The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (11 page)

The article was accompanied by an image of Blackbeard sitting on an
enormous golden throne. Then, abruptly, the images dissolved as, with a soft
click
,
Barbie
’
s
skull-cap flipped shut.

‘
What
–
was - that?
’
Joe gasped, staring
wide-eyed at Uncle Percy.

‘
It did look rather
good,
’
Uncle Percy said proudly,
‘
even if I do say so myself. An optomediaphibic folio is an
audio-visual montage drawn from every online digital media resource - every
museum, library, art gallery, film archive - across the world, including, would
you believe it, something called YouTube …
’
He winked at Becky.
‘
See, who says I
’
m not
with it
?
’

‘
You are with it,
’
Becky breathed,
stunned by what she had just seen.
‘
You
’
re most definitely with it.
’

Uncle Percy smiled.
‘
You just wait until I install the optohistophibic folio application,
but that
’
s
for another day.
’

‘
What was all that
about an auction?
’
Joe asked, intrigued.
‘
A million dollars for one of Israel Hand
’
s paintings. Reg didn
’
t mention that.
’

‘
I can only assume he
didn
’
t
know,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
Fascinating stuff, eh? I mean, that was nineteen twenties America. A
million dollars then was like seven million now.
’

‘
But who would pay that
kind of money?
’
Becky asked.

‘
I have no idea,
’
Uncle Percy said,
thinking carefully.
‘
I can only assume that
we
will….
’

‘
What?
’
Becky fired back.

Uncle Percy drummed his fingers against his jaw.
‘
Frankly, I doubt it
’
s a serious art
collector. No, it seems to me that someone wants it for a reason, other than
its artistic merit.
’

‘
Like what?
’
Becky asked.

‘
I don
’
t know. Perhaps, we
should ask ourselves whether there may be another reason that an Israel Hands
painting might be worth a million dollars?
’

A light flickered in Joe
’
s eyes.
‘
It
’
s one of the markers,
’
he panted.

‘
It could be, Joe,
’
Uncle Percy replied.

‘
So let
’
s get to nineteen
twenties Chicago and buy it,
’
Joe insisted.

Uncle Percy threw him a look of concern.
‘
Im not sure it
’
s quite as
straightforward as that.
’

‘
Why not?
’
Joe replied.

Uncle Percy hesitated.
 
‘
There are a few things
we must consider first.
’

Becky snorted.
‘
Yeah, like where are we going to get a million dollars from?
’

Uncle Percy didn
’
t flinch.
‘
Oh, it
’
s not the money. I can get the money.
’

‘
Then what is it?
’
Becky asked.

A distinctly solemn look appeared on Uncle Percy
’
s face.
‘
Well, in order for the
bidding to rise to a million, it
’
s clear there must be at least two very interested parties. And if
we are, indeed, one of the bidders, then who is the other?
’

Chapter 11

Maria
’
s Flashback

Dinner was a particularly fraught affair. Joe had let it slip to Maria
they were travelling to nineteen twenties Chicago in the morning, and she had
exploded like a grenade.
‘
Chicago?
’
Her eyes bore venomously into Uncle Percy.
‘
Verrückter! Crazy man!
Is your brain fallen out?
’

‘
I do hope not,
’
Uncle Percy smiled
feebly, avoiding Maria
’
s glare by nudging peas around his plate.
‘
I really don
’
t know what your
problem is, Maria. Chicago is a marvellous city and we
’
re only going to an
auction. I
’
ll pick you something up if you
’
d like? How would you like a nice vase?
’

‘
A vase?
’
The words oozed out
of Maria
’
s
mouth like burning oil, brimming with menace and threat. Jacob cringed as Maria
’
s face ballooned red
and she screamed,
‘
A VASE?
’

‘
It was only a
suggestion,
’
Uncle Percy mumbled.

‘
I have no need for a
vase! And this Chicago is not a marvellous city. It is a sewer. Gangsters ….
Liquor …. Tommy Guns … You forget, this was my time. I remember the newsreels.
Even in Berlin, we knew all about Chicago.
’

‘
Sounds great to me,
’
Joe quipped.

‘
It
’
s not great.
’
Maria turned on Joe angrily.
‘
It was a
violent city, with stupid, bad men firing guns at each other
nilly willy
.
’

Uncle Percy chuckled.
‘
I think you
’
ll find the phrase is
willy nilly
,
’
he corrected
her.
 
At this, he was met by such a
frenzied glare he retracted his statement at once.
‘
Actually,
‘
nilly willy
’
is much better.
Anyway, I am one hundred percent confident that we
’
ll be quite safe in
Chicago, Maria. I doubt any gangsters will be at an auction for pirate
memorabilia. And I have made sure certain safety precautions are in place.
’

‘
You
’
re not strapping bombs
to yourself again, are you? Becky asked warily, recalling the Tracker Pack that
Uncle Percy had smuggled to Ancient Crete.

‘
I don
’
t think that
’
s necessary this time.
’
Uncle Percy glanced at
Maria, who looked like steam would spurt from her ears at any moment.
‘
If I may reiterate …
we
’
re only
attending an auction.
’

‘
Yeah,
’
Joe said,
‘
but we all know Otto
Kruger will probably be there…
’

‘
OTTO KRUGER?
’
Maria shrieked.
‘
Otto Kruger will be there?
’

‘
We don
’
t know that for sure,
’
Uncle Percy said
quickly, looking in Joe
’
s direction for support.
‘
Infact, there
’
s no real reason to think he will be. Is there, Joe?
’

‘
Er, no,
’
Joe lied.
‘
I was joking. He won
’
t be there No chance!
’

Maria
’
s gaze locked on Joe suspiciously. When she spoke it was in a slow,
measured, ominous way.
‘
I shall be telling you something, Master Joe.
 
Maria has a clothes mangle, a very old, very
rusty clothes mangle. If Maria finds out that you lie to her, then she hunt you
down and use her mangle to squash things that ought not be squashed.
’

‘
He
’
s lying,
’
Becky said at once.
‘
Squash whatever you
want.
’

Joe looked terrified.
‘
No, I
’
m not,
’
he protested desperately.
‘
Really, Maria, there
’
s no reason for Otto
Kruger to be there. No reason at all. P - Please don
’
t mangle my
unsquashables…
’

Becky couldn
’
t remember the last time she
’
d enjoyed a meal quite as much.

*

After dinner, everyone
’
s spirits improved. Maria
’
s rage had subsided, and she and Jacob attempted to teach Becky and
Joe a traditional Bavarian dance. Gump and Pegasus were allowed the run of the
house and, much to Joe
’
s delight, Sabian chased an increasingly ill-tempered Deirdre around
the parlour, until she turned round and gave him a nasty nip on the nose. At
seven thirty, Will joined them, bringing with him a Katana sword to show Becky,
a gift, he told her, from a Japanese samurai warrior during the third crusade.
Becky, however, seemed much more interested in what role he played in the
crusade (about which he seemed surprisingly vague) than in the sword
itself.
 
At eight, and despite Maria
’
s objections, Uncle
Percy decided they should play indoor football in the Entrance Hall. All passed
without incident, until Joe miskicked the ball, shattering a six hundred year
old Murano glass vase.

The next morning, Becky emerged from a deep, untroubled sleep
feeling energised and ready for the day ahead. As she lay in bed, cocooned in
her duvet, she tracked the misty sunlight that streamed through the curtains to
a shimmering object that hung on the wardrobe door. Her heart sank.

‘
He
’
s done it again!
’
she mumbled.
‘
He
’
s trying to
girlify
me!
’
With
a huff, she flung her duvet to the floor and stomped over to an elegant
bubblegum-pink satin dress.
‘
Oh, no.
’

The bedroom door burst open and Joe thundered in, wearing a blue
pinstriped suit, white tie and gleaming patent leather shoes.
‘
Are you ready?
’
His eager expression
turned to one of disappointment when he saw she was still in her pajamas.
‘
You
’
re not even dressed
yet?
’

Becky stared at his outfit in horror.
‘
B-but you look okay.
’

‘
I look pretty cool, I
reckon.
’
Then Joe caught sight of her dress and he grinned.
‘
You
’
re wearing that?
Wicked! You
’
ll look ridiculous
’

Becky agreed, but she wasn
’
t about to show it in front of him.
‘
Do you want me to get
Maria to mangle your unsquashables?
’

Joe didn
’
t tease her after that.

Thirty minutes later, Becky emerged from her room, shoulders
hunched, a sullen expression on her face. She felt like a fool. The dress clung
to her like cellophane and a pair of flat, pointed shoes rubbed uncomfortably
against her ankles. Worse still, Uncle Percy had chosen a bell-like cloche hat
to complete the look.

She gave a heavy sigh. As far as she was concerned, the only
redeeming factor in all of this was that they were travelling again, and to
America in particular. Other than the visit to Mammoth Gorge, she
’
d never been to
America, and had always wanted to go. Shuffling down the corridor, she avoided
anything with a reflective surface, then turned down the left flight of stairs
to see Uncle Percy waiting patiently for her at the bottom. He was wearing a
white tuxedo, black bow tie and held a Stephanie rose in his hand. At seeing
Becky, his face melted with pride.
 
‘
Becky, you look dazzling.
’

‘
I look like a dwoob,
’
Becky replied.

‘
And what exactly is a
dwoob?
’

‘
One step down from a
dweeb.
’

‘
Ah, that would explain
everything.
’

‘
I used to think you
were a dweeb.
’

‘
I think I
’
d rather enjoy being a
dweeb. It sounds fun.
 
Oh, this is for
you.
’
He
passed over the Stephanie rose.

‘
Er, thanks,
’
Becky replied, not
really knowing what to do with it.

‘
Now, may I have the
honour of accompanying you to breakfast?
’
And with that he gallantly held out his arm.

Becky pushed it aside.
‘
Now you
’
re being a double dwoob …
’
And she barged past him and across the Entrance Hall.

Uncle Percy watched her clomp down the passage that led to the
kitchens.
‘
A double dwoob, eh?
’
he said to no one.
‘
My life is complete.
’

*

Becky entered the kitchen to see Joe sitting at the table; fidgety,
he chewed his toast at double speed. Becky was about to say something, when his
eyes gave the swiftest flick to the far wall. Looking over, Becky saw Maria,
her hands firmly positioned on her ample hips, her face cherry red. Becky knew
immediately she
’
d still not come to terms with them going to Chicago.

However, as Maria stared at Becky, something unexpected happened:
her glare softened and her skin drained of colour; her bottom lip trembled and
she took a series of great, juddering breaths.

‘
Maria, are you okay?
’
Becky asked,
concerned.

Just then, Uncle Percy breezed into the room.
‘
Now, what I think is
–’
His words were lost
as a deafening wail echoed all around. Exploding into tears, Maria hurtled
across the room, throwing her arms around Becky and speaking incoherently in
German.

Becky stood there, astonished.
Something was very wrong.

It was clear, however, from Uncle Percy
’
s expression he knew
exactly what had made Maria so upset.
‘
Oh, crikey,
’
he breathed, dashing over and comforting
Maria.
‘
My
dear lady, please forgive me. I never thought.
’

‘
Please, sir, no. There
is nothing to forgive,
‘
Maria replied, tracing a shaky finger down Becky
’
s cheek.
‘
You look beautiful,
Miss Becky … like an angel.
’

Becky felt confused. What was going on? She was about to say
something, when Maria dashed out the room. Uncle Percy sighed heavily, slumped
onto the chair, and buried his head in his hands.

‘
What was that all
about?
’
Becky
asked, her head whirling.

‘
I am a stupid man,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
An absolute fool.
’

‘
Why?
’
Becky asked.