“Are you okay, Arcade?” Jacey had her hands over her mouth.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little nervous, I guess.”
“Me too! I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see the windmill standing tall!”
“Yeah, just like the one in Holland,” Doug said, but then covered his mouth.
“Some of our employees brought tools,” Jaden said. “If we have to cut some of the rotted wood out of the windmill, we might as well do it tonight.”
“Sounds good to me.”
The ride to Forest Games and Golf seemed like seconds.
“We close in five minutes. We’ll get the stragglers out so we can get this party started. And I’ll show you where you can direct your crane guy.”
Derek jostled me. “You have a crane guy, Arcade. That’s dope!”
We all piled out of the van.
Crowds of smiling kids exited the arcade, some gnawing on the famous cardboard pizza, some holding stuffed prizes. If all went according to plan, by Friday this would be a brand-new place.
Dave Darden, the crane guy, even arrived early. “I’ve been wanting to raise that silly windmill forever. I offered to do it for free, but Kenwood would never let me. Stubborn old dog.”
“Kenwood?”
As in “Kenwood? You rat”?
Mr. Darden smiled. “Yeah, he always hated that name. Has all the kids call him Mr. B.”
I gulped. “I thought his name was Lenwood.”
Mr. Darden grabbed his head. “Woohoo! Don’t go getting those two confused. They wouldn’t be too happy about that!”
Mr. Darden jumped up on his small, portable crane and drove it down the path the employees had marked out for him. We headed for the windmill, where a crowd of strong young men stood waiting.
“All right, boys, this won’t take long at all. I’m gonna hook her up, and then lift her up. I need someone to direct me where to drop her down and then we’ll fasten her into the ground.”
Jackson helped Mr. Darden hook the top of the windmill up to his crane. Then he directed as Mr. Darden worked to lift the windmill up and out of the creek.
Cheers came from the crowd. It was great to see that thing standing!
It took about thirty minutes to get it in the right position and set down securely.
More cheers, laughter, and clapping.
Jaden came over to give me some great news. “They turned off the video cams. None of this will be recorded.”
Whew. I hadn’t even thought about the video cameras.
Soon the cheering stopped, and people went to work bolting the windmill to the ground and sawing off rotted wood pieces.
Dave Darden came over to shake my hand. “Congratulations, Arcade. You’ve succeeded in making something happen that would have been easy if people just learned how to forgive one another.”
“Thanks. I don’t think I really did anything.”
“You brought a little hope to the situation. That’s a big thing! And hey, now that the creek isn’t obstructed, you can open the pipes and get that waterfall working again! The kids are gonna love it!” Mr. Darden jumped back in his crane and revved her up. “See ya, Arcade!”
I waved and watched him drive through the parking lot and disappear down the road.
Waterfall? What waterfall?
The first part of our project was finished by 1:00 am. The windmill course now had a working windmill!
Jaden had us home by one-thirty, and everyone fell into bed. All except me and Zoe. We stayed up for a special meeting on the living room couch. Loopy joined us. I put him on my lap and hugged him real tight. “Sorry we have to keep leaving you, boy.”
“So how are you feeling about the project? Any problems so far?” Zoe had her pillow on her lap and was punching it a little.
“Just one tiny problem.”
“What?”
“Mr. Darden referred to Mr. B as Kenwood, and when I said I thought his name was Lenwood, he told me not to get those two confused. But now I’m confused. Are there two Badger brothers? And if so, which one was in jail in New York, which one just flew to New York, and the most important question is—”
“Are they both in New York now?” Zoe’s eyes opened wide.
“Yeah. I really hope so.”
CHAPTER 32
Patch and Paint
On Wednesday night, Jaden showed up thirty minutes early. “There’s a buzz around town, Arcade. Everyone seems to know that the windmill is up. The local news called Forest Games and Golf and wants to come out and do a story.”
“Oh, no! That’s the last thing we want,” Jacey said. “We want this to be anonymous. No interviews. No stories.”
“It’s okay, sis. Jackson told them they couldn’t come till Mr. B returns.”
“I wish we could have done the project all in one night, but the place is too messed up.” My heart started thumping hard again, thinking that there may be another Mr. B lurking.
“Jaden, do you know if they can turn on the video cams just in the parking lot tonight?” Zoe fidgeted as she watched out the window, and I could tell that she was nervous too.
“I think so. Why do you ask?”
“Someone could monitor the cameras and give us a heads-up if a news crew comes by. Or anyone else who might be wanting to cause trouble for that matter. It is night, after all.”
Jaden nodded. “Not a bad idea to have some security. I’ll ask Jackson when we get there. In fact, I can watch the cameras.”
Zoe sighed. “That would make me feel much better.”
As we all poured out of the van, I hung back to talk to Zoe. “We need to stick together. Work on the same project. It’s the token that they’re after, so if we stay out of sight, everything should be okay.”
Zoe moved in closer to me. “I got your back.”
“I got yours too.”
Zoe and I painted the back of the little village house together. I peeked in and smiled when I saw the little white marble tray sitting there. Fancy, yet not making a huge deal of itself.
“I wish we could go back and visit Sanjay and Grace. I hope they’re doing okay.” Zoe dipped her brush in a bucket of fresh brown paint and smoothed it on the side of the house.
“I know what you mean. I sure learned a lot from them about generosity.” I looked over at all the kids who were painting and patching. “It’s because of them that I got the idea to restore this whole place. Where generosity goes, refreshment flows.”
“I guess your choice to go around wasn’t so bad.”
“You’re admitting that out loud?”
Zoe put a finger to her lips. “Shhhh. That’s not for everyone to hear.”
We continued to paint, and I felt peace for the next little while. When I needed a break from flinging a paintbrush, I walked down the path and took a seat on a bench. I hadn’t had time to read the last clue in the envelope yet, and this seemed like the perfect time to do it.
“ARCADE!” Jacey screamed at me from hole eight.
I jumped up and looked all around. My heart pounded out of my chest.
What is it now? And then a terrible thought crept in. He’s here. Lenwood Badger is here.
“You just sat on WET PAINT!” A bunch of the kids laughed.
I turned and looked at the bench. There was a yellow body-shaped smear where I had been sitting. I breathed out hard and grabbed my chest. “Is that all?”
“Is that all?” Zoe had come down to meet me at the bench. “Isn’t that enough?” Then she crumbled to the ground, laughing.
So I sat on her.
“Arcade! Get off! I don’t want paint all over me!”
“Why not? You said you had my back. And there’s paint on my back. So here you go! Did I ever tell you what a great sister you are?”
CHAPTER 33
Bridging the Gap
It was a relief to finally get to Thursday night. Our gang stayed home and out of sight all day, afraid we might run into townspeople who may ask us about what was going on at
Forest Games and Golf. All we had left of the project were a few odds and ends—and we had to fix that bridge!
Derek had come up with the perfect design. It only took him five tries and ten boxes of Popsicles. Doug hadn’t seemed to mind.
Nerves got the best of me. I just had to know what was going on at the end of the street. So I called Miss Gertrude.
“Hello? Who’s calling?”
“Miss Gertrude? Hi. This is Arcade.”
“Arcade Livingston? How are you doing, my friend?”
“I’m doing okay. Have you seen Mr. B?”
“Now why would I see Mr. B? Isn’t he in New York?”
There she goes with the questions again!
“I don’t know. I’m just a little nervous. We’re so close to finishing the project, and I wouldn’t want him to show up and spoil it all.”
And take the token, and well, whatever else he might try to do.
“How does the windmill course look? Is it stunning?”
“Yeah, it really is. All we have to do now is fix the bridge.”
“That’s the only thing left?”
“And a few touch ups.”
There was silence on the other end. I thought maybe I heard a sniffle.
“Miss Gertrude?”
“Yes?”
“Are you all right?”
“Do you trust me to warn you if they come back?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
And then I was sure I heard sniffling. And a hang up! And now I was more nervous than ever.
THEY?
Jaden and Jacey showed up forty-five minutes early. Bakery people are prompt!
“Hope it’s okay.” Jacey giggled. “I could barely stand the wait.”
Totally.
“Jackson called and said that the hardware and lumber you ordered has all been delivered,” Jacey yelled back to Derek, who was sitting way in the back of the van. “They have it stored in the back of the arcade, and as soon as they close, a bunch of the employees are going to haul it over to the bridge area. Then you can work your magic!”
Derek sat up a few inches taller than normal. “I can’t wait to get started!”
“Derek Clark—building bridges, baby!” I held up my hand to give Derek a high-five.
“So, Arcade, do you have any new assignments for the rest of us? Zoe and I finished planting last night.”
Celeste had been the one to come up with the design for the flowers and plants, and she bossed everyone in just the right way the night before so that it got done and looked great.
“I think we should all stay by Derek and be ready to do whatever he needs. The bridge is the biggest project of the night, and it has to get finished.”
“Roger that!” Doug yelled. “We got you, Derek!”
I smiled. It was fun to watch one of my new friends become friends with my old friend.
“Okay, here we goooooo!” Jaden pulled into the parking lot of Forest Games and Golf. He drove the van around to the back of the arcade. “I’m gonna go check with Jackson. Maybe he can close early or something.”
We waited only a few minutes, and Jackson came running back, a huge grin on his face. “Everybody’s gone! Jackson said they all started leaving about eight. Some buzz about being the last night of the renovations. We got ourselves a supportive community!”
Sure enough, the place was empty. Jackson put the “closed” sign up, and our work group showed up to haul the bridge materials.
It felt like Halloween to me. A little cool, exciting, and scary. My pulse increased every time I walked by a large tree or hedge.
Calm down, Arcade. He’s in New York. Or they are.
Derek was the expert engineer on the job. He provided drawings for all of his workers, and he noted the tools and supplies needed for each step. It was fascinating to watch each board be placed, one step at a time, and no faster. When we were halfway done, Derek called a break.
“He needs pizza!” Doug ran into the arcade and brought out three large cardboard pizzas for us to share.
As I devoured my piece, I took a few minutes to walk the grounds and check out all the painting that was going on. Jacey had chosen the colors for all the benches, flowerpots, and signposts.
“The place looks great, Jacey. This was a cool project for you and your parents to help with.”
“We couldn’t have done it without you! I still can’t believe how the timing worked out.”
We walked together, and I breathed a little easier, knowing we were almost done. We even strolled over to the other golf course, the one that no one really plays.
“It’s funny how all the bushes are trimmed, the fake grass is clean, and even the paint is bright over here. It looks like someone has been keeping this one up.” Jacey shrugged. “I don’t get that.”
“Me either.” I took a bite of pizza and surveyed the whole place. “It’s all a big mystery, that’s for sure.”
“BREAK OVER! BRIDGE PEOPLE, REPORT BACK IMMEDIATELY!” Celeste had found the loudspeaker.
“Do you mind if I join you on the bridge project for a while?” Jacey trotted down the hill and over to the bridge with me. “My jobs are done for now.”
“I’m sure Derek would love to have you on the project.” I tried not to look at her.
I do not like like her.
“Great! I want to take a picture of your team when it’s all finished.”
“One plank left to go.” Derek wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand as he knelt on the latest installed board. The suspension cables held him, three-quarters across the widest part of the windmill course creek.
“You got this, Derek!” I was so excited for my cousin, the one who usually struggles at school. He sits on the sidelines there. But here, he was a skilled craftsman and bridge designer! If the NBA didn’t work out, he could look into jobs in engineering or building.
Derek called out for a few more parts, and our team tossed them out to him and watched as he worked. At one point, he challenged me to come out onto the bridge. “It’ll hold! Just hang on to the side chains.”
“You sure?”
“Yes!”
“Go on out, Arcade! I’ll take your picture.” Jacey had her phone aimed.
So I scooted out, holding on tight to the chains. It was a lot like the bouncy bridges I played on at the park when I was little. Only I didn’t dare bounce this time, since it wasn’t quite finished.
I came just a foot from Derek.
“Okay, stop there. I need to secure a couple more cables . . .”
And then my phone rang.
Who’s calling me now? Everyone I know is here. Except Mom and Dad. And . . .
“Hello?” My breath became short and I prayed I wouldn’t hear a certain voice at the other end.
“Arcade? This is Gertrude. I’ve been trying to reach you . . .”
I took the phone from my ear and looked at the screen.
Five voicemails? How did I miss that?
“Arcade, are you there?”
I grabbed on tight to the chain. “Yes, I’m here.”
“Sweet pea, the brothers are home.”
I knew exactly who she meant. Lenwood and Kenwood Badger. Two Mr. Bs! Double trouble. And just as that thought crossed my mind, two guys, who looked exactly alike, came from opposite sides of the course, shouting my name.
“ARCADE LIVINGSTON! YOU STAY RIGHT THERE!” The guy on the left, who looked like the one who tackled me in New York, was coming right for me.
“YOU LITTLE TRESPASSER!” The guy on the right, who also looked like the tackler from New York, was coming at me from the other direction.
“Arcade!” Zoe grabbed the chains and began to cross the bridge.
“Zoe, I don’t think it will hold all of us!”
“So what? We’ll all fall in the creek and then they’ll have a harder time catching us!”
Celeste came out next. “No, they’ll have to fight us. And they’ll be sorry.”
�
��Mr. B! It’s okay! Arcade is just trying to help!” I guess I should have filled Jacey in on some important details.
Next thing I knew, Jacey and Doug were on the bridge too. Four kids in front of me and bridge-builder Derek, behind. The rest of the crowd seemed frozen. I was so hot I thought my head was going to explode!
No, wait a minute . . . it’s the token that is so hot it’s going to explode!
I pulled it out from under my shirt. Two lasers flew out from it and hit both Badger brothers in the eyes, stopping them in their tracks.
“Should we jump?” Derek stood on the last board of the bridge, ready to do whatever I said.
I didn’t have time to answer because suddenly all the laser lights in Forest Games and Golf turned on. Then glitter shot out until a huge cloud of it formed over the bridge. It dumped a few flakes on us kids, but it looked like a dump truck full fell on the Badger brothers.
Elevator doors appeared at the end of the bridge, and a pulsing coin slot beamed in my direction.
“Come on, everyone, follow me!”
I threw the token in and motioned for the doors to open. They did, and my friends and I crossed over the bridge into a LARGE, DARK elevator.
CHAPTER 34
Over
UP or DOWN?” My voice echoed throughout what seemed more like a cave than an elevator.
“Arcade, where are you? I can’t see anything! It’s so foggy!”
I still had my phone in my hand, so I tried to start the flashlight app. Nothing. “I’m over here, Zoe!”
“Don’t move, I’m following your voice.” In seconds, Zoe poked me in the chin. “Oh, good, I found you.”
“Is everyone here? Doug? Jacey?”
“Right here,” the nervous voices echoed back.
“Me and Celeste are here too,” Derek’s voice rang out from across the cavern.
“UP or DOWN?” my annoying voice taunted.
A girl’s hand touched my shoulder. It was Jacey. “I’m really scared, Arcade.”
“It’s gonna be okay. Just stay by me. I have to make a choice. Pray it’s the right one.”
Arcade and the Golden Travel Guide Page 13
