The Spanish Kidnapping Disaster Read Online Free PDF

towered high above us like the figurehead of a ship carved from rock. In the afternoon sunlight, the turrets shone as if they were made of gold, and the whole building looked as if it might vanish in a puff of smoke.
    As I pointed my camera upward, I heard Amy mutter, "Oh, no, not her again."
    Spinning around, my picture forgotten, I saw a dusty old Citroen pull into the lot and park next to our little red car. Her long hair flying, Grace hurried toward us.
    "Oh, Felix," Mom said. "Look who's here."
    Grace smiled at us. "Yes, it is me again, a bad nickel you cannot lose," she said. "I have thought more of the windmills and how I would like to show them to you."
    "Real windmills," Mom added. "Like the ones in
Don Quixote.
"
    Grace nodded enthusiastically. "And old castle ruins too. There is so much to see for those who venture from the main roads."
    Mom looked at Don before answering Grace. "It's getting late," she said reluctantly, "and we still have to line up a hotel for tonight. I don't think we can see any more sights today."
    "Will you be here tomorrow?" Don asked.
    Grace sighed and shook her head. "It is impossible. I can take you this one time only."
    Mom hesitated, waiting for Don's opinion, and Grace added, "It is too bad, for these are very special. Not the windmills everyone knows. There will be no tourists getting in the way, ruining things, just us."
    "Can we go, Mom?" I tugged at her hand, trying to get her attention. "Please?"
    While I begged, Grace tapped a long, scarlet fingernail against her front teeth and frowned as if she were thinking hard. Then she smiled. "I could take the children," she offered, "while you go to the hotel and make your reservation. Then, tomorrow, they could show you the way."
    "Oh, no," Mom said, "you must have other things to do. We couldn't let you inconvenience yourself like that."
    Grace tossed her hair and shrugged. "No trouble, none at all. I would love to show the children the true
España.
"
    Suddenly Grace's arm hooked around me and drew me to her side. Considering how thin she was, she was surprisingly strong.
    "You would like to see my Spain, Felix?" Grace's face
was close to mine, and I could see the pores in her skin, her freckles, and the sun lines around her eyes.
    I nodded my head so hard I could feel my big gold earrings swing. More than anything in the world I wanted to see Grace's Spain, to ride in her little car, to talk to her some more. This time, I wouldn't tell her any lies. Just the truth.
    "Well, then, you shall." Grace smiled at me as if everything were settled. "I can bring them back to this place at seven-thirty," she said to Mom and Don. "That will give you plenty of time to make the reservation, and perhaps have a glass of wine in a romantic place, just the two of you. Segovia is a city for lovers, you know. A place of beautiful sunsets and ancient things. It would be a shame to miss this chance."
    While Mom and Don hesitated, Phillip said, "Let Felix go see the dumb old windmills, if she wants to. I'd rather find a McDonald's."
    Grace laughed and drew him close with her other arm. "I know where one is, señor. On the way back, we will stop there and you can eat all the burgers you want."
    "All right!" For the first time since we'd left Maryland, Phillip looked truly happy.
    "Well, I'm not going!" Amy folded her arms tightly across her chest and scowled at Phillip as if he'd just broken a promise. "We can see plenty of windmills tomorrow in Ávila."
    But Mom and Don weren't listening to her. This was their honeymoon, and here was Grace offering them a few
hours of privacy. Tempted as they were, I had a feeling from the glance they exchanged that they were about to say no. After all, they didn't know Grace very well. How did they know they could trust her?
    "Please, Mom," I said. "Grace will take good care of us. Didn't she bring us back safe and sound yesterday?"
    Mom looked at Don. Slowly her frown melted into a smile. As Don hugged her, she