The Trimoni Twins and the Shrunken Treasure (10 page)

“But I saw it myself, and I'm telling you, that hocus-pocus is amazing. They wiggle their fingers at you and … Zam! Pow! Things start to happen. It's not just the old man, it's those girls, too. I've seen cars shrink, people shrink … dogs turn into rocks.”

A clam, you jerk
, Beezel thought.
It was a clam!

“We've got to get our hands on that stuff, pal,” Slear said. “This is way better than any dirt we can dig up on star boy. Bigger even than that treasure you're knocking yourself out looking for.”

Edwin was quiet, gazing at a potted tree in the corner of the garden. “I've been thinking,” he said finally. “We should formalize our relationship. So there are no misunderstandings about the division of payment.”

“Now you're speaking my language!” Slear thumped Edwin on the back. “The old payola! The green stuff, right? Am I right?”

“I cannot possibly see how we are speaking the
same
language,” Edwin said huffily. “But if what you are saying is that I'm seeking adequate payment for my information, then yes.”

“Edwin, old chum,” Slear said, spreading his hands wide, “name your price. If you go in on this with me, we won't be rich, we'll
be filthy
rich.”

“I think fifty percent of everything you make from the Shrinking Coin, or the stories about Wiliken, or anything related to either of those, sounds fair to me, don't you?” Edwin handed Slear a paper. “I had this drawn up, just to make sure we understand each other.”

“Lawyers, eh?” Slear snatched the paper from Edwin. “Whatever floats your boat, Edwin.” Beezel saw him scribble something on the paper. “Now spill it. You said you had something else for me.”

Edwin looked left and right. “There is a coin they
must
have to give the shrinking magic to anyone else. I have no idea where it is, but knowing my family the way I do, it is inside this house somewhere.”

“So we're looking for a coin. Roger that. Two coins, I guess if those twins have their own, right?” Slear said.

Edwin nodded. “I would imagine so.”

“Listen,” Slear said. “We're guaranteed a Pulitzer Prize with this stuff. It will simply blow every other news story off the charts.” He leaned over and patted Edwin's shoulder. “You'll be in the history books, pal.”

Edwin appeared amused. “That could be entertaining, yes. But that's not my particular interest.”

“Oh, that's right, you're more of a gold and silver man, aren't you?” Slear snorted. “You've made some progress on that treasure hunt yourself, am I right?”

“Yes,” Edwin said. “I think I have a pretty good idea where it is. Once I find it, if we can somehow manage to get that idiot Hoogaboom to unshrink it, it will be quite an inheritance.”

“Then let's get to work,” Slear said happily.

“Oh, one more thing,” Edwin said coolly. “The
papers you've signed? They say I get eighty percent of the Spanish treasure.”

“Well, of course you do!” Slear slapped Edwin on the back again. “Let's go have a drink and work out the details, whaddya say?” He tilted back his head and laughed. “This is going to be something,” he said. “We're going to prove to the world that magic really does exist!”

They began to walk toward the house.

“You know, buddy,” Slear said to Edwin. “If you think about it, a shrunken treasure chest, loaded with all that miniature loot, would be spectacular. I wonder how little it is. Maybe we could open it on TV! Live coverage! We could get some scientists on to verify a few things …”

Slear's voice drifted off as he disappeared from Beezel's view.

Beezel pulled her head away from the vent. Her little ferret heart was beating like a drum. She turned her head. Luckily, Gumdrop was still mesmerized by the spider building its web.

Beezel opened her mouth and snatched a surprised Gumdrop by the scruff of her neck. Then she ran as fast as she could down the pipe back to the hole in the sitting room wall.
When Mimi saw Beezel run out of the hole carrying a wriggling Gumdrop in her mouth, she quickly took Gumdrop from her and un-ka-poofed her sister. She hugged Beezel with one arm and said, “Thank you so much!” while she carefully held the little hamster in her other hand.

Mimi ka-poofed Gumdrop back into a ladybug and put her inside her container. “I'm not going to lose you again!” she scolded her. She put Gumdrop in her backpack and slipped it on. “And I'm not taking this backpack off until we get back to our room!”

When Gumdrop was safe and sound again, Beezel told Mimi about the conversation she had heard in the garden between Slear and Edwin.

“Mimi,” Beezel said, “Edwin knows about the treasure. He thinks he knows where it is. And he told Slear about the Shrinking Coin. But the worst thing is, Slear wants to sell the story of the magic coins. He wants to be famous for discovering
real
magic!”

“Oh my gosh!” Mimi said as she put her hand to her mouth. “We have to tell someone!”

Beezel agreed. The twins ran down the hall and peeked into the den. They saw Wiliken deep in
conversation on the phone. “Let's go find Hector and Uncle Hoogaboom,” Beezel said.

The twins left Wiliken's apartment and ran down the flight of stairs to Uncle Hoogaboom's shop. Hector was helping Gaidic organize a pile of miniature living room furniture for a display in the shop window.

“Uh, Hector,” Mimi said, “we need to talk to you about something.”

“And we need Uncle Hoogaboom,” Beezel said.

“Oh, he's on the third floor,” Gaidic said. “He and Pieter converted the attic into a studio some years ago. Go on up. But knock loudly or he won't hear you.” She shrugged. “He won't let anyone in there. The only other person who ever got to go inside was Pieter.” She stared up at the ceiling as if she could see through Wiliken's apartment straight up to Uncle Hoogaboom in the attic. “I hope he's all right up there,” she said, with a note of concern in her voice. “See if he wants some tea, will you?”

“Come on, Hector,” Mimi said as she pulled Hector away from Gaidic.

“Easy on the shirt, chickadee,” Hector said. “I'm coming!”

The twins, followed by Hector, rushed up the
stairs to the landing on the third floor. On the way, Hector tried to get an explanation, but the girls assured him they would tell him everything once they were with Uncle Hoogaboom.

Hector tried to open the door to the studio, but it was locked. He knocked loudly on the door, and after a minute or two, Uncle Hoogaboom appeared, carrying a tube of green paint in one hand and a tiny paintbrush in the other.

“Well, hallo!” he greeted them as he stepped out of his studio and closed the door behind him. He stuffed the articles he was carrying into his already bulging front pockets and glanced at his watch. “Is it time for dinner already?”

Beezel and Mimi quickly told Uncle Hoogaboom all about Beezel's adventure inside the wall and the conversation she'd overheard while she was saving Gumdrop.

Uncle Hoogaboom listened intently, occasionally scratching his beard with one hand. By the time the girls were finished, it was clear Uncle Hoogaboom was quite upset.

He paced across the landing, muttering to himself in Dutch.

“What's he saying, Hector?” Beezel whispered.

“Either that he wants to boil Edwin in oil,” Hector said, “or he wants fried fish for dinner.”

“The first one!” Uncle Hoogaboom announced as he locked the door to his studio and put the key in his pocket. “Come with me—we need to talk to Wiliken.”

They hurried down one flight and knocked on Wiliken's door.

“Hi!” Wiliken said cheerily as he surveyed the group standing on his landing. “I'm sorry about that phone call,” he said to Beezel and Mimi. “When an agent calls, you have to answer. Otherwise, you might miss out on a role you want.”

“Oh, are you going to be in another movie?” Mimi gushed, stepping in front of Beezel.

“Yep!” Wiliken said. “I just got offered a part in the remake of
The Three Musketeers
.

Mimi squealed. “Oh my gosh!”

“So come inside, and let's celebrate!” Wiliken said, waving them in.

Beezel felt terrible. Wiliken was so happy, and now they were going to ruin it with her news.

“Wiliken, son,” Uncle Hoogaboom said. “Have a seat—we need to talk.”

When Uncle Hoogaboom finished telling him
what Beezel had heard, Wiliken stood up and said, “The Amsterdam Riebeecks have always known about the Shrinking Coin, and kept that knowledge close to home. I don't know how Edwin found out about it. Maybe he overheard my grandpa talking. But Edwin is now the first Riebeeck to ever break the trust we've had with your family, Hoogaboom.” Wiliken's jaw clenched as he looked at him. “Edwin came home a few minutes ago and went back to his room. Would you come down there with me in case I need a translator?”

“It would be my pleasure,” Uncle Hoogaboom said.

“What are you going to do?” Mimi asked.

“I'm going to throw Edwin and his things out of my grandfather's house,” Wiliken said as he turned and sauntered down the hall.

“You know what?” Mimi whispered to Beezel as she clasped her hands under her chin. “Just now, he looked
exactly
like he did in
Half Past Midnight.”
She sighed. “He's
so
cute.”

“He really is,” Beezel agreed. “Definitely.”

The girls sat on the sofa with Hector and listened to the heated conversation going on down the hall.

Beezel and Mimi heard Edwin and Uncle
Hoogaboom yelling. Once they heard Wiliken blurt out, “Yeah? Well, at least I didn't sell out my family for a few measly bucks!”

It grew quiet, and after several minutes, they heard someone stomping down the hallway toward them. Edwin stormed past carrying two suitcases, followed closely by Uncle Hoogaboom and Wiliken. Edwin set one suitcase down and opened the door to the stairwell. Looking over his shoulder, he picked up his bag, shouted something, marched out and kicked the door shut behind him.

Everyone turned to Uncle Hoogaboom. His face was grim.

“What did he say that time?” Beezel asked him.

“That Wiliken will be very sorry for doing this.” Uncle Hoogaboom patted Wiliken on the back and sighed. “This is serious. Edwin believes he knows where the treasure has been hidden in our house. We can keep him out until we find it, Wiliken, but the fact that Edwin has also confirmed to Mr. Slear that the shrinking magic is real is a dangerous combination. And he suspects the girls have magic as well. I imagine that Mr. Slear will be spending a lot of his free time watching us.”

Wiliken looked at the closed door and nodded in
agreement. “You're right. Slear will put us under a microscope just as soon as he can. You won't be able to open the refrigerator door without seeing him looking back at you.”

Beezel shivered. The idea of Slear's face greeting her at every turn was enough to give her nightmares.

“Given what has happened,” Uncle Hoogaboom said, tugging thoughtfully on his beard, “I think the best thing would be to transfer the magic to Hector now. Afterward, I'll just continue to act as if nothing has changed here. For all Slear will know, I'll still have the magic myself.” He looked at the girls. “And you will have to be very careful. Perhaps you should refrain from using the magic, except when you are performing on stage, just for a while, until this blows over. He could be watching you, after all.”

“But Uncle Hoogaboom,” Mimi said, “what if Slear just keeps pestering all of us?”

“Then we'll have to meet with him and persuade him to stop,” Hector said, his arms crossed over his chest. “I think a few good ka-poofs and a couple of zuufts ought to do it, don't you, Uncle?”

Uncle Hoogaboom nodded. “I can only speak
for zuufting, but it's usually a very convincing argument.”

“Just promise you'll let me come with you.” Wiliken grinned. “That guy has driven me crazy for months.”

“Then it is decided. That is what we will do.” Uncle Hoogaboom nodded with satisfaction. “It's time to give Hector the magic.”

“But what about Gaidic?” Wiliken said. “She's still downstairs.”

“You're quite right,” Uncle Hoogaboom said. “We can't have her in the house. Not with the practicing and all.”

“You could just send her home a little early,” Wiliken said. “She won't mind. Close up the shop.”

“Yes,” Uncle Hoogaboom said. “That's just what I'll do.”

“Excuse me, Uncle,” Hector said. “What practicing?”

“You'll need to practice shrinking things around the house.” Uncle Hoogaboom nodded decisively. “You can't stroll around the city with that kind of magic in your fingertips without practicing first.”

“Are you
sure
you want to give it to me right
now?” Hector seemed less than pleased. “I thought you wanted to find the treasure first,” he protested. “You wanted to be the one to unshrink it. You told us that.”

Uncle Hoogaboom shook his head. “That was my dream for many years. Pieter's and mine. But more important is keeping the Shrinking Coin and the Changing Coin a secret from the world. It's what we've always done.” He shook his head. “I swear it! No one is going to prove there is shrinking magic on my shift!”

“That's the spirit, Hoogaboom!” Wiliken said as he opened the apartment door and started down the stairs. “Let's send Gaidic home and lock up!”

They trooped down the stairs to Hoogaboom's shop. Hector and the twins stood by the hall doorway as Uncle Hoogaboom did everything but shove poor Gaidic out the door.

As she said,
“Goedenacht!”
she glanced over at Hector with a definite “What is going on?” look on her face.