The Four-Fingered Man by Cerberus Jones Read Free Book Online Page A

paused for a moment at the Forgotten
Bay Newsagency (which also sold homewares and collected dry-cleaning) while Charlie
bought some liquorice laces, and then headed up the steep hill to the Gateway Hotel
headland. Neither of them could come up with a better theory to explain Tom sneaking
around than Charlie’s original pirate idea.
    As they got to the hotel steps, Amelia saw that James was already home. He was sitting
leaning against a pillar, a dazed expression on his face.
    ‘You’re home early,’ said Amelia.
    ‘Hm?’ said James. ‘What? Oh, I had a free for last period, so I caught the early
bus.’
    Amelia studied him. ‘Are you OK, James? You seem a little …’
    ‘Huh? Oh, I’m fine.’ He smiled to himself. ‘I’m super.’
    He stared dreamily into space, his long arms propped on the points of his knees,
and a strange pink blush passed over his face.
    Amelia suddenly recognised the look. ‘James, who’s here?’
    The pink blush on James’s face deepened to red. ‘She just walked right past me. Right
there.’ He stroked the step beside him. ‘She said hello.’
    ‘Who?’ said Charlie, baffled.
    James sighed. ‘Lady Naomi.’
    Amelia rolled her eyes. ‘Let me guess: not a hundred years old?’
    ‘No …’ James closed his eyes and smiled to himself.
    ‘Ugh, come on, Charlie.’ Amelia walked into the hotel. James was ridiculous. All
the same, she couldn’t help looking up towards Lady Naomi’s room. She was pretty
curious herself.
    But Lady Naomi must have already disappeared into her room, because the only person
around was Miss Ardman. Amelia flinched with embarrassment, but when she saw Miss
Ardman holding her bag at the top of the stairs, Amelia found herself smiling. Simply
remembering the jewels inside gave her a warm feeling.
    Without noticing it, she stepped towards the stairs, closer to Miss Ardman.
    Miss Ardman smiled nervously and backed away from the gallery railing. ‘Hello, children.’
    ‘Hello,’ said Amelia.
    ‘Yeah, hi,’ said Charlie. His voice sounded as happy and dreamy as James’s. As happy
and dreamy as Amelia felt.
    They both stepped closer again to the stairs, still smiling up at Miss Ardman. But
Miss Ardman, her eyes widening in alarm, pulled away from the gallery railing and
hurried off to her room. Amelia suddenly felt cold.
    ‘Overreactor,’ Charlie muttered.
    Amelia elbowed him grumpily, and they headed for the kitchen.
    ‘Hey, kids,’ said Dad, his apron and eyebrows white with flour. ‘Cookie?’
    He held up a baking tray of surprisingly tasty-smelling cookies, fresh from the oven.
    ‘Ooh, yeah!’ said Charlie. His mood shifted quickly in the presence of sugar.
    ‘Take two,’ said Dad. ‘I’ve got more cooking.’
    Amelia looked at the tray. The biscuits were bright orange with green flecks – another
one of Dad’s experiments. She grinned at him in relief. How could any dad so dorky
be up to anything bad? Well, apart from his cooking, of course. The cookies were
bound to be disgusting, but not evil .
    Overcompensating a bit for her earlier doubts, she bit into a cookie with gusto.
To her utter surprise, it was delicious. ‘Mm, what are they?’
    Dad grinned proudly. ‘Guess!’
    Amelia chewed, thoughtfully. ‘Carrot?’
    ‘Pumpkin and tea leaves!’ Dad beamed.
    Charlie coughed and spluttered, spraying orange crumbs all over the floor. ‘These
are healthy ?’
    ‘They’re great,’ said Amelia. ‘Can I please have another one?’
    Dad shoved the cookies at them both, thrilled to have a winner on his hands.
    ‘We saw James,’ said Amelia, casually. ‘He said he met Lady Naomi.’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘Did you meet her too? What’s she like?’
    ‘Nice,’ said her dad. ‘Sweet. Just like my Dr Walker Pumpkin Tea-Times! Go on, help
yourselves. I know you want to.’
    Amelia grinned and grabbed a handful. ‘Thanks, Dad.’
    Charlie pulled a face. ‘No thanks, I’m full.’
    They walked out to the veranda and Charlie’s eyes