Phillips - Here Wherethe Sunbeams Are Green

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Text copyright 2012 by Helen Phillips
Cover art copyright 2012 by Jen Bricking

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

Delacorte Press is a registered trademark and the colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Phillips, Helen.
Here where the sunbeams are green / Helen Phillips. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Summary: Sisters, Madeline and Ruby, travel to a Central American jungle to help find their missing father, a renowned bird watcher, only to discover a nefarious plot that puts their lives in danger.
eISBN: 978-0-307-97487-7 [1. Missing personsFiction. 2. JunglesFiction. 3. BirdsFiction. 4. Endangered speciesFiction. 5. SistersFiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.P5365He 2012
[Fic]dc23 2011051059

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v3.1

For my sister, Alice,
brava and bold

S o here we are in this shaky little airplane high above the jungle, which is kind of (very) scary. On our first flight Roo got the window seat the whole five hours, so she insisted that I get it for the second flight, which is pretty thoughtful for someone whos only nine-almost-ten. But I really shouldve let her have the window seat this time too. Even though Im three years older than my sister, shes the brave one who loves flying and other dangerous things. Plus Ive been a bit more freaked out in general lately, ever since The Weirdness began. The amazing view is basically wasted on methe only way I can get through the wobbly ride is by pressing my forehead hard against the window, trying to pretend the jungle below is a huge green trampoline and even if we fell out of the sky wed be totally fine.

And thenright as Im telling myself, Listen, Madeline Flynn Wade, you need to calm down and get a gripI see it.

There it is, I murmur.

What? What! Roo yelps. Wheres what?

Theres the Lava Bird Volcano. I lean back in my seat so she can peek out the window. Dad taught us that not all volcanoes have the classic volcano shape, but this one sure does. Its big and blue and very, very perfect.

Volcn Pjaro de Lava, Ken/Neth corrects me from across the aisle, where hes sitting next to Mom.

Volcn Pjaro de Lava, Roo echoes with a perfect little accent, and Im going, How come she has that super-great accent when Ive been studying Spanish for three years and shes only been studying it for one?

Just as we pass the volcano, two rainbows jump up out of the jungle and crisscross each other. They truly crisscross each other! Roo unbuckles her seat belt so she can squeeze closer to me and see the rainbows better, and we go Ooo, rainbows! and start to feel really, really excited about what were going to do this afternoon. Well, actually, Roos been really, really excited all along. She always is. Im the one who gets nervous about things.

Anyway, Roo and I are gasping and squealing and feeling hopeful until we look across the aisle to make sure Mom is watching the rainbows and instead see Ken/Neth whispering into her ear. It gives me an automatic stomachache. Dad never would have become friends with Ken/Neth if hed known this was going to happen someday. Ken/Neth on an airplane with Dads family, whispering things into Dads wifes ear!

But I liked Ken/Neth too. Back in December when Dad brought him home for dinner and introduced him as Kenneth Candy (seriously, his last name is Candy), a longtime ecological developer and a newtime friend.

Newtime? Roo said, giggling, as Mom sighed and added another place mat to the table. Is that really a word?

Kens involved in that fascinating development in Central America, Dad explained to Mom, pinching her waist in the way that makes her smile. The one Ive told you about, remember, that opened a couple years ago? Its won the Worlds Greenest Spa award for two years running. Theyre doing revolutionary work in the field of environmental development. Its the way of the future, Via. And the location is unbelievablevirtually untouched jungle on the flanks of a volcano. An ornithologists dream! Dad paused, and all the enthusiasm drained out of his voice. Of course, it wouldve been more of an ornithologists dream a few years back, before the Lava-Throated Volcano trogon was confirmed extinct.

Dad hates extinction. And he loves Central American birds.

The most elusive bird in the world, Dad said dreamily as we sat down to eat, long before it went extinct. Spectacular plumage but so shyhardly ever let anyone get a good look at it. The females were especially reclusive. Even if you managed to spot a male, hed never give you a hint about the location of his mate or their nest. They were monogamous, mated for life.

Elusive, reclusive, elusive, reclusive, Roo rhymed merrily under her breath, twirling spaghetti on her fork.

Mom looked at Dad, shaking her head. I still cant believe theyd build a spa right in the habitat of a rare trogon like that.

Former habitat, Ken Candy corrected her, chomping down on a big mouthful of spinach salad. Extinctchewischewextinct, he said sadly (or at least as sadly as you can while chewing), almost as if someone from his own family had died. But really it was more like someone from Dads family had died, because Dads the one whos the world-class ornithologist, otherwise known as the Bird Guy.

Whats that place called again? Mom asked. The Magma?

La Lava, Ken Candy said with a spinach-toothed grin. La Lava Resort and Spa.

I love lava, Roo said. Its like the planets own hot caramel sauce.

So, Mom said to Ken Candy, what exactly do you do for La Lava?

Oh, mainly just some consultation about ecological development and that sorta thing. Ken Candy was smiling very brightly at Mom. Im based here in Denver but I travel there a few times a year.

We need more people like you doing the kind of work youre doing, Dad said.

Well. Who knows. But I sure do love what I do, Ken Candy said, pretending he wasnt proud of himself. And not to talk business at the dinner table, he continued, but La Lava is seeking an expert ornithologist to help us track and catalog the native bird species, both for the benefit of our more curious guests and to further our green mission. What happened to the Lava-Throat should never happen again.

Ken Candy looked at Dad. Dad looked at Mom. Mom looked at Ken Candy.

Interesting, Mom said. Very interesting.

Its quite a dazzling array of avian life out there, lemme tell ya, Ken Candy added.

Im sure it is, she said.

After dinner Ken Candy pulled some candy from his pockets and offered it to me and Roo. He just so happened to have a mini Snickers (my favorite) and a mini Butterfinger (Roos favorite). Since Candy is my last name, he explained with a wink. He was nice and also cute, even with spinach in his teeth, and I felt shy. Now I just wish Dad had never met him.