Operation Gadgetman! (8 page)

‘That's right. Can I help you?' Gran frowned.

‘I'm Detective Warner. We spoke on the phone yesterday. I wonder if I might come in? I'd like a word with Beans,' the detective said.

‘You've found Dad?' Beans asked eagerly.

‘Er . . . not as such. That's what I wanted to talk to you about.' Detective Warner craned his neck to see past Gran. ‘Beans, I wanted to talk to you about the induction oscillator.'

‘You haven't found my son?' Gran questioned. ‘Just what are you police doing? Sitting down drinking tea and playing cards whilst my son could be anywhere, in any condition.'

‘We're doing everything we can, madam. If I could just come in . . .' said Detective Warner.

Gran took a deep breath. ‘Yes, of course. I'm sorry,' she sighed. ‘This way.'

Beans led the way into the sitting-room. Gran stood by the door as Detective Warner stood in front of Beans.

‘Beans, did you find any information on the induction oscillator?' he asked.

‘Not yet,' Beans dismissed. ‘What about Dad? Have you found out anything yet?'

‘No, I'm afraid not. We still have him listed as missing,' Detective Warner said.

‘Missing?' Gran said from behind the detective. ‘Cats go missing. Umbrellas go missing. My son has been abducted.'

‘Yes, of course, Mrs Conran,' the detective soothed.

‘Hhmm!' Gran folded her arms across her chest.

Detective Warner turned to Beans again. ‘I was passing this way so I just popped in on the off chance that you might have found some written details about the induction oscillator,' Detective Warner said. ‘It's important that we take custody of all your father's notes and blueprints on his invention as soon as possible – assuming, of course, that your father doesn't tell his abductors what they want to know.'

‘Never,' Beans and Gran spoke in unison.

‘Hhmm! Have the kidnappers been in touch?' asked Detective Warner.

Beans shook her head. ‘We haven't heard a thing, have we, Gran?' she replied. ‘But the kidnappers have what they want. They've got Dad and his induction oscillator. Why should they want to get in touch with me or Gran?'

‘We're working on a few theories,' was all Detective Warner would say. ‘Beans, I want you to contact me if you hear anything from your dad or his kidnappers. Don't forget. And if you find any information on the oscillator, get in touch immediately. You have my phone number. Don't forget now.'

‘I won't forget,' Beans nodded. ‘Er . . . Detective Warner, have the police told other banks or building societies about Dad's oscillator?'

‘No. We wanted to get more information about it or speak to your father first,' Detective Warner frowned. ‘Why?'

‘No reason. Just wondered.' Beans shrugged.

Gran escorted the policeman to the door. Beans stayed where she was. She couldn't believe that Dad would tell his kidnappers a thing about the oscillator – so what would they do then? Would they hurt him? Gran walked back into the sitting-room.

‘Gran . . . Gran, I'm frightened,' Beans admitted with a whisper.

Her gran came over to her, hugging her tightly. ‘So am I, Beans,' Gran said. ‘So am I.'

‘I want to go to the building society,' Beans announced. ‘It suddenly occurred to me this morning that if only the building society and the police are supposed to know about Dad's induction oscillator, then how did the kidnappers find out about it?'

‘Good point,' Ann said, surprised.

‘I thought so!' Beans grinned. ‘So I thought I'd have a word with the building-society manager to see if he or she spoke to any reporters or told any other banks or building societies. I know the police haven't.'

‘Let's get down there then,' said Louisa firmly.

Ann and Louisa had arrived together only a few minutes before. Beans had waited for them by her gate. She was eager to be off and doing things. Sitting around the house gave her too much time to think.

The twenty-minute bus journey from Beans's house to the building society was spent discussing the cigarette packet and the fingerprints Beans had acquired the previous night. The bus crawled along. Beans
burned
to speak to the building-society manager. She was closer to finding the kidnappers, she just knew it. If she could find out what had put the kidnappers on to Dad, then she'd be on their trail. There had to be people that someone at Dad's building society had told. That was the only explanation.

But once they were actually in front of the building society, Beans wasn't sure what to do next.

‘Well, there it is,' she said nervously. ‘I've never actually been inside it before.'

‘We can't do anything from out here,' Louisa said. ‘We'd better go in.'

They walked inside. After the warmth and sunshine outside, it was like walking into a fridge. Beans shivered. If that was air conditioning then she'd rather do without it!

‘We'd better join the queue at the enquiries desk,' Louisa suggested. Louisa led the way and they all stood in the queue together. Ann said what they were all thinking.

‘Will they let three girls speak to the manager?' she asked.

‘We'll insist,' Beans said firmly.

Ann grinned at Beans. Beans smiled back. She hadn't come this far to be turned away now.

The queue moved just as slowly as the bus had done. Beans hated all this waiting around. She wanted to be
doing
something. At last they reached the front of the queue.

‘Excuse me,' Beans began. ‘I'd like . . . to . . . speak . . .' Her voice trailed off altogether.

‘Is something wrong? Can I help you?' the male cashier behind the glass window asked.

Ann and Louisa looked at Beans, wondering what was the matter.

‘Look!' Beans pointed past the cashier to where the other workers in the building society sat at their desks.

‘What?' Louisa frowned.

‘Over there. That man.
Look!
' Beans said urgently.

Ann and Louisa looked over in the direction of Beans's pointing finger. A bearded man sat at his desk, which was piled high with papers and filing trays. His head was bent. In his left hand he held a sheet of paper, which he carefully examined. His right hand was drumming on his table as he read.

‘What about him?' Ann asked.

‘Can I help you? You're holding up the queue,' the cashier said patiently.

‘Oh, er . . . that man over there – he was the one who helped me before but I can't remember his name,' Beans said.

The cashier turned around. ‘Who? Lucas?'

‘Lucas. That was his name.' Beans nodded quickly. ‘He helped me out with a query I had about opening an account at this building society.'

‘Are you sure it was Lucas?' the cashier turned to face Beans, a frown on his face. ‘I think you've made a mistake. Lucas is the correspondence clerk.'

‘What does a correspondence clerk do?' Beans asked eagerly.

‘Opens letters and things,' Louisa butted in.

‘That's right. He makes sure that all the letters go to the appropriate person or department. And he handles all outgoing post. Why?' asked the cashier.

‘Look, dear, I
am
in a hurry.' From behind them in the queue, an elderly woman wth grey-white hair rapped Beans on the shoulder.

‘Won't be long. Promise.' Beans turned back to the cashier. ‘Do all incoming letters and packets and stuff go through him first?'

‘Yes.' The cashier nodded.

‘I'm sure he's the one that I was talking to,' Beans insisted. ‘His last name is . . . is Deacon.'

‘No, it's not. It's Moynahan,' the cashier said. ‘Lucas! LUCAS! This girl says that . . .'

‘NO! DON'T!' Beans said.

But she was too late.

Lucas Moynahan looked up and across to the cashier. Then he saw Beans. She saw him start slightly and knew that he recognized her, just as she had recognized him. The next moment seemed to last forever as they regarded each other. Lucas stood up slowly, his eyes narrowed.

‘No, it wasn't him after all,' Beans said quickly. ‘Sorry. I made a mistake. Come on, you two.'

Beans grabbed Louisa and Ann and pulled them out of the queue.

‘What was that all about?' Ann frowned as they headed outside.

The sudden sunlight made Beans blink rapidly. She licked her lips.

‘Do you two remember that blue Escort parked opposite my house yesterday afternoon? I pointed it out – remember?'

‘Yeah! So?' Ann asked.

‘That was the driver,' Beans replied. ‘Lucas Moynahan was the driver.'

Louisa and Ann stared at her.

‘He couldn't have been,' Louisa said. ‘Are you sure?'

‘I'm positive. That was him,' Beans said. ‘He was wearing sunglasses yesterday, but I still recognize him.'

‘What was he doing outside your house then?' Ann asked.

Beans shrugged. ‘I don't know. But it's a bit of a coincidence that he was parked outside my house and now we find out that he works at Dad's very same building society. I bet he knows something about Dad's letter and the money. The only trouble is, that twerp of a cashier called out to him and Lucas saw me.' Beans couldn't keep her voice from trembling slightly. She wasn't sure if it shook from fear or a strange kind of excitement. Maybe it was both.

‘What should we do?' Ann asked.

Beans glanced down at her watch.

‘Well, the building society closes in ten minutes. They're only open half-day today,' Beans said, thinking hard. ‘So what we need to do is wait for that Lucas bloke to come out. Then one of us will have to follow him to see where he goes. We need to know where he lives.'

‘Let me tail him!' Ann pleaded. ‘I read all about tailing suspects in your dad's instruction book last night.'

‘I don't know. It might be dangerous. Very dangerous,' said Beans. ‘Only one of us should follow Lucas Moynahan. Two or three of us would be too easy to spot. If anyone does it, it should be me.'

‘But he knows who you are and what you look like,' Ann argued. ‘Besides, Beans, you can't do everything yourself.'

‘I know that, Ann – and thanks for offering, but this is serious. The men who kidnapped my dad did it because they were after money and they reckoned Dad's induction oscillator was the way to get it. Those sort of people don't go round you if you get in their way, they run straight over you. And I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you – either of you.'

Ann reached out and placed a hand on Beans's arm.

‘Beans,' Ann began. ‘I know I may sound like I'm not taking this seriously, but I promise I am. Your dad's been kidnapped and I want to do everything I can to help. I also know it's dangerous, so don't worry – I intend to be very,
very
careful following our Mr Moynahan.'

‘Of course, we may not have to follow him,' Louisa interrupted. ‘We could try looking up his name, address and phone number in a telephone directory.'

Beans and Ann stared at Louisa before they all started grinning.

‘I do have good ideas
sometimes
,' Louisa said.

‘I'd never have thought of anything so simple!' admitted Beans. ‘All right then, Ann – you win. You can wait here in case our man leaves early and doesn't go home. Louisa and I will head for the nearest phone box to check him out. We'll be right back.'

‘Hang on half a sec!' Louisa pulled an enthusiastic Beans back when she would have sprinted off. ‘We need a back-up plan for if Lucas Moynahan
does
decide to leave before we get back.'

‘True!' Beans agreed dryly. ‘Let me think. What would Dad suggest at a time like this . . . ? Well . . . if Lucas leaves in a car, then there's not an awful lot Ann can do. So she can wait here for us. Agreed?'

Ann nodded. ‘Agreed.'

‘If he goes to a bus stop or walks off somewhere then follow him, but
be careful
and don't go too far out of town,' Louisa added.

‘If you aren't here when we get back . . . we'll head back to my home . . . and wait for you to call us there,' Beans said slowly. ‘Then we'll come out to join you wherever you are. The most important thing, though, is to take care. At the first sign of trouble, or if you're detected – run!'

‘Dead right!' Ann snorted. ‘I don't need to be told that!'

And with that they separated.