Free The Magnificent Lizzie Brown and the Mysterious Phantom by Vicki Lockwood

feet.
    â€œCome down!” The words burst out of Lizzie’s mouth before she could stop them. “It ain’t safe!”
    â€œHave no fear,” Dru said, as if he were talking to an audience and not to Lizzie. “I’ve practiced this one for hours on the training wire.”
    He was nearly at the middle of the wire now. It bowed under his weight.
    Lizzie’s heart pounded like a big bass drum. She had to make Dru stop, somehow. “You tell him!” she told Collette, rounding on the startled girl. “Tell him not to do it!”
    â€œMy brother is a professional. You’re insulting his talent,” Collette said softly.
    Now Lizzie’s palms were aching. The feeling of horror was taking over her whole body. “Come down!” she yelled again. Dru’s life depended on it. She didn’t know how she knew. She just knew .
    â€œYou’d better hush up, Lizzie,” Malachy whispered. “You might put him off with that yelling.”
    â€œSomething bad’s going to happen,” Lizzie muttered. “I just know it.”
    High above, Dru bent his knees. “A roll of the drums, please!”
    Erin and Nora began to hammer with their hands on the hollow wooden step, and Lizzie could only look on helplessly as Dru bent his knees again and flipped up into the air. The high wire twanged beneath his body as he turned a full backward somersault. Lizzie bit her knuckle.
    Dru’s feet came down on the wire. It wobbled madly. He swayed his body from side to side, struggling to keep his balance.
    In the next moment, with a sickening snap, the wire broke loose at one end. Its whole length rippled as it fell, taking Dru with it.
    He tumbled, arms flailing, down toward his death.

CHAPTER 6
    With an acrobat’s reflexes, Dru grabbed for the wire. He caught it and held tight as it swung down, bringing him with it like a huge pendulum.
    Everyone rushed forward. They gathered below the tent pole as Dru, white-faced, inched his way down the wire. He dropped the last few feet and stood there trembling with shock.
    â€œI’m all right,” he said, waving away their anxious questions. “These things happen.”
    â€œNot in this circus they don’t!” Collette burst out. “This was no accident. Someone sabotaged that wire!” She turned on Lizzie. “It was you, wasn’t it? You meant that to happen to me !”
    â€œI never!” Lizzie yelled.
    â€œOh, no? Then how did you know my brother was in danger, eh?”
    â€œI . . .” The words stuck in Lizzie’s throat. How could she possibly explain? “I just had a feeling.”
    Collette just snorted at that.
    Lizzie turned around, desperate for backup, but Nora and Erin were looking at her with doubtful faces. Surely they couldn’t think she was responsible!
    But it was Hari who came to her rescue. “I think you should all look at this,” he said quietly. He held up the end of the fallen high wire, which was frayed and discolored.
    â€œMildew,” said Dru, shaking his head. “It must have been rotting through for weeks. Collette, how many times have I said we need a new rope?”
    Lizzie folded her arms. “I’m waiting for an apology.”
    Collette stared at Lizzie as if she were suddenly afraid of her. “You stay away from me,” she hissed. “You spooky little fr —”
    She stopped herself just in time, but Lizzie knew what she’d been going to say. Freak. Then, without another word, Collette turned and ran from the tent.
    â€œI’m sorry about my sister,” Dru said, patting Lizzie’s shoulder in a way that made her shiver all over. “She’ll calm down. She’s just upset.”
    â€œYou were just worried about Dru, weren’t you?” Nora said to her. “That’s all it was. Just a wee fret. Got yourself all worked up.”
    â€œI s’pose,” Lizzie said.
    But deep