False Bottom (4 page)

Chapter 7

‘Over here, please Madam.'

In his hand the uniformed man held a wand. It looked like the hair dryer Aunty Viv used on poodles.

‘I'm just wanding you down. Are you carrying any keys? Or perhaps it's the buckle on your belt,' he said to Amy.

‘My jeans don't have a belt,' said Amy, lifting up her jumper to prove it. Behind her, the watching queue was growing longer and longer. They looked at her as if she were a criminal.

‘I'm not carrying a gun ... or a knife or, wait a minute!'

Amy fumbled in her jeans pocket. She liked extra, tight jeans, but not now. Mum always said to travel in a track suit, but Amy loved her jeans.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The wand started to get excited near her front jeans pocket..

‘Aunty Viv gave me a fruit knife. To use on apples.'

‘That's it.'

As Amy tugged out the knife, Christopher's metal ruler set off the scanner.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

‘Our job is to stop weapons going on board,' explained the guard as he looked very carefully at the ruler in Christopher's top pocket.

‘Do I have to undo my jeans belt?' asked Christopher anxiously. He didn't want his jeans to fall down here! Especially when he was wearing his red superhero underpants!

‘No, that's okay. Off you go.'

The children took their bags off the end of the rubber roller.

‘Here's your bag, Amy.' Christopher grabbed her backpack.

‘Thanks.'Amy checked the name tag,as Mum had warned her to do.

‘Wrong bag! ‘

Someone else had a purple and aqua backpack too!

Just then, Rainbow Wig grabbed the bag. ‘That's mine, I think.'

The Mouth turned around. As soon as he saw Rainbow Wig behind him, he hurried away.

What was up with those two? They did seem to know each other. But they weren't talking!

This time, Amy found the right bag. She checked the name tag. It would be easy to mix up things. Several camera bags moved through as a thought struck her. Everyone thinks camera bags have photo things in them. What if a bank robber was smuggling notes in a camera bag?

‘If someone stole half a million, like that Westpac bank robbery, it would be in Australian dollars, wouldn't it?

‘Suppose so.' Christopher was tightening his strap.

‘Australian dollars wouldn't be much use overseas. They'd have to exchange it.'

‘Right.'

‘What if the thief wanted to smuggle the money overseas? Amy loved looking for mysteries even when they weren't there. ‘They could be hidden in a camera bag.'

Christopher looked up. ‘Why would the Westpac bank robbers be at the airport? They could have gone anywhere. And why would they be on our flight?'

‘Airports are one way to leave the country. And lots of planes leave from Sydney for overseas. Perhaps the Singapore plane was the first one after they'd finished their robbery.' Amy was beginning to like this cluey idea.

‘They'd have to book tickets ages ahead. Perhaps they planned their robbery ages ago. To fit in with their tickets.'

‘Like a holiday booking?' Christopher gave a big laugh. ‘That'd be fun. Sorry I can't rob your bank today. My getaway plane is delayed.'

‘There are last- minute seats. Remember the mystery tours sign. People can join a flight if there are any spare seats.' Amy didn't want to let go of her idea. But she knew that what Christopher said this time was right. But he wasn't always.

‘Have you any duty free goods? asked the woman docket-plucker who checked receipts attached to sealed duty free bags.

‘No,' said the twins.

The Mouth was carrying a big duty free bag as well as struggling with his guitar case. When the docket-pluckers stopped him, he looked very nervous. But perhaps he was just a nervous person

‘Singapore, here we come.' said Amy. But she was wrong.

The plane didn't fly direct to Singapore.

Chapter 8

Usually they went through a mobile corridor leading to the plane. This time, they had to walk across the runway to the plane. That made the twins wonder if there was something else wrong. Or maybe they'd replaced the plane?

On the windy runway, the plane waited like a noisy, silver bird. Men were loading bags. The wind blew so hard that Amy's black hair covered her face. So did Christopher's. Ahead of them The Mouth climbed the stairs leading to the plane. He had walked fast to get ahead of them. The thin-faced woman with dark glasses walked past too.

Rose was waiting for the twins at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Up the stairs,' said Rose. ‘We'll find your seats 13 C and D.'

A sudden gust of wind tore at the dress of the big woman on the steps ahead of them. Her dress blew up over Amy's face. Quickly the woman pulled it down and re-arranged the big heavy coat she was carrying on her arm.

Amy pulled herself out from underneath and grinned at the woman.

‘Flying is full of surprises,' she said.

The big woman just looked cross. Perhaps she didn't like Amy looking up her dress, even if it was a windy accident.

At the top of the stairway, a male attendant was waiting, and Rose handed over the twins to him.

‘Welcome aboard. I'm Brett, I hope you have a pleasant flight, Amy and Christopher.'

At least he got the name right, thought Christopher. They walked down the aisle between the seats. Amy found the numbers listed above their seats.

The thin-faced woman with glasses was already seated on the aisle. Most people took off their jackets inside the plane, but she was still wearing hers. And her floppy hat.

‘Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen. This is ours.'

Kneeling on the armrest, Amy pushed her bag into the open overhead locker. But first she pulled Edwina out, and dropped her on the seat. Then Christopher lifted his bag up to her. They took off their jackets and folded them. She clicked the locker shut.

Five minutes later, they had tried everything. Amy found the airsick bags. She clicked the seat belt around her middle. She unclicked it and tried the empty seat alongside. On the armrest were some buttons. Christopher pressed one. A beam of light hit Amy. ‘Pow!'

‘That's the reading light,' said The Mouth's voice from the seat behind. His bags were stuffed into the overhead locker next to theirs.

‘Should have left by now,' he said. He sounded worried.

Amy wanted to read about the reptile smugglers, but she didn't have a newspaper in her seat pocket. Only first class passengers were always given newspapers. She turned to see if any other economy passengers had asked for newspapers too. That's when she saw something interesting.

Amy dug Christopher in the ribs and pointed backwards.

The Mouth was carefully putting the seat belt around his guitar bag in the empty seat alongside. The guitar was too big to fit in the overhead locker, but Amy wondered what would happen when the passenger who was booked into that seat arrived.

She looked around. The plane was not full.

‘What's the time by your watch?' asked The Mouth loudly, as if he expected everybody to answer any request of his.

Amy told him.

‘We're going to be very late. That could be a problem.'

‘Why?' asked Amy.

‘I always like to fly as quickly as possible.'

‘Why?' asked Amy.

‘I've got my reasons. Now let me listen to my music. ‘

For a pop star, The Mouth seemed grumpy, but then Amy didn't know any other stars.

Amy took the hint. She turned around and sat down. Then she pushed the big button on her arm rest. Her seat fell backwards. She looked around. The Mouth's knees were squashed behind her. He was wearing earphones, listening to the music channel.

‘Sorry.' The Mouth took no notice.

‘Attention please. This is an announcement. Passenger Gee is missing. Is passenger Gee anywhere on board? Unfortunately,since passenger Gee's baggage has been loaded onto the plane, we do not wish to leave without passenger Gee.'

‘What was that?' The Mouth took off his earphones.

‘About a missing passenger.'

‘Oh.'

At that moment, a panting man hurried aboard. He held out his boarding pass while balancing a box on his hands. Another attendant checked it.

All the passengers stared and muttered, except The Mouth who was listening to music again.

‘Is this Mr Gee?' asked a passenger.

‘Why is he late?' asked another.

“What's in his luggage?'

Hearing the murmurs, Brett took the microphone from a side pocket in the plane's curved wall. ‘Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. This is not Passenger Gee. This is Doc er, Mr Smith.'

Christopher wondered why the other passengers were so worried.

‘If a passenger is missing and his luggage is on board, we suspect what might be in the bags,' explained Brett.'That's why the plane is waiting.'

The plane was not full. The man who liked planes was sitting near them. His ear was squashed against the seat and didn't look like a G anymore. There were odd empty seats. That was lucky.

Nobody had claimed The Mouth's guitar seat.

Amy knew that child seats cost half price. So she asked Brett. ‘Children under twelve are half fare. But a child still takes up a whole seat. What if someone wants to have a second seat for some special luggage like a robot or something? Does it cost half, full or nothing?'

‘Cellos cost half price for a second seat.'

That was helpful to know.

‘Some famous musicians have very valuable instruments. They want to keep them alongside while they are travelling.'

‘If Gee was the name of the missing passenger?' Amy was working something out.'

‘Mr Gee.' Brett corrected her ,and then walked away to look after other passengers.

‘D'you think that would be short for something?'

Christopher overheard. Sometimes his mind worked in the same way as Amy. But his spelling wasn't as good.

‘Spell guitar for me, Amy.'

‘G-U-I-T-A-R.' It starts with G.'

‘D'you think that The Mouth might have paid extra for a seat for his guitar?'

Amy turned around. No-one else had tried to sit there.

‘Right on, Christopher.' Amy was so excited that two spots of red appeared on her cheeks.

‘Remember how The Mouth had all that hand luggage going through the scanner?'

‘Sort of. “ Christopher admitted.'I was more interested in the X- ray skeletons then.'

‘What if, The Mouth put extra bags on the plane when he checked in? Under the name of Mr Gee? A guitar can't talk. So everybody is looking for a man not a guitar.'

Christopher wasn't sure. ‘But wouldn't there be a mark on the ticket or the boarding pass,to say Mr Gee was a musical instrument?

‘I don't know. Let's find out.'

Chapter 9

‘Excuse me.'

The Mouth had his earphones on. He didn't look up until Amy shook his arm.

‘Do you travel under your own name?' asked Amy. ‘I mean, does it say The Mouth on your passport?'

He gave her a quick look. ‘Real little sleuth, aren't you. No. The Mouth is just my stage name.'

‘Do you mind telling us your real name?' asked Christopher. For a moment, it looked like The Mouth wasn't going to answer.

‘It's a secret.'

‘Will you tell us please?' Christopher added the please because he knew that polite sleuths were more likely to get an answer.

‘Then it wouldn't be a secret anymore.'

‘What does your mum call you?'

‘Cyril.'

Amy laughed. ‘That's almost as bad as Claud, the name my Dad uses for his camera. Do you have a name for your guitar?

The Mouth looked uncomfortable. ‘Er, yes.'

‘What is it?'

‘That's not really any of your business.' But sleuth Amy was on the track of the missing passenger mystery.

‘Is it Mr Gee?'

The Mouth nodded.

‘No doubt about kids like you. The girl at the counter didn't say anything when I checked Mr Gee in. She even accepted my extra bags to put under his baggage allowance.'

‘Didn't you have to show a passport?'

‘For me, or the guitar?' The Mouth laughed. ‘Of course. But not at the seat allocation counter. That's where the mix- up happened I guess.'

‘Hullo passenger Gee,' said Amy turning around to look at the guitar on the seat behind them.

Brett overheard.'The guitar is Mr Gee! I should have known. Now we know that passenger Gee is on board, we can leave. Someone must have slipped up at the booking counter and not marked it on the ticket. That's what they do when Mr D. Bass travels. That's a double bass. Travels in a soft case when

it has a seat. Travels in a hard case when it is in with the baggage .'

‘Where's this Mr Gee?' complained Mr Smith. ‘I've never been mistaken for a guitar before.'

The Mouth was grumpy.' Yes, it's my guitar. I paid for his seat. So my guitar is entitled to have his luggage, too.

‘Is it your extra luggage?' asked Amy.

‘Of course. If you're famous, you need extra luggage.'

Christopher winked at Amy.'Perhaps Edwina needs a ticket, too?'

Amy pretended not to hear that.

‘Sorry sir. Mr Gee's luggage has been off-loaded. It will be put on the next flight,' said Brett in a soothing voice.

‘Typical!' muttered The Mouth.

‘Smith's the name.' Mr Smith clambered across Amy's legs and sat heavily in the next seat. Then he jumped up again.

‘What's this?'

‘My er bear pillow.' Amy grabbed poor, flat Edwina.

Mr Smith was a messy traveller. He leant across her seat. His ticket was between his teeth. ‘Row thirteen. Just my luck!' Then he remembered the box he was carrying. So he had to clamber out again, open the overhead locker, then dropped the box and it fell into Amy's lap.

‘Careful! Give that back!'

Amy tried to lift the box and her fingers slipped, by accident of course, and felt something soft, inside.

‘Don't do that!' He grabbed the box.

‘Sit down, sir. The plane will be leaving soon.' Brett hovered.'I'll put this up for you.'

But Mr Smith didn't want Brett to touch his box.

Why, wondered Amy.

At last, while Mr Smith fixed his seat belt and Amy cuddled Edwina, she saw something white and powdery in her lap. Was it drugs? The white stuff had fallen out of the box. Was Mr Smith a drug smuggler?

From across the aisle, Christopher nudged her.

Amy touched the white stuff. She put it to her nose. It smelt sugary. Should she taste it? She went to put it to her lips and then stopped. If it were a drug, she didn't want to put it in her body.

‘What is it?' hissed Christopher.

‘Don't know, yet.' whispered Amy.

What was in the box? Could she find out before they landed?

Someone leant over her. Amy started.

‘Your call light was on.' said Brett.

‘Sorry. It was a mistake.' Amy had tried all the buttons. The phones were better than a Walkman.

Brett checked the seat belts. ‘Even when we've taken off, keep your belt on. I'll be back with something special for you.'

Take- off! Amy's favourite time. She loved the feeling in her tummy when the plane left the ground. The plane engines were throbbing. Door hatches were closed. The TV safety monitor slid down and the safety video started. Aunty Viv would freak out now.

‘She'd just love this,' muttered Christopher, and Amy knew who he meant.

Aunty Viv expected plane disasters.

‘Oxygen mask above your head,' said the square TV face.

Amy looked up. That mystery box was in the locker above her head, too. As the Brett-look-alike showed them how to work the safety gear, Amy shivered with excitement.

The plane noise grew louder, it was moving. Takeoff! Amy's ears went funny. She looked sideways at Mr Smith. He was determinedly reading a magazine and chewing something.

Takeoff! The plane went up. Then the plane levelled out. Christopher winked at her and pointed behind to The Mouth but she couldn't twist and see because of her seat belt.

‘Please observe the Fasten Safety Belts sign,' said the Captain's voice.

She looked across at Mr Smith. Amy squinted sideways. In big letters were the words DRUG BUYING. That was a clue. Mr Smith WAS interested in drugs. Something white and powdery was in the box. What was it? How could she find out?

Brett handed out the flight packs.

‘Showbags! Thanks,' said Christopher. ‘Any pencils?'

‘Here, have mine.' Amy pulled out a packet. ‘Swap you for a book, if you've got one.'

Amy unclipped her seat belt and stood up.

She had already skimmed the In Flight magazine.. She'd read about the Beagle Brigade and about a Poo-seum. This was a poo museum in some African country. It was for tourists. There were photographs of animals with trays containing the animal's paw or hoof print under them. There was also a sample of its droppings.

She showed Christopher the photos.

‘Poo!' said Christopher and held his nose.

‘Droppings are changed every few months,' Amy added quickly.

‘Going to the toilet already?' Christopher started sketching a poo museum.

‘Looking for something more to read, too.'

Slowly Amy walked down the aisle, looking at the passengers. Some were chatting. Some were reading. Rainbow Wig was sitting next to a window, writing squiggles on lined paper.

The thin woman with the floppy hat was sitting stiffly. She looked very uncomfortable. On the aisle seat, near the toilets, was an ordinary- looking woman, who bent over to pick something up as Amy passed.

There were several toilets on board. Before they reached Singapore, Amy wanted to try them all.

Luckily the first one she tried was empty. Fitting past the funny door was a challenge. A fat lady might have problems. Or someone in a wheelchair. That reminded Amy. Where had Mrs Smart, the Lizard Lady, gone? Perhaps she could walk without the chair?

Amy slid shut the bolt on the toilet door. That turned on the light. She stared at herself in the mirror. What if someone got stuck in here? How would the attendants get them out? Even worse, what if someone died in here?

Amy turned around slowly. She squirted free hand lotion on both hands. Then she squirted perfume behind her ears. Just for fun, she squirted perfume near her sneakers. Sometimes Christopher called her Smelly Feet. Lastly she combed her hair with the free little comb which you could keep.

In the aisle, she passed a pile of magazines for passengers' use. The Mouth's face was on the cover of one of them. It was the same magazine Wilhelmina had probably eaten by now. The Mouth was holding his dog Bozo.

Ah! That was a clue!

An attendant started to push the snacks trolley up the aisle towards her. If she didn't move soon, Amy would be squashed like an insect.

Rainbow Wig was staring across at The Mouth as the drinks were given out. In an aisle seat, the man who knew about planes was still reading his Flight Today magazine. He winked as Amy crab-walked past.

There was a bump and the plane tilted downwards.

‘Excuse me passengers. This is the captain speaking. A small problem has cropped up. We're landing at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport and it may be some time before we fly onto Singapore.'

‘Why?'

‘Perhaps it's engine trouble?'

“Or a bomb threat?' suggested another passenger.

Christopher and Amy wondered if all Aunty Viv's warnings about crashes were coming true. Usually Amy loved mysteries, but now she had a planeload of them! What was Mr Smith carrying in his box? Why did The Mouth pretend not to know Rainbow Wig? Why were the spare-parts manager's business cards printed at the airport? Was something missing from the plane?

Where and why had the wheelchaired Mrs Smart gone?