Amy had been separated from Dan only a few minutes when the private detective hired by Aunt Beatrice found her.
"Amy Cahill?" He asked.
"Who wants to know?" She queried.
"May I see your passport?" It was not a request. She reluctantly pulled it out of her pocket and gave it to the man. "You will have to come with me. Your Aunt is worried sick I'm sure. What are you doing in Scotland?"
"Aunt Beatrice is worried about the trouble she will be in if she can't find me, nothing more. And I certainly am not going with you," Amy replied decisively. She turned to leave but the man caught her arm.
"You can do this the easy way or the hard way. I can have security carry you kicking and screaming with me if I must. Don't be foolish. Now come." Amy silently followed him through the airport and into an empty meeting room. He flashed a badge at a security guard who granted him access and quietly closed the door behind them. "Now, where is Dan Cahill?"
"I don't know," Amy lied. No matter what she did, she would not betray him. They had to keep hunting for the clues and win the contest, or all of this would be for nothing.
"Don't play dumb," The detective ordered. "I am sure he is somewhere in this airport."
"If you are so sure, why are you asking me?" Amy replied coolly. The man ignored this gibe and continued.
"And where is your babysitter, Nellie Gomez? Surely you have not been able to travel around the world by yourselves with no money and protection."
"Au pair," Amy corrected.
"I see that you are not in a cooperative mood. Perhaps your Aunt Beatrice will loosen your tongue. Come, we will return to Boston after we look around the airport for your brother." He pulled Amy to her feet and marched her out of the room. Amy had no intention of returning to Boston with this man. She figured she could give him the slip. She saw a crowd of girls hurrying to their flight. They looked slightly younger than her, but she should be able to blend in well enough. Her dreams were short lived, as the detective, apparently having the same idea, snapped at two security guards to join their small party. There was no way Amy could escape now. They reached the luggage claim for her flight but did not find Dan. "Thank goodness," Amy sighed in relief. The detective looked annoyed.
"No matter," he shrugged, "He will soon be picked up. We are tracking your babysitter's credit card.
"Au pair," Amy grumbled. They continued out of the airport to a waiting private jet.
"It's a long flight to Boston, so get comfortable," The man said as they climbed onto the plane. Amy was nowhere near feeling comfortable. She was going back to Boston, to Aunt Beatrice! After all they had worked for, outsmarting and barely escaping their competitors, to be defeated by social services! It was unthinkable. Unfortunately, the unthinkable seemed to have a way of becoming reality lately, and here Amy was on a plane to Boston.
"I wonder how social services finally found me," Amy mused. They had been to many airports, and never had the private detective ever seemed to have a clue of where they were. How had he found them now? She had almost forgotten social services were even looking for them. After worrying about Dan and Nellie for a while, Amy finally drifted off to sleep. She awoke to the not so gentle shakes of the detective.
"We're here," He informed her. "We're going to see your Aunt."
The reunion was not pleasant. "Where have you been!" Aunt Beatrice shrieked. "I've been worried sick." She pulled Amy into a hug, which Amy was perfectly certain was just for show. "Thank you so much for returning my darling girl home safe," Aunt Beatrice said shrilly to the detective.
"Not at all Ma'am," The man replied, tucking the wad of bills Aunt Beatrice gave him into his pocket. "I promise to return Dan as well."
"Thank you," Replied Aunt Beatrice. "And please hurry; my nerves can't handle the strain."
"Of course." He tipped his hat and then left the apartment. Aunt Beatrice slowly turned to face Amy.
"Hello Aunt Beatrice," Amy said shakily. "Long time no see."
"You are going into foster care!" Aunt Beatrice shrieked. "I told you if you went on that fantastic clue hunt I would disown you! Now you'll be sorry." Amy did not feel sorry in the least. She would do the same thing all over again. Just then, the phone rang. Aunt Beatrice answered. "Hello? Oh, hello Isabel," she sighed. "Yes, she's right here. She's going into foster care as soon as possible. Really? That would be wonderful. Yes. You will pick her up? Perfect. Bye."