13 Times by Cheryl Rao

Author:Cheryl Rao [Rao, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: null
Publisher: Harper Children's
Published: 2023-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

The intruders seemed to be satisfied that there was no one at home, and they now pulled out slim flashlights and searched for the money. It was obvious to Navin, watching quietly through the leaves, that they were looking for the satchel – they seemed to be picking up bags and packets from everywhere and then tossing them aside.

Suddenly, they stopped and switched off their flashlights. There were muttered curses, and Navin heard the door being shut. And then, to his horror, he heard a rush of footsteps coming up the stairs towards the terrace.

‘Mom and Dad must have returned, and these two don’t want to be seen going out of the block!’ thought Navin. ‘Thank goodness they can’t climb down this tree. It will only get them into the downstairs house …’

But he needn’t have worried about being discovered. The lights came on in the apartment, and he saw Mom, Dad and Grandpa moving around. Mom went to his room, looked in and gasped. ‘Where’s Navin? And why are all these packets and bags on the floor?’

‘In our room too,’ said Dad. He stood stock-still for a moment, then ran to check in the wardrobe, where he had left the satchel of money. ‘We’ve been robbed!’

‘And Navin is gone!’ said Mom. ‘Maybe the burglars found him home and took him away with them!’

Navin wanted to call out to them, tell them he was safe, but he was afraid that the thieves were still in the stairwell and could reach him before he got back into the house.

Then Grandpa looked out of the window and saw Navin. He called out to Mom and Dad. They looked out too and, before he could warn them, they rushed out of the apartment and up the stairs to rescue him from the terrace, running straight into the burglars hiding there! A scuffle followed, and the noise awakened their neighbours in the adjoining flat. Soon the intruders were overpowered, and the police were called.

Meanwhile, Navin made his way gingerly along the branch of the peepal tree and hopped back into his room. Grandpa was waiting for him there, his eyes wide with terror. ‘How did you do that?’ he cried.

‘How did I do what, Grandpa?’

‘You were clinging to the drainpipe a moment ago – and now you are here inside the room …’

‘I was sitting on a branch of the tree outside, Grandpa. I saw you – and Mom and Dad – but I couldn’t call out because those men were still there and I was afraid they’d grab the satchel from me …’

Mom and Dad came in, looking flustered. ‘Navin’s not there! Where did he … Oh, there you are! How did you get back inside?’

Before Navin could answer, their doorbell rang. The policeman outside spoke to Mom and Dad, and Navin heard him say, ‘There is nothing from your house on them. They deny entering. We’ll have to dust for fingerprints …’

‘Oh, I have a photograph of them at the sideboard,’ said Navin, pulling out his mother’s phone and showing the photograph to the policeman.

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