Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13 Amy knew she was in trouble as soon as the Kabras got out of the car. She and Dan had counted on Isabel being impeccably dressed and groomed as always, wearing her signature stiletto heels. The plan had been to draw Ian one way and Natalie another into the forest, where surely Isabel wouldn't follow them. Dan would stall Ian, Amy would stall Natalie, and then they would double back to confront Isabel on her own. But Isabel was wearing hiking sneakers and running step for step with Natalie. It would be two against one at the waterfall. Having scouted out the area earlier, Amy gained a bigger lead on the Kabras when she left the path for a smaller trail through the forest. If Natalie had been on her own, Amy could have tried losing her. But Amy had to keep track of where Isabel

was, which meant continuing on to the waterfall. Amy ran over a little wooden bridge that crossed a stream. A few yards farther on, she reached the clearing at the bottom of the falls. The waterfall was hemmed in between two rock walls covered with ferns and other lush plant life. It spilled down over a series of rock shelves, almost like a steep staircase. Amy splashed into the water and began climbing the rocks right into the falls. There were four shelves of rock that could be climbed. Amy scaled them quickly but carefully; they were slippery with moss and algae. The fifth shelf was too high to reach. It formed the roof of a shallow little cave, with the water pouring down the front of it like a curtain. Already soaking wet, Amy clambered onto the fourth shelf and slipped through the waterfall. It wasn't exactly a hiding place. One look at the falls, and anyone could guess where she had gone. She took a few steps toward the back of the cave and found the gear she and Dan had left there earlier: a mosquito net and some rope. The

plan had been that if she couldn't lose Natalie, she would lead her here, throw the net over her, and tie her up. It had been Dan's idea; after deciding to trap Ian in the cargo net, he must have had nets on the brain. It wasn't a very good plan to start with; Amy was pretty doubtful about being able to get Natalie tied up. And now, with Isabel in the picture, too… Amy's hands were shaking. What could she do against both of them? She looked around wildly, as if a solution might suddenly appear out of thin air. Nothing. Her mind was blank, except for a feeling of terror. Any second now, the murderer of her parents would burst through the curtain of water. If Isabel hadn't been right next to her, Natalie didn't know if she would have recognized her mother. She was soaking wet— totally inelegant— and climbing the rocks faster than Natalie thought possible.

Isabel stepped through the waterfall with Natalie right behind her. Natalie watched as her mother tossed her head gently, to shake out some of the water in her hair. She was suddenly not in a hurry anymore. Natalie saw Amy standing against the rock wall. Isabel stretched out her hand. "The dragon, please?" she said. Her voice was raised so she could be heard over the din of the waterfall; still, Natalie was impressed by her mother's utterly calm demeanor. It was as if she were asking Amy for a chocolate or something. "I— I don't have it with me," Amy said, edging away from Isabel. "You can search me if you want. I'm telling you the truth. It's not here, I left it back in town." "In that case, you're coming with us," Isabel said. "Where are your cohorts? Never mind, it doesn't matter. We'll get word to them somehow, and I'm sure that once they hear of the— well, the plans I have for you— they'll come running." Natalie didn't know what her mother's plans were, but it wouldn't be lunch and shopping, that

was for sure. She felt a little flutter in her stomach. No blood. Please, no blood, it— it's so… disgusting. Natalie immediately felt guilty for her disloyalty, but she still couldn't quell the thought. Isabel stepped forward, grabbed Amy's arm, and dragged her through the curtain of water. She pushed Amy down the rock steps, her grip so tight that Amy cried out in pain. Natalie followed, almost losing her balance several times on the slippery surface. "We're going back to town, and you will give me that dragon," Isabel said, as if nothing could be simpler. "Then we'll get in touch with that nanny of yours." They made their way back onto the path. Amy was doing her best to struggle against her captor but without success. Isabel's grip was like iron. The little wooden bridge came into view. The— "AMY! RUN!" Natalie saw Amy react immediately. She

backward–head–butted Isabel on the chin. Isabel shrieked in pain as Amy broke free of her grasp and ran over the bridge. There was a sudden rattling sound; Natalie couldn't make out what it was. She and Isabel raced onto the bridge. Too late, Natalie saw dozens of small round brown objects rolling around in front of her. She slipped on one and lost her balance. The same thing happened to Isabel. Natalie grabbed on to a bridge strut to stop her fall. Her mother was not so lucky. Isabel fell and struck her head on an iron post. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Natalie cried out. She saw blood coming from a gash on her mother's forehead. Then she heard someone say, "Designer dog turds. I knew they'd come in handy." Amy could hardly believe her eyes. It was Nellie. She had thrown dozens of nutmegs onto the bridge and now stood at the other end, waving an