Chapter 27
Treasure Stew
Outside later that night, Mike and Nat watched the moonrise together. A huge corona was projected across the sky onto the high cloud.
Jack stuck his head out the door. ‘What’s for dinner?’
Mike shrugged. ‘Dunno. You think of something.’
‘Jack, cooking?’ screeched Kathleen from inside. ‘Are you trying to kill us Dad?’
‘Nat, you help him,’ said Mike. ‘Then we should survive.’
Nat sighed. This was how the last few days of freedom would drift by. Cooped up, they’d argue and snip at each other, and play the board games they’d played a thousand times before.
‘Natalia Dawn Sheppard, look at me.’
Surprised, Nat turned to her father. He towered above her, arms folded across his chest.
‘Do you have any plan to get into that lagoon and find that treasure?’
Nat blinked, her eyes wide. ‘No,’ she said. ‘There’s no plan.’
Mike examined her for a long moment, and Nat felt her heart racing. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘I believe you. Sorry, but I had to check.’ He stepped inside.
She sighed again. They’d farewelled the others in the reserve. Barnaby and Elijah were picked up by their Mum, and Riki and Abraham had climbed into their truck and disappeared with the toot of a horn. Nat had hoped for a more dramatic finish to their adventures.
Jack stuck his head out the door. ‘Splatters,’ he whispered. ‘Did you pass?’
‘What?’
Jack watched her. ‘What did Dad want?’
‘To know if we had a plan.’
‘What’d you say?’
‘There is no plan Jack. I told him so.’
‘Excellent,’ he muttered, and withdrew into the kitchen.
Nat followed him. ‘Hey, what shall we cook?’
‘How about a batch of treasure stew?’ he replied with a grin.
Nat ignored him. ‘Do you want pasta?’ she said. ‘We’ve got bacon.’
‘I want to make an emerald and ruby pasta bake.’
‘Jack, quit it!’ she yelled. He stared at her. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘It’s just that – ’
‘It’s just that you’re really thick,’ said Jack. ‘Haven’t you figured out what’s going on?’
It was Nat’s turn to stare. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Keep your voice down.’ He turned to see if anyone was in earshot. ‘If Dad cottons on to what’s happening, it’s all over.’
Nat was totally lost. ‘What is happening?’
Jack rolled his eyes. ‘I must be adopted,’ he muttered. ‘I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to be as smart as me and have a sister as dopey as you.’
‘Get to the point,’ said Nat.
‘We’re breaking out,’ he hissed, in a conspiratorial whisper. ‘We’re meeting the others in the reserve and we’re getting that treasure.’
Nat shook her head. ‘There’s no way. Dad’s watching me like a hawk.’
‘Yeah,’ said Jack. ‘But he knows you’re a terrible liar. I’d say you passed that last test with flying colours. His guard is down – he’s never going to see this coming.’
‘Got an invisibility cloak, have you?’ asked Nat.
‘Better,’ he said, still speaking in his funny spy whisper. ‘We’ve got a plan.’
‘What is it?’
Footsteps in the hall stopped their conversation.
Jack smirked. ‘For goodness’ sake Nat,’ he said, speaking normally. ‘Can’t we concentrate on making dinner? Do you want bacon in the pasta or not?’
‘I vote bacon and peas,’ said Mike, as he marched through the kitchen.
‘Sold,’ said Jack. ‘Do we have peas?’
‘Freezer,’ said Mike as he stepped out the door. He whistled for his dogs, pulled on his boots and disappeared into the darkness. Nat pushed her nose up against the window to check the corona of the moon. It had shrunk dramatically, a sure sign the weather was closing in fast.
Nat waited as Jack fished around in the freezer and produced peas. She watched as he pulled a pot from the cupboard and filled it with water.
‘Are you going to help?’ he asked.
‘Are you going to tell me any more?’ she demanded.
‘Nah,’ he replied. ‘It’s better if you know nothing. Barnaby was right. You’re like an open book.’
Nat spluttered her protest. ‘That’s not true!’ she said. ‘I’m a great secret keeper.’ She ground salt into the water, imagining she was grinding up her insulting brother.
‘It’s not about secrets,’ retorted Jack. ‘It’s about the fact Dad can read you in a second. If I tell you the details of our plan, it’ll pretty much be written across your forehead. He’ll take one look and we’ll be locked in our rooms for eternity.’
‘You are the meanest brother in the world!’ yelled Nat. ‘You can’t tell me there’s a plan and then leave it at that! What am I supposed to do now?’
Jack laughed. ‘Stand on your head,’ he said. ‘Go count the stars.’ He pulled the bacon out of the fridge and slapped it on the board.
Nat reached for the pasta. ‘There’s really nothing I can do?’
‘Well,’ said Jack, ‘Think about the clues we’ve got, because we’ll need all the help we can get.’ He sliced the bacon, then paused. ‘Oh, and practise holding your breath.’
Nat looked up, alarmed. ‘Why?’
‘The reason Elijah was grumpy in the reserve is – ’
‘Because Barnaby pushed him in the water, it was obvious.’
Jack set down the knife. ‘You’re so dense.’
Nat was tired of the abuse ‘Stop it,’ she said. ‘I do have a brain.’
‘Then use it!’ hissed Jack. ‘Barnaby pushed Elijah in so we could conduct some reconnaissance.’
‘What?’
Jack slammed a frying pan on the stove. ‘To scout out the cave and the tunnels – get it?’
Suddenly, the light-bulb went on. ‘Oh,’ she murmured. ‘That’s genius.’
‘Took a while,’ muttered Jack.
‘And Dad missed all of it,’ Nat realised. ‘Abraham’s behind it, isn’t he?’
Jack nodded as he flicked butter into the frying pan.
‘Then why was Elijah in a grump?’
‘Finally,’ said Jack. ‘Welcome back to the programme. Elijah was worried. I could fit through the tunnel but he couldn’t. No way Barnaby can either. We talked Riki through it, but she doesn’t feel confident. I can’t do it alone – which means it’s up to you and me.’
Nat flopped down at the kitchen table. She watched in a daze as Jack dumped the pasta in the pot and the boiling water cascaded over the sides and flooded the stove. The water ran in rivulets towards her feet, and suddenly she was very, very cold.