Amanda Lester, Detective Box Set

by Paula Berinstein

  “Thank you,” she said. “Every time I tried to give them their pills they would fly away.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” he said. “I hope now you understand that I didn’t poison them.”

  He had to be telling the truth. He’d obviously been visiting the birds, calming them, even becoming friends with them. Why in the world would he poison them?

  “How did you—I mean, when did you—”

  “I’ve had a lot of time on my hands,” he said. “I had to do something.”

  “They love you,” she said incredulously.

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” he joked.

  “No, they do. You’re a miracle worker.”

  “I just hope they get better,” he said. “Do you know what happened to them?”

  “No,” said Amanda. “They were poisoned, but whether deliberately or by accident no one knows.”

  “Must have been an accident,” said Nick. “I can’t imagine who would deliberately hurt such magnificent birds.”

  Amanda found this sentiment surprising. She’d never known Nick to like animals. He hadn’t hated Nigel or anything, but he hadn’t exactly taken to him either. He was still full of surprises.

  When they got back inside the cabin, Nick grabbed some thick dry towels and started water boiling for tea. Then he said, “You never answered my question. What were you doing rummaging in my desk?”

  Amanda wasn’t sure what to say. Her suspicions about Nick poisoning the peacocks had not only turned out to be unfounded, but he had revealed a side of himself she’d never seen before. He could actually be gentle, and he had a talent no one else seemed to possess: he could calm the peacocks. She wondered if that talent extended to other wild animals, like bears and coyotes. It was a ridiculous thought. Nick wasn’t fictional. Of course he couldn’t do that.

  Perhaps she was wrong about him after all. Maybe his desire to turn over a new leaf was genuine. The deal he’d made with Holmes wouldn’t belie that. The fact that he’d gone quiet meant nothing other than that he was sticking to the deal. If she told him why she’d come, he might even be able to help.

  “I’m sorry about that but I had to,” she said. And she told him what had happened to Liam and Simon. Nick listened patiently and said, “I’m sorry that’s happened, but I don’t know where my dad is. I’m sure you’re right that Hugh is the one making Alfie Kingsolver look like a real magician, and I’m sure my dad put him up to it, but—”

  All of a sudden the door opened and a torrent of water came at them, followed by Lila Lester.

  “Nick Moriarty!” she said. “I should have known. What are you doing with him, Amanda?”

  For about the zillionth time that day Amanda was shocked. “Mom. What are you doing here?”

  “Calling the police,” said Lila, whose blonde hair looked like a wet haystack. She pulled out her phone. “I’m turning him in.”

  “No!” Amanda screamed.

  “Yes,” said Lila. “I’m surprised at you, Amanda. Why would you protect a criminal like this?”

  “I’m not protecting him,” said Amanda.

  “What would you call it then?” said Lila.

  Amanda had no answer to that. She wasn’t protecting Nick, not exactly. She just wasn’t turning him in.

  “As I thought,” said her mother. She started to punch in a number.

  “You always want to destroy the things I love,” Amanda wailed.

  Nick looked at her sharply, and she realized what she’d said. Oh well. There would be time to backpedal later.

  Lila stopped punching, looked at Nick, and said, “You love this?

  Amanda had never been so angry with her mother. All the times they’d battled over her desire to become a filmmaker, the fact that she did not want to become a detective, her clothes, her hair, her associates (she couldn’t say her friends because until she’d come to England, she hadn’t actually had any), Lila’s bossiness, Lila’s disregard of her husband, you name it.

  She glared at her mother in a way she had never done before and started toward her. There was no thought, no reasoning, just pure unadulterated instinct.

  Nick ran between them and pulled her away. “Don’t,” he said. Lila looked surprised. Amanda felt her body go weak. Suddenly she didn’t have the strength for anything: her mother, Nick, Blixus, Holmes, the peacocks, Thrillkill—anything.

  “Please don’t call the police,” she whimpered.

  “Of course I’m going to call the police,” said Lila, and turned back to her phone.

  “Come on,” said Amanda, and grabbed Nick’s hand. He ran to a cupboard, grabbed a skateboard, and the two of them tore out of the cabin, leaving Lila behind.

  “You can’t be seen with me,” said Nick, as they ran through Windermere. “Go back to Legatum.”

  “I can’t,” said Amanda. “This is my fault. I have to fix it.”

  “You can’t fix everything, Amanda. I’ll be fine.”

  “No you won’t,” she moaned.

  “I think you know by now that I can take care of myself,” he said. “I’ll be in touch. We can sort out the rest of this later.”

  “Where will you go?” she said.

  “The tunnels.”

  “They’re not safe. The rain . . .”

  “Amanda, I know those tunnels like the back of my hand. I’ll be fine. Now please just go.”

  He grabbed her hand, squeezed it, and took off. By the time the police got to The Falls, he was long gone.

  25

  My Boyfriend’s Back

  When Amanda returned to Legatum she was a mess. So much had happened so fast that all she could do was dry herself off and collapse. She was dreading facing her mother, and she didn’t want to have to answer any questions. She briefly considered finding a way to get to Tibet to see her father, but gave that up because it required too much energy, not to mention money. She fell asleep on her bed and didn’t wake up until the next morning, not even when Nigel licked her ear.

  In the morning Lila texted her and said, “My office. Now.” Amanda ignored her. Ivy, who was getting dressed, said, “What happened to you yesterday?”

  “It’s a long story. How’s your dad?”

  “Not good. Simon’s okay though. He’s convinced he can clear both of them.”

  Amanda threw off her covers and stumbled to her dresser. “Good, because I have no idea how to do that right now.”

  “Either do I. Blixus seems invincible.”

  “Excuse me?” said Amanda, rummaging around for her underwear. The last she’d heard, Ivy was blaming Twinkle for her dad’s plight. What did Blixus have to do with it?

  “You heard what I said. He’s winning. The Sherlock Holmes videos are really popular, but they aren’t making a dent in people’s feelings about Alfie Kingsolver. They think he’s a god.”

  “Oh that,” said Amanda. “Worse than ever, eh?”

  Ivy ran her fingers through her hair. “Yes, worse than ever, and you thought I thought Twinkle framed my dad, didn’t you?”

  “That’s what you said,” said Amanda. “Don’t you want your brush?”

  Ivy shook her head. “I know what I said, but I know Blixus is behind all of this. Him and that little creep Hugh. Twinkle is just their tool.”

  “Yes,” said Amanda, tripping over Nigel in the search for her skirt. “I’m sure of it.”

  “And Blixus has Darius, doesn’t he?” said Ivy.

  Amanda sighed. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”

  “Nope,” said Ivy. “So, first order of business is to prove that Blixus is the one in the animation.”

  “You figured that out, did you?” She threw her pajamas in the closet and zipped up her skirt. Now where were her shoes?

  Ivy was fooling with Nigel’s harness now. “Of course I did. You’re surprised?”

  “Not at all.” The skirt was looser than usual. She must have forgotten to eat a few times. Come to think of it, she had. Boy, had she changed.

  “Then we hav
e to find him and get Darius back. Darius and David and Editta.”

  “Yes.” The skirt was threatening to fall down. “Do you have a belt?”

  “And get him to stop Hugh. Maybe then people will stop being gulled by that ridiculous Alfie.” Ivy went to her dresser and pulled out a belt. “Here.”

  Amanda took the belt and threaded it through her skirt loops. Perfect. “So as usual, all roads lead to Blixus.”

  “I’m afraid so,” said Ivy. Amanda’s phone buzzed. “You got a text.”

  “I know.”

  “Aren’t you going to look at it?”

  “How do you know I’m not doing that right now?” If the text was from Nick, she did not want Ivy to know.

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Ivy, you’re like radar and a camera and a mind reader and a magnetic field sensor all rolled into one. No one is safe around you.”

  “I’d hardly say that,” said Ivy drily.

  “Well I would,” said Amanda, hoping she could distract her. “Clive was just saying—”

  “Are you going to look at the text?”

  “No,” said Amanda.

  “Maybe it’s Darius,” said Ivy.

  She had a point. “All right, hang on.”

  Lila, Nick, Holmes, or . . . Amanda looked at her phone. The text was from Simon.

  “Hey,” it said. “Alfie has stopped making magic.”

  When Amanda and Ivy met Simon and Clive in the common room, which the gremlins had set up to look like a forest, Simon was standing under a monkey puzzle tree. When he saw them he said, “No more magic. He says he’s exhausted.”

  “Hugh has stopped helping him,” said Ivy, leaning against a pine tree. The forest wasn’t ecologically correct. Amanda was sure Sidebotham would ask something about that on one of her quizzes.

  “Yup,” said Simon, picking at the bark and throwing bits on the floor. Amanda didn’t feel like getting after him about it. “The question is why.”

  “Something’s happened to him,” said Amanda, examining a bit of soil. She hoped there weren’t real worms in it. “Things have been going really well for Blixus. He wouldn’t want Hugh to stop.”

  “Unless Alfie got nervous for some reason,” said Ivy.

  “Like what?” said Simon, concentrating on a particularly stubborn piece.

  “Maybe Blixus went too far,” said Ivy.

  “And broke his kneecaps?” said Amanda. Nope. No worms.

  “What, Alfie?” said Ivy. “Why would Blixus kill the golden goose?”

  “Good point,” said Amanda. “Maybe he scared Alfie to death and he’s dead.”

  “Nope,” said Simon. “He was on the Web saying he was going to take a break and rest.”

  “Maybe he’s ill,” said Amanda.

  “He didn’t look it,” said Simon. He’d stripped a couple of square inches completely clean now. Amanda wondered how much of this the tree could take. She didn’t know anything about trees.

  “Well then I don’t know,” she said. “Something must have happened to Hugh.”

  “Yes, I think that’s it,” said Simon. “So what happened to him, is it permanent, and has anything happened to Blixus?”

  “Darius hasn’t returned, so Blixus must still have him,” said Ivy.

  “What?” said Simon. “Since when does Blixus have Darius? Oh. So that’s why—” He stopped picking. Amanda could see the wheels turning.

  “Yes, that’s why he’s disappeared,” said Amanda. “We’re sure of it. He’s been wanting to find him. I just didn’t put two and two together until now.”

  “What a weird guy,” said Simon. Then he started. “Oh. Does this mean Clive and I are out of a job?”

  “Simon!” said both girls.

  “Just joking,” said Simon, holding up his hands as if to fend them off.

  “How can you joke at a time like this?” said Amanda.

  “Gallows humor,” said Simon. “To break the tension. Any worms in that soil, Amanda?” She shook her head.

  “Yick,” said Ivy. “It isn’t funny.”

  Amanda’s phone buzzed again. “Aren’t you going to look at that?” said Simon.

  “I already asked her that,” said Ivy.

  “And what did she say?” said Simon.

  “Hey,” said Amanda, making no move toward her phone. “I’m right here.”

  “Well,” said Simon, “are you going to look at the text or not?”

  “No,” said Amanda. “If you must know, it’s probably from my mom, and it isn’t going to be good.”

  “Oh, that again,” said Ivy.

  “Yeah, that,” said Amanda. If they only knew. They would eventually, she was sure of that. She didn’t want to be there when they found out she’d been seeing Nick. Although come to think of it, Holmes already knew, and Ivy would hardly be surprised, so actually there would only be Simon and Clive to deal with. That would be bad enough. Of course the real problem would be her mother—and Sidebotham.

  Then Ivy received a text. Amanda was tempted to say, “Aren’t you going to look at that?” but Ivy played it immediately. It was Sidebotham telling her to come to her office and bring the rest while she was at it. This wasn’t good. Amanda hoped it wasn’t about Professor Kindseth. She could stand anything—even being arrested for harboring a criminal if it came to that—but not seeing something bad happen to the photography teacher, even if he had done a really bad thing.

  When they got to Professor Sidebotham’s office, Amanda was gobsmacked to see Harry Sheriff sitting there. This was the same Harry Sheriff who had betrayed the detectives and helped Taffeta Tasmania breach the secrets trove. As a result of his perfidy he had been expelled, so what was he doing here now?

  “You!” said Amanda.

  “Hello, gorgeous,” said Harry. Amanda wanted to kick him. She was still mad that he’d peeked at her when she’d got all wet and had to change her clothes. She settled for sticking her tongue out.

  “Miss Lester,” said Professor Sidebotham. “Manners.”

  “Sorry, Professor,” said Amanda.

  Simon glared at Harry, who glared right back. Clive looked away. Ivy made a snorting sound. Nigel echoed her.

  “You will stand,” said Professor Sidebotham. “This will only take a moment.” Amanda wasn’t sure if that was good or bad news. At least it reduced the possibility that her mother would pop in while she was there. “Mr. Sheriff, please tell them what you told me,” said the acting headmaster.

  “Ah, well,” said Harry. “The thing is, uh, you remember my girlfriend, Taffeta?”

  “Just tell us,” said Simon. “You don’t have to try to impress us.”

  “I am, lame brain,” said Harry.

  “Children!” said Professor Sidebotham.

  “Anyway, it seems that Taffeta has kidnapped Hugh Moriarty.”

  The kids were stunned. Amanda gasped, Ivy made a little chirp, Simon said, “Wha?” and Clive dropped his phone.

  “So that’s why,” said Ivy.

  “Why what?” said Sidebotham.

  “Alfie Kingsolver,” said Ivy.

  “The fact that Hugh Moriarty has been doing special effects for Mr. Kingsolver?” said Sidebotham.

  Amanda was just about bowled over. Nothing got past the old bat. “You know about this?”

  Professor Sidebotham gave Amanda a wry look. “Miss Lester, you can’t be serious.”

  “How do you know?” said Simon, addressing Harry.

  “Never mind,” said Harry.

  “You can tell them, Mr. Sheriff,” said Sidebotham. “It won’t harm your defense any more than it’s already been damaged.”

  “Ooooh, juicy,” said Clive, forgetting himself for a moment. Then he realized what he’d said and clapped his hands over his mouth.

  “Fine,” said Harry. “After the, er, incident at Penrith, I caught up with her. Taffeta, I mean. I went to London with her. We got the little terror together.”

  “You what?” roared Simon.

 
“Yuppers,” said Harry. “Afraid I kind of messed up there. Not pulling Hugh away from his Uncle Stencil and Aunt Bubble. That was all right. The problem was that that girl treated me like a piece of the furniture. She’d barely look at me—me!—so I left. Now I’m taking my revenge.”

  “You must be awfully mad to risk going to prison,” said Ivy.

  “It’s worth it,” said Harry. “No one ignores Harry Sheriff.”

  “You’re nuts,” said Amanda.

  “And you’re beautiful,” said Harry, winking at her. For about the millionth time, Amanda wanted to deck him.

  “So now where is she?” said Simon. “I mean they.”

  “Couldn’t say,” said Harry. “I just know she has him.”

  “And he can’t do his magic when he’s with her,” said Amanda. “Or won’t.”

  “Oh, he can’t,” said Harry. “She has an awful grudge against Blixus. She won’t let Hugh do anything Blixus wants. I’ll bet you she’s removed every piece of electronics she had, just to make sure he can’t ply his trade.”

  “Well that’s something anyway,” said Simon.

  Miraculously, Amanda had managed to sidestep her mother all morning. When she got a moment to herself, she looked to see who had sent the text. It was Nick, saying that he was all right and wanting to know what had happened with Lila.

  “So far so good,” Amanda texted back. “Need to tell you something.”

  His answer came at once: “What?”

  “Taffeta’s kidnapped Hugh,” she wrote.

  There was a pause. She wasn’t surprised. It was big news. Then, “How do you know?”

  She texted back, “Harry.”

  “That creep,” said Nick.

  “Yup,” said Amanda.

  “I don’t care,” said Nick.

  “I know,” she said. Nick and Hugh did not get along at all. It wasn’t surprising that he didn’t care what happened to his brother.

  “So,” said Nick, “that explains why no magic.”

  “You know about that?” said Amanda.