I could muster, I carefully stood back up and leaned on a nearby snowdrift for support. As I did so, there was a low humming sound from beyond the drift. I peeped carefully over the edge and almost had my head taken off as a bright red jet ski careened wildly towards me. I barely had time to pull my head back down before it crashed into the edge of the drift above me, covering me in a mini-avalanche of snow, and flew through the air on to the ice beyond. It slid wildly from side to side before the driver eventually recovered control and headed away from me at high velocity.
‘He’s getting away,’ Jack yelled.
I saw my fat fee disappearing in the flurry of slush that was being forced up by the passage of the jet ski – no way; not onmy watch; especially not where money was concerned. ‘No he’s not. We’re going to follow him.’
Jack and Basili looked at me as if I was quite mad – which was a distinct possibility.
‘What do you suggest we do, run fast? Harry, we’ll freeze without proper outdoor gear.’ Jack was clearly concerned.
‘We’ll have to take that chance. We can’t afford to let him get away.’
There was a loud roaring from behind us and a familiar voice said, ‘Hopefully you won’t have to.’ Two jet skis pulled up beside us; one piloted by Mrs C, the other by Mary Mary. Slung across the back of both was a heap of furs. The ladies flung the furs at us.
‘Get ‘em on you, we’ve no time to waste,’ bellowed Mrs C, trying to be heard over the noise of the engines.
I didn’t need a second invitation. I quickly donned the furs, threw myself up on the jet ski behind Mrs C and hung on tightly – praying that I wouldn’t fall off. Beside me, Basili had joined Mary Mary on hers. A look of disappointment crossed Jack’s face.
‘What about me?’
Mrs C gave him an affectionate hug. ‘Too dangerous, Jack. Your mother would never forgive me if something happened to you. Just keep an eye on things here while we’re gone. If we don’t make it back, it’ll be up to you to break the case. We’re counting on you.’ It was certainly dramatic, but it had the desired effect. Jack cheered up instantly withhis new found sense of responsibility and gave an elaborate salute.
‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said proudly. ‘This case is in safe hands with me.’
Before I could say anything else, there was a sudden jolt as the jet ski lurched forward. I just about managed to stay on by grabbing Mrs C tightly and holding on to her for dear life. If this was what it was like while we were starting, what would it be like when we were racing across the snow? One of those ‘This isn’t such a good idea’ thoughts marched into my mind and demanded my attention. I chose to ignore it, although I knew it was right. If I’d really thought about it, I’d have realised how ridiculous the whole thing was: a city pig like me at the North Pole, risking near death from exposure in pursuit of someone with bad personal hygiene who might (and it was a long shot) just provide a breakthrough in the case, riding across freezing wastes on a jet ski piloted by a woman who claimed to be the wife of a mythical character who brought toys to millions of children once a year. Had I missed anything?
I was bumped, jostled and swung from side to side as we lurched after our quarry. But for the fact that I was gamely trying not to be flung off the violently bucking machine, it didn’t feel like we were moving at all. The only things that weren’t white were the red dot in the distance that we were just about keeping up with and the four of us. With the furs on, we looked like grizzly bears out for a jaunt on the snow.Grizzlies on ice! That would make their polar cousins turn their heads and stare in amazement.
‘Faster, faster, we’re gaining on him,’ I roared in Mrs C’s ear, hoping she could hear me over the noise of the engine and howling wind. She nodded and gunned the accelerator, trying to squeeze out every last
‘He’s getting away,’ Jack yelled.
I saw my fat fee disappearing in the flurry of slush that was being forced up by the passage of the jet ski – no way; not onmy watch; especially not where money was concerned. ‘No he’s not. We’re going to follow him.’
Jack and Basili looked at me as if I was quite mad – which was a distinct possibility.
‘What do you suggest we do, run fast? Harry, we’ll freeze without proper outdoor gear.’ Jack was clearly concerned.
‘We’ll have to take that chance. We can’t afford to let him get away.’
There was a loud roaring from behind us and a familiar voice said, ‘Hopefully you won’t have to.’ Two jet skis pulled up beside us; one piloted by Mrs C, the other by Mary Mary. Slung across the back of both was a heap of furs. The ladies flung the furs at us.
‘Get ‘em on you, we’ve no time to waste,’ bellowed Mrs C, trying to be heard over the noise of the engines.
I didn’t need a second invitation. I quickly donned the furs, threw myself up on the jet ski behind Mrs C and hung on tightly – praying that I wouldn’t fall off. Beside me, Basili had joined Mary Mary on hers. A look of disappointment crossed Jack’s face.
‘What about me?’
Mrs C gave him an affectionate hug. ‘Too dangerous, Jack. Your mother would never forgive me if something happened to you. Just keep an eye on things here while we’re gone. If we don’t make it back, it’ll be up to you to break the case. We’re counting on you.’ It was certainly dramatic, but it had the desired effect. Jack cheered up instantly withhis new found sense of responsibility and gave an elaborate salute.
‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said proudly. ‘This case is in safe hands with me.’
Before I could say anything else, there was a sudden jolt as the jet ski lurched forward. I just about managed to stay on by grabbing Mrs C tightly and holding on to her for dear life. If this was what it was like while we were starting, what would it be like when we were racing across the snow? One of those ‘This isn’t such a good idea’ thoughts marched into my mind and demanded my attention. I chose to ignore it, although I knew it was right. If I’d really thought about it, I’d have realised how ridiculous the whole thing was: a city pig like me at the North Pole, risking near death from exposure in pursuit of someone with bad personal hygiene who might (and it was a long shot) just provide a breakthrough in the case, riding across freezing wastes on a jet ski piloted by a woman who claimed to be the wife of a mythical character who brought toys to millions of children once a year. Had I missed anything?
I was bumped, jostled and swung from side to side as we lurched after our quarry. But for the fact that I was gamely trying not to be flung off the violently bucking machine, it didn’t feel like we were moving at all. The only things that weren’t white were the red dot in the distance that we were just about keeping up with and the four of us. With the furs on, we looked like grizzly bears out for a jaunt on the snow.Grizzlies on ice! That would make their polar cousins turn their heads and stare in amazement.
‘Faster, faster, we’re gaining on him,’ I roared in Mrs C’s ear, hoping she could hear me over the noise of the engine and howling wind. She nodded and gunned the accelerator, trying to squeeze out every last
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