Free The Case of the Wayward Professor by Gareth P. Jones

Miss Gilfeather.
    One of the men whispered something in her ear, while the other two surveyed the room.
    â€˜Can’t it wait until after rehearsal?’
    Again the man said something inaudible. Miss Gilfeather replied, ‘This is very inconvenient,’ before announcing, ‘Callum Thackley. Please come forward.’
    Holly looked over to Callum, who had shrunk down in his seat, smoothing his hair and looking at the floor.
    The men marched across the room towards him. One snatched the French horn from his hands, while the others grabbed Callum, holding him between them, dragging him towards the door.
    â€˜No,’ screamed Callum, kicking and screaming. ‘Don’t let them take me. I don’t want to go.’
    Miss Gilfeather said, ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Callum. They work for your father. They are taking you to a photo call at Number 10.’
    â€˜I don’t want to go. They can’t take Callum. I don’t want to miss the concert.’ He kicked and struggled, but the man lifted him and carried him across the room.
    â€˜They’ve assured me you’ll be back for the concert.’
    Callum wasn’t listening. He was screeching, ‘The tree creatures. They’re coming for me. Don’t let them take me. They want me.’
    Tree creatures
, thought Holly and something clicked into place. Dirk said that there were Tree Dragons in the forest. What if Callum wasn’t making it up? What if the tree creatures that kidnapped him weren’t inventions of his troubled imagination but real dragons? What if these men weren’t from the government at all, but working for the Kinghorns? What if they werekidnapping Callum again?
    â€˜Leave him alone,’ she shouted, making Julian and Sandy jump.
    â€˜Holly Bigsby, sit down,’ ordered Miss Gilfeather.
    The three men had got Callum out of the room, and Holly could hear his pleas for help down the corridor.
    â€˜If you ask me he’s one note short of a full scale, that one,’ said Julian, causing Sandy to giggle.
    â€˜Now, if we could please start rehearsal,’ said Miss Gilfeather, raising her baton.
    Holly lifted her trumpet to her lips, but when the band started she missed her first note, so mimed along with Julian and Sandy. Her mind wasn’t on the music. It was on Callum. She had to help him. If Callum had got mixed up with the world of dragons and everyone thought he was mad then Holly was the only one who knew the truth. Dragons did exist.
    She had to get out and find Dirk and she could no longer wait until the concert on Thursday. But if she was going to make a clean break, she would have to find a way of removing the non-removable wristband.

Chapter Twelve

    Walking back to the girl’s dorm, Holly formulated a plan. She needed to make a phone call on a clean line and remembered Petal boasting that her mobile phone wasn’t monitored because her mother didn’t want anyone listening to their conversations.
    She put her trumpet back in her room and headed for the common room, where she found Petal regaling a cluster of older girls with the story of when her mother had come home drunk with a Hollywood A-list star. Holly had heard the story a number of times but she listened patiently until the end, laughing along with the others, before saying, ‘Petal, can I talk to you?’
    Petal’s smile fell away. ‘What do you want now?’
    â€˜I wanted to say sorry,’ said Holly. ‘It’s just that I think I am a bit jealous like your therapist, Hermann, said. And I really like your mum’s new album and I think your book is brilliant. Can we be friends?’
    Petal eyed her suspiciously for a moment then her smile returned and she opened her arms. Holly leaned in and they hugged. Petal whispered in her ear, ‘I forgive you.’
    â€˜Thanks, Petal. It means the world to me,’ said Holly. With convincing tears in her eyes she excused herself