Amanda Lester, Detective Box Set

by Paula Berinstein

  “Do tell,” said Harry. “How much you think it’s worth?”

  “Couldn’t say,” said Simon. “Why don’t you do the math, though? Oh, that’s right: you don’t know how.”

  Harry lunged at him, but Simon dodged him and he fell. He turned around, stared daggers at Simon, and said, “You pathetic little wanker.”

  Simon just laughed and said, “Nerds rule.”

  “Get up, Harry,” said Professor Kindseth. “And I don’t want to see you attack anyone again.”

  Harry mumbled under his breath as he got to his feet.

  “That’s right, I am a short little weasel,” said Professor Kindseth. “But at least I’m making something of myself. You should try it sometime.”

  Amanda didn’t like all this fighting. It was getting too personal. They had enough problems without descending into rancor. “Come on, guys,” she said. “Let’s keep going. I have a feeling we’re starting to get somewhere.”

  They continued down the tunnel for a bit and then Ivy said, “Sssh. I hear something.”

  Everyone stood stock-still. Amanda peered around to see if she could detect whatever Ivy had heard. Suddenly Nigel took off, racing down the tunnel until he was nearly out of sight. “Nigel!” Ivy stage whispered to him. Simon took off after the dog, his footsteps thumping as he ran. Then Amanda heard, “Oh, brother.”

  “What is it?” yelled Ivy.

  “A mouse,” said Simon.

  “He didn’t kill it, did he?” said Ivy.

  “No,” said Simon. “It climbed up the side of the tunnel. It’s looking at me.”

  Amanda and the others picked their way down to where Simon and Nigel were standing. Nigel was eyeing the mouse as if he were starving. The poor mouse was shaking, but there was only one way down, and that was directly in the path of Nigel’s mouth.

  “He’s so cute,” said Amanda.

  “Stinking vermin,” said Harry.

  “Glad to see you’re constantly coming up with new names for yourself,” said Simon.

  “That’s enough, you two,” said Professor Kindseth.

  “Come on, Nigel,” said Ivy. “Let’s go. Now.” The dog looked up at her with his big brown eyes. “I can feel that, Nigel, but it isn’t going to work. Leave the mouse alone and come with me.”

  Nigel looked as if someone had snatched his dinner away, which in a way Ivy had. He slunk away from the mouse and took his place by her side again. She reached down and petted him.

  “You heard the mouse?” said Amanda.

  “So it seems,” said Ivy. “Wait a minute. I hear something coming from down the tunnel.”

  “What does it sound like?” said Amanda, who couldn’t hear it.

  “Dishes clanking,” said Ivy.

  “Really?” said Simon. He craned his neck. “Maybe it’s some hobos or something.”

  “Maybe it’s Blixus,” said Amanda.

  “What are we going to do when we find him?” said Ivy.

  “I’ll talk to him,” said Amanda matter-of-factly.

  “You’ll talk to him?” said Harry. “That’s your plan? The guy will kill you.”

  “Shut up, Harry,” said Amanda.

  “Actually, we haven’t discussed this,” said Simon. “What are we going to do?”

  “Ha!” said Harry. “I’m right.”

  “I know what I’m doing,” said Amanda.

  “You’d better,” said Editta out of nowhere. “He’s not going to like this at all.”

  38

  Prisoners!

  Amanda gasped at the sound of Editta’s voice. Professor Kindseth dropped his phone. Simon tripped over his own feet. Harry laughed.

  “I knew it was you,” said Ivy. “I know your walk, Editta.”

  “You shouldn’t be down here,” said Editta, stepping into their light. She was rather unwashed but her brown eyes were sparkling. Amanda had never seen that look in her eye before. What had Nick done to her?

  “Either should you,” said Amanda. “You shouldn’t have run off like that. Your mother is going crazy.”

  “I’m sorry about that,” said Editta. “I’d ask you to let her know I’m okay, but I don’t think you’re going to be seeing her again.”

  “She’s suing the school,” said Ivy.

  “Can’t be helped,” said Editta. “Who cares anyway?”

  “He isn’t worth it,” said Amanda.

  “Oh, yes he is,” said Editta. “You’ll never have him though.” She looked positively arrogant. This wasn’t the Editta they knew.

  “Did you hear what I just said? I said he isn’t worth it. I don’t want him.”

  “What’s going on out there?” came Blixus’s voice. Emerging from the shadows, the master criminal caught sight of the Legatum group and said, “You? You should have known better.” He was holding some silver coins. He stood back and surveyed the visitors while he tossed the coins from one hand to the other.

  “That’s what I said,” said Editta.

  “I see you have more of the King Arthur coins,” said Amanda.

  “You know about them?” said Blixus.

  “Wink saved one for us,” said Ivy.

  “He did not,” came a voice. It was David. He looked a bit the worse for wear himself. His clothes and hair were grimy, his cornflower blue eyes dull. “He wouldn’t steal.”

  “Oh, so that’s what happened, is it?” said Simon.

  “David,” said Amanda. “Your mum is worried sick about you.” No response. “David, did you hear what I said?”

  “You said my dad stole that coin.” He was barely looking at her.

  “I did not,” said Ivy. “I said he had one. Are you telling me he stole the coin from Crocodile?”

  “I told you,” said David. “My did wouldn’t steal. Why is everyone saying these things about him?”

  “Shut up, kid,” said Blixus. “Your dad had no honor. I wish I had killed him myself.”

  Amanda wondered if he was talking about the fact that David’s father had once been involved with Mavis. It did sound as though Blixus wasn’t the one who had killed Wink though.

  “Nick, come here,” yelled Blixus to the tunnel behind him. Bring Taffeta and the boys.”

  This was the moment Amanda had been dreading. She had sought Nick ever since the battle at the quarry, wanting, needing to resolve their unfinished business. Now that she had found him she felt the urge to turn and run. She couldn’t face him in front of all those people. She wasn’t even sure she could face him alone.

  But there he was, looking positively wild: bruises from the crystal fight still visible, thick dark hair longer than ever, the light in his eyes intense. The air around him was electric and she could feel it licking her skin. When he caught sight of her he started, then relaxed into a defiant half-smile.

  Behind Nick was the girl, Taffeta, radiant and self-assured, glowing as if supernatural. When Harry saw her he broke into a huge grin, but it faded when she failed to acknowledge him. Serves him right, thought Amanda. She’d been using him as much as he’d used her. They deserved each other.

  Following Taffeta were Philip Puppybreath and Gavin Niven, David’s roommates who had stolen the Detective’s Bible, looking sullen and smug. David didn’t even glance at them.

  “Bring them here,” said Blixus. “I wouldn’t try anything if I were you, kiddies.” He pulled some fully charged crystals out of his pocket. “We all have them. One wrong move and we’ll blast you out of this cavern.”

  Amanda had wondered before whether the Moriartys had taken any crystals from the quarry. At the time she hadn’t thought so, but apparently she’d been wrong.

  “David, where’s the Bible?” Amanda called out.

  “How should I know?” said the Wiffle boy.

  “It’s not here?” said Ivy.

  “I threw it in the pit,” said David. “You know that. Boy, you’re stupid.”

  “So Blixus doesn’t have it?” said Amanda. It didn’t sound like he did. Maybe the book hadn�
��t fallen into the wrong hands after all.

  “Why do you waste your time with him?” said Blixus. “He doesn’t know what’s going on.” Or maybe the criminal did have it and David wasn’t aware of the situation. Amanda wondered whether Editta knew. “Stop dragging your feet and move.”

  Amanda glanced at Nick. His eyes were full of fury. This wasn’t the time to speak to him.

  The Moriartys, Taffeta, and the roommates prodded the Legatum group down the tunnel into a set of connecting caverns. These had been set up as a sort of camp with sleeping bags, cooking equipment, and even a lab bench of sorts. Someone had piled boulders all around the edges, and throughout the rooms were shining pots of gold. So this was where the Moriartys had been all this time—underground collecting gold. But where was the gold coming from and how had they known about it?

  When the visitors entered the living area, Mavis was doing something at the lab bench. This struck Amanda as strange, as she had never seen Mavis display any sort of technical abilities, but then again the Moriartys relied on such skills. Just because Amanda hadn’t seen the woman do technical things didn’t mean she couldn’t. Could that mean she was the hacker after all?

  Mavis looked up and laughed. She had a beautiful smile. So what, thought Amanda. Looks had nothing to do with being a decent person.

  “You again,” said Mavis maliciously. “Ever the lost cause. You just can’t keep away from my son, can you, Amanda?”

  The remark stung. “Just can’t keep away from Wink Wiffle, can you?” said Amanda. Simon gave her a look that said, “That wasn’t a good idea.”

  Blixus turned around with an expression of such rage that Amanda thought he was going to kill someone then and there. Mavis stared at Amanda for a moment, then lunged at her. Ivy screamed and Nigel went for Mavis’s throat. Mavis released Amanda and tried to fend him off. Blixus ran into the fray and raised his hand against the dog, who let Mavis go and attacked him instead. “Nigel, no!” yelled Ivy, and the dog let go. “Come back here.” Nigel crept over to his mistress and growled, keeping an eye on Mavis and Blixus.

  “Why did you do that?” said Simon in a whisper. “You should have let him kill them.”

  “How can you say such a thing?” said Ivy, whispering back. “That would make me a murderer.”

  “That would make you a self-defender,” said Simon.

  “I will be phoning animal services about that miserable cur,” said Mavis. “Then again, I don’t need to. None of you will be around much longer.”

  “We’ll see about that,” said Professor Kindseth.

  “And you,” she said, turning to him. “How’s Charlotte these days?”

  Amanda and Simon looked at each other. Ivy sucked in her breath. Charlotte was the mysterious recipient of the love letters the kids had found last term—the letters signed “Ken.” They’d wondered if Ken was Professor Kindseth. Now they knew. But who was Charlotte?

  “What was that about Wink?” said Blixus, looking at his wife.

  “I didn’t say anything about Wink,” said Mavis.

  “The Lestrade girl. She said something about the two of you. What was that?”

  Mavis looked at Amanda like she was going to kill her.

  “They were in love,” said Amanda. Simon nudged her and shook his head.

  “No they weren’t!” yelled David. “The letters are forgeries.”

  “What do you mean ‘in love’?” said Blixus. “What letters?”

  “They used to date,” said Amanda. “He kept her letters. We found them.”

  “Shut up!” yelled David.

  Mavis glanced David, then looked at Nigel as if evaluating whether to go for Amanda again.

  “Never,” said Blixus. “You’re a fantasist. Just what I’d expect from a Lestrade.”

  “No, I’m not,” said Amanda. Simon practically shoved her this time. “It was a long time ago—before you knew her.”

  “Oh?” said Blixus. “And when was this?”

  “Fifteen years ago,” said Amanda, watching his reaction. He was looking quizzical. “But Wink dumped her.”

  “He did not,” said David. “My dad wouldn’t do that. He’d never be involved with someone like her.”

  “Tell me more about these letters,” said Blixus like an attack dog being prodded out of a nap.

  “There are no letters,” said Mavis. “As you said, she’s a fantasist.”

  “Then why is Wiffle here talking about letters?” said Blixus.

  “They were in Wink’s lockbox,” said Amanda. “With the coin.”

  “What coin?” said Blixus. He sure seemed to be asking a lot of questions. Maybe he didn’t have any more moles at Legatum. He certainly wasn’t privy to their latest discoveries.

  “The King Arthur coin.”

  “Wink had a King Arthur coin?” said Blixus. He seemed genuinely surprised. “Where did he get it?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” said Amanda. “He kept the letters and we found them. They were love letters from her to him.” She looked at Mavis.

  “What’s she talking about?” Blixus said to his wife.

  “They weren’t letters,” said Mavis. “Just a few notes, if that.”

  “So it’s true?” said Blixus. He was starting to look like a volcano about to erupt.

  “Not really,” said Mavis. “We didn’t date. We just knew each other.”

  “What do you mean ‘knew each other’?” He was raising his fist. Amanda noticed that it was his left hand. Nick was left-handed too.

  “We went out a few times.”

  Amanda glanced at Nick. He was looking horrified.

  “In my book that’s dating,” said Blixus. “Did you love him?”

  “Of course not,” said Mavis.

  “She did—passionately,” said Amanda. She stole another glance at Nick. He was staring daggers at her.

  “She did not!” screamed David. “Not my dad.”

  “Mavis loves no one passionately but me,” said Blixus, lowering the fist. “Obviously Wink was having ego problems so he forged these letters to make himself feel better.”

  “Yes,” said Mavis. “That’s just what he did.”

  “Then why did she have his ring?” said Amanda. At this point Simon was beside himself. He kept poking her so much that she hissed “Stop it” at him. Nick looked like he was about to charge her.

  “What ring?” said Blixus. “What are you talking about?”

  “Wink’s wedding ring. We found it in her jewelry box after he was murdered.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” said Blixus. “She must have seen a ring lying around and stolen it.”

  “It was engraved,” said Amanda. “From his wife, Celerie.”

  Blixus turned his head slowly and looked at Mavis. “What were you doing with Wink’s ring?”

  “All right, fine,” said Mavis. “I took it. I loved him. He dumped me. I killed him. Mr. Tunnel helped me. I’m proud of what I did. One less annoying detective in the world.”

  Veins stood out all over Blixus’s neck and his face went bright red. He looked like some sort of Halloween character. “You what?” he bellowed. He made the fist again, pulled back his arm, and hit Mavis in the face.

  “No!” screamed Nick, grabbing for his father.

  “Get off me,” said Blixus, and kicked Nick in the shins. Nick yelped and fell to the ground.

  “Nick!” yelled Taffeta, running to the boy. Amanda felt a pang of jealousy.

  “You stupid cow,” said Blixus. “I didn’t authorize you to kill him.”

  “Since when do I need your permission?” spat Mavis.

  Suddenly Editta stepped up and said to Mavis, “You never should have done that without asking him. He’s your lord and master.”

  “Are you insane?” said Mavis, now going for Editta. “What century are you living in, voodoo girl?”

  Nigel was growling and Amanda was shaking with just about every emotion she’d ever felt and David and Editta and Ivy were screaming and
Harry was egging them all on like a rabid boxing fan and Simon and Professor Kindseth were throwing themselves at Blixus and the roommates were running around in circles and all of a sudden there was a bang. Everyone stopped moving except Mavis, who fell to the ground. Her chest was covered with blood and Taffeta was standing there with a smoking gun.

  “Mum!” Nick screamed, and ran to Mavis. He knelt down and began compressing her chest.

  Blixus shoved him off, said, “This is your fault,” looked down at Mavis, and kicked her.

  Taffeta turned and ran down the tunnel with the roommates following.

  Professor Kindseth started after her but Blixus stopped him. “Let her go,” he said. “She’s useless anyway.”

  Amanda couldn’t believe Moriarty wasn’t pursuing his wife’s murderer, for at this point it was murder. Mavis was dead.

  Blixus turned to his son and said, “You brought that Taffeta girl around. You should have known what she was like. This is on your head.”

  The Legatum group was aghast. Even Harry seemed to find Blixus’s behavior inexplicable. His wife had just been murdered by some teenager in front of his eyes and he was blaming Nick?

  “Where did she get the gun?” said Blixus.

  “How should I know?” said Nick.

  “Get out of my sight,” said Blixus. “Go get the others and put everyone in the brig.”

  Blixus rummaged around and found some thick rope and plastic ties. “Editta,” he said, and the girl joined him. “Here.” He threw her the plastic ties. “Make it snappy.”

  Editta bound the captives’ hands while Blixus roped them together. Ivy pleaded with her, but Editta wouldn’t listen. Simon just gave her a dirty look.

  The main living area opened into the small space Blixus had referred to as the brig, and the criminals pushed Amanda and her group into it just as Nick returned with two more captives: Clive and Holmes. Their hands had been bound as well. The criminals and Editta—not David, for whatever reason—shoved them into the space, tied them to the other prisoners, and rolled some boulders into the “door” to keep them there, using ramps to get the rocks to the higher levels. Then they moved heavy pots of gold in front of the boulders, and then Amanda heard them erecting an electric fence. She, Ivy, Nigel, Simon, Professor Kindseth, Harry, Clive, and Holmes were prisoners in the tunnels.