Rat-Catcher by Chris Ryan

Author:Chris Ryan [Chris Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781407049991
Publisher: RHCB

TWELVE

The street was deserted when Alex peered around the corner. He was counting on it staying that way. It was the last Saturday before Christmas. Most people would be out shopping.

‘Which house is it?’ whispered Amber, peering over his shoulder.

‘Third one along on the left,’ said Alex. ‘The one with the garage on the side of the house.’

‘Are you sure it’s the general’s house?’ asked Hex.

‘I’m sure. My dad and I picked him up from here just two nights ago. He was actually talking to those two adoption men when we arrived — paying them off, as cool as you like, and telling my dad they were his “ears on the street”.’ Alex let out an exasperated sigh as he remembered. ‘I knew they looked familiar! That guy is so sure of himself.’

‘Too sure, if you ask me,’ said Hex. ‘Someone’s going to catch him out one of these days.’

‘How are we going to reach the house?’ asked Li.

‘We walk up to it, of course,’ said Alex.

‘What? In full view?’

‘We’re just kids, remember,’ said Amber. ‘Who’s going to take any notice of a bunch of kids?’

‘Blinds are down,’ muttered Li as they headed up the road towards the house. ‘How do we know he hasn’t come back here?’

‘We don’t know for sure,’ said Alex. ‘But we have to try to get in. We might find something in there that leads us to Paulo.’

‘The house is alarmed,’ said Hex, assessing the security. ‘But I’ll bet the garage isn’t - and there might be a connecting door. I think we should go in through the garage. Those trees and bushes are going to give us a fair amount of cover.’

When they reached the top of the driveway, Hex took one look at the garage doors and sneered. ‘See what I mean?’ he whispered. ‘Too sure of himself.’

They were a pair of old-fashioned wooden doors and the only thing holding them shut was a wrought-iron drop-latch. Hex gripped the latch and eased it up, then he gently tugged one of the doors. The rusting metal hinges squealed loudly and a whole flock of small birds exploded from the garden trees. Amber grabbed Alex’s arm, digging her fingernails into his skin.

Hex took a quick look down the driveway to the street, then he slipped into the dark garage. Li followed, then Alex, with Amber crowding in behind him.

‘There’s a car in here,’ said Hex.

Amber gave a squeak of panic. ‘He must be in the house!’

‘No, I don’t think so,’ said Li, running her finger over the tarpaulin that covered the car. ‘Look. Dust. This has been here for quite a while.’

Alex lifted a corner of the tarpaulin and pulled it back. A shiny black bonnet came into view, then a dark windscreen. Amber peered at the windscreen and gasped in shock as she saw a face staring back at her.

Someone was sitting in the car.

She took a step back, preparing to run, but Alex reached out and squeezed her wrist reassuringly. ‘It’s all right,’ he said calmly.

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