face.
“The ring?” asked Mo. “Did you find them?”
“Um...” said Nathan. “I kind of took them.”
“You took them!” shouted Mo. “Why in tarnation would you do that? We’ve been looking all over for those rings.”
“I know,” said Nathan. “I’m sorry. I’m going to give them back. If I ever find the other one.” He peered out the window to the ground below. “I didn’t think I was going to make it back when I was out there on the ledge. I realized that things could actually be a lot worse. I guess it won’t be that bad having to move here with Dad and Anita.”
Mo whistled. “Quite a conundrum you’ve gotten yourself into, son.”
Sam turned his head. “Conundrum?” He’d never heard that word before. If Caitlin were here she’d explain it to him.
Mo chuckled. “It’s a difficult problem.”
Nathan sighed. “That’s for sure.”
Mo looked back down at them. “How did you boys say you got down in the sub-basement?”
“We found the secret door under the grand staircase,” said Derek. “Just like you said.”
“Ha!” Mo cackled. “I did, did I?” He scratched his head. “I’m not sure that I even believed that one.”
“Actually, I found the door,” said Derek. “You just followed me.”
“Whatever,” said Sam.
Mo put his hand on Nathan’s shoulder. “Oh, and by the way, son. I found your video game.”
“You did?” said Nathan, his eyes growing wide.
“Uh, huh. It was in the restroom wastebasket. Must’ve been knocked off the counter.”
Sam narrowed his eyes toward Nathan. “See! I told you I didn’t steal it.”
Nathan shook his head. “I’m sorry.” He looked like he was about to start crying again. “I’ve just messed everything up.”
“Well, it’s at the front desk. Y
ou can pick it up when we get out of here,” said Mo.
“Wait a minute,” said Derek. “What about the alligators? Are you just going to leave them down there?”
Mo raised his eyebrows. “You boys have quite the imaginations. I’m not sure I follow you. We found the missing alligator a little while ago. It was hiding back in the bellman’s closet.”
“Wait...” said Sam. “You found the missing alligator?”
Mo nodded. “Can you believe it? Nearly scared me half to death in the closet, let me tell you. I thought it was a piece of luggage.”
Sam’s mind raced. If it wasn’t the alligator from the cage that they followed down into the passageway.... He shivered as a breeze blew through the bell tower.
Mo seemed to notice too. “I’m cold. Let’s get you boys back to your parents.” He pointed down to the trap door. “It’s real late. They’re going to be missing you right about now, I’ll bet.”
TWENTY
When they finally emerged from the bell tower, Mo opened the door on the top-floor stairwell with a key. It felt good to be back in the hotel. The long halls were eerily still and quiet at this late hour. Sam wanted to find Mom and Dad and tell them what had happened.
They reached the lobby from the main guest elevator just as Mom and Dad and Anita and Robert were coming in from the street.
“Boys?” Mom said when she saw them, her mouth opened wide. Sam knew they had some explaining to do. As usual. That seemed to happen a lot when he and Derek were trying to solve a mystery.
“Hey guys!” said Derek, with a devilish grin. “Is this the way to the late-night karaoke contest?”
Mom scrunched her eyebrows together, making an all-too-recognizable crease across her forehead that usually meant they were about to get a lecture.
Robert and Anita walked up to Nathan with concerned looks. “What are you doing up this late?” said Robert, looking at his watch.
“Is the time change playing tricks on you?” asked Anita.
“No, dear, that would be the other way around—” said Robert.
“I took your rings,” Nathan blurted out before Robert could finish his sentence.
There was nothing but silence for a moment. Anita blinked her eyes. “Excuse me?”
“What the devil are you talking about, Nathan?” Robert said, frowning.
“The wedding rings,” Nathan answered quietly. “I’m the one who took them.” He pulled the remaining ring out of his pocket and gave it to Anita.
“You took them?” said Robert, a puzzled look on his face.
“I don’t understand, Nathan,” said Anita. “Why would you take the rings?”
Nathan lowered his head and stared at his shoes, tears already streaming down his cheeks. “I don’t know... I was trying to stop the wedding. I’m sorry.”
“Where have you boys been?” Sam’s dad said to the two of them.
Sam tried to think of a reasonable way to explain what they’d been up to but nothing came to mind. Derek jumped in before he could say anything, starting his story again from the beginning. The adults were all too shocked to comment, so he just kept talking. He was on a roll, and there was no stopping him when he knew that he had an interested audience.
“We thought the alligators were chasing us,” he finished, “so we climbed up into the bell tower—”
“The bell tower!” exclaimed Anita.
“But Mo came and saved us when we rang the bell,” continued Derek. “And he helped Nathan off the ledge.”
Mom and Dad and Robert and Anita just listened as Derek spoke, their wide eyes saying more than any words could. Dad rubbed his temples like he had a migraine. Sometimes he told people that he got all his gray hairs from what his boys put him through.
Sam just nodded his head and smiled sheepishly. Derek was always better at retelling their adventures than he was. Not that Mom and Dad usually believed everything. Even if it was true.
When Derek was finally quiet, Robert looked at Nathan like he was about to say something harsh. Before he could speak, Anita stepped forward and draped her arms around Nathan’s shoulders. “I’m sorry that you’re not happy about the wedding, Nathan. I know that it has to be hard for you.”
Nathan just nodded his head, wiping away tears.
“But listen,” Anita continued, “we will all take this slow. I’ll give you as much room as you need.” Sam noticed for the first time what a caring face she had. It made sense to him that she was Mom’s close friend.
Nathan looked up at Robert, who nodded back. “You are a very important part of this family.” He pulled Nathan’s chin up with his hand and looked into his eyes. “Okay?”
“Okay.” Nathan wiped his eyes and nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Robert put one arm around Nathan, the other around Anita. He looked up at Mom and Dad. “This family business isn’t easy, is it?”
Mom looked at Sam and Derek and smiled. “No.”
“But it’s the best business you can be in,” said Dad.
“Just think,” said Derek, gesturing at himself and Sam. “At least you don’t have to deal with us.”
Everyone laughed.
Just then, Mo and the hotel manager walked up to the group from the parking lot. “I trust everything is alright, Mr. Wanderfelt?”
Robert nodded. “We’re just great, thank you.”
Mo stepped over to Nathan, holding something in his hand. “Look what I found.”
Nathan’s face brightened. “The ring!”
“Hey!” shouted Sam. “You found it.”
“All part of the job,” said Mo, grinning.
Sam felt bad for ever suspecting Mo of being the thief. He was such a nice guy. He supposed he had let the mystery get the best of him.
“Did you know they found the alligator, Mom?” said Derek, pointing into the Grand Ballroom.
“One of them, at least,” said Sam.
“We heard!” replied Dad. “The hotel manager came over and told us across the street.”
“Such a relief!” exclaimed Mr. Wonderful.
“Well I’m glad things are working out,” said Mom. “But it is very late.”
“That’s right,” said Anita. “I think we all need to get some sleep.”
“We have a wedding tomorrow!” said Robert, squeezing Anita tight.
Sam yawned. He realized how tired he was and nodded. He’d almost forgotten about the wedding.
***
Dad said they were going to talk about their late night exploring more when they got home. In the meantime, he told the boys not to worry and go to sleep. Easy for him to say. He hadn’t seen the lake of alligators.
Even if none of the grownups believed them, Sam still couldn’t get that image out of his mind. What if they wandered back up into the hotel? He was a notoriously sound sleeper. He might not even hear an alligator attack!
He got up and walked to the bathroom for a drink of water. Before he did, he slowly glanced behind the shower curtain just to make sure nothing was lurking.
“What are you doing?” whispered Derek, as Sam tiptoed back into the room.
He lay back down in his bed. “Can’t sleep.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
“I just—” Sam hesitated, not sure if he wanted to open himself up to teasing from his brother. “I keep thinking about things.”
“Alligators?”
“Yeah.”
“Me, too,” said Derek, turning over to see the clock on his nightstand.
“You do?”
“Sure,” said Derek. “I can’t decide if it was the caged alligator I saw disappear by the stairs, or if it was one of the wild ones. Maybe they come up here all the time. I mean, it’s freaky to think about all those alligators living in the tunnels under the hotel. How long have they been there? How many are there? Do they really creep up into the building when it’s cold? Are they trapped in Alligator Lake now, since the rocks fell in front of the doorway when we ran?”
Sam just no
dded. He was relieved to hear that he wasn’t alone. Surprised, but relieved.
He lay back down and closed his eyes. He tried to clear his mind. He didn’t want to think about alligators anymore. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Eventually he must have faded off to sleep. The last thing he remembered thinking about was dozens of alligators sledding down the grand staircase. They didn’t even need sleds, they just slid along on their bellies, all the way across the ballroom.
TWENTY-ONE
It was time for the big event. The guests were filing into the Grand Ballroom for the wedding. Sam and Derek stood on opposite sides of the back entrance handing out programs.
“I still think we should try to charge for these,” said Derek, smiling.
“Maybe Mr. Wonderful will pay us afterward for doing a good job,” said Sam.
He looked across the ballroom. Gold-colored chairs were lined up in rows. Ushers dressed in tuxedoes walked the female guests to their seats, the men following behind. Instead of walking down the aisle from the back like most weddings, the processional would come down the grand staircase toward everyone, with the ceremony at the bottom of the stairs.
Sam had to admit, it was pretty nice. He could see why Anita and Robert chose The Jefferson for the wedding ceremony. If only he didn’t have to wear his tie. Sam tugged on it gently, hoping to get a little more breathing room underneath his top button.
“Looking good, boys,” said Dad, walking toward them.
Sam handed him a program. “Thanks.”
“It’s not too hard for me,” said Derek, “but Sam’s made a big effort.”
“Are you keeping an eye on your friend?” asked Dad, gesturing across the room.
Sam pretended to laugh. “I guess.” He looked over at the alligator cage, set up next to them in the back of the ballroom on a pedestal. Red velvet ropes were stationed all around to keep anyone from getting too close. A heavy padlock secured the latch on the door. The hotel manager had positioned Mo near the cage, standing guard just in case anyone didn’t get the message. At least by now they had learned their lesson. Sam just wished it had been a little sooner.
Secret of the Staircase (The Virginia Mysteries Book 4) Page 8