Free How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini by Elen Caldecott

said.
    Caitlin looked up at the red-brick terrace. It looked just like the others in the row – net curtains, china trinkets on the windowsill. It was nothing special.
    Caitlin gasped.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜I know this house,’ she whispered. ‘It’s Miss Osborne’s house! That’s where Falcon’s real owner lives!’
    â€˜No!’ Ali looked at the house. There was something about it that made the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. It was too still, too quiet, as though it were waiting. Had Miss Osborne been kidnapped from here? Was she being held somewhere, on a boat out at sea, or in the pet shop just next door, against her will?
    â€˜Come on.’ Gez gave Ali a small prod. ‘Let’s find the back door.’
    A few doors down, there was a left turn that led to an alley. It was bumpy with potholes and weeds. They followed it round to the back of the houses, past a couple of squat garages on the right.
    â€˜Which is Miss Osborne’s house?’ Gez asked.
    â€˜The one next to the pet shop,’ Caitlin said.
    â€˜And which one is the pet shop, smarty-pants?’
    â€˜I’m sure we’ll recognise it,’ Ali said.
    Ali was right. It was easy to tell where the row of shops started. There were no fences, and their back yards were all open concrete, like a small car park. There were big bins the size of skips. Piles of stacked cardboard tied up with string leaned against them.
    â€˜That’s the pet shop. And that one’s Miss Osborne’s.’ Ali pointed.
    â€˜What should we do now?’
    â€˜Take a peek. See if we can see her, or the gang. But be careful – we don’t want anyone to spot us.’
    They stepped slowly up to the back of the shop. A thick door was set into the wall, with a barred window next to it. Ali gripped the door handle and turned it slowly. Nothing happened; the door was locked.
    â€˜The window,’ he whispered. He and Caitlin raised themselves on tiptoe, using the metal bars to steady themselves. Ali pressed his face as near to the glass as he could. The window was dirty, but he could just about make out the room inside. There were piles of boxes against the walls: dog food. There was an open doorway in the far wall. This was just a storeroom. He felt disappointment well up inside. They wouldn’t learn anything here. Was there really no clue? He gripped the bars tighter and lifted himself up, wedging his trainers against the brick wall to get a few centimetres higher.
    â€˜Look there!’ he said.
    â€˜What?’ Gez, shorter, struggled to see in too.
    â€˜There. That door!’ Ali jerked his head towards the left side of the room. A wooden door was set into the wall. It was white with an old-fashioned round handle.
    Caitlin gripped the bars tightly and leaned into Ali, pushing him to one side. There wasn’t enough room for the three of them and Falcon all staring in. ‘What about it?’ she asked.
    â€˜Where do you think it leads?’
    â€˜Just into the shop, probably,’ Gez said.
    â€˜No. The doorway straight on goes to the shop. So where can the white door lead?’
    â€˜Oh,’ Caitlin said slowly. ‘I see. It’s in the wrong wall, isn’t it? It must lead into the house next door!’
    â€˜Miss Osborne’s house!’ Ali let himself drop back to the ground. Caitlin landed beside him.
    â€˜Do you think it means something?’
    â€˜I don’t know. I need to think.’
    Just then, Ali heard the sound of an engine and wheels crunching over stones and gravel. ‘There’s a car coming!’ he whispered urgently.
    â€˜Hide!’ Caitlin tugged his sleeve and pulled him towards the huge bins at the side of the yard. He grabbed Gez on the way past.
    â€˜I’m not getting in there!’ Gez said.
    â€˜Shh. We don’t have to get in the bin, just under the cardboard. Come on. Quick!’
    Ali dropped down to the