Read Online Goldwhiskers by Heather Vogel Frederick - Free Book Online Page A

her phony tears were having the desired effect.
    They were. Luigi Levinson frowned. ‘Oz, DB, I’m ashamed of you,’ he scolded. ‘Picking on poor Priscilla! When you’ve only just met. You know better, the pair of you. What would your mother think, Oz?’
    â€˜But –’ Oz started to protest.
    â€˜He didn’t – I didn’t –’ stammered DB.
    Oz’s father shook his head. ‘I don’t want to hear another word from either of you,’ he said. ‘Not until you apologize to Priscilla.’
    He stared at them sombrely from beneath his shaggy black eyebrows. Oz’s face flushed. He glanced over at DB, who was squirming in her seat at the injustice. Behind her hankie, Priscilla smirked.
    â€˜I’m waiting,’ said Luigi Levinson, drumming his fingers impatiently on the seat back.
    â€˜Sorry, Priscilla,’ mumbled Oz finally.
    â€˜Me too,’ muttered DB.
    â€˜There, that’s better,’ said Oz’s father. ‘You childrenbehave yourselves now.’ And with that, he turned back to the limousine driver.
    A smug smile played across Priscilla Winterbottom’s lips. Oz and DB exchanged a wary glance. Priscilla gave new meaning to the term ‘shark’. Most of the sharks they knew avoided getting grown-ups involved like the plague. But they were in altogether different waters with Priscilla. They’d have to navigate their way very carefully.
    Priscilla’s foot shot out, and she kicked Oz in the shin again. He flinched. ‘My mother is definitely a better singer than yours,’ she whispered, baiting him.
    Oz shrugged, defeated. If he said anything at all, she’d just tell his father another lie and get him into more trouble.
    â€˜Why don’t we let the audience be the judge of that at the concert tomorrow night?’ suggested DB.
    Priscilla eyed her suspiciously. ‘Fine,’ she said finally. ‘You might be in for a surprise, though. Right, Nigel?’ Her hand shot out and she pinched the younger boy on the leg. Hard. Nigel whimpered and nodded.
    The limousine came to a halt in front of Buckingham Palace. The back door opened, and Luigi Levinson reached in with a bear-like armand plucked Priscilla from her seat. ‘Feeling better, my little sugarplum?’ he asked. She nodded tremulously. Dabbing at the corner of one eye with her hankie, she smiled triumphantly over her shoulder at Oz and DB.
    â€˜Good. Come along, then, all of you,’ said Oz’s father, herding Nigel out as well. ‘They’ll be starting the ceremony soon, and we want to get a good spot.’
    Oz and DB followed, exchanging an uneasy glance.
    â€˜She’s awful,’ said DB.
    â€˜Horrible,’ agreed Oz. ‘Worse than Jordan and Tank.’
    â€˜And she’s up to something,’ added DB.
    â€˜I know,’ said Oz unhappily. The question was, what? Oz sighed. He hoped Glory’s holiday was off to a better start than his.

CHAPTER NINE
DAY ONE – MONDAY 1115 HOURS
    Glory’s holiday was not off to a better start, unfortunately.
    â€˜Come on then, lad, out with it,’ said Inspector Applewood, the sturdy brown fieldmouse from Scotland Yard with whom she had been paired.
    The grubby mouseling seated across the table from them gave his runny nose a furtive swipe. ‘I told you already – I don’t know nuffing, guv,’ he whined.
    Glory sighed. It had been like this all morning. Not an orphan in London knew a thing about the disappearances. Inspector Applewood hadn’t even been able to get them to tell him their names. Glory had tried too, but it was clear that the detective resented herpresence, and she had quickly given up. Scotland Yard had not been at all happy to have agents from MICE-6 foisted upon their investigation.
    Inspector Applewood closed his notebook. ‘Right then, lad, you can go,’ he told the street urchin. He turned to Glory.