It was a very clean guest room. There was a full-size bed, a small shelf with fresh flowers in a vase, and an easel in the corner. The previous evening, Theo had mentioned that his mother was a painter. The walls were hung with pages clipped from magazines, sketches, postcards, and photos of several stained-glass windows.
Carter stood and stretched. He hadn’t worn pajamas in a long time—not since before he’d ended up with Uncle Sly. These were very comfy. A strange noise echoed up from the backyard. Peering out the window, Carter noticed what looked like a large wooden shed, its walls made of wire mesh. White feathers were scattered in the grass like a halo surrounding it.
“Breakfast!” called a woman’s singsong voice. This had to be Theo’s mother.
Carter crept to the door and pressed his ear against it.
Downstairs, the violin breathed out its final hopeful note. There was light clapping, followed by a resonant voice saying, “That was beautiful, son.”
“Thank you, Father. I’ll go see if my guest is ready to eat.” Footfalls ran up the stairs, followed by a soft knock on the door. “May I come in?”
“Of course—it’s your house,” Carter said. When Theo walked in, Carter asked, “Do you ever not wear a tuxedo?”
“Not unless I’m wearing pajamas,” Theo answered. “Anyway, just a reminder of last night when we got in: We told my parents you’re a prospective student at Mineral Wells Academy and that the dean asked us to care for you during your visit.”
“I remember,” Carter reassured him. They’d decided to keep what happened with the Pock-Pickets a secret. Theo’s parents would only have wanted to alert the authorities. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been in a lot tighter jams than this.”
“I have to go out and feed the doves, but feel free to head downstairs whenever you’re ready.”
“So those are doves in the pen out back?”
“They make for very interesting pets.” Theo gave his signature nod. “See you soon!”
There was a spare set of slippers for him to wear. The bathroom soaps were shaped like seashells. After Carter took a nice, long, warm shower (the best of his life), he headed downstairs. In the hall, the sky-blue walls were decorated with Italian opera posters in white frames. There were other frames too: pictures of a very young Theo surrounded by four other kids who looked almost exactly like him. Siblings! Funny, Carter thought. Theo hadn’t mentioned any of them. Academic awards and diplomas were mixed in with the artwork, each one containing a different name. They must have belonged to Theo’s older brothers and sisters.
When Carter padded down the stairs, he saw a trumpet hanging over the fireplace and a lamp-crowned tower of books stacked neatly beside the leather sofa. Best of all, everything smelled clean. After years on the streets and in halfway houses, Carter wasn’t used to things that smelled nice.
“Have a seat, Carter,” Theo’s mother offered gently. She placed a soft-boiled egg before him, in a little ceramic cup adorned with flowers that she had decorated herself. It was accompanied by a tiny silver spoon. “Did you sleep okay?” She was tall and her features were delicate. Carter could see where Theo had gotten his regal profile. She was dressed in a crisp white blouse and soft denim pants that were spattered with colorful paint. She wore her hair pulled back, tucked under a folded green paisley bandanna.
“It was the best sleep I think I’ve ever had,” Carter said truthfully.
“I am so pleased to hear that. With all my oldest children out of the house, it’s nice to know that their rooms can be of use.”
When he went to dip into the egg with his spoon, Carter realized that it had turned into a golf ball. Theo grinned mischievously.
“Theo,” chided his mother, “no magic at the table.”
“You sound like Mr. Vernon,” Theo noted before returning Carter’s egg.
“My son tells me you will be staying in Mineral Wells for some time,” Theo’s father said. He had kind eyes and his black hair was flecked with gray.
“That’s the plan.”
“Well… I hope you like it here.”
“I already do!”
“Mineral Wells Academy is top-notch. Excellent music program. What instrument do you play?” Theo’s father asked.
“Not everybody plays an instrument,” Theo said. He turned to Carter. “My dad conducts the local symphony. He wishes the world was more musical than it is.”
“Ah, son, that’s where you’re wrong,” Theo’s father said. “The world is filled with more music than most people notice.” He patted Carter’s hand. “Pick up an instrument. You won’t regret it.”
On their way to Vernon’s Magic Shop, Carter said, “You know, I should be worried. But what you said last night is totally true. After a good night’s sleep, a warm shower, and a square meal, I feel on top of the world—like I could tackle anything, even Bosso.”
“Well, I’m glad you feel good,” Theo said, “but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
The boys kept their eyes peeled in case any of Bosso’s goons were prowling the streets. But as they turned onto Main Street, they found themselves stuck in a swarm of shoppers and sightseers. “Who are all these people?” Carter asked.
“Tourists,” Theo explained. “Warm weekends always attract the largest crowds. They stay at the resort and come down during the day to go shopping.”
“Great,” Carter said. “They’re a bunch of sitting ducks. Bosso and his crooked carnies are going to go on a stealing spree tonight.”
“You really don’t like Bosso, do you?” Theo asked.
“He reminds me of my uncle, only times a thousand. My uncle stole to eat. But Bosso just steals because he’s greedy. We have to stop him and his goons.” At that moment, something tickled the back of Carter’s brain, like he was trying to remember something about Bosso’s clowns.
Theo interrupted, distracting Carter. “Perhaps we should just focus on getting our own stuff back first. Once we have that, we’ll have proof to notify the authorities without getting you into trouble. Then we can help other victims safely.”
As the pair walked through Mineral Wells, Carter observed more of the quaint town. Of all the places he had been, Mineral Wells was uniquely beautiful. The firehouse’s red engines gleamed in the open garage. The barbershop had a red-and-white-striped pole and friendly barbers who waved at passersby. The men and women working the counter at the ice-cream parlor wore flimsy paper hats and made giant sundaes. And everyone in town had a smile on their face. It was perfection.
When the boys walked into Mr. Vernon’s shop, the parrot cried, “Meow. Meow. I’m a cat.”
“That bird is hilarious,” Carter said.
“Is she?” Mr. Vernon asked with a kind smile. He appeared suddenly from behind the counter. Today he wore another sharp black suit. “Well, she’s certainly smart. Most yellow-naped Amazon parrots are highly intelligent animals. They have the uncanny ability to mimic human speech and cadence. Perfect as door greeters. They can also deliver secret messages if properly trained.”
“Is Leila awake, sir?” Theo asked politely.
“I’m more than merely awake,” Leila said from above.