Amanda Lester, Detective Box Set

by Paula Berinstein

  When Harry was gone, Thrillkill started the motor but the car wouldn’t move. They were stuck in the mud. The headmaster stepped on the accelerator repeatedly but nothing happened.

  “How about reverse?” said Simon.

  Thrillkill changed gears and tried again. They were still stuck.

  “We need some traction,” said Simon. “Have you got any boards or straw? We could put them under the wheels.”

  “I have evidence kits,” said Thrillkill. “And of course maps and tools.”

  “Hm,” said Simon, “I wonder if Fern has anything.”

  He phoned Fern, who was parked nearby with Gordon.

  “Evidence kits,” she said. “A couple of books—will those do?”

  “They might,” said Simon, “but they’ll be ruined. Anything else?”

  “Our clothes,” said Amanda.

  “I think we’ve had enough nudity for today, Miss Lester,” said Thrillkill. “I suppose we ought to see if some leaves from those plants over there will work. Mr. Binkle, care to join me?”

  Thrillkill and Simon grabbed plastic bags, waded over to a hedge that was growing by the side of the road, and started to pull. The rain coated their glasses and soaked through their clothes. The fedora Simon wore so often went limp and he removed it. The one good thing about all that water was that it finally made his cowlick lie flat.

  When the two detectives had filled a bunch of plastic bags, they came back to the car and scattered leaves near the two front tires. By this time they were completely soaked, and when they got back into the car they couldn’t help getting Amanda, Ivy, and Nigel all wet too.

  “No dry clothes this time, I’m afraid,” said Simon.

  “Oh well,” said Amanda. “If we find Blixus it will be worth getting sick.”

  Thrillkill started the motor, put the car into first gear, and gently stepped on the accelerator. The Citroen inched forward a teensy bit and then fell back into the rut.

  “It’s working, kind of,” said Simon.

  “Let’s try that again,” said Thrillkill.

  He accelerated again, slowly. The car crawled forward as before, then gave up again.

  “Get Fern on the phone, will you?” said Thrillkill to no one in particular.

  Amanda took out her phone and pressed Fern’s icon. Fern picked up before the first ring.

  “You want a push?” she said.

  “Yes, please,” said Amanda.

  “Okay. Here I come.”

  But Fern didn’t come. Her ignition had got so wet her car wouldn’t start.

  “Oh, bother,” she said through the still open line. “I’m stuck too.”

  “Great,” said Thrillkill. “Try Kindseth, would you?”

  Amanda ended the call with Fern and phoned Professor Kindseth.

  “I just left you,” said the teacher. “What’s happening?”

  “We’re both stuck because of the rain.”

  “Well doesn’t that beat all,” said Professor Kindseth. “I guess old Harry and I are in for a little delay then. I’m coming.”

  It took the photography teacher twenty minutes to drive back to where the others were waiting. In Thrillkill’s car no one said a word. Amanda thought the teacher would pull in behind the Citroen and give it a nudge, but instead he parked next to Fern. Within a few seconds the door opened and Professor Kindseth got out. Then Harry emerged, still cuffed, and trudged over behind Professor Thrillkill’s car. Professor Kindseth uncuffed Harry’s hands, threw a net over him, and said, “Push. Don’t even think about trying to escape. Gaston, Simon, Gordon, be ready to rush him if he even thinks about running. You too, Amanda.”

  Amanda and Ivy burst into laughter. Professor Kindseth was awesome. He had obviously made a full recovery from his earthquake injuries and was as energetic and resourceful as ever.

  Of course the logical thing would be for someone to help Harry, but that didn’t happen. The poor guy was stuck trying to push the Citroen out of the mud by himself. He pushed and pushed, and each time the car slipped back. Finally Professor Kindseth said, “If you don’t get this car out of the mud right now I’m going to shave your head.” That seemed to make Harry work harder, and within about fifteen seconds the car was out of the mud hole.

  Fern’s car still wouldn’t start, though, so now the group faced a difficult choice: squeeze into Thrillkill’s car or get Professor Kindseth to take them to the farm. Despite the fact that everyone volunteered to turn themselves into sardines, Thrillkill wouldn’t hear of them all crammed into his car. Harry would come with them after all, as would Professor Kindseth. Harry was cuffed behind his back again, and Fern and Gordon joined him and the teacher. They would call the automobile club regarding Fern’s ignition later.

  Now that he was out of the mud, Thrillkill resumed the drive and the bumping around. Within minutes both cars had arrived at the farm.

  “You say the tunnels diverged back a ways?” said Thrillkill, when they’d all congregated at the opening.

  “Yes, Professor,” said Simon. “We took the left fork after that and ended up here.”

  “And you didn’t hear or see any signs of life?” said Thrillkill.

  “Other than the leprechaun coins, no,” said Simon.

  “I think we should split up,” said Thrillkill. “Fern, you and Gordon will come with me. We’ll continue on to the left from here. Ken, you, Amanda, Simon, Ivy, and Harry will head back to the fork and take the right-hand tunnel. The phones work down there, do they not?”

  “Sometimes,” said Amanda.

  “Very well, then,” said Thrillkill. “We will keep an open video line to each other. Questions?” The kids glanced from one to the other, then back to Thrillkill. Harry looked like he was going to say something but didn’t. “Let’s get started.”

  No sooner had Thrillkill uttered those words than a huge purple rainbow appeared above the farm. There was something about it that made it look angry. The shade of purple could only be described as aggressive, and the light that came out of it was spiky. Amanda thought it looked like it was having a fit. Nigel barked at it. He didn’t like it either.

  “We’re in the right place,” said Professor Kindseth. “The hacker must be down there too.”

  Thrillkill, Fern, and Gordon went first. The slope that led into the tunnels was like a river of mud and they worked hard to keep their balance. Amanda watched as they disappeared into the tunnel that faced north. Then she, Professor Kindseth, Simon, Ivy, Nigel, and Harry followed and headed toward the fork. They were all such messes that they barely recognized each other.

  A stream of mud was running down the tunnel. Simon made a game out of straddling it. Amanda wondered if Professor Kindseth was going to force Harry to walk in it, but he didn’t. It didn’t last that long anyway. Within about fifty yards it was gone.

  “Where’s Moriarty?” said Professor Kindseth.

  “Are you talking to me?” said Harry, not looking at him.

  “Yes, you.”

  “How should I know?” said Harry insolently.

  “Because your girlfriend is working for him,” said the teacher.

  “Taffeta?” said Harry. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “So her name is Taffeta, is it?” said Simon. He was examining the ground as he walked. Amanda thought of poor Clive and his rocks.

  “What’s it to you?” said Harry.

  “What’s her last name?” said Simon.

  “Get stuffed,” said Harry.

  “Her footprints are here,” said Simon.

  “What?” said Harry. “How can you tell? There are millions of prints.”

  “I recognize the tread,” said Simon snapping a picture. “So the two of you have been in here before.”

  “I never was—” said Harry, then caught himself.

  “You never were what?” said Simon.

  “Get lost,” said Harry.

  “But we are lost,” said Simon.

  “No we’re not,” said Amanda.


  “Shhh,” said Simon.

  “What is with you, man?” said Harry. “Don’t you geeks have hormones?”

  “Sure,” said Simon. “We just don’t let them get us into relationships with criminals.”

  Halfway through the statement he seemed to realize what he was saying, and with the last two words he trailed off. Harry wasn’t the only one who had fallen for a criminal and Simon knew it. Harry turned around and gave him a snotty smile. He knew it too.

  But Amanda didn’t have a chance to be upset. She saw something glinting and ran ahead to see what it was. Another leprechaun coin.

  “What’s that?” said Harry, trying to get a look. Amanda didn’t like him being close to her and moved away.

  “Oh, I think you know,” said Simon.

  “I don’t know anything,” said Harry.

  “Now you’re telling the truth.”

  “Shut up.”

  “As you wish,” said Simon. He really was able to keep his cool with the guy. Amanda wished she could do that.

  They toddled along in silence for a while, and finally they arrived at the fork. The tunnel they had taken from the farm went off to the south, toward the crypt. The other opening veered northeast. Professor Kindseth looked into his phone and said, “We’ve arrived at the fork, Gaston.”

  “Good.” Thrillkill’s face appeared on the screen. We’re just plodding along. Nothing to report yet.”

  “We’re going to enter the other tunnel now,” said Professor Kindseth.

  “We found another leprechaun coin,” said Ivy.

  “Any hint as to what it is?” said Thrillkill.

  “No,” said Ivy. “More of the same.”

  “Very well,” said Thrillkill. “Let’s keep at it.”

  Amanda’s group entered the unexplored tunnel. Before they had walked twenty yards, Amanda saw a flash of rainbow. It looked like one of the broken ones, with the purple in the middle. “Look!” she said.

  “Approach with caution,” said Professor Kindseth.

  Amanda turned off her light just in case the Moriartys were up ahead, then crept forward slowly. The rainbow was still flashing. She could see it now. Something was there at the side of the tunnel. It was round and black but the top was shining. As she drew near she got one good look before the rainbow winked out. There in front of her was a pot of gold.

  37

  Like a Myth Come True

  Amanda thought she was hallucinating. Surely she wasn’t looking at an honest-to-goodness pot of leprechaun’s gold! The thing had to be someone’s idea of a prank.

  “Professor,” she yelled. “Come see this.”

  She turned her light back on and illuminated the treasure. In a moment the others had caught up to her.

  “What is it?” said Ivy.

  “You’re not going to believe it,” said Amanda, eyeing the coins inside the pot. “It looks like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Of course it can’t really be.”

  “Do you think it’s safe to touch?” said Ivy. “I want to feel it.”

  “Hang on,” said Professor Kindseth. He took a vial of something out of his pocket and sprinkled a drop of liquid on top of the gold. Nothing happened. “All right, Miss Halpin. Go ahead.”

  Amanda guided Ivy toward the pot. The tiny detective reached in and felt carefully, turning the coins over.

  “Oh my goodness,” she said. “They’re the same as the ones we found. A whole potful of them.”

  “Looks like it,” said Simon. “If we hadn’t had those coins assayed, I’d say they were a hoax.” He picked one up and bit it.

  “The whole thing is unreal,” said Amanda, recoiling. Just because they were real gold didn’t mean they were sanitary.

  “Taffeta’s footprints are here,” said Simon, throwing the coin back in the pot.

  “I wonder what she has to do with this,” said Ivy. “Do you think she could be the hacker?”

  Harry huffed.

  “What?” said Amanda. “Too stupid?”

  “Something like that,” said Harry.

  Professor Kindseth spoke into his phone. “Gaston, we’ve found something.”

  “What’s—” Thrillkill spoke the one word and the connection went dead.

  Professor Kindseth kept trying to reconnect but he couldn’t get anything to happen. “It looks like we’re out of range,” he said. “I’ll try again in a few minutes.”

  “I’ll take some samples, shall I?” said Simon.

  “Please do that, Mr. Binkle,” said the teacher. “Let’s continue on.”

  Simon took an evidence kit out of his backpack and proceeded to collect specimens. While he was doing that the others moved on down the tunnel. Within about five minutes, they saw another rainbow, and when they got close they found yet another pot of gold.

  “This is a little spooky,” said Amanda. “It’s like a myth come true.”

  “It’s no such thing,” said Simon, catching up with them. He was jingling ever so slightly.

  “Then what is it?” said Ivy.

  “The hacker,” said Simon.

  “You don’t mean he’s doing real alchemy?” said Ivy.

  “No, not at all. There’s quartz here. Gold is often found with quartz.”

  “What’s that got to do with the rainbows?” said Amanda.

  Simon examined the rock on both sides of the tunnel. He pulled out a magnifier and brought his face right up to it. He seemed to take forever.

  “Well?” said Ivy. “Don’t keep us in suspense.”

  Suddenly a rainbow flashed through the cavern and struck Simon in the head. He oofed and fell to the ground. Harry laughed.

  “Simon!” screamed Amanda.

  “What happened?” said Ivy.

  “The rainbow hit him!” said Amanda. She bent down and was just about to check for vital signs when Simon put his hand to his head.

  “Ouch.”

  “Are you okay?” said Amanda. “Shut up, Harry. You’ll be next.”

  “Don’t think so,” said Harry. “They only hit geeks.”

  “I’m not sure,” said Simon. “I feel like someone coshed me.”

  “That rainbow hit you,” said Amanda. “Can you stand up? You know something about these rainbows, Harry?”

  “I know as much as you do,” said the older boy.

  “I don’t believe you,” said Ivy. “You know exactly what’s going on here.”

  “Nuh uh,” said Harry.

  “He doesn’t know anything,” said Simon, getting to his feet. “He’s just a pretty face.”

  “I’m not going to fine you for that one,” said Ivy, giggling.

  “So what is going on?” said Amanda. She wondered if she should try to help Simon. Maybe he had a concussion, like Clive back at the quarry.

  “Oh, right,” said Simon, rubbing the spot where the rainbow had hit him. “I don’t have a concussion so you can stop worrying, Amanda.” How did he know? He must have been developing hyper senses like Ivy’s. “What’s happening is this: gold and quartz both put out electrical signals. Like any electrical signals, they can be detected.”

  “So he’s doing some kind of electrical prospecting?” said Amanda.

  “Yes,” said Simon. “That’s exactly it. He’s boosting the signal from the gold and the quartz using the rainbows. When the rainbows detect the signals they turn purple.”

  “You’re kidding,” said Harry. “I never heard anything so dumb.”

  Simon looked straight at him and said, “I never saw anything so dumb.” Ivy and Amanda stifled giggles.

  “So the purple rainbows indicate the presence of gold?” said Ivy.

  “Yep,” said Simon. “And the fact that it’s rainbow quartz—it resonates with the rainbows. It’s a sort of symbiotic relationship, like the crystals with their parasites.”

  “Well, I’ll be,” said Professor Kindseth.

  “But where does the gold come from in the first place?” said Ivy.

  “I’d venture a gues
s that it’s already here,” said Simon. “In raw form, that is. And I’d also guess that once it’s detected and mined, someone is making it into these coins.”

  “But why?” said Amanda. The whole thing seemed so strange she couldn’t begin to speculate on what was going on. No way were there real leprechauns any more than there were real zombies. But there might be delusional people who thought they were imaginary creatures. She’d read about that in one of her mother’s psychology magazines.

  “That I don’t know,” said Simon. “Blixus has very advanced technical capabilities, but why he’d use them for something as frivolous as this I can’t say.”

  “Wait a minute,” said Amanda. “The zombies.”

  “What about them?” said Ivy. “Oh, I know. You think the zombies are making these coins? Then they must be working for Blixus.”

  “No, that’s absurd,” said Simon. “Say, did we ever establish how old these coins are?”

  “I don’t think so,” said Amanda. She didn’t remember anyone saying, which was odd. Surely they’d asked Mr. Terrapin to find out. “Why?”

  “You don’t suppose—” said Simon.

  “No,” said Amanda. “That’s nuts.”

  “What are you talking about?” said Professor Kindseth.

  “Simon is wondering if the coins were created by King Arthur,” said Amanda.

  “I know it sounds ridiculous,” said Simon, “especially given that King Arthur was a Briton and these coins are associated with the Irish.” He seemed to have forgotten his skepticism regarding the king’s existence.

  “Not necessarily,” said Ivy. “Geoffrey of Monmouth portrayed Arthur as head of an empire that included not only Britain, but also Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Gaul. He might have been right.”

  How did Ivy know these things, thought Amanda. She’d never even heard of Geoffrey of Monmouth.

  “Even so,” said Professor Kindseth, “it does seem like a far-fetched idea.”

  “You people are crazy,” said Harry. “I’ll bet it isn’t even real gold.”

  “Oh, it is,” said Simon. “We’ve had it tested.”