Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus by Paula Berinstein

Author:Paula Berinstein [Berinstein, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781942361152
Publisher: The Writing Show
Published: 2016-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

As it turned out, Thrillkill had a few minutes free and invited Nick to his office to hear about Wink. Nick insisted that Amanda go too, and they found themselves facing the headmaster over his gigantic desk.

“So,” said Thrillkill, “your father.”

“Yes, sir,” said Nick.

“He was the best man I ever knew,” said Thrillkill.

“I’m so sorry,” said Nick.

“It wasn’t your fault your adoptive mother killed him,” said Thrillkill. “It seems to have been a case of hell hath no fury, from what we’ve been able to piece together.”

“Do you know how they met?” said Nick.

“Your father and Mavis?” said Thrillkill. “No idea. I didn’t even know he was seeing her.”

“Can you tell me more about him then?” said Nick.

Thrillkill sat back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. “Wink was smart, creative, and curious.”

Just like Nick, Amanda thought. But not like David.

“His grandfather was Bailiwick Wiffle, of course,” said Thrillkill. “A baronet.”

“David’s always reminding people of that,” said Amanda, then clapped her hand over her mouth. She shouldn’t be disparaging David in front of Thrillkill.

He didn’t seem to mind. “Yes, well, David has some romantic notions about his great-grandfather,” said Thrillkill.

“How so?” said Nick.

“Bailiwick was a wild man,” said Thrillkill. “He was most certainly not the buttoned-down paragon David seems to think he was. Truth be told, he was a bohemian.”

“Really?” said Amanda. “How come they didn’t tell us that in History of Detectives?”

“Which class?” said Thrillkill. “Professor Also’s or your mother’s?”

“Um, my mom’s,” said Amanda.

“Harumph,” said Thrillkill, but failed to elaborate. “Bailiwick Wiffle was the Lord Byron of his day. Except that he was a detective, of course.”

Nick’s eyes widened and he broke into a grin. For a moment he forgot himself and spread out all over his chair, slinging his arm over the back and lifting his foot almost to the level of the desktop. Then he caught himself and sat up straight again. Amanda was delighted to see him so happy.

“Yes, old Bailiwick was quite a character,” said Thrillkill. “Groundbreaking artist, although he destroyed everything he ever created. Not a stick of it remains. Dead shame.”

“Perhaps that’s where Wink got it,” said Amanda. “The art, I mean.”

“Oh, most definitely. Bailiwick died before Wink was born, but Wink became obsessed with him in his teens and decided he was going to be just like him. Didn’t end up that way though.”

“I’d like to see some of my dad’s work,” said Nick.

“Hang on,” said Thrillkill, and produced his phone. Within a few seconds he had pulled up some of Wink’s paintings. Most of them were dark and atmospheric, but a few exploded with color. He was extremely talented.

“They’re amazing,” said Nick, devouring them greedily. “Wink did these?”

“He certainly did,” said Thrillkill. “There’s a lot more where those came from too. I’ll send you a link.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Now your dad,” said Thrillkill, “he was actually a better detective than old Bailiwick. I say old, but he died in his forties.”

“I knew that,” said Amanda.

“Yes, well, he didn’t take the best care of himself,” said Thrillkill.

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