How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini (12 page)

They turned a corner, passed an alley. Gez pulled his arm, ducking into the dark space. They leaned against the wall, sucking in air.

Ali waved his arm to quiet them both. He listened. Cars passed, a siren sounded somewhere far away. But there were no footsteps.

‘We got away,' Gez whispered. ‘That was Woody! Did you see his face when he saw us?'

Ali looked up. He knew where they were. At the end of the alley stood Lever Tower. ‘No.' He shook his head. ‘I was too busy running. And we haven't got away. We led him straight towards my flat. He knows we were snooping. And he knows we live close by. They'll be looking for us. Dave's gang will be looking for us.'

.

Later, Ali lay on his bed, the light from his bedside lamp shining on to the envelope in his hands. He turned it over and over.

Puma Reynolds

D.O.

Puma Reynolds

D.O.

Puma Reynolds

Dave O'Connor

He lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

What was he going to do?

.

Chapter 21

Gez came round after lunch the next day. He sat on Ali's bed, looking at the torn envelope.

‘We have to tell Caitlin about D.O.,' Ali said.

Gez nodded slowly. ‘I guess. But does it have to be us that tells her?'

Ali sighed. It wasn't going to be easy, but she
had
to know. He turned away and rested his elbows on the windowsill. It had only been a few days since he'd stood here feeling excited about his new life. And now, that was all gone. Dave had taken it away.

A van rolled slowly down the road just outside Lever Tower.

A white van.

Ali ducked down beneath the sill.

‘What? What it is?' Gez asked, standing up.

‘Get down! There's a white van out there. It's them, looking for us.'

‘How do you know? There are white vans everywhere. It could just be delivering a fridge to someone for all you know.'

‘Gez!' Ali tugged at Gez's jeans, pulling him down.

‘OK, OK. Sorry.' There was a pause. ‘You don't really think it's them, do you?'

Ali looked at Gez. His face was pale, despite the freckles. ‘I don't know. But it could be, couldn't it? That's where Woody lost us yesterday. If I was looking for us, then that's where I'd start.'

‘Can you see who's driving?'

Ali rested his fingertips on the windowsill and eased himself up slowly. The van was turning left, back towards the main road. He could only see the rear doors.

‘No,' he said. ‘Could have been Woody. Could have been Dave.'

‘Could have been a guy with a fridge,' Gez added hopefully.

‘I don't like it. I think we should stay inside for a while, undercover. Hope they forget about us. And don't wear any of the clothes you were wearing last night.'

Gez looked down. ‘But I
am
wearing the clothes I wore last night!'

‘Well, go home and change. And find a hat or something, a disguise. But mostly, stay indoors.'

‘I can't stay indoors for the rest of my life. I'd go insane, like a caged animal. I need my freedom,' Gez said.

Ali smiled grimly. ‘It's not for ever, don't worry. It's just until we can stop Dave.'

‘Are you going to speak to Caitlin? Tell her what we found?'

Ali thought about it. He knew he had to tell her, but did he need to tell her right now?

‘Maybe,' he said. ‘I should probably keep out of Dave's way too, though. Keep a low profile.'

‘You mean hide?' Gez asked.

‘Yes,' Ali said. That sounded safest.

.

Chapter 22

Once Gez had left, Ali scrunched up his clothes from the night before and stuffed them in the bottom of his wardrobe. He sat on the floor next to his bed. Well away from the window.

‘Ali!' Mum shouted from the kitchen.

‘Yes?' he yelled back.

‘I'm making pancakes. Do you want to help?'

Pancakes? Ali got up and wandered into the kitchen.

‘Pancakes? Really?' Ali asked. ‘Isn't pancakes just for breakfast on your birthday?'

‘No.' Mum laughed. ‘We can have pancakes if we want. Whenever we want.'

Ali sat down at the table and smiled. This is exactly how he'd thought it would be, living with Mum by himself. The anxious feeling he'd had since he'd spotted the van started to fade a little.

Soon, Mum was whisking a mixture in the big jug. She poured out a measure on to the frying pan and swirled it around. It smelled great.

‘There's some syrup in the cupboard there,' Mum said. ‘Or you could slice a banana.'

Ali got up to help. ‘Can I toss it?' he asked.

Mum laughed again. ‘I don't know,' she said, and passed him the handle of the pan. ‘
Can
you toss it?'

Ali took the pan and gave it a gentle shake. The pancake was a perfect circle and it slipped around easily. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. He gave it another shake.

‘Go on,' Mum said. ‘Go for it.'

Ali grinned. Then he flipped the pan up sharply. The pancake whirled up in the air, turning over as it did. Then,
plop
, he caught it back in the pan.

‘Woo-hoo!' Mum said.

A moment later, Ali sat back at the table, slicing half a banana on to his pancake. Mum made a second one for herself, then sat down next to him.

‘Actually, Ali, it is kind of a special day today,' she said.

Ali looked at her. Her eyes were twinkling and she was smiling.

‘I got a call this morning. From Dave.'

Dave? The anxious feeling was back. ‘What did he want?'

‘Well, us actually. He wants us to go out with him and Caitlin tomorrow. On a day trip. That would be cool, wouldn't it?'

A day trip? A whole day watching Dave smarm up to Mum, telling lies to everyone? No, it didn't sound like fun. And if Woody had told Dave about two boys nosing around, then perhaps Dave suspected Ali. Perhaps Dave was spying on him. Ali felt as though a trap was closing tightly around him. He pushed his plate away, the pancake only half-eaten.

‘Aren't you going to finish that?' Mum asked.

‘I'm not hungry,' Ali said.

Mum looked at him, frowning, but she didn't say anything.

.

Chapter 23

Ali left his half-pancake and went back into his bedroom. He could hear Mum singing as she did the washing-up. He lay down on his bed and took down his old, battered
Giant Atlas of World Animals
and opened it on the first page. The inscription read:

.

To Ali, happy 6th birthday. All my love, Dad xxx

.

Looking at the signature made Ali's eyes prickle with tears. Dad.

What was Dad doing right now? Ali couldn't even guess. It had been nearly six months since the last postcard. He turned to Chapter 5: Asia. There was Dad's card, slipped between the pages, just where he'd left it.

He flipped it over and read the message, even though he already knew it by heart.

.

Dear Ali,

I am in Bali. I stayed three nights at this temple. There are hundreds of monkeys here. They climb all over the walls and they'll steal your sandwiches if you're not careful!

Take care,

Dad

.

That was all.

Ali must have read it a hundred times, and every time he looked for a clue that told him Dad missed Ali as much as Ali missed Dad. He hadn't found one yet.

He put the postcard back inside the book.

Dad wasn't coming back. He knew that. Dad was making a new life on the other side of the world. Perhaps Mum was right and they should be making a new life too. But why did that have to mean Dave? Why couldn't it just be him and Mum making a new life together?

He put the book back on the shelf.

Perhaps he could go and stay with Dad. It would be nice to visit Asia. He must have distant cousins there.

He almost laughed. He didn't even know which country Dad was in. There was no way he could go and live with him.

No. It was him and Mum. And Dave. And Dave was trouble. It was up to Ali to stay here and keep Mum safe. Whatever that might take.

They were all going on a day trip. And Ali would be looking out for Mum every minute. Dave was not going to hurt Mum. Not while Ali was around.

.

Chapter 24

Ali woke up slowly. His eyes felt heavy and his body was tired. He lay in bed not moving. Something bad was coming. The thought shot through him like an electric shock, forcing him awake. He remembered. Today, Dave was taking them out. A whole day with the enemy. Ali sighed.

Above him on the bookshelf, he could see the ragged spine of the
Giant Atlas of World Animals
. He had hidden the two halves of the envelope in there, next to his postcard from Dad.

Monkey Adams. Sunday.

Puma Reynolds. Sunday

Meet D.O. Saturday. River.

An image of the scrawled handwriting was burned into his mind. He didn't even have to look at it to remember the words.

They had only two more days before something dreadful happened to Miss Osborne. He would watch Dave like a hawk with binoculars for any clue to where she was being held.

The doorbell rang.

‘Oh! That's them,' Mum shouted from her bedroom. ‘Ali, are you up? Go and let them in. I'm just finishing getting ready.'

Ali pulled on his jeans and a jumper and went to answer the door. He opened it slowly.

Dave stood there, smiling. The bruise on his face had matured to a mouldy cheese colour. His gold tooth twinkled.

Caitlin held his hand. She smiled a little at Ali. Ali couldn't look her in the eye. He and Gez hadn't told her about the D.O. note yet.

‘Hey there, sonny. Mum ready?' Dave said.

‘She's just getting shoes.'

‘Good.' There was a pause. ‘So can we come in then?'

‘Oh.' Ali stepped aside and let Dave and Caitlin walk ahead of him. Dave turned right, into the kitchen.

‘Everything all right? Got everything you need for your new home?' Dave asked a bit too loudly.

‘Fine.' Ali shrugged.

‘I like this flat,' Caitlin said, looking up at Dave. ‘It smells like flowers and spices.'

Dave grinned back at her.

Flowers and spices? It was just the air freshener Mum plugged in all over the place! Caitlin made it sound like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Ali grabbed and peeled a banana. He scowled. No one noticed.

‘Hi, everyone.' Mum stepped into the kitchen. Caitlin smiled shyly, but Dave beamed.

‘You look lovely,' he said.

Ali looked at Mum. Actually, Dave was right. She did look lovely. She had washed and straightened her hair, so that it hung like a thick black waterfall. And she had done her make-up. She never wore make-up in the daytime! Ali's stomach tightened. He didn't want the banana now. He put it on the side.

‘Not going to finish that?' Dave asked.

Ali shook his head.

‘Well, in that case, mind if I do? Haven't had time for breakfast yet.' Dave took the fruit and bit a huge chunk off. Three chews later, the banana was gone. ‘Right then. Day of fun-packed adventure, here we come,' he announced.

.

‘The zoo is not my idea of a fun-packed adventure,' Ali whispered to Mum as they stepped out of the car.

‘Since when?' she said. ‘You'll love it, you know you will. Dave suggested this because I told him how much you like animals. Give this a chance, Ali, please. For me.'

Mum's eyes were pleading. Ali nodded quickly, but didn't speak.

The car park was full. There were families everywhere. The queue at the ticket desk stretched like a snake out across the foyer.

‘No problemo,' Dave said when he saw how many people were in front of them. ‘I know someone who can get us in for free. Dave O'Connor queues for no man! Wait here.' He moved off.

‘Who does he know?' Ali asked Caitlin.

‘Everyone.' Caitlin grinned. ‘He never pays for anything if he can help it.'

It only took a minute. Then Dave was back, waving four tickets and a map. He was grinning at them all.

‘Oh, well done,' Mum said.

‘Anything for you, princess,' Dave said.

Yuck. Even Caitlin rolled her eyes.

‘Come on,' Mum said, blushing slightly. ‘Last to spot a leopard is the loser.'

Ali walked slowly towards the entrance. The others all moved past him. And, he noticed, Caitlin was holding Mum's hand! And they were both laughing at some joke of Dave's. They looked all happy, like something off a washing powder advert.

Dave turned. ‘Come on, Al. Don't be a slowcoach.'

Ali scowled, but sped up.

Everyone else looked at the animals. Ali looked at Dave. Did he look like a criminal mastermind? There was his gold tooth, but maybe that was just down to poor dental hygiene. And there were his tattoos, of course. In films, criminal gangs always had the same tattoo, so that they could recognise each other. Were any of Dave's tattoos like that? The bluebird stretched up from under his jacket to just below his hair. His knuckles had letters on them: L-O-V-E on each hand. Was that significant?

‘Thinking of getting a tat, sonny?' Dave laughed. ‘You're still a bit young for it. But when you're sixteen I could recommend a good artist.'

Ali looked away quickly.

Dave held up the map so that everyone could see it. ‘Big cats, or monkeys?' he asked.

‘Duh,' Mum said. ‘Both.'

.

It was at the big-cat enclosure that the hair on the back of Ali's neck bristled. Cold shivers shot up his spine. He looked around quickly. Dave was pointing something out to Mum. They were laughing.

But that wasn't what was making him nervous.

What was it? He knew, he just
knew
, that something was wrong.

He looked towards the enclosure. The strange yellow eyes of a lion locked on his. It yawned, lolling its red tongue around its razor teeth. Was that it? The slavering jaws of a predator just metres away? That would probably do it, he thought.

He stood perfectly still. There was something not right. He could feel it, like a strange extra sense making his breath catch in his throat. It was like the taste, or the smell of danger.

And then he knew what it was. The smell.

His nostrils were filled with a musty, sweet smell.

A musty, sweet smell that he recognised.

The lion's enclosure smelled exactly like the notes they'd found!

Puma Reynolds.

His brain suddenly felt like it was fizzing with electricity as the connection became clear.

Puma Reynolds!

Those notes weren't a list of gangsters. They weren't nicknames. They were shopping lists! The puma was a real, live puma, leaving its scent around just like these lions were! Dave's gang must be smuggling in wild animals and then making money selling them on. Ali felt that he
had
to be right! Dave must have delivered a puma to someone called Reynolds, and Woody or someone had written the delivery day on the back of an envelope. The same with Monkey Adams! And they'd thrown the note away in two different bins to hide the evidence. But it still had that smell! The smell of a big cat.

Ali imagined a puma crouching inside a box or crate. Its sleek brown fur shining in the darkness. Frightened. Not knowing what was happening to it. Perhaps it had yelped or whined as it was carried off the boat.

Ali remembered what Gez had said about the foxes. They had all disappeared. Perhaps the scent had frightened them away? And it wasn't just the foxes who were scared! There was the headline too, the one he'd seen outside the newsagents:
Big Cat Sighting: Hoax or Horror?
Someone had seen a big cat and reported it to the papers. And he had propped his bike against the biggest clue they'd had! Someone had actually seen the puma. It must have been out, wandering around their estate. Mr Reynolds' puma.

All of a sudden, his legs felt wobbly. Ali looked around for a chair. There was a plastic one shaped like a giraffe nearby. He dropped down into it.

Over by the enclosure, Dave slung his arm around Caitlin's shoulder. Did Dave capture the animals himself? Or did he pay other people to do it? To trap the wild things and steal them away? Ali felt his anger rise, hot and livid. He glared at Dave's back. It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all. Ali gripped the edge of the seat, trying to stay calm. If Dave was suspicious of Ali, then it was a bad idea to be behaving weird.

‘Ali? Are you OK?' Mum asked.

‘Er . . .'

‘You look really pale.'

Ali felt Mum's hand on his forehead.

‘You're clammy. Do you feel poorly?'

Ali managed to focus his attention on to Mum. Her eyes were full of concern. ‘I'm OK,' he managed to say. ‘Really. Just a bit tired. All the walking.'

‘Yes. I think it's time for a snack. You had no breakfast. Come on, everyone, let's find some sugar!'

Ali struggled to his feet.

Caitlin fell into step beside him. ‘What's the matter? Allergic to cats?' she asked.

Ali slowed, letting Dave and Mum walk ahead. ‘I know what the pet shop gang are doing,' he whispered fiercely.

‘No!'

‘Shh, not so loud. It was the smell. Of the lions. Did you get a whiff? It smells just like the note.'

‘They're making paper from lion poo?' Caitlin said, laughing.

‘What? No. They're smuggling animals. Catching them in the wild and bringing them by boat to here. Then selling them.'

‘What do you mean? How do you know?' she asked.

‘The note. It all fits, I'm telling you. The note, the foxes, the headline. Everything.'

‘What are you talking about? Who'd want to buy wild animals?'

Ali shrugged. ‘Could be anyone. Rich people. Footballers, actors, singers.' He glared at Dave's back. Then he gasped. ‘Jason Adams! Gez thought he saw him on the estate, but I told him he was imagining things. He must have been there to buy something from the gang.'

‘Jason Adams?' Caitlin asked, struggling to keep up.

‘A monkey!' Ali shrieked. ‘He must have been buying a monkey. Monkey Adams!'

Caitlin nodded slowly. ‘His girlfriend is always in magazines carrying a dog in a handbag. Perhaps she wanted something even cuter. Do you really think that's what the gang are doing?'

‘I'm sure of it.' Ali said.

‘Do you think they took Miss Osborne because she tried to stop them?'

‘I don't know.'

Should he tell Caitlin that they had Falcon? And what about the D.O. note? Somehow he'd ended up keeping secrets from Caitlin that he hadn't meant to keep at all. He had to tell her that Dave was in charge. He had to make her believe it.

‘We have to stop them,' Caitlin said.

Ali nodded slowly.

‘Come on, you two,' Mum shouted. ‘There's a hot-chocolate stand here. What would you like?'

This wasn't the right time to tell Caitlin, Ali thought. It wasn't fair. But he had to tell her and he had to tell her soon.

Perhaps he should ask Gez what he thought first.