The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 2: A King's Ransom by Jude Watson Page A

it had to come from military or spy agencies. If he cross-referenced with the names that were starting to come in on the DeOssie … maybe they could find a connection.
    Evan and Sinead had written a program to research the jacket label they’d gotten off the video from Vesper One. It was a company in the Czech Republic with factories in China that sold throughout the US and Europe. With a new expanded search engine, the computer was now pulling up every retail outlet that carried the brand. It was a long list.
    Ian checked the program over Evan’s shoulder. He stared at the store names, which blurred in front of his tired eyes.
    “What is Walmart?” he asked.
    “It’s the newest luxury store. Just like Harrod’s. You’d love it,” Evan assured him.
    “Whoa!” Sinead suddenly leaped to her feet. “Bingo! That last text for Cheyenne? I’ve tracked down the location! You are not going to believe this!”

    Amy felt her cell buzz in her pocket. She plucked it out. There was a text from Sinead.

    URGENT! TRACED ORIGIN OF LAST TEXT ON CHEYENNE’S PHONE. WAS SENT FROM TOWN OF KUTNÁ HORA — CLOSE TO PRAGUE. CONTACT ATTLEBORO IMMEDIATELY.

    It was a breakthrough. A real breakthrough.
    Amy showed Dan the text. “That’s three connections to the Czech Republic — Jane’s note, the jacket label, and now the text! Maybe the hostages are being held right near here!”
    They turned off the main street onto a quiet side street. Amy quickly dialed Attleboro and put Dan on three-way calling.
    “There you are!” Sinead let out an explosive sigh of relief. “Did you get my text?”
    “Great news! Where’s Kutná Hora?”
    “It’s only about forty minutes from Prague. We’ve been able to pinpoint the exact location — it was actually sent from Sedlec, a suburb of Kutná Hora. There’s a church there called All Saints — we think it was sent from there.”
    “What did the text say?”
    “We couldn’t retrieve it,” Sinead said, disappointed. “We only know what Hamilton saw — ”
    “‘
G is in the picture, could need removal,’”
Amy repeated from memory. “Jane mentions a ‘G,’ too. But it can’t be the same one. There are so many random pieces in this puzzle!”
    “Tell me about it,” Sinead said. “Erasmus is on his way to Rome to see Mr. McIntyre. They’re going to brainstorm ways to get Interpol off your back. Maybe pull some strings. And Ian is working on a Cahill connection to get you in at the library.”
    “Great. We’ll leave for Kutná Hora right now.”
    “Look, we just want you to check it out. Surveillance only. If you suspect the hostages are there, hang back. Don’t do anything crazy. We can put a team together in twenty-four hours if we need to.”
    “But if we wait, they could be moved! What would
you
do?” Amy waited out the pause. Sinead was her best friend. She knew that Sinead would want to protect her. But she’d also tell her the truth.
    “I’d go in,” Sinead said.
    Rome, Italy
    The apartment felt lonely now that their father was away, and in the morning Atticus and Jake Rosenbloom began a new routine of flopping on the deep couches in their dad’s study to do their work. Surrounded by their father’s books and stacks of files, they felt closer to him.
    Atticus could tell that his half brother, Jake, was still brooding about what had happened with Amy and Dan Cahill. Jake had turned them in to Interpol, but the authorities didn’t seem to believe Jake when he’d said they’d stolen the original manuscript of Marco Polo’s
Il Milione
.
    Atticus was getting over his shock and hurt. He’d thought and thought about it, and he’d decided that there must be something going on that Dan was afraid to tell him. They were buddies, even though Dan was two years older. He still remembered the look on Dan’s face as he seized
Il Milione
and took off. Like he’d wanted to tell Atticus something, but he couldn’t.
    He’d felt so let down by Dan, but he didn’t have