A Raucous Time (The Celtic Cousins' Adventures) (12 page)

‘But Guv – ‘

‘Don’t "but Guv" me! – they were here, stuffing their faces with fish and chips not five minutes ago. I can taste the bloody vinegar! I smell sweaty kids!’

‘But Guv – there’s no way to get into that space.’

‘They have to replace the lights don’t they? There must be an access. Find it!’

The woman’s voice again. ‘Guv – even if there was a way – how could they have got up there? They’re only kids.’

Rhyllann and Wren clutched at each other hysterically.

‘Kids! Lemme tell you something about kids! They’re even more unpredictable and obstinate than women!’ Crombie bellowed.

‘I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that sexist remark. Sir.’

‘Do that! And I’ll pretend those kids didn’t vanish from under your nose WPC Hewes! Let me remind you bloody Interpol’s flying in tonight. I’ve gotta explain how two school kids managed to outwit one of my officers! Now Rodgers – get the hammer, and break one of those bloody lights!’

Wren scrabbled against Rhyllann, pushing him closer against the water tank. They were both trembling now. Crombie sounded furious. Rhyllann began rehearsing a story – they were spooked by the alarm – panicked – run away. Thank god you found us Detective Crombie we’ve been so scared. Something like that might work he told himself. Wren nudged him again and Rhyllann realised he’d been muttering outloud. A desk scraped across the floor.

‘Guv. I’ve searched everywhere. There’s nothing here.’ WPC Hewes sounded subdued.

‘Right, thank you. Thank you Christine. Back to the station. I want an appointment with Ladygate prison. Don’t take no for an answer. I wanna interview Sarah Prenderson first thing tomorrow. And get onto Interpol again. See what they know about Patricia Hanover, nee Jones, nee Prenderson. I want that madam found as well.’

‘I thought she was working in Wales Sir?’

 Rhyllann listened intently now.

‘Wales my arse. I know Ms Jones of old. She’s into all that Green action nonsense. More likely feeding the whales in some godforsaken ocean.’

Footsteps trudged up the stairs again.

‘Nothing wrong with Green Peace Sir, they do a lot of good work.’ WPC Hewes said sharply.

‘Oh I agree. Sarah Prenderson, she did a lot of good work too. Proper little Robin Hood, giving to the poor. The point is, those two women abandoned their kids.’

Rhyllann felt Wren’s hand clamp over his mouth. He shook with rage.

‘Sir? I thought the eldest was fourteen.’

‘Yeah. Fourteen years old. Do you remember being fourteen? Arrogant enough to take on the world. They don’t know who they’re dealing with. Just as dumb and stupid as their mothers. Can you wonder at it? The way they’ve been dragged up?’

Rhyllann struggled harder. He was gonna kill the bastard!

‘Stop.’ Wren warned. ‘We’ll show him!’

As he spoke plastic erupted, glass exploded and fuses blew. They shrunk back, pressing into the wall, squeezing almost behind the water tank, with barely enough room to breathe.

The outline of a head appeared, and a torch beam lapped the crawl space. While he waited for Rodger’s triumphant shout Rhyllann determined to manage at least two kicks at Crombie. He felt Wren’s hand clamp tightly over his mouth again, preventing him breathing. Shaking him off, Rhyllann took small shallow breaths, barely inflating his lungs, certain Rodgers would be able to hear the pounding of his heart, beating like a drum. The torch beam glowed feebly into the corner nearest them, sweeping their way now, faltering as Rodgers double checked a shadow, moving on, it had almost reached them. Any second now they would be caught like deer in a car headlights. Rhyllann felt a feathery tickle in his throat, and swallowed frantically, desperate not to cough. The light flickered over the water tank; paused, and moved on.

Rodgers called down. ‘Empty Guv. Nothing up here.’

For one crazy moment, Rhyllann wanted to spring to his feet in protest. Instead he grabbed Wren, feeling dizzy. Wren shushed him. Crombie might decide to take a look for himself.

‘OK Rodgers.’ Keys jangled. ‘Bring my car round the front, then you can guard that door until the carpenter gets here.’

‘But Guv … ‘

‘Just do it Rodgers!’

Silence followed. Wren whispered tickling his ear.

‘The book – they didn’t find it.’ Rhyllann looked at him in astonishment.

‘Sod the book – why didn’t they find us?’

‘Dunno. Maybe he convinced himself we weren’t up here?’

That kinda made sense. ‘Come on.’ He nudged Wren.

‘No. He’s still there. And that copper Rodgers – you heard him.’ Wren continued to speak in a whisper.

‘He isn’t there – it’s your imagination.’

‘Hi sweetheart. It's me.’ Crombie said.

Rhyllann’s heart stopped.

‘Yeh – just phoning to say it looks like an all nighter. Listen, I need a favour. I’ve gotta get up to Yorkshire, then maybe Scotland. You know what tomorrow is. Will you go for me? Take some flowers maybe?’

Crombie paused again. ‘Yeah, I’m sorry love. I know you think it’s a waste of time, but it means a lot to me.’ He paused. ‘And him. Just write “Tigger” on the card.’

Rhyllann decided he must be talking about a graveside visit. Or more likely a memorial plaque.

‘Thanks love. I’ll call later to say goodnight to the girls.’

Silence descended again. Rhyllann was just about to make a move when Crombie started talking to him.

‘Rhyllann Rhyllann Rhyllann. Where are you son? Why couldn’t you trust me?’

Less than four feet above Crombie's head, Rhyllann snorted. Wren squeezed his arm in sympathy.

At last Crombie heaved a sigh, then tramped downstairs. They heard him re-issuing orders to Rodgers, then he was gone.

‘Phew.’ Wren stretched his legs out, then arched his back looking blissful.

Rhyllann still fumed. ‘Did you hear him? Did you hear what he said about my mum – your mum? The bastard!’

It hadn’t been so much what Crombie had said, but the contempt in his voice.

‘He doesn’t understand Annie. Don’t worry, he’s just an ignorant copper.’

Rhyllann dropped his head on his hands, propped his elbows on his knees and brooded.

‘Yeh. You’re right. I’ll show him.’

‘How long d’you reckon we should stay up here?’

‘Wait till the carpenter’s been. Best.'

The water tank gurgled, warm and comforting. Slumping against its soft lagging Rhyllann tried to blink away the grit in his eyes and somehow fell asleep.

'It isn’t there.’

Rhyllann jumped, slamming down the photo-copier lid.

‘Brawd! You scared me. Why didn’t you wake me up?’

He wandered over to where Wren sat at an office desk, flurries of dust motes swirling in his wake.

‘Where is it?’ Rhyllann asked, rifling through the paperwork swamping the desk surface.

‘I told you – it’s gone. One of those coppers must’ve found it.’

Pins and needles prickled in his foot, his head felt muggy, he wanted to shred his skin to pieces and he stank. Rhyllann just wasn’t in the mood.

‘What are you on about?’

‘I don’t have it. I’m damn sure you haven’t taken it. One of Crombie’s lot must’ve found it. In the photocopier.’ Wren sounded unconcerned.

Rhyllann sat down on the floor, rubbing at his tingling foot, resisting the urge to dig at his skin.

His head swam as he tried to work this one out. Had Crombie known they were there all along? Had Rodgers pretended not to see them? Were they playing an elaborate hoax?  Still crouching on the stairs, giggling, ready to jump out with a “SURPRISE!”

Rhyllann shook his head. That was Wren think.

‘But who? Why? …that doesn’t make sense.’

‘It doesn’t matter. I’ve managed to make out the hidden message. I know where we need to go.’

Rhyllann raised his eyebrows.

‘Wales.’

Wren might as well have said the moon. Rhyllann stood up to peer over Wren's skinny shoulder. He’d outlined several words on the photocopies. On a separate sheet of paper was written: Noon. Equinox. Standing stone. Taffy’s Folly. Rhyllann read them again, then a third time. It still made no sense.

‘What’s with all the scribble?’

Wren indicated a block of letters, pointing with ink stained fingers: ‘We were right! A simple alphabet code. See?’ He grinned. Rhyllann didn’t, but kept his mouth shut, fearing a full blown explanation would follow.

‘And these words spelled out. Makes sense really. I mean – unless the sun dropped out the sky, or someone moved the monolith.’ Pause. ‘Or changed the equinox.’ Wren giggled at the thought.

Rhyllann thumped him. ‘Stop talking in riddles. Please.’

‘On either equinox, the standing stone known as Taffy’s Folly will cast a shadow. A particular shadow cast by the sun at equinox at noon.’

‘Right. When’s the equinox again?’

‘Rhyllann! The earth tilts as it rotates, so the angle of sunlight alters by degrees every twenty four hours. Well, every twenty three hours and fifty odd minutes.’ Wren added quickly, ending on a gasp. ‘Spring equinox was four months ago – your birthday actually. All we have to do is locate Taffy’s Folly, see where the shadow falls, count backwards – or forwards – and adjust the angle.’  

‘Can’t we just wait for the next equinox?’ Rhyllann asked.

‘No. It’s two months away. Someone’s got Joan’s book. They could be working on this code right now!’

Surveying the messy workings out, tables crossed through, letters ticked off, exclamation marks and what appeared to be maths formula, Rhyllann silently wished them luck.

‘Where’s Taffy’s Folly?’

‘I just told you. In Wales.’

‘Wales isn’t that small. Whereabouts?’

Wren started doodling, refusing to met his eyes.

‘You don’t know do you?’

‘We can go to the library. Google. Google earth.’ Still Wren wouldn’t look up. A lead weight settled in Rhyllann's stomach. ‘Taffy’s Folly. Are you sure it’s in Wales?’

‘Pretty sure.’

Christ! Rhyllann headed for the toilets. He wanted a steaming mug of strong coffee, a hot shower and clean clothes. He had to make do with a basin of warmish water and a squirt of washing up liquid. No wonder Rodgers had missed them. They were camouflaged head to toe in dust.

Dabbling a corner of an old tea-towel into the water, wrinkling his nose, Rhyllann began sponging; allowing his thoughts to wander. The kitchen overlooked the main street, he watched the early morning traffic, people wandering into shops, people emerging from ‘Mail Boxes R Us’. He smiled at the genius of old man Stern, remembering the look on the guy’s face as he and Wren waltzed out the shop, with probably the most valuable book in the country. That's when the sledgehammer hit him, wiping the smile off his face.

Still clutching the tea towel Rhyllann banged into the main office in time to catch Wren chucking a handful of painkillers down his throat. He paused then swallowed hard.

‘What?’ The fierceness in Wren's voice confirmed Rhyllann’s suspicions.

‘You lying cheating…’ Words failed him and he spluttered helplessly before spitting out: ‘You. Lied. To me!’ The betrayal finally named, Rhyllann flew across the office, grabbing at the chair arms, swivelling Wren around, pinning him down.

Wren glared up at him. ‘I didn’t lie.’

Bright red spots danced in front of Rhyllann’s eyes; grabbing Wren by the shoulders he dragged him upright and shook him so hard his head snapped back.

‘You liar. You filth! You lied then. You’re lying now!’ Specks of spittle flew from him. Wren cringed, raising his arms in a pathetic attempt to shield his face. Disgust rippled through Rhyllann and he dropped his hands; throwing the towel to the floor.

‘I’m finished. I’m outta here.’

 
‘Annie please.’

Rhyllann didn’t falter, pushing against the main doors, then tugging them open.

‘Annie; don’t do this.’

And he had to turn his head.

‘Please Annie, please don’t leave me.’ Balanced on his crutch, leaning against the desk Wren looked like the loneliest person in the world.

‘You’re all I’ve got.’

Snarling, Rhyllann stalked back. ‘I’ll listen to what you have to say. You don’t lie though. Not to me. You tell me everything. Then I swear down I’m getting hold of Crombie. No more games brawd. No more games.’

Trembling; with downcast eyes Wren lowered himself back into the captain’s chair. ‘How did you know?’

Rhyllann snorted. ‘I might be a lot slower than you, but I get there in the end. Mike Stern didn’t post that diary to himself. You. It was you. You stole it!’

He blinked away the red spots this time, feeling his blood flame, then run cold at the danger Wren had put them all in.

‘Those … those thugs! They thought Stern had the book. You knew they’d come looking for it. You knew!’ Rhyllann shouted, sweat breaking out on his palms. ‘Why didn’t you tell them? You could have stopped all this!’

Wren’s hands crept over his. ‘I’m sorry. So sorry. You’re right. I didn’t … I never meant for gran to get hurt. I thought they might come round. I … I thought once they realised I didn’t have the diary …’

Rhyllann ripped his hands away; ‘You thought you could fob them off with me didn’t you? Didn’t you?!’ He raised his voice to a whine:

‘Oh please Mr. Nasty guy, please don’t hurt me. I don’t know where the diary is, but my notebook’s round my cousin’s house. You were going to …’

‘No! Don’t think that! I’d never …’

‘Shut up! I’m talking! Crombie warned me not to trust you! You were gonna hang me out, just drop me in it. Like you dropped Mike Stern, like you dropped ...’

Wren exploded, his normal serenity replaced by fury. ‘Stop it. Just shut up for five minutes! Do you think I wanted this? Do you?’

Stunned into silence Rhyllann waited.

‘You have no idea. No idea.’

‘So tell me.’ The words hissed from him and he clamped his lips over his teeth tightly.

After a long moment Wren spoke.

‘Like I told you. Mike had about fifty books to transcribe. Eight of them in Welsh. I started translating them.’ His face glowed suddenly. ‘Can you imagine how I felt … The third book I picked up …’ He bit his lip, shaking his head at the wonderment. ‘I didn’t realise; not at first … but as I read on it became clear, so clear. And I didn’t know what to do Annie. I didn’t know who to trust.’ He was trembling again, and Rhyllann felt the familiar pity.

‘Why didn’t you …?’

‘Tell you?’ Wren smiled. ‘I wish I had. I wish to hell and back I’d spoken to you first. Believe me.’

For some reason, almost against his will, Rhyllann smiled back.

‘Anyhow, maybe I panicked. Maybe I thought …’ Wren broke off shaking his head again. ‘I replaced two of the Welsh books with Latin texts. I hid one in Stern’s house as a decoy. The other – Joan’s book – I posted to myself.’ He frowned. ‘But they were smarter – or didn’t trust Stern – they kept records … when they received two extra Latin books … they realised something had been taken.’

‘But why go to all this trouble? How did they know it was so valuable? I mean – even old man Stern didn’t recognise the language.

Tears stood in Wren’s eyes.

Rhyllann groaned. ‘You told Stern.’ He groaned again. ‘And Stern went back for more money.’

Wren started babbling. ‘Mike never believed in the treasure. He taunted them with it. He actually told them that the diary explained where she’d hidden the treasure. But he never really believed. When I realised that they knew …’ Wren's head dropped again.

‘You’re right. I planted my notebook on you as a double decoy. But Annie, I swear to god. I was going to tell them …I never thought the old man would be – his own son for god's sake! I knew they'd be round, I thought I could reason with them, we’d drive round your house – you’d be cross – but hand over my notebook with the phoney map and everyone would go off happy.’

Rhyllann buried his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes hard. Pushing himself off the desk, he stumbled towards the door again. With startling speed Wren was at his side, spinning him around. Rhyllann shoved hard; Wren buckled, clutching at him; for a second they were both off balance and they crashed to the floor, this time Wren pinned him down with surprising strength.

‘Where are you going? Don’t you get it? You heard what Crombie said … It worked Annie! The plan worked. Stern’s Brotherhood are in Scotland. The cops don’t know where to start looking. We’ve got a clear run.’ Blue eyes glowered down, inches from his own. ‘Do you really want to crawl back to Crombie … put up with Robinson’s sniping for another two years? Do you?’ He shifted allowing them both to sit up.

‘Is that what you want? Everyone laughing at us? Whispering behind our backs? There’s the door. I can’t stop you.’ Wren pointed back to his notes, jabbing his finger for emphasis. ‘We’ve done the hard part. Gran’s in hospital. Mike … well … Mike’s dead. Your mum’s about to get caught red handed. My mum … she’s lost parole … you almost got a criminal record. I never meant for all this to happen. But it has. Are you really gonna let it all be for nothing?’ Cupping his hand, he pinched an imaginary wafer.

‘That close Annie. We’re that close.’

The fight drained from Rhyllann. He couldn’t argue anymore. Pushing himself upright, he stumbled away again, this time to the kitchen doors. Again he paused, swinging his head round.

‘Come on. We need to get cleaned up and outta here before Crombie comes sniffing round again.’

And Wren’s face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.