With his hand over his heart, Jack said with a voice full of genuine tenderness, “It’s good to have my kids back.”
“Dammit, Jack,” Andre said with real emotion in his voice. “It’s good to be back.”
Melanie was the first to go to him, almost running. He gave her a quick but tender hug and patted her back like an embarrassed but proud father. Andre went next. Jack beamed at him, told him how proud he was of the pro bono legal work he was doing for children in Atlanta. Dustin was next, and he hugged Jack as if he were reuniting with his long-lost grandfather. Lucy remembered Dustin saying the Clock Island books helped save his life, giving him an escape during a childhood filled with hiding and fear.
Then it was Lucy’s turn.
“There’s my last sidekick,” he said as he gently took her hand in both his hands. He did look older, tired, careworn. As a child, she’d dreamed of having Jack Masterson for a father. Now he looked like he could be her grandfather.
“Lucy, Lucy.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe she’d grown up so much. He smiled, and it seemed he wished to say something but wouldn’t let himself. “How was your flight?” he asked instead.
“It landed, so I can’t complain.” She was beyond flustered. The most famous living author of children’s fiction was holding her hand.
“And your drive? Who brought you in?”
“Mikey. Nice guy. Gave me some good gossip.”
“Yes, a good man, our Mikey, even if he can’t shut up to save his life.” He smiled intently, searching her face. “And how are you doing, Lucy Hart?” He had this way of looking at her, as if seeing her as no one else did. Or maybe she imagined that because the Mastermind character in his books did that sort of thing. He could look into your eyes and see the deepest wish in your heart.
“Better,” she said. “Much better than the last time we met.”
“I knew it would come out all right for you.” He squeezed her hands and released them. He turned to face them all. “I knew you’d all be all right. And I see you are. My brave kids. Now brave adults. Ah, I wish we had nothing but time together, but alas”—Lucy decided Jack Masterson was the only man who could get away with using the word alas in conversation—“the clock is, as always, ticking.”
Lucy returned to her bench and wrapped her—well, Hugo’s—jacket tight around her. The night was growing colder, but Jack seemed unmoved by it.
“Perhaps you think you know why you’re here—to win my new book. But it’s more than that, of course. The first time you came here, you carried in your hearts a wish. A wish to be like the children in my books. Well, now you’re going to get it. While you are here this week, you will become, as you once wished, like a character in one of my books. Sadly, I’m not nearly as impressive or shadowy as the Mastermind, but he’s authorized me to speak on his behalf. And he has one message for you all. But I don’t need to say it. If you’ve read my books, you already know what he wants to tell you. Anyone?”
Andre furrowed his brow. Dustin stared blankly. Melanie shrugged.
But Lucy remembered. Even Christopher could have told them.
“Um…so, if the Mastermind is going to tell us what he tells the kids in the books,” Lucy said, “his message will be, ‘Good luck. You’re going to need it.’”
Chapter Thirteen
After they finished eating and catching up, Jack led them back to the house. Hugo had stayed behind in the library with his sketchbook, working on something. Maybe the new book’s cover? Lucy wanted to peek, but Jack asked them to take their seats. Lucy folded herself into a large armchair patterned in book print. It was a relief to be inside again, warm and cozy. But that relief was short-lived.
“Now,” Jack said with a heavy sigh, “I’m afraid that as much as I would have liked to keep this game between us…the powers that be had other ideas. Hugo?”
“I’ll fetch the brass,” Hugo said as he closed his sketchbook and got up and left the room.
“What’s the brass?” Andre asked.
Lucy left her chair to pour a cup of tea for herself.
“I am.” A woman stood in the library’s doorway, wearing an expensive-looking pantsuit. Jack began humming the theme from Jaws. Ah, Lucy got the joke. She was a shark—a lawyer.
“My name is Susan Hyde, attorney for Lion House Books, publisher for the Clock Island books. You all will be playing for the only extant copy of—”
“Extant,” Jack said, nodding. “Good word.”
Ms. Hyde continued, unamused by Jack’s interruption. “All contests, riddles, and games have been submitted in advance and approved by us to ensure fairness. In the event of cheating in any form or fashion, including but not limited to using your landlines, smartphones, computers, or any other internet-connected device, you will be immediately disqualified. Colluding with other contestants and/or attempts at bribery—”
“Are always welcome,” Jack said. “I accept tens and twenties and chocolate truffles.”
Everyone laughed. Everyone but the lawyer.
“First things first,” Ms. Hyde said. “Paperwork. Critical paperwork that should have been signed the minute you entered the house.”
Jack looked up at the ceiling and said, “Lord, save me from lawyers.”
“Hey now,” Andre said, half joking.
“Yes, forgive me, son,” Jack said. “Would you mind signing some satanic piece of paper that says you won’t sue me, my agent, or my publisher if you don’t win the game?”
“It’s also a release,” Ms. Hyde continued. “You won’t press charges if you, say, go for a swim and drown.”
“I promise if I drown,” Melanie said as she got up for tea, “I won’t press charges against anyone.”
“It’s not a joke,” Hugo said from the doorway. “The water out here can kill you in a heartbeat.”
“It’s fine, Hugo,” Jack said. “None of them are going to get hurt. Yes?”
Everyone agreed they’d behave.
The lawyer simply said, “Good.”
She pulled four clipboards out of her briefcase and passed them around.
“Nobody signs anything yet,” Andre said, holding up his hand. “Let me look at it first.”
The room fell silent as Andre paced the floor while he read through the agreement. Hugo stoked the fire in the fireplace. Dustin’s leg bounced so hard it shook the floor. Melanie sipped her tea. Meanwhile, Jack blithely whistled the theme song to Jeopardy!.
Twice.
“Looks good,” Andre said. “Nothing out-of-bounds.”
He was the first to sign. Lucy took the clipboard and signed her name on the line. If it hadn’t felt real before, it did now.
Lucy handed the clipboard back.
“Also,” Ms. Hyde continued, “in the likely event that none of you win the book, publication rights will default to Lion House Books.”
“In other words,” Jack said, “they threatened to sue me if I didn’t let them run the show. Don’t worry. I think at least two or three of you have a real fighting chance.”