Read Online Atticus Claw Breaks the Law by Jennifer Gray - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Gray
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asked quietly.
All of a sudden Atticus found himself telling Mimi everything. He told her about Monte Carlo and Milan. He told her about Madrid and Montreal. He told her about Moscow and Miami. He told her about the message from the magpies and how he came to be in Littleton-on-Sea. Finally he told herabout the Cheddars. ‘I really like them,’ he said helplessly, ‘and I’ve let them down. For a few measly sardines. And it’s not just the Cheddars, is it? I didn’t mean to upset your owner, or anyone else for that matter. I just never let myself think about it before. I’ve been a cat burglar all my life. I didn’t want to get involved. Now, I’m not so sure.’
Mimi was quiet for a long time. ‘Poor Atticus,’ she said eventually, taking his paw. ‘What are you going to do?’
Atticus glanced back towards the pier. He pictured the magpies crowing over their nest full of loot. The thought of Jimmy’s cruel black eyes made him shiver.
‘Well?’ Mimi said.
Atticus let go of Mimi’s paw and straightened his handkerchief. He’d made up his mind.
‘I’m going to tell the magpies I want out,’ he said. ‘I’m going to tell them what we’re doing is wrong. I’m going to tell them it has to stop. I’ll go to the pier tomorrow morning when the kids are at school.’
Mimi smiled. ‘And then?’ she prompted.
‘And then I’m going to return the jewellery to its owners – every single last piece of it, starting with Aisha.’
Mimi nuzzled his whiskers. ‘I hoped you’d say that,’ she purred.
They said goodbye. Mimi waved. Atticus tried to smile. It felt good to do the right thing for once. But it didn’t really change anything, he thought sadly. He’d still have to leave. If the Cheddars ever found out what he’d done they’d never forgive him. And he couldn’t forgive himself. He didn’t deserve friends like Mimi. Or a loving family like the Cheddars. He sat alone for a long time watching the sunset until it was completely dark. Then he set out for Blossom Crescent with a heavy heart. Once he’d seen to it that everything had returned to normal in Littleton-on-Sea, he would leave number 2 Blossom Crescent and return to Monte Carlo where he couldn’t cause any more trouble.
Michael and Callie had just had their baths when the doorbell rang.
‘Do your teeth,’ Mrs Tucker ordered, ‘while I see who it is.’
The children waited for her to go downstairs, then they crept out of the bathroom and sat on the stairs in their dressing gowns peering through the banisters.
A lady in a pink sundress and floppy hat was standing on the doorstep next to a small bald man with a moustache. He was wearing sunglasses and carrying a suitcase.
‘We want to talk to Inspector Cheddar,’ the man said abruptly. ‘It’s about the burglaries.’
‘He’s out,’ Mrs Tucker said. ‘You could try the police station.’
The woman shook her head. ‘He’s not there either,’ she said.
‘He’s probably following up an important lead,’ Mrs Tucker said, ‘on the trail of the burglar.’
‘He’d better be,’ the man snapped. ‘My name is Pearson – we were the first victims of that greedy fiend!’
Callie clutched Michael’s hand.
‘Shall I ask the Inspector to call you in the morning ?’ Mrs Tucker asked.
‘No point,’ Mr Pearson said tersely. ‘We’re going on a cruise. It’s not safe here.’ He looked about anxiously , as though he expected the burglar to jump out from behind a bush and steal his moustache. ‘Come on, Elspeth, I told you it was a waste of time.’ He took hold of his wife’s arm.
Mrs Pearson shook him off. ‘No, Stanley. It might be important.’
Mr Pearson gave a grunt.
‘What might?’ Mrs Tucker asked quickly.
‘I remembered something about the burglary,’ Mrs Pearson said. ‘I think it could be a clue.’
Michael and Callie looked at one another excitedly . They edged forward.
‘Did you see something?’ Mrs Tucker asked.
‘Well, there
All of a sudden Atticus found himself telling Mimi everything. He told her about Monte Carlo and Milan. He told her about Madrid and Montreal. He told her about Moscow and Miami. He told her about the message from the magpies and how he came to be in Littleton-on-Sea. Finally he told herabout the Cheddars. ‘I really like them,’ he said helplessly, ‘and I’ve let them down. For a few measly sardines. And it’s not just the Cheddars, is it? I didn’t mean to upset your owner, or anyone else for that matter. I just never let myself think about it before. I’ve been a cat burglar all my life. I didn’t want to get involved. Now, I’m not so sure.’
Mimi was quiet for a long time. ‘Poor Atticus,’ she said eventually, taking his paw. ‘What are you going to do?’
Atticus glanced back towards the pier. He pictured the magpies crowing over their nest full of loot. The thought of Jimmy’s cruel black eyes made him shiver.
‘Well?’ Mimi said.
Atticus let go of Mimi’s paw and straightened his handkerchief. He’d made up his mind.
‘I’m going to tell the magpies I want out,’ he said. ‘I’m going to tell them what we’re doing is wrong. I’m going to tell them it has to stop. I’ll go to the pier tomorrow morning when the kids are at school.’
Mimi smiled. ‘And then?’ she prompted.
‘And then I’m going to return the jewellery to its owners – every single last piece of it, starting with Aisha.’
Mimi nuzzled his whiskers. ‘I hoped you’d say that,’ she purred.
They said goodbye. Mimi waved. Atticus tried to smile. It felt good to do the right thing for once. But it didn’t really change anything, he thought sadly. He’d still have to leave. If the Cheddars ever found out what he’d done they’d never forgive him. And he couldn’t forgive himself. He didn’t deserve friends like Mimi. Or a loving family like the Cheddars. He sat alone for a long time watching the sunset until it was completely dark. Then he set out for Blossom Crescent with a heavy heart. Once he’d seen to it that everything had returned to normal in Littleton-on-Sea, he would leave number 2 Blossom Crescent and return to Monte Carlo where he couldn’t cause any more trouble.
Michael and Callie had just had their baths when the doorbell rang.
‘Do your teeth,’ Mrs Tucker ordered, ‘while I see who it is.’
The children waited for her to go downstairs, then they crept out of the bathroom and sat on the stairs in their dressing gowns peering through the banisters.
A lady in a pink sundress and floppy hat was standing on the doorstep next to a small bald man with a moustache. He was wearing sunglasses and carrying a suitcase.
‘We want to talk to Inspector Cheddar,’ the man said abruptly. ‘It’s about the burglaries.’
‘He’s out,’ Mrs Tucker said. ‘You could try the police station.’
The woman shook her head. ‘He’s not there either,’ she said.
‘He’s probably following up an important lead,’ Mrs Tucker said, ‘on the trail of the burglar.’
‘He’d better be,’ the man snapped. ‘My name is Pearson – we were the first victims of that greedy fiend!’
Callie clutched Michael’s hand.
‘Shall I ask the Inspector to call you in the morning ?’ Mrs Tucker asked.
‘No point,’ Mr Pearson said tersely. ‘We’re going on a cruise. It’s not safe here.’ He looked about anxiously , as though he expected the burglar to jump out from behind a bush and steal his moustache. ‘Come on, Elspeth, I told you it was a waste of time.’ He took hold of his wife’s arm.
Mrs Pearson shook him off. ‘No, Stanley. It might be important.’
Mr Pearson gave a grunt.
‘What might?’ Mrs Tucker asked quickly.
‘I remembered something about the burglary,’ Mrs Pearson said. ‘I think it could be a clue.’
Michael and Callie looked at one another excitedly . They edged forward.
‘Did you see something?’ Mrs Tucker asked.
‘Well, there
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