‘Of course not,’ Esmerelda hissed. ‘It’s true I’m not fond of children, or adults for that matter, but I’d never sabotage the Bee to avoid them. I agree that the “accidents” were cleverly disguised attempts to ruin everything, but what I also know is that the venue is no longer safe. That’s why the Bee has been cancelled and Mr O’Malley dismissed.’
‘Dismissed?’ India was having trouble believing what Esmerelda was saying.
‘Of course. Mr O’Malley swore an oath to the Queen that as her representative he would make sure the Bee ran without a hitch, and he has failed miserably.’
‘But he loves the competition,’ Peter argued.
‘Not enough to do his job properly, and he’s left a great mess, which I now have to clean up. I knew we should have given the job to Mr Harrington, but the Queen preferred Mr O’Malley. She was insistent.’
‘Where is Mr O’Malley now?’ India asked.
Esmerelda looked as if she had a million other things she’d rather be doing than answering annoying questions. ‘Hotel security have taken him to his room so he can pack his things and be removed from the property. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve had my fill of whiny children for today.’
India pulled her leg out of the way just in time before the door slammed shut. A lock clicked into place.
No-one moved. India tried to make sense of what she’d just heard. ‘We have to find Mr O’Malley before he leaves.’
They ran to the elevator and hurried to his room. When they got there, his door was slightly ajar. India knocked softly. ‘Mr O’Malley, may we come in?’
‘Yes,’ a weak voice floated from inside.
Two burly security guards watched on as a dishevelled Mr O’Malley gathered his things and dropped them into his suitcase. His hair had dried into a tangled mess. He was wearing odd socks, and his shirt was wrinkled and untucked over a pair of grey tracksuit pants.
‘Mr O’Malley,’ India said. ‘We’ve just spoken to Esmerelda.’
‘Ah.’ He slipped his silk cravats from their hangers and tossed them into his bag. ‘So you know.’
India hoped he would tell her it wasn’t true, that they shouldn’t worry about a thing, that he knew who was behind the accidents and that he would fix everything, and that the Spelling Bee would continue with him at the helm.
But he said none of that.
‘I have been dismissed,’ the creases on his face deepened, ‘for incompetence.’ The energy seemed to drain from him and he sank onto the bed. ‘I love the Spelling Bee, and my job as the Queen’s representative is the most magnificent privilege of my life.’
For a brief moment he smiled, until misery swooped in and stole it away again. ‘At least it was.’
‘It’s not fair!’ Summer jammed her fists into her hips.
‘None of the accidents were your fault,’ Peter chimed in.
‘My job was to make sure everything ran smoothly.’ Mr O’Malley looked as if he could barely lift his head. ‘And it most certainly did not.’
‘You did everything you could.’ India felt a rush of sadness at the sight of Mr O’Malley.
Holly felt it too. ‘There’s obviously someone behind this.’
‘But instead of catching them, they fire you,’ Rajish added.
‘I appreciate your kindness, I truly do. It is only right that I am let go. But the Queen – I’ve worked for her over many years.’ A tear quivered on his eyelash, fell and splashed onto his hands. ‘She trusted me and now she’ll want nothing to do with me.’
One of the security guards looked at his watch. ‘We’re sorry, Mr O’Malley, but it’s time to go.’
‘Of course, Hector.’
He closed his suitcase and lifted it from the bed. He stroked the royal crest on his suit, which he’d neatly laid out on the lounge. ‘Please ensure this is sent back to the Palace.’
The guards nodded and led Mr O’Malley from the room. The children followed in silence, into the elevator and down to the foyer, where he was escorted to a waiting cab.
‘It has been a pleasure meeting you, children.’ Mr O’Malley recovered a skerrick of his former, more confident self. ‘You are a true inspiration.’
He took one last look at the Royal Windsor Hotel and stepped into the shadowy interior of the cab. As they drove away, his head fell and his shoulders shook. India had simply never seen anyone so miserable in her whole short life.
And she was going to do something about it.
India shivered with fury as she watched Mr O’Malley’s cab disappear into the snarl of traffic. ‘We need to find out who sabotaged the Bee.’
‘How?’ Holly asked.
‘We’ll find proof of the real culprit.’
‘Maybe we can help.’
India turned to see the security guards who had ushered Mr O’Malley out. They were tall, muscly and wore name badges saying ‘Hector’ and ‘Carlos’.
‘We have been at the Royal Windsor Hotel for more than nineteen years.’ Hector’s long moustache wriggled as he spoke. ‘I’ve worked with many people, and Mr O’Malley is a true gentleman.’
Carlos slammed a fist against his broad chest and his voice cracked with emotion. ‘He was like a brother.’
‘He has looked after us very well.’ Hector nodded. ‘In preparing the hotel for the Bee, he ordered us special dinners if we worked late and gave us presents of handmade royal chocolates. They were delicioso.’
‘Muy delicioso!’ Carlos shook his bald head dreamily.
‘The ones with the hazelnuts were the best,’ Hector decided.
‘No, no, no.’ Carlos shook his stubby finger at his friend. ‘The best were the ones with the tiny cherries.’
‘Estas loco?’ Hector slapped his forehead. ‘The best were the –’
‘You can help us prove he didn’t do it?’ Rajish was keen to get them back on the subject of Mr O’Malley.
‘Si.’ Hector searched either side of him and lowered his voice. ‘We have access to the security footage from all the cameras in the hotel. If we look closely, maybe we’ll find a clue.’
‘But it will take many eyes.’ Carlos nodded with cool composure.
Hector and Carlos held their heads high, as if posing for a calendar of World’s Best Security Guards.
India and Rajish swapped confused glances. ‘Do you think we can see the footage?’ India asked.
‘Absolutemente!’ Hector cried. ‘Follow us.’
The guards led the way through a labyrinth of corridors in the hotel’s interior to the security room. It was small and dark, and lined with a network of monitors.
Hector stuck his thumbs in his belt and hitched his pants higher. ‘This is the heart of the Royal Windsor. If anything sneaky has happened, we will find it here.’
‘There will be no escape for the person who did this.’ Carlos crossed his arms in defiance. ‘We need to be tough, we need to be fearless, we need –’
Prince Harry climbed out of Peter’s pocket and onto his shoulder.
‘Aah!’ Despite Carlos’s size, he jumped into Hector’s arms.
‘He won’t hurt,’ Peter said and patted Prince Harry to prove it. ‘He just doesn’t like to miss out.’
Hector placed Carlos back on the ground, making sure he was okay. ‘Bueno?’
‘Si, bueno, gracias.’ Carlos moved away from the scaly creature. ‘I watched Godzilla as a kid and still have nightmares about lizards.’
They each sat before a monitor and Hector explained how to operate the equipment. ‘Watch for anything unusual or anyone acting suspiciously.’
They examined the black-and-white footage. Mostly it was of empty corridors, kitchens full of chopping and stirring, or the main foyer bustling with guests and hotel staff.
It was tedious. It was monotonous.
Until Holly noticed something unusual.
‘There!’ she cried.
Everyone gathered around. ‘This is the kitchen the night before the dinner.’
The only person in sight was
the chef, who took one last look before he turned off the light. The room was thrown into darkness, apart from the green glow of the exit signs.
Holly fast-forwarded the vision before pressing play.
‘You see?’ Her face was lit by the blue light from the screen.
The others squinted, trying to see what she’d spotted.
She pointed at the corner of the monitor. ‘Here! You can see movement.’ It was like watching a shadow within a shadow. ‘Someone’s there.’
‘I can see them!’ Peter stared at the grainy image. It was subtle, but someone was definitely there.
‘Watch what happens next.’ Holly waited with mounting anticipation.
For a few moments, they saw nothing until a tall, thin figure appeared in the glow of the exit sign.
And he was carrying something.
As he opened the door to leave, light from outside splashed over him, lighting up his face and the item he was holding.
‘It’s a tin,’ India said. ‘Can we zoom in?’
Hector enlarged the image until they saw the tin and the intruder’s face more clearly.
Holly raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, surprise, surprise.’
Peter shared her delight. ‘Gravy powder.’
‘Fantastico!’ Hector twirled his moustache.
‘Muy Fantastico!’ Carlos seemed more relaxed now that he was nowhere near Prince Harry.
‘I’ve seen that man,’ Summer realised. ‘In the hotel foyer on the day we arrived.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ India asked. ‘There were people everywhere.’
‘Oh, I remember him.’ Summer’s lip curled in irritation. ‘He was standing beside a linen trolley, and I asked him if he worked at the hotel and if they had pink sheets, because they’re my favourite, but he simply raised an eyebrow and walked away without a word.’
‘How terrible for you. Were you okay?’ Rajish offered Summer a sympathetic hand, which she met with a cool stare.
‘I had a long bath to recover.’
India found footage of the foyer from two days earlier. It was brimming with guests and staff.
‘That’s him.’ Summer pointed to a man wearing a long coat with a hat drawn low over his face. ‘He’s the only person not moving, and he’s looking up.’
‘Let me guess,’ Rajish said. ‘It’s only moments before the banner falls.’
At that very second, that was exactly what happened.
India watched as guests fled and staff rushed to help. ‘And everyone in the foyer is suitably surprised – except for him.’
The man in the coat offered a smug, knowing smile.
‘It’s hard to see his face in that hat,’ Rajish said. ‘How can we be sure it’s the same person?’
‘The ring.’ Summer pointed to the image from the kitchen. ‘There’s a skull ring on his pinkie finger. Here and …’ She pointed to India’s screen. ‘Here.’
‘Who notices a ring?’ Peter shook his head.
‘I do.’ Summer was shocked he even had to ask. ‘Everyone knows a skull ring is a fashion disaster.’
‘Keep looking.’ India was more determined than ever to find out if this was their man. ‘I bet we’ll find more evidence.’
Buoyed by their findings so far, they searched further, scrutinising every frame on every monitor, when suddenly Peter cried, ‘There he is again!’ In a dimly lit corridor they saw a man dressed in a tracksuit and cap. ‘Watch what he’s holding behind his back.’
The man looked behind him before opening a door and disappearing inside … with a set of wire-cutters. And this time, they clearly saw his face.
‘Where does that door lead?’ Rajish asked.
Hector double-checked the number on the monitor. ‘It’s the rear entrance to the Heritage Ballroom.’
Peter read the time code on the video. ‘Seven forty-five in the evening. When was the blackout?’
‘Just before eight,’ Carlos said. ‘I know because I was supposed to finish at eight, but they asked us to work late because of all the trouble.’
India leaned closer to the screen. ‘Can we see his face again?’
Peter rewound the vision and stopped the second the figure turned to the camera.
‘He’s the waiter who spilled water on Holly’s mum during the dinner.’ India remembered his smile and not-so-sorry apology.
‘I’ve got that footage.’ Rajish searched through the vision. Various angles of the ballroom flashed on his screen. ‘That’s him!’ He pressed pause on the image of a waiter holding up a jug of water.
‘And there’s the skull ring.’ Summer shivered at the thought of it. ‘How does anyone even think that’s okay to wear?’
‘Do you know who that man is?’ Rajish turned to Hector and Carlos.
‘I can check.’ Carlos moved to his computer and scrolled through security photos of all the employees until he found a match.
‘Reko Nelson.’ Carlos read his details. ‘He’s been here for three weeks.’
‘People …’ Summer resumed her detective act. ‘Looks like we have our man.’
India felt her heart quicken. ‘Can you find out when he’s working next?’
Carlos looked through the rosters; his face slowly brightened. ‘He is here now, preparing the Imperial Dining Hall for a special dinner.’
Hector straightened his tie. ‘Not for long, because we are about to pay him a visit. Vamonos, Carlos.’
Within ten minutes Carlos and Hector returned to the control room with Reko Nelson firmly wedged between them.
Reko baulked at the sight of the spellers sitting in front of the screens. ‘We have company, I see.’
‘Please,’ Carlos pulled out a chair, ‘have a seat.’
‘Will this take long?’ He flashed a smile that reeked of confidence. ‘I have to get back to work.’
‘Not long.’ Hector gripped Reko’s shoulders with more force than was friendly. ‘These children have a few questions they would like to ask.’ He slapped Reko’s back before folding his arms and nodding at India. ‘He’s all yours.’
‘In the last few days,’ India began, ‘there have been a series of accidents at this hotel.’
‘Yes, I heard.’ Reko shook his head in mock sympathy. ‘There’s been quite a bit of bad luck going around.’
‘Bad luck?’ Holly said. ‘We think they were more deliberate than bad luck.’
‘Deliberate?’ Reko feigned shock. ‘That’s terrible, but I’ve got to get back to –’
Reko tried to stand when Hector’s hands again landed on his puny shoulders. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’
‘Or you’ll miss the best part,’ Carlos said in a low, menacing voice.
‘We have something we’d like to show you.’ India turned to the others. ‘Ready?’
The spellers spun their chairs towards the monitors. ‘Ready.’
One by one, they showed Reko the footage, explaining their sabotage theory. With each incident his cocky smile was whittled away.
Reko glanced behind him. The hulking bodies of Hector and Carlos stood before the door, blocking any chance of escape.
‘Why did you do it?’ Holly asked.
Reko knew it was pointless to lie. He shrugged. ‘Money.’
‘You ruined an international spelling competition for money.’ India again felt her anger rise.
‘It was more than I could earn in a year.’
‘Who paid you?’ Rajish asked.
‘Why should I tell?’ he snorted.
‘Because at the moment,’ Hector hovered close to his ear, ‘you’re going to take the blame for all this.’
Carlos hissed quietly into his other ear. ‘And possibly go to jail.’
‘Oh.’ Strangely, this never seemed to have occurred to Reko. ‘But they were just a few harmless pranks.’
‘Harmless pranks!’ Now it was Summer’s turn to get mad. She paced the room, doing a very good impersonation of a lawyer about to rest her case. ‘Oh no, my friend, you have bro
ken quite a few laws.’ She counted them on her fingers. ‘There’s malicious damage of property, intentionally endangering human life, cruelty to animals and, most importantly,’ she was only centimetres away from Reko’s face, ‘recklessly threatening to damage haute couture.’
Reko was confused. ‘Haute couture?’
‘That was an Armani dress I was wearing at dinner. It was almost ruined!’ Summer flicked her curls over her shoulders. ‘My guess is you’ll get five years in prison and a good behaviour bond. If you confess, the judge might be more lenient.’
Reko laughed. ‘Five years? In prison? What would you know, you’re just a kid.’
‘With parents who are two of Australia’s top barristers. Didn’t I mention that?’
What little confidence Reko had finally drained away, much like the colour in his face.
‘If I confess,’ he said quietly, desperately trying to work out his next move, ‘it’ll be better for me?’
‘Oh yes, much better.’
Reko’s voice lost all its spark. ‘It was Harrington Hathaway.’
For whole seconds no-one said anything, mostly because it was exactly the opposite of what they expected to hear.
‘The Spelling Bee champion?’ India asked in disbelief.
‘That’s the guy.’
‘But why?’ Rajish, like the others, was finding it hard to take in.
‘He never said. He wanted me to muck things up a bit, not hurt anyone, just spoil the Bee for someone, and he would pay me. A lot.’
‘Someone who?’ Summer asked. ‘One of the contestants? A parent? The Queen?’
‘I don’t know, but whoever it is, Harrington has a real grudge against them.’
‘Come on.’ Hector lifted Reko to his feet with one hand like he was made of straw. ‘We’re going to Ms Stomp’s room so you can tell her the truth.’
Carlos put his hand on his heart. ‘Nice work, mis amigos.’
They shuffled a deflated Reko from the room.
Summer quickly reached into her pocket for her phone. ‘Wait until Mr O’Malley finds out we have evidence that will clear his name.’
She bit her lip and waited until he finally answered. ‘Mr O’Malley, it’s Summer. We have good news. We know who caused the accidents at the Bee.’
The others shared looks of glee.
The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery Page 12