Free The Case of the Missing Cats by Gareth P. Jones

warned me,’ said Holly. ‘I thought he was going to eat me.’
    â€˜I keep telling you, dragons don’t eat meat.’
    â€˜Yes, but . . .’
    Karnataka looked up from his sweets. ‘What are you doing bringing a human down here, Dirk?’ He said in a nasal whine. ‘You’ve finally lost it. You know the rules. You know what would happen. You’re risking enough with all that detective nonsense as it is. If you’re not careful, you’ll be sent down.’
    â€˜What happened to your voice?’ asked Holly.
    â€˜Oh, that?’ said Karnataka, ‘That’s just a voice-echo device. It’s good for scaring away unwanted intruders. That and the red-eye projector. You like the flames? The flames are new,’ he added excitedly.
    â€˜Oh yes,’ said Holly. ‘I thought the flames were terrific. Really scary.’
    â€˜You see,’ said Karnataka to Dirk. ‘I told you the flames were worth it. Scary, she said.’
    â€˜I didn’t come down here to discuss your Wizard of Oz complex, Karny. I came here for information.’
    â€˜Sure thing,’ said Karnataka, throwing the last of the liquorice sweets up in the air and catching it in his mouth. ‘That stuff really is the best. What can I do for you? Just name it. You have me at your disposal.’
    â€˜What have you got on a V. Grandin?’
    Holly had never seen a face lose so much colour in so little time. Karnataka’s yellow eyes whitened and he looked furtively from side to side as though suddenly scared that they were being watched.
    â€˜I’m . . . s . . . s . . . sorry,’ stammered the dragon. ‘I’ve never heard of no one of that name. Sorry I can’t be more help, though and thanks for the liquorice.’ He turned around and ran back into the darkness.
    Holly and Dirk looked at each other. ‘Bingo,’ said Dirk and he walked slowly forwards.

Chapter Fourteen

    â€˜Come on, Karny,’ Dirk called into the darkness. ‘Play the game. You got your liquorice.’
    Once again the large red eyes appeared and the deep voice echoed around the hall.
    â€˜The great dragon Karnataka is not in at the moment,’ it said. ‘But please leave a message after the tone and he’ll be sure to get back to you. Beeep!’
    â€˜Karny.’ There was a taunting quality to Dirk’s voice. ‘You can’t hide from me.’
    Holly walked by Dirk’s side. They approached the eyes. She had stopped being scared of them now as she could see that they were in fact two red lightsattached to something that looked like a giant ear trumpet.
    â€˜Karnataka forbids you to take one step further,’ said the voice, with a hint of panic.
    Dirk winked at Holly and walked around the strange device. Behind it was Karnataka, shaking with terror.
    â€˜You are trespassing,’ boomed his voice. ‘Trespass not against me or I–’
    â€˜Boo,’ said Dirk in Karnataka’s ear, causing the dragon to jump a metre in the air.
    â€˜Leave me alone,’ he said in his normal high-pitched voice.
    â€˜Come on,’ said Dirk. ‘Do I have to force you?’
    â€˜Dirk. I can’t. I don’t know anything.’
    â€˜Is that right?’ said Dirk. ‘Then let’s change the subject. How about . . . say, the Dragon Council’s Welsh gold reserves. Know anything about them?’
    A fresh look of panic crossed Karnataka’s face. ‘You wouldn’t,’ he said. ‘You can’t prove anything.’
    â€˜The Council aren’t too fussy about proof. Remember what happened to poor Elsinor?’
    â€˜You leave my brother out of this.’
    â€˜They didn’t have much proof on him, did they? And I’m sure they’d be interested to know how youcan afford all these trinkets,’ Dirk said, pointing at the rows of giant sculptures.
    â€˜All right,’ said Karnataka, bowing