False Bottom Read online

  ‘Why didn’t he use his own card?’

  ‘He was undercover. He left a few with me, so I’d remember who he was pretending to be, this time. In case there were any calls.’

  Christopher held the two cards in his hand. He looked closely at them. ‘The letter T looks the same. That was a clue. And the paper. And the curly writing. So it was a fake, sort of.’

  ‘Quite a sleuth, aren’t you?’

  ‘That’s what I call them. The UM twin sleuths. They worked out about Mr Gee,’ said Brett who was standing nearby. The drinks trolley had caught up with them. He’d been listening to everything.

  ‘Lemonade, coffee or tea?’

  On a plane, eating and drinking was a full time job.

  At home, they drank only water or Chinese tea. Amy watched the bubbles fizz in the little plastic glass.

  ‘Then move back to your seats for dinner,’ said Brett. ‘Once the trolley has gone.’

  Mrs Smart spoke. ‘In China, twins are very special. Most families have only one child, but if you have twins, you may keep them. So you are special.’

  ‘We’re only half Chinese,’ said Amy. ‘Dad’s Australian and Mum’s from Singapore.’ She showed their photos.

  ‘You look like your father,’ said Mrs Smart.

  Amy was surprised. She didn’t have a beard!

  Chapter 18

  In Flight

  ‘Your son looks like you.’ Amy said to Mr Smith. Photos were a bore unless you were in them. Or they were clues.

  The boy in the photograph had the same butter-coloured hair as Mr Smith.

  ‘I’m flying home for David’s birthday. I’ve been away at a medical conference.’

  ‘Are you a doctor?’ asked Christopher.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Have you ever taken a skeleton through the scanner? Did you ever see a skull from your luggage on the monitor?’

  ‘Sorry. Nothing interesting like that. I just help people handle their fears. I help them with their worries.’

  Amy pulled out her going-away present from Aunty Viv:

  ‘True Facts about Plane Crashes’ .

  ‘Aren’t you going to watch the film?’ asked the doctor.

  ‘I’ve seen it. Aunty Viv took us to see the film before we left. About a shipwreck.’

  ‘Glad it’s not about a plane crash.’ Dr Smith had full time frown marks between his eyebrows. Perhaps he needed to look worried for his job.

  Amy turned her book so he didn’t see the title.

  ‘My son David is about your size. I’m looking forward to seeing him again. He might be at the airport to meet me. Is anyone meeting you two?’

  ‘Our parents.’

  ‘Thanks for helping when I felt airsick. I’m not a good traveller. Did you feel okay during the bumps?’

  ‘Yes. Fine’ Amy was proud of being a good traveller. But she didn’t feel such a good sleuth. She still didn’t know about the

  Bozo shape in The Mouth’s luggage.

  ‘If you don’t want to watch the film, I’ll teach you a card trick.’

  The Mouth moved into the seat alongside.’If you’re such good clue-seekers, you’ll work this out. D’you know the four suites?’

  ‘Hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades,’ said Christopher quickly.

  ‘Right.’

  ‘If we work out this trick, will you answer my question about Bozo?’ Amy slipped in her question.

  ‘Blackmail!’ said The Mouth. ‘All right.’ He shuffled quickly.

  ‘In this trick the clue is in what you say first. But we have to work in pairs.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’ Amy stared at the face-down pack of cards on the tiny table across her lap.

  ‘If I say, “ Do you have an idea which card I am holding?”, I’m giving you a clue that I’m holding a diamond.’

  Puzzled, Christopher turned over the card. It was a jack of diamonds.

  ‘But you saw the card before it was turned over.’

  ‘Yes. But you didn’t. You are to be my partner. You are to guess the right suite.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘Try another one.’ The Mouth put another card face down. ‘Suppose you guess which suite this card is.’

  ‘Spades,’ guessed Amy.

  ‘Right.’ The Mouth winked. ‘The little lady is on the right track. Try another one. Could you tell me which suite this card is?’

  ‘It’s a club,’ guessed Amy.

  ‘Right.’

  ‘How can you tell which kind of card this is?’

  ‘Heart,’ said Amy quickly.

  Christopher was puzzled. He stared from his sister’s face to the card and back to The Mouth. He turned over the last card. The cards didn’t seem to be marked or bent as secret signs. ‘How did you work it out ,Amy?’

  The Mouth turned up a diamond. “Do you know this card?’ He turned up a heart.’ How can I tell? What does how start with?

  ‘Ah.’ Christopher was beginning to understand. ‘It’s a clue. What you say in your question is a clue.’

  ‘Right!’ said The Mouth delighted with Christopher’s discovery.

  ‘When it was a spade, you said suppose. Spade and suppose start with the same letter. When it was a Heart, you asked how. They both start with H.’ Christopher had worked out the trick, too. ‘Could starts with C. So does club.’

  ‘Got it!’ The Mouth smiled. ‘Now we can play card tricks all the way to Singapore.’

  ‘Where was Bozo?’ Amy was determined to collect her winnings.

  The Mouth looked surprised.

  ‘Was he hidden in your guitar case?’

  ‘Are you joking? Of course not. Animals have to go through quarantine before international flights. Bozo would be stuck there for months. And if I hid him, they’d take him away.’

  ‘His skeleton would show on the screen.’ said Christopher. ‘ The security man said that the skeletons of frozen chickens show on the domestic scanner. So do skulls carried by scientists. So what was the black that showed on the X-ray screen?’

  The Mouth opened his guitar case. ‘Crystal. My other Bozo.’

  It was a dog shape. But it wasn’t alive.

  ‘It’s a jigsaw puzzle, a Bozo jigsaw puzzle!’

  ‘So fragile. Made of crystal.’ said The Mouth. ‘A Sydney fan gave it to me .’

  Lovingly, The Mouth lifted out his guitar.’Worth paying your seat Mr Gee.’

  Brett overheard.’ If he’d been called Mr Guitar, I would have realised. Last month we had a Mr D Bass. It was a double bass.

  Another voice said, ‘He thinks more of that guitar than he does of me.’ And Rainbow Wig walked back to her seat.

  ‘Why did you hurry on to the plane?’ Amy took out her notebook.

  ‘Getting away from Rainbow Wig.’

  ‘But why were you so upset about being late?’

  ‘I have a concert in Singapore as soon as I get there.’

  ‘What was in your camera bag?’

  ‘My camera and the film of my last concerts. I have to give them to my agent.’

  ‘Is Rainbow Wig one of your fans?’

  ‘Not exactly.’ The Mouth looked uncomfortable. He fiddled with his earphones as if wanting to shut out the twins’ questions.

  ‘Is she working for you?’

  ‘Not exactly.’

  ‘Is she related to you?

  ‘Getting closer.’

  Checking facts with The Mouth was like playing Twenty Questions.

  ‘Is she your sister?’

  ‘Does she look like me?’

  ‘No. Not with that wig. Is she a neighbour? Does she live near you?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Is she a girlfriend?’

  ‘An ex-girlfriend?’ suggested Amy quickly. She read Th
e Mouth’s body language. He was feeling guilty about something. He kept fiddling with the earphone. And he wouldn’t look directly at the twins.

  ‘Yes, but she’s also.’

  ‘Is she a singer too?’

  ‘Well, she’s a muso ... a musician....’

  ‘Does she compose music?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Has she composed your music?’

  ‘She used to.’

  ‘Why doesn’t she do it any more?’

  ‘Because we broke up.’

  ‘Which music did she compose?’

  ‘Hair On My Head’ . She composed the lyrics and the music.’

  ‘That is your greatest hit! I’ve got it at home.’ Amy was excited.

  She knew all the words. And that wig was a clue.

  ‘Was my greatest hit,’ said The Mouth miserably. ‘Probably won’t be any more hits.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘We broke up.’

  ‘You said that before.’ Christopher had been listening intently.

  ‘Has the title Hair On My Head got anything to do with the rainbow wig she’s been wearing?’

  The Mouth looked up. ‘You mean she’s trying to tell me something? She’s trying to make up?’

  Amy thought that maybe The Mouth was better at singing than thinking.

  ‘She offered me a song called Rainbows and I said no. Then we had a row about it. And about the crystal Bozo.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘She doesn’t like the fan, the girl ,who gave me the crystal Bozo.’

  ‘She’s been watching you all trip.’

  Amy had an idea. ‘Wait there. I’ll be back in a minute.’

  Chapter 19

  The Lizard of Oz

  The plane was flying over water now. Most passengers didn’t notice. Many were asleep. The UM sleuths were busy.

  First, Amy spoke to the Lizard Lady. Then she slipped into the seat next to Rainbow Wig. They talked for a bit.

  Some time later, Rainbow Wig stopped to talk to Mrs Smart.

  Christopher talked to The Mouth.

  ‘In five minutes!’ they all said.

  They agreed to meet in the spare seats near the Lizard

  Lady. Christopher nearly didn’t recognise her. Rainbow Wig had taken off her wig. Her mousey hair stuck out.

  ‘My name isn’t Rainbow Wig. It’s Zoe. I write songs and music for many people all over the world.’

  ‘Including me,’ interrupted The Mouth

  ZOE continued..’The Mouth didn’t like my Rainbow song. So I sold it to a Singapore recording studio. That’s why I’m on this plane. The Mouth didn’t take any notice of me, even when I fainted.’

  ‘Was that for real?’ asked Christopher.

  ‘What do you think?’ Zoe kept talking and didn’t give Christopher

  a chance to answer.’Well, I didn’t like the fan who gave him the crystal Bozo. The UM twins told me about your Lizard of Oz park. It’s a great idea for a pop song. I could write a theme song for you,’ offered Zoe. ‘ Compose the music too, if you like. Frilly Lily or how about Lizard Lady?

  ‘We may be exchanging people and reptiles with Singapore zoos.

  What a great idea to exchange songs and music too.’ Mrs Smart was excited. ‘My son would be interested in exporting music to Asia.’

  ‘I’d be prepared to sing it,’ offered The Mouth.

  ‘Just a minute. I’ll give you my card,’ said Mrs Smart, fumbling in her bag.

  ‘Which card?’ Amy wondered.

  Passengers were leaving. In the crowded aisle, Dr Smith and The Mouth opened the overhead lockers

  ‘Would you like your bag?’ Dr Smith tugged, but Amy’s backpack was under the mystery box.

  ‘I’ll hold the box for you,’ offered The Mouth. He was so helpful since he had made up with Zoe.

  Dr Smith looked worried. He tugged.’I was so worried it would be squashed. That’s why I carried it.’

  More white stuff fell on Amy. This time she tasted it, something she should have done hours ago. Icing sugar!

  ‘D’you think he’ll like it?

  Mr Smith held up all the passengers while he opened the top of the mystery box. Inside, was a beautiful cake with candles. In the middle was a blue aeroplane.’

  ‘Yes , after the sniffer dogs have checked, I’m sure he’ll love it.’ Brett hovered over them. ‘Time to go twins?’

  Passengers were walking down the mobile corridor into the teminal. Visitors waited at the gate.

  Amy felt fizzy inside. She looked at Christopher and knew he felt the same way.

  Some people who looked alike were meeting. At the first gate was a boy with butter coloured hair. ‘Hi, Dad. Don’t you just love flying? Will you take me next time?’

  ‘Maybe. These frequent flyer twins helped me this time.’

  Dr Smith carefully balanced the cake box. The Mouth holding Zoe’s hand and carrying Mr Gee and his other bags ,swung around.’Bye twins! I don’t think you’ll have trouble finding your parents.’ His guitar case swayed dangerously as he pointed.

  At the gate were Mum and Dad. They were holding a banner which said Welcome To The Frequent Flyer Twins.

  ‘I’d rather be a pop singer than a guitar player.’ Amy said. ‘Because you don’t need to pay extra for your voice to have a plane seat.’

  Christopher laughed. ‘But what if you lost your voice on the plane? Finding that would be a job for a sleuth.’

  Just then, the guitar case knocked the birthday box and the cake splattered across the tarmac.

  ‘Oh no! Not a return flight!’ cried Dr Smith.

  ‘Don’t worry Dad,’ said his son. ‘I’ll go.’

  The UM twins smiled. They just loved flying,too.