Amanda Lester and the Black Shadow Terror Read online

  This was becoming very complicated. But Amanda didn’t care. She’d seen all she needed. Carl wasn’t in the kitchen and no one looked disguised, not even the undercover police. There was no one there who could be Professor Moriarty. Time to move on. There were other utility areas below stairs she hadn’t explored but she would have to go through the kitchen to get to them. The chances of Carl being there were extremely low, however. As for Moriarty she wasn’t sure, but there were other, more easily accessible areas she could try first.

  She climbed the stairs to the ground level again and made her way to the solarium. It was a lovely glass room facing the garden. Even though it was nighttime and there wasn’t much to see, a few of the guests had gathered there and were talking in low tones. Carl was not among them, nor was anyone who could be Moriarty. The criminal was nowhere to be seen.

  What else might Moriarty do? Amanda sat down in the solarium to think. Circulate among the guests, disguised. Hide in the house, probably upstairs. Make some sort of delivery and get in through the servants’ entrance. Play in the orchestra. Impersonate a policeman. Or . . . of course! The Parrot party might be a diversion from something else he’d planned elsewhere, a way to tie up police resources while he carried out another crime. It was so obvious she was annoyed with herself for not having realized it before. She had to tell Nick.

  She went to the ballroom and spotted him speaking to the old lady with the naughty husband. She began to push her way through the crowd, trying to get to him. As she neared him he turned and looked at her, smiled as though he was thrilled to see her. And then, out of nowhere, a vision so horrible she could never have conceived it herself entered her head and she screamed.

  The room went silent.

  The vision was becoming larger and moving closer, the images growing more and more terrifying. She could see Nick rushing toward her, and then she was consumed by the horrors in her head and everything went black.

  When she awoke she was leaning on someone’s shoulder and the earth was moving underneath her. Her mouth was dry and she couldn’t move her hands. She looked down at them and discovered that she’d been cuffed.

  A man sitting across from her said, “She’s awake.”

  The man next to her shoved her off his shoulder and said, “Good. We’re almost there.” He stuck his head out the window. “Coachman, go faster. We don’t have all night.”

  She turned to him. “Who are you?”

  “Don’t play games,” he said.

  “I’m not. What’s going on? Where am I?”

  “Nice act,” said the man, sighing, “but it won’t wash.”

  “I think she really doesn’t know,” said the man opposite her.

  Her seatmate sighed. “Very well then. I, young lady, am Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard, and you are under arrest.”

  Amanda gasped. “You’re Lestrade?” She turned and took in the sight of him. He did look like a ferret. She could see her father in his eyes too. This weirded her out even more than the British Museum not existing.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She was so shocked she could barely get the words out. “But what did I do? I mean what am I supposed to have done?”

  “You murdered Mrs. Eustachia Parrot, you did.”

  Amanda screamed at the top of her lungs. “Parrot is dead? But I didn’t kill anyone! How could you think—where is Nick?”

  “Your gentleman friend is in another coach,” said Lestrade. “He wanted to bunk with us but we don’t allow no riders.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Amanda. “How could you think I would murder anyone—me of all people, your—”

  “When a person is found hunched over a dead body holding a bloody knife you get ideas,” he said.

  Amanda looked down at her hands. They were indeed bloody. “But I never touched her,” she wailed. “Why would I? I didn’t even know her.”

  “Her jewels were found in them stockings of yours,” said Lestrade.

  “What?” Amanda screamed again and scrabbled at her legs.

  Lestrade reached in his pocket and pulled out a magnificent necklace. “Looking for something?”

  “I never saw that before in my life,” she said.

  “You were jealous,” he said. “Multiple witnesses told us Mrs. Parrot was acting intimate with your young man and you were having none of it.”

  “I never—she was but—Nick would never—”

  “Witnesses,” he said. “Multiple. You were caught red-handed.”

  “But I didn’t!” she wailed again. Then it came to her. “Moriarty. It was him, not me.”

  “Professor Moriarty?” said Lestrade. “What makes you think he was anywhere near the place? I had dozens of operatives at that hall and no one seen him.”

  “It was him,” she said.

  “That’s what they all say,” he said. “Whenever anything goes wrong they always blame Moriarty. I ask you, how could one man be everywhere at once?”

  “I don’t know, but it was definitely him, and I’m going to prove it,” she said.

  “Good luck,” he said. “You’re going to need it.”

  12

  Meanwhile, Back at Legatum

  When Ramon, Amphora, Ivy, and Nigel tromped back into the common room, crunching like mad, Simon was surprised.

  “Where have you been?” he demanded. “Did you oversleep?”

  “You dingbat,” said Amphora. “We were kidnapped.”

  “Say what?” said Scapulus, who had been deep in his laptop.

  “Thanks for noticing,” said Amphora. “Blixus and Hugh got us last night.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Simon. “You’re standing right here.”

  “We escaped,” said Ivy. Simon stared at her. She did look bedraggled. He’d never known her to lie so it must be true. How had no one known?

  “I don’t—” he began.

  “They’re dead,” Ivy interrupted.

  “Excuse me?” Simon said.

  “Blixus and Hugh,” she said. “They’re dead.”

  “What?” all the kids yelled at once.

  “At least we think they are,” Ivy said.

  “How?” said Binnie.

  “Bubble shot them,” said Ivy. “We’re sunk. Hugh was our only way to get Amanda and Nick back.”

  “I could contact his ghost,” said Ramon.

  “And fry your brain again?” said Amphora. “Over my dead body. I don’t want to lose you. And anyway, isn’t it too soon?”

  “It’s perfectly safe,” said Ramon. “And no, not necessarily. It’s worth a try.” He turned to Ivy. “Say, that Hugh is really stuck on you. Or was. You’re a right siren, Ivy.”

  “I’ve been developing some voice tools,” Ivy said. “That one did seem to be working.”

  “What do we do now?” said Amphora.

  “I just told you,” said Ramon.

  “No,” said Amphora, stamping her foot. “If you so much as try to contact that ghost I will leave you.”

  Ramon’s face fell. “Aw, honey, how can you say that?”

  “Easy,” she said. “I love you more than the detectives. Ivy knows what I mean, don’t you, Ivy? If she had to choose between her boyfriend and the rest of us it would be no contest.”

  She looked over at her friend. No reply.

  “Ivy? Don’t you love Dreidel more than the detectives?” she said.

  Ivy said nothing.

  “Ivy, did you hear me?”

  Suddenly Dreidel ran into the room. When he saw Ivy he stopped dead, ran to her, and took her in his arms. Simon flinched. He hated it when that kid touched her.

  “I’ve been frantic,” said Dreidel. “Where have you been?”

  “Blixus and Hugh got them,” said Simon smugly, looking for a reaction from his rival.

  “What?” Dreidel looked aghast. He pulled Ivy even closer, cradling her head in one hand. Simon was tempted to yank it away. “But how?” he said. “When? I saw you go up to your room at 11:00.�
�

  “I got up for a glass of water and heard rustling outside,” said Ivy. “Nigel and I went to see what was happening.”

  “Amphora and I were checking out the ghost,” said Ramon smugly.

  “It isn’t a ghost,” said Simon.

  Ramon flashed him a look. “We were checking out the ghost. They got us.”

  “Did they hurt you?” Dreidel examined Ivy for bruises.

  “No. We’re fine,” she said.

  “But what did they want?” said Dreidel. “Why did Bubble shoot them?”

  Ivy explained what had happened.

  “Good riddance,” said Binnie. “Life will be simpler now.”

  “Yes, but we’ve lost Hugh,” said Scapulus.

  “Then all that interference should go away,” said Binnie.

  “On the contrary,” said Scapulus, looking at his screen. “It’s got worse in the last hour.”

  “He’s put a time bomb in his code,” said Clive. “It doesn’t need him to run. I wonder what else he’s got in there.”

  “We have to shut everything down,” said Scapulus. “Phones, tablets, intranet, Internet—everything.”

  “No,” said Simon. “If we do that my history machine won’t work. We’ll never be able to get Amanda and Nick back.”

  Everyone looked at him with horror. Dreidel spoke.

  “Are you saying we have to leave ourselves open to attack?”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Simon said.

  “Do you know what aspect of Hugh’s interference is responsible?” said Dreidel.

  “Haven’t a clue,” said Scapulus.

  “Which means—”

  Suddenly Headmaster Thrillkill, face ashen, burst into the makeshift common room, crunching madly.

  “Students,” he said, brushing away a couple of leaves that had fallen on his head. “I have news.”

  “They’re gone, aren’t they?” said Ivy.

  “Dead?” said Thrillkill. “We don’t know.”

  “No,” said Ivy. “I mean gone. You’re going to tell us that they’ve disappeared.”

  Thrillkill stopped dead. “How did you know that, Miss Halpin?”

  “It was obvious from your voice, sir,” she said.

  “What’s going on?” said Amphora.

  “Blixus and Hugh Moriarty,” said Thrillkill. “They’ve disappeared.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Ramon. “They went to the hospital, just as we did. I’m sure the paramedics took them. Didn’t they?”

  “Dead or alive, we don’t know,” said Thrillkill. “There’s no record of them ever having been in hospital. They’ve simply vanished.”

  The room exploded at this news, everyone talking at once.

  “Kids, kids,” said Thrillkill, holding up his hands. “Focus. We need to find out what happened. The police are working on the problem. However, my main concern right now is that all of Legatum’s information may be in the hands of the Moriarty cartel. We need—”

  “Amanda and Nick time-traveled.”

  In all the commotion, no one had noticed David Wiffle sitting in the corner. Now Thrillkill turned to him.

  “What’s that, Mr. Wiffle?” he said.

  “They’re stuck in 1890,” said David, rubbing his head with both hands.

  “With a ghost,” said Ramon.

  “With a monster, sir,” said Scapulus.

  “What?” Thrillkill thundered. He turned to the boy and gave him his sternest look.

  Scapulus rose and ran a hand over his dreads. “I’m afraid it’s true, sir. A function of Hugh’s interference.”

  Thrillkill’s face turned bright red. “Are you telling me that Hugh Moriarty is capable of time travel?” he roared.

  “No,” said Simon. “But think I might be.”

  Thrillkill stared at Simon long and hard. Finally he said, “And how is that, pray tell?”

  Simon explained everything that had happened and all they knew. When he had finished speaking Thrillkill said, “I want to see this history machine right now.”

  Simon booted up his machine and Amanda and Nick at Picadilly Circus came into view.

  “Is he picking pockets?” said Thrillkill, peering at the screen. “Tell me he isn’t picking pockets.”

  “It looks like it,” said Simon.

  “Mon dieu,” said Thrillkill. “That boy is incorrigible.” He sighed. “Mr. Wiffle,” he said. “You spent time with Hugh. Can you fix this?”

  David looked startled. “No, sir. He never shared his technical work with me.”

  “Editta!” Amphora cried. “She might know something.”

  Thrillkill looked at David searchingly. “What do you think, David?”

  “It’s hard to say,” said David. “She’s kind of unpredictable. She might have snooped around a bit. I never saw her do it though, and she never said anything, at least not to me.”

  “Can you speak to her?” said Thrillkill.

  “She hates me,” said David. “She thinks I’m a traitor.”

  “I’ll try,” said Dreidel. “She couldn’t have anything against me.”

  “She hates all detectives,” said David. “She won’t talk to you.”

  “I can do it,” said Delara. “She doesn’t know me. If you can get me into the facility where she’s incarcerated I can pretend to be an inmate.”

  “You?” said David derisively. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “Why not?” said Delara. She framed her face in her hands. “Look at this face. Is this not a trustworthy face?”

  David harrumphed. “Not really, no.”

  “You’re an idiot,” she said.

  “Enough,” said Thrillkill. “Miss Watson, that’s an excellent idea.”

  “Let me.” All heads turned to Ivy.

  “She hates you too,” said David.

  “I can do it,” said Ivy.

  “Why do you think this, Miss Halpin?” said Thrillkill.

  “Because I have something no one else has,” Ivy said. She crept close to Thrillkill and whispered in his ear.

  Thrillkill smiled and addressed the room. “Miss Halpin will visit Miss Sweetgum at the Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre. Mr. Pomfritter.” He looked at Dreidel. “You will accompany her and make sure everything goes smoothly. Now off you go.”

  Simon eyed Thrillkill, then Ivy, then Dreidel. He had no idea what she’d told the headmaster and he was annoyed that she’d kept it secret. He exchanged looks with Binnie, who shrugged. Then he stared daggers at Dreidel, the rival who’d won Ivy away from him, and turned back to his history machine. There was no way Editta was going to be of help. He’d have to come up with another way.

  When Ivy seated herself across from Editta at the Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre for juvenile offenders she could feel hostility coming off the girl in waves.

  “I told you I don’t want to see you,” Editta said sullenly.

  “How are you?” said Ivy kindly. “How are they treating you?”

  “Get stuffed,” Editta spat. Nigel was so taken aback by her tone that he flinched. Even Dreidel seemed affected by the girl’s venom.

  “I’ve been dumped too, you know,” Ivy said. Dreidel gave her a sharp look. But Editta was intrigued.

  “You? Don’t make me laugh.”

  “Yes, me,” said Ivy.” When I first came to Legatum I developed feelings for an older boy. He laughed in my face. It was humiliating.”

  “No one would do that,” said Editta. “You’re everyone’s darling.”

  “Thank you for the compliment,” said Ivy. “But it did happen. I was devastated.”

  “You never told me this,” said Dreidel.

  “Nevertheless it happened,” said Ivy.

  “Who was it?” said Editta. She seemed positively captivated by the idea of someone rejecting Ivy.

  “Ian Tightly,” said Ivy.

  “Who’s that? said Dreidel.

  “He doesn’t go to Legatum anymore,” said Ivy. “He was a fourth ye
ar when we were first years.”

  “What did he look like?” said Editta.

  “Well of course I never saw him,” said Ivy, “but he was tall and black. I’m told he was average looking. He had an amazing voice, soft and velvety.”

  “Never saw him,” said Editta.

  “No, wait,” said Dreidel. “I remember him. He was a huge nerd.”

  “Yes, he was,” said Ivy. “And I thought he was a god.”

  Dreidel didn’t like this at all. “Really?” His sounded half an octave higher than usual.

  “Well,” said Ivy,” in those days I was rather naive. I don’t think that way anymore. He was smart, and I’m very attracted to intelligence as you know. But I overlooked how mean he could be. I was just so smitten by his brain.”

  “So you don’t—I mean—” said Dreidel.

  Ivy took his hand. “You have nothing to worry about.”

  “But you thought this bloke was a god,” he said. “And you don’t think that about me. I mean—”

  Editta burst out laughing. “You’re an idiot, Pomfritter,” she said.

  Then suddenly Ivy began to speak in a different voice: sweet, soft, and hypnotic. “Editta, do you know any of Hugh’s technical secrets?”

  A faraway look came into Editta’s eyes. “No.”

  “He never shared them with you?”

  “No, never.”

  “And you didn’t snoop?”

  “No. I tried but he kept everything too secure.”

  “So you wouldn’t know how he could invade Legatum’s systems?” The words came out sounding like poetry.

  “No.”

  “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?” said Ivy in a way that was so sympathetic even Blixus Moriarty would have had a hard time resisting her.

  Editta hesitated a moment. Then she spoke as if hypnotized.

  “I lied.”

  Ivy leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Lied about what?”

  “I want to come back to Legatum and I’m not over Nick. I told everyone I was but I’m not.”

  Ivy squeezed Dreidel’s hand as if to say, “Aha!”

  “I’m sorry about Nick,” she said. “However, if you really want to come back I think that can be arranged.”