Tyler sighed. “I’m starving here, people. And we need a doctor to look at Brack’s ankle.”

Cozette turned to Charlie. “You said you knew a way out of here.”

“Right,” said Charlie. “Let’s go back to the hall we first landed in.”

It took longer to retrace their steps with the injured Brack, but soon they were back in the hallway.

“See?” said Charlie, pointing to the floor. “I knew it was there.” In the glow of the phone they saw a familiar shape on the carpet.

“Aladdin’s magic carpet,” said Annie. “Or at least it looks like it.”

“Just like the rectangle above us, on the fourteenth floor,” said Charlie.

“You mean it was right there all the time?” said Ty.

Charlie began running his hands along the wall, searching for another hidden switch. “I figured they’d be right on top of each other,” he said. “Ah, here it is.” His left hand touched a bumpy shape protruding from the wallpaper.

Another flower. This one was a sunflower. “Stand back,” he yelled. Then he twisted the plaster flower just as Cozette had twisted the lily.

Something banged against the floor. Gears rattled and walls shook as the floor began to sag. Light shot up from below as the rectangle in the carpet slanted downward to reveal a lit hallway on the twelfth floor.

Carefully, they helped Brack down the ramp. As soon as they all stepped into the lower hallway, the ramp snapped up like the end of a teeter-totter.

“This is the hallway with the glass door,” said Ty. “This is where I went up. After you took off for the elevators, the ramp came down again.”

“So why didn’t you just come back the same way?” asked Annie.

“I didn’t know how it worked,” said Ty.

“Well, that’s how David Dragonstone got into the hallway without you seeing him enter it,” said Charlie. “Remember how you said you saw the black curtains dropping down over the glass door? That’s what clued me in to this secret ramp. The black curtains used in the magic trick moved from side to side, on a frame, like regular curtains. When you said you saw them drop down, from the far end of the hall where you were standing, I knew you must have seen something else dropping down.”

“After you left the hall, I took one last look around,” said Ty. “And then, for no reason, the ceiling began to open up and the ramp came down. That’s when I went up to the thirteenth floor and got stuck. Hey, how many of those ramps are there?” he asked Brack.

“I don’t know,” said Brack. “I hired architects and builders who were magicians, you know. The hotel has magic built into the very walls. Even I don’t know all of the Abracadabra’s secrets.”

They led Brack to the elevators on the twelfth floor and then descended to the main floor lobby.

“Ty!” shouted his mother as soon as they stepped into the lobby. Miranda Yu rushed over, her arms outspread. She gave Ty a hug, but he shrugged it off.

Mrs. Yu’s expression grew stern and she folded her arms. “Tyler Yu. Why have you been ignoring your beeper for the past twenty-four hours?” she demanded.

Brack raised his hands. “I’m afraid that was my fault, Mrs. Yu. Tyler was busy rescuing me.”

Once the magician explained how Tyler had been trying to help him, and how he had hurt his ankle during his abduction, Miranda Yu’s anger drained away. She ordered Brack to wait in the lobby while she phoned a doctor.

Brack settled into a plump, overstuffed chair. Meanwhile, Cozette peppered Annie with dozens of questions about David Dragonstone and whether they could go back upstairs for his autograph. A flash of lightning blazed through the vast lobby. It flickered on a forest of columns and a jungle of potted plants.

“I thought that storm was over,” said Charlie.

“We all make mistakes,” came a booming voice from the center of the room. A tall man in a swirling cape, with a black mustache and cruel eyes, appeared.

“Theopolis!” said Ty.

“I heard the wonderful news of your return, old friend,” said the man, bowing toward the seated Brack.

“We just got here,” said Charlie. “How could you have heard anything?”

Theopolis slowly shook his head. “Still doubting my mystical abilities, I see,” he said. “Well, Brack, I’m so glad you haven’t left us. For good, I mean. Oh, I was so worried.”

“Did you really think I would leave this place?” asked Brack with a grim smile.

“Never,” said Theopolis. “I know how much this stuffy old fleabag means to you. In fact, I know exactly how much.”

Yeah. Down to the penny, I bet, thought Charlie.

“And now that you’re back,” said Theopolis, “you must attend one of David Dragonstone’s performances. It would mean so much to the young man to have one of magic’s oldest practitioners in the audience.”

“I have heard all about Dragonstone’s tricks from my young friends,” said Brack.

“Well,” said Theopolis, giving Charlie a sour smile. “Don’t believe everything you hear. Ah well, you’re here, these brats are here, and everything is back to normal. Charming. I must talk to my partner about his next show. We’re planning something really big.”

“I can’t wait,” said Brack.

Theopolis swirled his cape and strode toward the elevators. “How can Brack just sit there and not say anything to that weasel?” said Ty. “He didn’t even ask that creep for an apology for locking him in that room.”

Charlie straightened his shirt. “Like Brack said, he doesn’t have any evidence against Theopolis,” he said. “I mean, Brack didn’t exactly see who trapped him on the thirteenth floor.”

“Then we’re gonna find evidence,” said Ty. “Yeah, that’s it. I know how to catch him red-handed.” Ty looked down at Charlie. “Come on, Hitchcock. We’re going back to the thirteenth floor.”

“What?” squawked Charlie.

“The Twelve,” said Ty. “Those statues. You heard Brack say they were priceless. I’ll bet that’s what Theopolis is up to. He’s gonna steal them and make millions. But we’re gonna sit in that room and grab him as soon as he makes his move.”