Free How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini by Elen Caldecott Page A

ground and shoved a few flat boxes aside. Caitlin and Gez slipped in next to him. He pulled the cardboard back over them all. Falcon growled, but Caitlin’s hand on her neck soothed her. The boxes smelled dry, like autumn leaves. Weak sunlight filtered through the cardboard, the colour of tea. It was a tight fit.
    â€˜Stop wriggling!’ Caitlin said.
    Ali froze. His breathing sounded loud; his heartbeat sounded louder! And when Gez spoke it sounded like he was yelling.
    â€˜Can you see who it is?’
    â€˜Shh! They’ll hear us!’
    â€˜Yes, but who will hear us? Can you see?’
    Ali gently leaned to the left, so that he could peek out. A white van had pulled into the yard! He could see the profile of the driver, a man with stubble on his face and head.
    â€˜Man and van,’ Ali whispered.
    â€˜Them?’
    â€˜Dunno. I dunno what they look like.’ The side of the van was hidden by the cardboard. Gez tried to look too, but the biggest box was balanced right in the way.
    Falcon whined.
    â€˜Shh!’ Ali said. Falcon cocked her head and was quiet.
    The van door opened. The man moved out quickly. Across the car park, to the shop door and then inside. He was gone.
    Ali’s mind was racing now, as well as his heart.
    A pet shop, an attempted dognap, an orange top and a connecting door. And, of course, Dave’s strange night-time activities. What did it all mean?
    He pushed the cardboard aside slowly and stood up. Caitlin, Gez and Falcon crawled out too.
    â€˜Hey,’ Caitlin said.
    Ali looked over. She had pushed the cardboard back into place and now she was holding a piece of paper. One half of a torn envelope.
    â€˜It’s a note,’ Caitlin said. She passed it to Ali.
    â€˜ Monkey Adams. Sunday ,’ he read. The words were scrawled in blue pen. It might be useful. ‘We should get away from here. The driver might come back. He tucked the note in the back pocket of his jeans and led them back to their bikes.

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    Chapter 18
    â€˜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?’
    â€˜Don’t push.’ Gez shoved his elbow into her side.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜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?’
    â€˜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.
    â€˜Do you like it?’ Mum asked.
    â€˜It’s lovely. Really lovely.’
    â€˜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.
    â€˜What?’ Gez asked.
    â€˜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.
    â€˜Yuck! How’s that not a bad smell?’
    Caitlin sniffed. ‘It’s a bit like dogs. But that’s not what it is.’
    â€˜Perhaps it’s poison?’ Gez said. ‘Or drugs? It could be gunpowder, if they’re smuggling weapons!’
    Ali smiled. ‘I suppose it could be