Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle Read online

“Scapulus! Clive! Are you all right?” She wanted to hug them but she couldn’t move.

  “More or less,” said Clive.

  “We’re okay,” said Holmes.

  “What happened to you?” said Simon, trying to turn around and look at Clive, who was behind him. “You disappeared from the zoo.”

  “I was kidnapped,” said Clive. He seemed tired. “Taffeta and some of her friends chloroformed me and dragged me into a zookeeper’s van. When I woke up I saw these mynah birds in the back. At first I didn’t realize they were birds. I thought I was hearing the bad guys talking.”

  “What did they say?” said Ivy.

  “They were talking all about gold and bees and King Arthur,” said Clive. “It was wild.”

  “Ha,” said Harry. “I’d like to have seen that.”

  “What’s he doing here?” said Clive.

  “Long story,” said Amanda, Ivy, and Simon together.

  “What did they want with you?” said Amanda.

  “My acoustic levitator,” said Clive. “Taffeta wants me to make more of them. She saw him,” he pointed to Harry, “use it to open the trove. He’s the one who took it.”

  Those who could see him looked daggers at Harry. Ivy signaled her disapproval by blowing a raspberry. Nigel pricked up his ears. It would have been funny under other circumstances.

  “You breached the trove?” Ivy said.

  “It was no big deal,” said Harry. “Bunch of old scraps.”

  “Old scraps!” said Professor Kindseth. “Why, I ought to throw you in a tank full of sharks. Do you realize what you’ve done?”

  “What?” said Harry sullenly.

  “You’ve just about ruined us!” said the teacher.

  “It was worth it,” said Harry. “That girl is awesome.”

  Simon wriggled around so he could see Harry. He seemed to be assessing whether he could reach him. Then he moved back, shook his head, and said, “You’re a loser.”

  “What about the acoustic levitator?” said Amanda. “Clive, you haven’t—you didn’t—”

  “Not yet,” said Clive. “They’ve been feuding among themselves. I’ve had a reprieve.”

  “What happened to you, Scapulus?” said Simon.

  “After the rainbow hit me?” said Holmes. He seemed all charged up. “It’s strange. It packed quite a wallop at first, but I recovered quickly. I’m not sure why.”

  “Thank goodness,” said Ivy.

  “When I was in hospital . . .” he gave Amanda an uncomfortable look—what she could see of it anyway. She couldn’t stand thinking about what had gone on there. Now she knew that he’d heard her say she loved him. She wished she’d kept her mouth shut. “I realized I had to do something. I couldn’t let that hacker get the better of us, so I went looking for him. Or her.”

  “You mean you still don’t know who it is?” said Simon.

  “Unfortunately no,” said Holmes. “I thought he might be in London, so I went to the train station and they grabbed me.”

  “We followed you there,” said Amanda. “Thrillkill hacked your phone. By the time we got there you were gone.”

  “I forgot to turn blocking on,” said Holmes. “I guess for once that was a good thing.”

  There was a pause.

  “Mavis is dead,” said Simon.

  “We heard the bang,” said Clive. “We were wondering what was going on.”

  Simon explained what had happened. Even though Holmes was no fan of Nick’s, he expressed sorrow at the loss of the boy’s mother and his father’s treatment of him.

  “That man is heartless,” said Ivy.

  “He’s a sociopath,” said Professor Kindseth.

  “We did witness Mavis’s confession, though,” said Simon. “Now we know for sure that she killed Wink.”

  “So does David,” said Amanda.

  “Poor David,” said Ivy.

  “Poor Editta,” said Amanda. “She’s been brainwashed.”

  “Not so much,” said Simon. “She was always like this.”

  “Simon!” said the girls.

  “She’s always been nuts,” he said. “You know that.”

  Amanda sighed. “This is no time to argue about Editta. We have to get out of here.”

  “What do you suggest?” said Harry.

  Everyone looked at him. No one cared what he thought, even though the question made sense.

  “We have to get free,” said Amanda. “These ropes are awfully tight. But if we can get our hands loose, we should be able to undo them. I like your toothpaste, Simon.”

  “Oh, brother,” said Simon. “Not that again.”

  “No, you smell good,” she said.

  “You guys are all wet,” said Clive, looking around as best he could. “And muddy.”

  “It’s raining really hard,” said Amanda.

  “I have an idea,” said Ivy. “Nigel, come here.” Fortunately no one had thought to bind the dog. He bounded over to Ivy and wagged his tail. “Bite,” said Ivy, attempting to shove a roped arm into the dog’s face. Nigel moved his mouth close to the rope and started to chomp at it.

  “You’re nuts,” said Harry. “He can’t bite through all these ropes.”

  “He doesn’t have to, yoyo,” said Simon. “One will do. How did you ever get into Legatum anyway?”

  “Once I’m free, I can back up to one of you and you can undo my wrists,” said Ivy.

  “Good thinking,” said Clive. “I want to be your lab partner next time.”

  “If there is a next time,” said Amanda.

  “There will be,” said Professor Kindseth.

  While Nigel was working on the rope Simon said, “What’s going on with all these coins?”

  “Which ones?” said Holmes. “The gold or the silver?”

  “The gold ones,” said Harry.

  “Shut up,” said the others together.

  “What about the King Arthur coins?” said Amanda. Obviously Blixus had them. He’d been tossing them about. She wondered how many there were.

  “The farmer discovered them,” said Holmes. “He was digging a well. He wanted to sell them but didn’t know how. He got drunk at the pub and started asking people how to do it. Apparently Crocodile heard him and stole them. The farmer didn’t report the theft because he discovered that it’s illegal to keep historical artifacts.”

  “But we didn’t find any coins in Crocodile’s flat,” said Amanda.

  “No,” said Holmes. “Blixus stole them.”

  “Then how did Wink end up with one?” said Ivy.

  “Wiffle saw the coins through Crocodile’s window. He broke in and managed to steal one of them while Crocodile was out. He was probably going to use it as evidence.”

  “But you can’t use stolen evidence in court,” said Amanda. Wink would know that. Was she missing something?

  “No,” said Holmes. “I don’t know what Wink was thinking when he did that. But somehow he found out about the farm and went out there, and that was when he hid the lockbox in the haystack.”

  “No doubt Blixus killed Crocodile to get the coins then,” said Simon.

  “Yes,” said Holmes. “When he got out of Strangeways he went to see Crocodile about the bee thefts. He was the one who put him up to them, of course. He looked through the window, overheard Crocodile talking to himself about the coins, and decided he wanted them. Boy, did he want them. You wouldn’t believe.”

  “What do you mean?” said Simon.

  “That man is crazy,” said Holmes. “He figured he had found Camelot. He wants to set up his own round table, build a castle, and become the new Arthur.”

  This didn’t sound like the Blixus Amanda knew. He was a technician, as logical as they came. That kind of talk was more up Editta’s alley. “You have got to be kidding. He thinks he’s King Arthur?”

  “Or will be soon,” said Clive. “It’s unbelievable.”

  “Of course he killed Crocodile and took the coins,” said Simon. “

  “Yes,” sa
id Holmes. “He found the farm and the tunnels, killed the farmer, and set up down here. What a lunatic. We heard him call Mavis Guinevere.”

  “That’s insane,” said Amanda. If it weren’t so personal the story would make a great film. Come to think of it, Blixus would make an amazing cinema villain.

  “What about the gold coins then?” said Simon.

  “I’m not sure about those,” said Holmes. “Clive, do you know?”

  “No,” said Clive. “They’re still a mystery.”

  “Does he have the Bible?” said Professor Kindseth.

  “I don’t know,” said Holmes.

  “Can’t tell,” said Clive. “He’s so obsessed with King Arthur, that’s all he talks about.”

  “What were Philip and Gavin doing here?” said Simon.

  “Don’t know that either,” said Clive. “They seem to be tight with Taffeta.”

  Harry started to say something, but Simon’s half of a dirty look stopped him.

  “And you don’t know who the hacker is?” said Amanda.

  “No,” said Holmes. “I—”

  Suddenly a light appeared in the middle of the cavern. As they watched, it sparkled like the rainbows and became a hologram. A young boy with long dark hair was sitting behind a laptop, sneering at them. He looked about eleven.

  “I do,” he said.

  40

  Holmes vs. Moriarty

  The mysterious boy in the hologram looked straight at Holmes and said, “Holmesy! How’s it hanging?”

  “Who are you?” said Holmes.

  “You know perfectly well who I am,” he said. “We’ve been chatting for weeks now.”

  “You’re the hacker?” said Amanda. “You’re just a kid.”

  “I think you’ll find that my son is much more than just a kid,” yelled Blixus from behind the boulders.

  “Your son!” gasped Amanda. “I forgot he had another son,” she said low so Blixus couldn’t hear. But the boy did.

  “Hugh Moriarty at your service,” he said. “You must be that buffoon Lestrade.”

  “She’s not a buffoon,” said Holmes. Amanda was surprised, and pleased, that he’d defend her.

  “What’s this?” said Hugh. “Do I detect a love interest for Holmesy here?”

  “He’s as bad as his father,” Ivy whispered.

  “Oh, much worse,” said Hugh, who had obviously heard. “My father is a pansy. Speaking of my father, Dad? Come and get this dog. He’s going to bite through the ropes.”

  Amanda’s heart sank. If Blixus hurt Nigel she’d be devastated. And what that would do to Ivy she didn’t want to contemplate. Of course they’d have to figure out another way to get free, but that was the least of it.

  “Doesn’t matter,” said Blixus through the boulders. “They can’t get out.”

  “No, of course not,” said Hugh. “If they try I’ll just zap them with one of my rainbows.”

  “You,” said Amanda. “You’ve been making all the rainbows.”

  “But of course,” said Hugh. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

  Amanda wondered if a little psychology might work on this arrogant boy. “Not especially,” she said. “I could do much better.”

  “Don’t try that with me,” said Hugh. “I’m not my brother. Oh, did you know, Holmesy, that your girlfriend there can wrap my brother around her little finger? He’s weak. I’m not. And by the way, Harry, take note. Never get involved with a scheming woman. I’m surprised you’d let yourself be taken in like that.”

  Harry snorted. “I wasn’t taken in, bozo. I used her, then threw her away. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

  “You’re a git,” said Hugh snidely.

  “Your rainbows suck,” said Clive.

  “Oh really, rock boy?” said Hugh, boring his eyes into Clive’s. “I suppose you think they’re just rainbows then.”

  “I don’t know what that means,” said Clive.

  “No, you wouldn’t, would you, pea brain,” said Hugh, and the hologram winked out.

  “Blixus’s other son,” said Ivy. “I forgot about him too.”

  “What a creep,” said Harry.

  “Look who’s talking,” said Amanda.

  “Shut up, Lestrade,” said Harry.

  “How’s Nigel coming with that rope?” whispered Holmes.

  “Almost there,” said Ivy quietly. “Hurry up, Nigel. And . . . he’s through.” Nigel pulled the rope with his teeth. “Good, Nigel. Now I can turn around. Professor, can you undo this plastic thing?”

  “Delighted, Miss Halpin,” said Professor Kindseth in a low voice. Ivy moved her back to his back and the teacher worked at the tie with his fingers. “Slippery thing. This will take a minute.”

  “Where do you suppose he is?” whispered Simon.

  “You mean Hugh?” said Amanda as softly as she could. “No idea.”

  “I suspect he’s with relatives,” said Holmes, making circles with his head. That wasn’t a bad idea. Amanda could feel her neck and shoulders getting stiff too. “He may be a genius but he’s too young to live alone. I’m guessing he’s in London somewhere.”

  “Is there a way to trace that hologram back to the source?” said Simon.

  “There has to be,” said Holmes. “And I can do it if I can get to a phone. Anyone have one? They took ours.”

  “I have one,” said Simon. “It’s in my back pocket.”

  “I’ll undo your hands, Simon,” said Ivy. “I’m free now.”

  Ivy freed Simon’s hands, then moved on to the others. Simon took his phone out of his pocket and gave it to Holmes.

  “I wonder when he’s coming back,” said Holmes. “I need the signal in order for this to work.”

  “Can you make him come back?” said Amanda.

  “Actually, I think I can,” said Holmes, pressing the screen and sliding his hand over it.

  “That’s impossible,” said Simon.

  “Not necessarily,” said Holmes. “If Blixus has a connection to Hugh, I can bounce my signal off him and get there. Or Nick. His phone should work too. All I need to do is find a hole in those boulders and get a line of sight.”

  “I wish I had my acoustic levitator right now,” said Clive.

  “We’ll find a chink in the boulders,” said Holmes.

  “Wait a minute,” said Ivy. “Taffeta.”

  “What about her?” said Amanda.

  “Her perfume,” said Ivy. “Or whatever it is. It smells terrible. Nigel will be able to smell it through any cracks. It’s still in the air out there. Come on, Nigel.”

  Ivy moved over to Harry, grabbed a handful of T-shirt, and stuck it in Nigel’s nose. Then she walked him over to the wall of boulders and said, “Smell.” Nigel snuffled and sniffled and moved all around the wall, standing up on his hind legs, getting back down, searching for the scent. Within thirty seconds he was standing on his hind legs again wagging his tail. He’d found a hole in the wall that was about as high as Amanda’s shoulders.

  “Brilliant,” said Holmes quietly, looking through. “Thanks, Nigel. Now I need to get line of sight to one of the phones out there.”

  He lowered his head and looked through the hole, then moved around. “See anything?” said Simon.

  “I think I might,” said Holmes. “Yes. There’s a phone lying on the workbench. I don’t know whose it is, but as long as it’s turned on it shouldn’t matter. I’ve also got a special extra something for him.”

  He fiddled around with the phone, then placed it in the crack. After about twenty seconds the phone started to hum. The noise got louder and louder and then suddenly the hologram was back, tethered to Holmes’s phone.

  “Hey!” said Hugh. “What the—”

  “Hughie, dahlink,” said Amanda. “Back so soon?” Ivy and Simon giggled.

  “I see you’ve discovered one of my little tricks, Holmesy,” said Hugh. “You won’t be able to control it, though. It’s not something you should be fooling around with.”

  Suddenl
y a bolt flew out of Holmes’s phone and made straight for Hugh.

  “Ouch,” he said. “What was that?”

  Holmes looked triumphant. “Oh, just a little trick of mine. Like it?” He held the phone up as if it were a weapon.

  “Is that all you’ve got?” said Hugh smiling wickedly.

  “What’s going on in there?” came Blixus’s voice.

  “Nothing, Daddy,” said Hugh, lifting his chin in Blixus’s direction. “Go back to Mummy.”

  “Your mummy is dead,” said Amanda.

  “Very funny,” said Hugh, looking at her as if she were an ant.

  “No, she’s serious,” said Simon. “Taffeta shot her.”

  “Don’t make me laugh,” said Hugh. Amanda thought she detected a note of fear in his voice, but it went by so fast she couldn’t be sure.

  “No, she’s really dead,” said Clive. “Ask your dad.”

  “Shut up,” said Hugh. “You’re tiresome, geology boy.”

  “Hugh, stop messing around now,” said Blixus. “I need your help.”

  “Turn it off,” whispered Amanda.

  “But I’ve only just started,” said Holmes.

  “Just do it. I’ve got an idea.”

  Holmes turned off the phone and the hologram disappeared. “What is it?”

  “You can zap Blixus and Nick. They won’t be able to use the crystals to hurt us if you keep them busy. Then we can get out of here.”

  “Good plan,” said Holmes, with eyes so warm they made her uncomfortable. “The only problem is that if they’re not in front of the hole, I won’t be able to hit them.”

  “Can you carom your beam off the walls?” she said, trying not to think about the way he was looking at her.

  “I could if I knew where they were going to be at any given moment,” said Holmes. “Oh, I see. You want me to use a heat-seeking beam. Excellent idea. I’ll need to do a few calculations, though.” He almost looked as if he was going to take her hand. Thankfully he didn’t.

  He started poking at Simon’s phone and mumbling to himself. In a few minutes he looked up and said, “Ready.”

  “How sure are you that this will work?” said Ivy.

  “Pretty sure,” said Holmes.

  “What if you miss?”

  “What can he do to us that he can’t already do?”