Sorry about the delay, for some reason this was a really difficult chapter to write. Anyway, here it is, at last
“I don’t know why we have to look after mum’s friend’s stupid dog,” scowled Bella. “And I really don’t know why I have to walk him.”
“He is kinda cute,” Mortimer admitted.
“He’s a pain, that’s what. This is why I have a snake, not a puppy. Tyler, stop!” She barely managed to keep hold of the lead as the little dog tugged at it. “We’re nearly at the park, you idiot.” She smiled at Mortimer. “Thanks for coming with me, by the way.”
“No problem. Vita came for lunch, and frankly I’d rather do anything than listen to Dad suck up to her. Plus, she’s got David what’s-his-face, Moran, the guy who owns all the sport teams, on her side now and he’s the worst. Seriously, he talks so much and his son Lukas is such a show-off. And he’s there too, so...” He made a face. “They’re all insufferable.”
Bella chuckled. “Fair enough. Michael’s having a band practice, so at least I’m avoiding inner ear damage out here.”
“They’re that bad?”
“Michael, Ethan and Parker? Terrible. Parker barely even knows how to hold the guitar, let alone make it sound good. And they’re experimenting with clashing chords.”
“Sounds painful.”
“Oh, it is.”
They reached the waterfall and Bella removed the leash from Tyler’s collar. “There, run free. Run very far, if you can. Away from me.” The two of them sat down next to the lake. It was a gloomy, overcast afternoon and hardly any light was coming through the dark clouds overhead.
“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Bella said after a moment.
“What is?”
“That this whole place could be gone within the year, if the Altos get their way. There’ll just be a load of... skyscrapers.”
“Yeah,” muttered Mortimer. “It’s kinda sad.”
“Don’t you think there’s something a little strange about the whole thing?”
“What do you mean?” Mortimer said slowly.
“Why here? Why spend all that time, effort and money on building over Sunset when there’s tons of land they could build on? Just over the mountains it’s just empty space. Wouldn’t it be easier and way cheaper to just build Altopolis or whatever they’re calling it over there?”
Mortimer raised his eyebrows. “I’d never thought of that. You’re right. It doesn’t make any sense. Why are you the only one to have thought of that?”
“Maybe I’m just way more intelligent than all the adults in town.”
“You’re the smartest person I know, that’s for sure.”
Bella looked away so he couldn’t see her blushing.
At that moment, Tyler came bounding back to them, wagging his tail. He stopped in front of Bella and Mortimer and deposited something at their feet. It looked like some kind of rock. Mortimer picked it up and examined it.
“You do know that’s been in
Tyler’s mouth, right?” Bella said in disgust, but Mortimer didn’t seem to hear her. His eyes widened and he shoved the rock towards Bella.
“Look at that!”
“Look at what?” She took the rock from him gingerly, and then gasped. There were flecks of red embedded in the stone, glimmering in the weak November light.
“Is that...”
“Ruby,” Mortimer breathed. He stood up and turned to Tyler. “Not at dumb as we thought, eh? Where’d you find this?” He took the rock back and let Tyler sniff it. His ears pricked up and he turned and ran back to the mountain side. Bella and Mortimer raced after him.
The recent downpours had disturbed the side of the waterfall, triggering a rock fall and exposing the inside of the rock. The stones piled at the bottom of the cliff face were all covered in red streaks, and a few of them had pink streaks too. Mortimer shook his head.
“This is crazy. These mountains, they’re full of...”
“Rubies, and whatever that pink stuff is,” Bella finished.
“And maybe more. They must be worth a fortune. Maybe there’s more under...”
He and Bella looked at each other in horror as they both realised.
“When’s the vote?” Bella whispered.
“Tomorrow,” Mortimer said.
They stared at each other a moment longer, and then turned and ran back towards the town, Tyler following at their heels.
***
“Dad.”
“Just a minute, Mortimer,” Gunther said, before turning back to Vita. “So, as you was saying...”
“Dad, we need to talk to you.”
“Later,” he snapped. “Sorry, Vita. Do carry on...”
“Mr Goth!” Bella shouted. “We need to talk to you now. It can’t wait.”
“Bella, we’re busy,” David Moran said, sounding bored. He raised an eyebrow at Gunther. “Kids, eh? Reminds me of this time when Lukas...”
“I suppose I could talk to you for a moment,” Gunther said loudly. Vita stifled a laugh.
“Outside?” Mortimer asked?
“Alright then,” Gunther got up and followed the two of them into the kitchen. “Just until David finishes his story, mind.”
Bella explained what they’d found at the waterfall, and what they reckoned was happening. When she had finished, Gunther regarded them for a moment, and then shook his head in amusement.
“There’s nothing in the Pinochle Mountains. The Goths have lived here for almost three centuries, don’t you think we’d know about a ‘load of rubies and pink stuff under Sunset’, as you put it.” He smiled sadly. “I know you don’t want things to change, but there’s nothing to be done.” Bella glowered at him.
“But, we saw the rocks!” Mortimer cried. “There was a great pile of them, and they were all shining and-”
“A lovely little tale,” Vita said softly, stepping into the kitchen. “But, Miss Bachelor, you are quite mistaken. There’s nothing there.”
“We’ll take you both there,” Bella said. “We’ll show you, Dad. And then you‘ll know that she’s lying.” He pointed at Vita. “We swear, it’s true.”
Vita held up her hands. “By all means, show us your treasure horde. Children, I promise you that there’s a perfectly logical explanation. Nick and I want to develop Sunset, not dig it up.”
“I’m eleven, not five,” Bella said darkly.
“Of course you are,” Vita said sweetly. She glanced up at Gunther. “I’ll tell David what’s going on. With any luck he won’t want to come.”
Mortimer and Bella shared a look. It seemed that Vita was equally unimpressed with her new ally as Gunther and Mortimer were.
A few minutes later, they headed off to the waterfall, accompanied by Gunther, Vita and, annoyingly, David. Bella called out to Tyler and he came hurrying up to them.
***
“It’s just up here,” Mortimer said. “We were walking Bella’s mum’s friend’s dog and he ran off and came back with this rock...”
“Did he now?” said Vita tersely.
She’s so transparent, thought Bella.
She won’t be able to get out of this one.But when they reached the waterfall, there was nothing there. Bella and Mortimer searched frantically but there was no trace of the rocks, or any sign of where they had fallen.
“They were there,” Mortimer said indignantly. “Bella, what about the one Tyler found?”
“I dropped it back with the others,” she said in alarm. “We’re not making this up, there was loads of ruby and gold in the rocks...” Her voice trailed off as the rain started to fall.
“I think I see what’s going on,” Vita said coolly. “Mortimer, your father’s been working a lot recently, hasn’t he? So you made up a silly story to try and get some attention from him. Understandable, but really, you should know better.”
“That’s not what...”
“I’ve had enough of this.” Gunther rounded on Mortimer and Bella. “You disrupted an important meaning to take us on this wild goose chase, it’s completely unacceptable.”
“We...”
“ENOUGH!”
“He’s right,” David said with a shrug. “Kids, this is important stuff you’re messing with. I really think that some sort of pun- Argh!”
Tyler, who had been splashing around in the lake, came bouncing up to him and Vita and started to shake himself dry, spraying dirty water everywhere. They both leapt back, but the heel of Vita’s shoe snagged on a lump of grass. She tripped and went sprawling backwards into the mud. Tyler leapt up on top of her and started licking her face.
“Get off me, you filthy mutt!” she screamed, shoving Tyler away. Bella and Mortimer didn’t even try to hide their laughter. Gunther ran over to help Vita to her feet.
“Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay?” She spat out every word, seething with rage. “This coat is ruined, my heel almost snapped, and, and...” She looked round at the four of them, and turned and stormed off. Gunther ran after her. Tyler flopped onto his side and Bella rubbed his belly.
“Good boy, Tyler,” she cooed. David rolled his eyes.
