How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini (10 page)

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Chapter 18

‘Is it a riddle?' Caitlin said. She shifted over on Ali's bed so that she could get a closer look at the torn envelope. ‘Or a code?'

‘Don't push.' Gez shoved his elbow into her side.

‘Stop squabbling,' Ali said, and stood up, taking the note with him.

The door to Ali's room opened. He hid the note quickly behind his back. Mum came in carrying a tray with three glasses balanced on it. ‘Juice? I thought you might be thirsty.'

She put the tray down on the desk.

‘Thanks, Ali's mum,' Gez said.

Mum laughed. ‘I suppose that's an improvement on Mrs Ferguson! My name's Anita.'

Caitlin sipped her drink. ‘What flavour's this?'

‘Orange and mango. Is that OK?'

Caitlin nodded. ‘Yum. I've never had mango before.'

Ali looked at Caitlin. She had gone a bit pink, as though she was pleased.

‘Do you like it?' Mum asked.

‘It's lovely. Really lovely.'

‘Good.'

The doorbell rang. Mum looked up, then went out of the room to answer it.

Ali took the note from behind his back and stared at it again. It had been scrawled quickly, on the back of a white envelope, as though the person who wrote it was in a hurry. He turned it over in his hands. The envelope was just addressed to the pet shop, typed, with no return address. There was nothing inside. Then Ali noticed something. He sniffed the note.

‘What?' Gez asked.

‘It's weird,' Ali said, taking in a deep breath. ‘It smells kind of bad. But kind of not, too. Smell.' He handed the paper to Gez.

‘Yuck! How's that not a bad smell?'

Caitlin sniffed. ‘It's a bit like dogs. But that's not what it is.'

‘Perhaps it's poison?' Gez said. ‘Or drugs? It could be gunpowder, if they're smuggling weapons!'

Ali smiled. ‘I suppose it could be any of those things. I've never smelled gunpowder.' He paused. ‘Or drugs. Or poison.'

‘Well,' Caitlin said, ‘we did find it in a pet shop bin. It isn't going to smell like a bed of roses, is it?'

She had a point. The bin was probably full of poo and mouldy dog food and cat sick. But the note had been next to the bin, not in it.

The door opened.

‘Caitlin,' Mum said, ‘your dad's here.'

Ali frowned. Dave was here? In the flat? What was he snooping around for?

Caitlin put her glass down on the bedside table and stood up.

‘It's OK,' Mum said to Caitlin. ‘He doesn't need you home yet. He's after Falcon.' Mum paused. ‘In fact, he's asked if I want to take a quick walk with them. I'll just nip out for an hour or so, OK?'

‘What?' Ali asked. ‘What do you want to do that for?' He looked at Mum. Was she blushing? She was! Ali didn't know what to say. He felt suddenly angry. Dave couldn't just come here and tell Mum what to do. He might be the boss of a bunch of criminals, but he wasn't the boss in this flat!

‘I'm just getting a bit of fresh air,' Mum said. ‘I won't be long. Come on, Falcon.'

Falcon stood up and followed Mum out of the room.

‘Caitlin's dad and Ali's mum up the tree –' Gez sang.

‘Shut up!' Ali said.

‘K-I-S-S-I-N-G!'

‘They are not!' Ali said. It wasn't true. Mum wouldn't go out with Dave. Except she was. But just for a walk. It was normal; people did that sort of thing. She was just being friendly. Ali scowled, but Gez just kept on singing.

‘Gez, shut up!'

‘What?' Gez asked. ‘I'm only saying.'

Ali took a deep breath; he tried to squish down his temper. But it was no good. It rushed out like sparks from a firework. ‘Well, don't! My mum isn't going out with anyone. Especially not Dave. OK?'

There was a sudden silence.

He looked at Caitlin. Her face was pale and her eyes sparkled dangerously. ‘And what's wrong with my dad?'

Ali bit his lip. ‘Nothing. I didn't mean anything.'

‘Yes, you did!'

‘Look,' Ali said carefully, ‘this doesn't matter right now. We need to concentrate on the note. We need to find Miss Osborne before it's too late.'

Gez nodded. ‘Yes, come on, Caitlin. Don't start a fight. What do you reckon Monkey Adams is?'

Caitlin nodded slowly, but she still looked cross. ‘It could be a code name,' she said. ‘One of the gang, maybe.'

‘There was Woody, but I didn't hear any of the others' names,' Gez said. ‘It's a shame we've only got half the note.'

‘We should go back,' Caitlin said. ‘We should look for the other half of the envelope.'

‘Yes! We should go back tonight, under cover of darkness!' Gez said.

‘Well,' said Ali, ‘how about just after tea? It will be dark then, but I'll still be allowed out. Just. How can you get out of the house all the time, without your parents freaking?' Ali asked Gez.

‘I have three brothers.' Gez grinned. ‘My mum and dad have a problem trying to remember our names, let alone keeping track of where we're all supposed to be. You two should be pleased your parents are getting together. Everyone should have brothers and sisters. It's brilliant.'

Ali threw a pillow at Gez. And this time so did Caitlin.

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Chapter 19

Ali watched the winter sun set behind the town. The last red and orange streaks made the sky look like fire. Mum still wasn't back from her walk. There was a tight knot in Ali's stomach, as though it was clenched into a fist. Mum had better be all right, that's all. If Dave had hurt her, or kidnapped her, or shown her whatever was inside the boxes and made her an accomplice, then Ali would make him pay.

The front door opened. Mum was back.

‘Hi, sweetheart,' she called.

The fist in his stomach screwed tighter. Now it burned. Anger. He didn't reply.

‘Ali? Hello?' Mum stood in the doorway. Ali could see her reflected in the windowpane. She was unwinding her pink shawl.

‘Hi,' he said finally.

‘Anything interesting going on?' Mum asked.

Ali shrugged.

‘Well, I've been having a nice time. I walked along the river towards town. There's allotments and the park, you know. All quite close. We should explore together one weekend.'

Ali made a noise that was nearly agreeing.

‘Cat got your tongue?' Mum smiled. ‘Oh, guess what? We went to a pet shop too. You would've liked that. Perhaps we could go there sometime?'

Ali spun round and looked at Mum properly. ‘A pet shop? Why?'

Mum shrugged. ‘Dave said it was time for Falcon to go back to her owner. He was delivering her to the people at the pet shop.'

‘Falcon's owner was at the pet shop?' Ali stood up. Dave had taken Mum right into the heart of the gang! He had put her in danger.

‘No.' Mum shook her head. ‘I didn't see her owner. But the men in the shop said they'd look after Falcon until she got back. Ali, what's the matter?'

Ali's fists were clenched so tight that his nails dug into his skin. Red-hot blood pumped around his body. Dave had taken Mum to the shop, had introduced her to his minions.

And, he realised suddenly, Dave had left Falcon with the men!

Falcon was gone! The gang had got her!

‘Ali, what is it? What's the matter?'

Ali took a slow breath. He couldn't tell Mum, she wouldn't understand. ‘Nothing. Nothing's wrong. It's just Caitlin. She . . . she really loves Falcon. She's going to be upset.'

‘Oh, of course.'

‘I'm going to go and see she's OK. All right? I'll be back soon.' Ali grabbed his coat from the hooks.

‘Yes, fine,' Mum said. ‘But don't go far. It's getting dark.'

Ali leaned hard on Caitlin's doorbell. Inside, he heard its sharp buzz, like a fly hurling itself at a window.

There was no answer.

She wasn't home. Had she found out what her dad had done? Was she angry? Upset? Or did she still not believe that her dad was bad news? Ali gave a short, hard laugh. How could she not believe it? After what Gez heard, and now this! Dave had given Falcon to the bad guys. Ali pressed the bell once more, just to be sure.

Nothing.

Ali lay his hand on the door. The wood was cool and soothing against his palm. He turned away. As he walked back towards the lift, he saw the small flight of stairs that went up to the roof. Caitlin might be hiding up there.

He pushed open the door. It seemed like ages since he'd been here last. But it was only a few days. Then it had been Everest, sunshine on top of the world. Now it was dark and windy, and the sounds of the streets drifted up from below: a police siren, a dog barking, cars driving home.

He stepped out, looking for Caitlin. She was there, standing near the edge, gripping the handrail. She looked out towards the night-lit docks and the sea beyond.

‘Caitlin,' Ali said.

She wiped her face quickly with the back of her sleeve.

Was she crying? His anger stalled for a moment. Then he remembered that it was her dad who was causing all this trouble. Her dad who was putting Mum in danger.

‘What do you want?' Caitlin asked.

‘Mum came back,' Ali said. ‘She said Dave had given Falcon away.'

Caitlin's shoulders shook slightly. She was definitely crying.

‘I didn't . . . I didn't get to say goodbye,' she said through tears.

Ali opened his mouth, but no words came. It suddenly hit him. Falcon was gone. Dad was gone. Mum might be going. He felt as though there was a black hole sucking away all the things he cared about.

‘Dad always lets me say goodbye. He knows how important it is,' Caitlin whispered.

It was all Dave's fault, Ali thought. He was ruining everything. ‘Your dad shouldn't have done that,' he said angrily.

Caitlin shrugged. ‘Dad thought it was best. For Falcon to go to Miss Osborne's sister.'

Her
sister
? Ali froze. ‘Her sister?' he said. ‘Was that what he told you?'

Caitlin turned towards him. Tears rolled slowly down her cheeks. She'd given up trying to hide it. She sniffed. ‘Yes. He took Falcon to Miss Osborne's sister today. He said it was for the best. I don't know why.'

Dave had lied to Caitlin! He hadn't gone near any sister. He had taken Falcon straight to the men who had tried to kidnap her. The men who were holding her owner! He felt the skin on his arms rise into goosebumps. This was awful.

Ali tried to speak. But the words just wouldn't come. Caitlin already looked so hurt.

‘I want to be by myself,' Caitlin said. She turned back to look at the sea.

‘Aren't you coming to look for the other half of the envelope?' Ali asked. His anger had vanished; now all he felt was a slow dread.

‘No. I don't want to.'

‘But we need you,' he said.

‘I said, I don't want to.' Caitlin glared at him. ‘Oh, go away, Ali. Just leave me alone.'

‘But, Caitlin –'

‘I said go!'

Ali turned and ran back inside.