Free The Case of the Stolen Film by Gareth P. Jones

the words,’ replied the director.
    â€˜I’m sorry, Chase. I keep forgetting where I come in.’
    â€˜You’ve got four bars, then the twiddly piano bit, then you come in,’ said Chase.
    â€˜Oh yes. Sorry, Chase.’
    â€˜That’s fine,’ said Chase patiently.
    â€˜Dad, can I ask something?’ said Dante.
    â€˜Sure thing, son,’ replied Chase.
    â€˜I was thinking that my character would be fairly conflicted here, you know, pleased that he is in the concert but bitter that Petal’s getting the limelight, like both happy and unhappy at the same time. Like this.’
    Dante pulled a face.
    â€˜He looks more like he’s both constipated and got diarrhoea at the same time,’ said Archie.
    Holly shook with laughter. ‘Stop it! I really need the toilet,’ she said.
    â€˜That’s perfect, son,’ said Chase. ‘OK, let’s take a fifteen-minute break, then we’ll go for it one more time.’
    â€˜Great! I’m going to the toilet,’ said Holly.
    â€˜I’d hurry. I don’t think you’re the only one with that idea,’ said Miss Gilfeather, pointing at the swarm of people heading in the same direction. Holly and Archie tried to get through, but the crowd was bottle-necking at the door by the stage.
    â€˜Let’s try a short cut,’ said Archie, walking around the side of the wall.
    Holly’s heart sank when she saw that there was already a long queue coming from the girls’ toilets.
    â€˜I’m bursting,’ she moaned.
    â€˜Hi, guys,’ said Dante as he passed them on one of the electric buggies, sitting next to his dad.
    â€˜I bet they don’t have to queue for the toilet,’ said Archie.
    â€˜I know, but you need one of those passes,’ replied Holly, watching as the buggy reached a doorway and a security guard checked their passes and waved them through.
    â€˜If only you could turn invisible,’ said Archie, with awide grin. ‘Oh, hold on …You can.’
    Holly smiled then said, ‘What about you?’
    â€˜I’ll be fine – the queue isn’t as long for the boys. I’ll cause a diversion. Look, there’s Theo.’ Theo Leggett was driving a buggy towards the exit. Archie ran over to him. ‘Excuse me, Mr Leggett,’ he said.
    Theo slammed his foot on the brake. ‘Hey, be careful,’ he said.
    â€˜Sorry, Mr Leggett, sir, but I’ve been meaning to ask how you get to become an assistant director.’
    Theo beamed at Archie. ‘The first thing you need is a love of film,’ he said, sounding like he had been waiting all his life for someone to ask this. ‘From a very young age I’ve always loved movies. But that’s not enough. You have to be willing to work hard. The hours are long but in the end …’
    While he spoke, Holly sneaked round the back of the buggy, checked no one was looking and climbed on. Theo must have caught a glimpse of her in the corner of his eye because he broke off what he was saying to glance back, but Holly had vanished. He turned back to Archie.
    â€˜I need to get going,’ he said. ‘Here, take my card. When you’re old enough, give me a call. Maybe I can give you your first break.’
    â€˜That’s great,’ said Archie, putting the card into his back pocket. ‘Thanks for the advice.’
    â€˜No problem. Keep your dreams alive,’ said Theo, driving the buggy towards the door, past the guard, out of the building, briefly into the bright sunshine, and across the tarmac to another hangar, where there were a few office desks, a coffee bar and, Holly was pleased to notice, a row of toilets with no queue.
    Theo parked the buggy and went to get a coffee. Holly checked no one was looking and ran to the toilet
    With her bladder finally relieved she went back to Theo’s buggy, climbed on and blended into the seat, waiting for Theo to take her