The Maze of Bones: The 39 Clues (Clue hunt_Book1)

Chapter 19 - Part 2

He shook his head. "I don't get it."

She took out a pen and wrote RESOLUTION. "You asked me why this word was part of the clue. I didn't understand until now. We're supposed to guess the fine print." She passed the paper and pen to Dan.

"Solve the anagram."

Dan stared at the letters. Suddenly, he felt like he'd been zapped by a Frankin battery.

The letters rearranged themselves in his mind.

He picked up the pen and wrote: IRON SOLUTE

"I don't believe it," Nellie said. "This whole thing was about iron solute?"

"It's the first piece of the puzzle," Amy said. "It's an ingredient, or a component, or something like that."

"For what?" Dan asked.

Amy pursed her lips. "Iron solute could be used for chemistry, or metalworking, or even printing. There's no way to tell, yet. And we don't know how much we're supposed to use. Every time Franklin mentioned iron solute, he just wrote '1 quantity.'"

"We've got to find out!"

"We will," Amy promised. "And the sheet music..." She spread her hands over the adagio score.

"It's an ingredient, too," Nellie guessed.

"I think so," Amy said. "That's how you can tell the big clues. They give you an actual ingredient. We just don't know how to read this one yet." "But how do we find out?" Dan protested.

"The same way we did with Franklin. We find out about the person who wrote it. The composer was -- " Amy stopped abruptly.

Coming down the street was a familiar figure -- a thin balding man in a gray suit, carrying a cloth suitcase. "Mr. McIntyre!" Dan cried.

"Ah, there you are, children!" The old lawyer smiled. "May I?"

Amy quickly folded the first and second clues and put them away. Mr. McIntyre sat with them and ordered a coffee. He insisted on paying for their breakfast, which was okay by Dan, but Mr. McIntyre seemed nervous. His eyes were bloodshot. He kept glancing across the Champs-Élysées as if he was afraid he was being watched.

"I heard about last night," he said. "I'm so sorry." "It's no big deal," Dan said.

"Indeed. I'm sure you'll be able to backtrack. But is it true? Did the Kabras really steal the second clue from under your noses?"

Dan got annoyed all over again. He wanted to brag about the sheet music they'd found and the iron solute thing, but Amy cut in.

"It's true," she said. "We have no idea where to go next."

"Alas." Mr. McIntyre sighed. "I fear you can't go home. Social Services are still on alert.

Your aunt has hired a private detective to find you. And you cannot stay here. Paris is such an expensive city."

His eyes fixed on Amy's necklace. "My dear, I do have friends in the city. I know this would be a desperate measure, but I could possibly arrange a sale for your grandmother's -- "

"No, thank you," Amy said. "We'll get by just fine."

"As you wish." Mr. McIntyre's tone made it clear he didn't believe her. "Well, if there's anything I can do. If you need advice -- "

"Thanks, Mr. McIntyre," Dan said. "But we'll figure it out."

The old lawyer studied them both. "Very good. Very good. I fear there's one more thing I must ask of you."

He reached down for his cloth bag, and Dan noticed the claw marks on his hands.

"Whoa, what happened to you?"

The old man winced. "Yes, well..."

He plopped the bag on the table. Something inside said,

"Mrrrp!"

"Saladin!" Amy and Dan cried together. Dan grabbed the bag and unzipped it. The big silver cat slinked out, looking indignant.

"I'm afraid we didn't get along." Mr. McIntyre rubbed his scarred hands. "He was not

happy when you left him with me. He and I... well, he made his feelings quite clear that he wanted to

be returned to you. It was quite a task getting him through customs, I don't mind telling you, but I really felt I had no choice. I hope you'll forgive me."

Up Next: 39 Clues: The Maze of the Bones: Chapter 19 - Part 3