Vespers Rising (The 39 Clues #11)(53)

“So we need to count the birth day, then the month,” Fiske finished.

Amy went back to the brick with the letter M. This time she counted twenty-four up and twelve down, then nine up and eight down. She put her hand on the brick and it moved in her hand. “It’s loose!” she cried.

“Here.” Dan handed her the key.

She slid it along the side. “I think I can get it….” She pried the brick loose and lifted it out of the floor. She held her breath as she reached into the space and withdrew a small silk pouch.

It was easy to untie the knot. She upended the pouch and shook it. The ring dropped into her palm.

It was old, worn, and dull. She could just make out some characters or symbols on it. She held it up. “It doesn’t look like much.” She slipped it on her third finger, but it was too loose, so she pushed it on her thumb.

“We actually found it,” Dan said, shaking his head. “Thanks, Grace!”

Amy turned the ring on her thumb. Grace had given her this charge, and she had to protect it, even though she didn’t know why. What should she do now? Wear it? Bring it to another bank? Hide it somewhere safe? Where? It had remained under that brick for a long time. Maybe she should just put it back.

As her gaze rested on the floor, she slowly became aware that a stain was spreading out from underneath a closet door. A dark red pool …

“Uncle Fiske?” she whispered. “Over there …”

Fiske turned, and she saw him swallow. “Wait in the kitchen, you two,” he said.

But they stayed right where they were as he went to the closet door and opened it.

Amy cried out as a woman fell heavily out onto the floor. Blood dripped from a wound on her forehead.

Amy started forward, but a noise made her turn. Casper Wyoming was heading down the stairs toward them.

Fiske reacted first. He leaped forward to put himself between Casper and Amy and Dan. “Run!” he shouted to them.

Dan couldn’t seem to move. His mind heard the command, but his body was frozen.

Fiske landed a kick into Casper’s midsection, then twisted to attempt an uppercut to his jaw, but Casper dodged it. Dan and Amy watched in horror as Casper picked Fiske up like a dry piece of kindling and heaved him against the wall. It all happened so fast. Dan heard Amy scream “NO!” as Fiske hit the wall with a terrible noise. His face contorted in pain as he landed awkwardly on his ankle and went down.

But Casper wasn’t interested in Fiske. He advanced on them, his eyes on Amy’s thumb. Amy stood frozen, watching Casper approach.

Purpose pumped through Dan’s body again. He yanked on Amy’s arm, pulling her away as Fiske suddenly lunged toward Casper from the floor. He grabbed Casper’s ankle, but Casper kicked him viciously. Fiske grunted but managed to hold on.

“Go,” he said through his teeth, his steel-blue gaze clouded with pain but still full of force.

It gave them just enough time. They ran out through the back door, straight down a ramp. You can ski right to the cable car stop, Fiske had said. They raced down the snowy incline, trying not to slip. Casper burst out of the house behind them.

“Kids!” Casper yelled. “Give it up! I only want the ring! I won’t hurt you.”

“Does he think we’re stupid?” Amy muttered. She took Dan’s hand and yanked him off the path. Dan saw immediately what she was thinking. They could have an advantage here — Casper might not know where the cable car stop was.

“Where —” Amy asked.

Dan recalled it perfectly, like a picture in his head…. Fiske pointing up the mountain, the high lines of the cables, the cable car stop, a concrete modern structure jutting out over the slope. No doubt there would be people there, too. “This way.”

He took the lead and they raced down the slope, dodging the pines. The afternoon was waning. If they could get aboard the cable car, they could lose themselves among the skiers trying to fit in a last run. Then they could get down the mountain on another car. It wasn’t much, but it was their best shot.

Almost there. Casper wasn’t wearing boots, so he kept slipping and sliding and cursing his way through the trees. “He’s not exactly Outdoor Dude,” Dan said. He could feel his lungs squeezing, but he didn’t want Amy to know he was out of breath. He just needed one last burst of energy. Then he could use his inhaler. The station was ahead. A cable car was approaching. They could make it.

They burst into the station. A set of turnstiles stood between them and the cable car. Skiers in front of them had some sort of electronic card that got them through. Some of them waved the card, and others just thrust out a hip and the turnstile beeped and let them pass.

Amy and Dan exchanged glances. There was no time. Casper was just coming into the station, his jeans wet with snow. They vaulted over the turnstiles and catapulted themselves into the car just as the doors were closing.

“You have to pay!” the cable car operator scolded them as the car lurched forward.

Outside on the platform, Casper hauled off and punched a concrete column.

Amy put on her most contrite look. “Our parents have the lift passes!” she said. “We got separated and we don’t have any money! They’ll be up at the top, waiting for us.”

Dan took out his inhaler and took a deep hit. He felt his lungs expand and he got a full breath. He tried to look honest and sickly at the same time.