The Team and the Move (Team books Book 3)

by S G Read

  'We are here to read the last will and testament of Agatha Brown, of Apsford house, Apsford. We will begin as soon as our witness arrives. The door opened and a pretty young woman arrived.

  'Sorry I’m late Greg, I lost track of time.' She said and sat on the vacant chair next to him.

  'This is Vicky, my secretary, she will be the witness to the will reading.' Gregory announced and opened the envelope.

  Stuart noticed that it was not sealed down and it must have shown on his face.

  'I had to open it to find out any beneficiaries.' Gregory explain seeing Stuart’s surprise. 'Now do you want the short version or the long version?'

  Pat looked at the man, then at Stevey for an answer.

  'Well we are not going anywhere and it will be the last time she writes to me so I think we’ll have the long version.' Stevey replied evenly.

  They sat and listened but there was not much really to listen to. The old lady rambled on about family values and how her great nephew and his wife had let her down. Then she paid a glowing tribute to Stephen, their son, which made Stevey squirm in his chair. Finally there were two beneficiaries, her gardener Archibald Grover received two thousand pounds, which was already there in an envelope and he passed it over to the man in the fourth chair. Archibald started to cry, he was obviously a friend of the dead aunt. The rest of the estate and any moneys contained therein or paperwork which leads to other moneys passes to Stephen Brown, to be held in trust by his mother until he is twenty-one and on the condition that his father, my great nephew receives no money at all. An addition read - Patricia I realise I have been a bit hard on you and I am sorry, I am also sorry for my great nephew’s actions; he is no longer a relative of mine. See that Stephen or Stevey, as he prefers to be called, grows up well and true to those around him. Goodbye.

  Pat wiped a tear from her eye, while the solicitor read the rest of the will but there was no money forth coming, in fact all they received was a signed document witnessed by Greg’s secretary which said exactly what the will said. Stevey suddenly realised that he was now the owner of Apsford house and he let a big smile spread across his face. No more working on a Saturday for him! He turned to Archibald Grover.

  'We haven’t actually got any money yet but when we do, would you like to keep the garden looking nice?' He asked as his first act as the homeowner.

  'Well thank you young sir, I will carry on with the garden and when you have some money you can pay me.' He said with a smile.

  Stevey held out his hand and they shook hands on it. It was Archibald’s cue to leave and he did so, with his two thousand pounds. When he was gone, Gregory stood up.

  'Congratulations Stephen, you are now a home owner and it just so happens we have had a very reasonable offer to buy the house from you, lock stock and barrel.' He said graciously.

  'How reasonable?' Stevey asked.

  'Four hundred and fifty thousand pounds!' Gregory replied.

  'We’ll get back to you if you give us your phone number.' Stevey replied and waited while Greg fished a card from his wallet. 'How do we get back to Apsford house?'

  'I shall take you back myself.' Gregory replied. 'But first I shall take you to a meal in the local pub, come restaurant.' He held up a wad of money. 'Your aunt specified it in the executor’s instructions.' He explained.

  Chapter 15

  They ate well at Agatha’s expense and when they finished Gregory ran them home. He gave Pat the money which was left over from the meal, which came to a little over one hundred pounds. They could at least live for a little while and work out what they should do for the best. They sat round the kitchen table talking about it but it was a difficult decision for Pat and Stevey to make. The will made it sound like there was something in the house. To claim it, they had to find and to sell the house meant someone else would find it and benefit from it.

  'I know!' Stuart exclaimed. 'We should search every part of the house, including the attic and the cellar if there is one.'

  'Of course the attic.' Stevey echoed. 'And a cellar, it could be in either. Right I say we search and not sell!'

  'Are you sure?' Pat asked.

  'No but then we can always change our mind!' Stevey answered. 'We might even move in for good but we need money, to have a bathroom installed.'

  'It could be your holiday home.' Stuart suggested.

  'That would be odd. Spend the school term in the flat then holiday here!' Stevey said with a laugh. 'Better still, find the money, make an offer on you know where, live there and holiday here.'

  'And just where is you know where?' Pat asked.

  'A big house near Stu, I reckon I could get it cheap.' Stevey replied, then added, changing the subject. 'If we do find the money, I reckon Jenny’s dad will have work here for a couple of years.'

  'And the rest!' Pat replied. 'Have you really looked at the state of the place? I reckon she hasn’t spent a penny on the inside of it for years. She must have spent all her time in the garden to keep it looking like that. Archibald couldn’t keep it in this sort of shape, even if he worked here full time!'

  'I can’t wait for the others to get here!' Stevey sighed. 'Then we’ll really take this place apart.'

  'But that won’t be before Sunday!' Stuart complained. 'Let us see if we can’t find the money before then!'

  'The attic!' Stevey cried and the two boys ran up the stairs looking for a way into the attic.

  They found a wooden hatch but the ceiling was too high for them to get into the attic, even standing on one of the dining room chairs.

  'We need a ladder.' Stuart complained.

  'Or some steps!' Stevey replied. 'Let’s have another look in the shed.'

  They left the chair where it stood, under the hatch and ran down to the shed. On two hooks on the left side wall of the shed was a pair of step ladders, with a ladder tucked behind it on the same hooks.

  'Were they there before?' Stuart asked.

  'Must have been.' Stevey replied. 'Observant, we aren’t.'

  They carried the step ladder back to the house in triumph and after dragging the chair out of the way they set it up under the hatch. Stevey climbed up and slid the hatch cover to one side.

  'It’s dark up there!' He observed.

  'I don’t suppose there is a light up there?' Stuart asked.

  There was a pause before the both said together. 'The torches!'

  Stevey fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his torch. He shone it about the attic.

  'There’s miles of stuff up here!' He cried and hauled himself up through the hatch.

  Stuart climbed the step ladder with his torch already out and they started to explore the attic. There were boxes full of things that Stevey’s great aunt had no more use for and some of it looked valuable, but how to get it down. They ran back to the shed for another look and returned with a rope and an old tin bath, a small one. If they thought it was worth showing to Pat, they lowered it down into the hall below, using the rope they found. There was so much of it that they had to stack it in one of the ransacked bedrooms. In the end they walked down to find Pat, who was still trying to clean the kitchen.

  'We found a few bits.' Stevey announced when he found her. 'Can you come and see if it is worth anything?'

  'Well I’m no expert but I’ll have a look.' Pat replied and followed them back up the stairs.

  She was impressed. There were some paintings wrapped up in brown paper which looked valuable as well as figurines which looked quite old.

  'We could put some of this into an auction.' She said as she looked through the attic finds. 'She must have put these into the attic and forgotten all about them!'

  'Unless this is what she was on about in the will!' Stevey exclaimed.

  'I don’t think we will make a fortune out of this lot but it might pay Archibald’s wages for a while!' Pat replied, not to dash Stevey down but to make sure he did not get his hopes too high.

  'Would Mr. Grover know about auctions around here?' Stevey asked.r />
  'He might but we don’t even know where he lives!' Pat replied.

  'No but there is only one telephone number written by the phone and I bet it’s Mr. Grover’s!' Stevey exclaimed.

  'What if it isn’t?' Stuart asked.

  'At least we’ll know whose it is!' Stevey replied and picked up the phone. He dialled the number and Archibald Grover answered. 'Mr Grover we found some old stuff in the attic and wondered where we might find somewhere to auction it as it looks valuable.'

  'There is a few about but the best place to take Agatha’s stuff is Torquay, they have a lot of people go there, it should fetch in a good price there. The auction is on Wednesday there so you have time to enter it. Hang on and I’ll find the number.' There was a wait while Stevey heard Archibald shuffling papers. 'It’s Torquay 1666, the same code as you have there and they will come out and see what you have. I put most of that stuff up in the loft when Agatha no longer wanted it about, she said to burn it but it was too good for that!'

  'Thank you Mr. Grover.' Stevey put the phone back in its cradle. 'Sounds like we might get something for it but not until Wednesday, by then the others will be here and we might have found the rest!'

  They carefully carried their booty downstairs and stored it in the dining room as they did not use that at all. As the light started to fail they all took advantage of what was left of the failing light to use the toilet down the garden. Pat locked the house up for the night and they settled down. There was no television but lots of books. They found an old pack of cards and played cards until late. Only then did they feel tired enough to go to bed.

  It was later in the night that something woke Stuart, he did not know what it was at first but then he smelled smoke.

  'Are you awake Stevey?' He called in the darkness. 'Stevey?'

  'Huh, what’s up?' Stevey replied sleepily, aroused from a deep sleep.

  Now he was awake Stevey smelled the smoke.

  'I can smell smoke!' Stuart exclaimed.

  Stevey took a deep breath and spluttered. 'Quick let’s call mum!'

  Two torches blinked on and the two boys walked carefully into the room Pat was sleeping in.

  'Mum!' Stevey shouted, several times and Pat’s eyes soon opened.

  'What’s up?' She asked then she smelled the smoke. 'Quick let us get downstairs!'

  The three rushed down the stairs and were met by thick smoke. Pat picked up the telephone but it was dead.

  'The phone is dead!' She said despairingly. 'It was working earlier!'

  'No phone, no firemen!' Steven exclaimed. 'Well I am not letting my house burn to the ground, I’ve only just inherited it!'

  'The hose!' Stuart cried.

  'Yes good thinking Stu, the hose.' Steven declared.

  He pulled out his torch and ran down the garden with it flashing from side to side as he ran, with Stuart in hot pursuit. The hose reel was the only thing new at the house and Stevey pulled at the hose while Stuart turned the water on. It easily reached the window of the room which was alight but no water came out.

  'There’s no water coming out!' Stevey cried.

  'It’s on this end, turn it on at your end!' Stuart called back.

  Stevey fumbled with the end of it and was still doing so when Stuart arrived. He twisted the end and water jetted out and hit the window.

  'We have to break the glass!' Stevey cried.

  Stuart found a wooden post and used it to smash the glass. Now the battle was on. The flames shot out but it was not as bad as at the car breakers. Stevey squirted the water into the room, sprayed it from side to side and the flames receded. He moved closer to the window and played the water where he could see flames shooting up and each time the flames receded. With the flames on the run, he wanted to get inside but he could not do two things at once. Stuart, seeing the flames retreat, bravely climbed in through the window and Stevey passed him the hose. Stuart squirted the water at the flames while Stevey climbed in through the window. By the light of the flames they could see that the furniture had been piled up in the middle of the room and set alight. It was obviously no accident. They squirted water at everything until the flames were out, then they continued to squirt water at the floor the ceiling and the walls. By the time they thought it was safe to stop, dawn had broken. They were tired and aching from their efforts but they felt good, they had won, the house was saved. Very wet but saved. When they turned the hose off and opened the door to the room, Pat was there waiting.

  'The fires out mum,' Stevey announced, 'but the furniture and the stuff we was going to sell aren’t much good now.' It was all to much for him and he buried his face in his mother’s dressing gown and cried.

  'What started it?' Pat asked Stuart.

  Stevey lifted his head. 'More like who started it! The furniture was piled up and set fire too. Somebody doesn’t want us here but I for one am not being forced out! It is my house and I am staying put!'

  'We’ll have to walk to the nearest house with a phone to call the police.' Stuart said quietly.

  'We’d best get dressed then.' Pat replied.

  When they were all dressed Stevey walked out to see if he could see what was wrong with the phone, as he was the man of the house. He found the wire laying on the hedge by the drive, it had been cut.

  'Now what?' Stuart asked.

  Stevey looked at the wire, then up at the other end of it.

  'There are only two wires in this, surely if we connect them back together the phone should work!'

  Stuart looked up at the other end of the cut wire, it hung over the roof by about half a meter.

  'How do we get up there? And what’s more how do we hold the wire up there while we connect it?'

  'It won’t be easy, will it?' Stevey admitted. He looked at both ends and thought, then he remembered the old vacuum cleaner and its cable, that had two wires in it. 'If we use the wire off the old hoover, we can join it to the wire up there and then join it down here!' He declared, dropped the cable and ran into the house. He searched the kitchen drawers until he found some scissors and then ran to the shed, with Stuart following along behind. He dragged the old vacuum cleaner outside and sawed at the wire until it came free, then he cut the old plug off it. He stripped back the covering both ends to reveal the two wires then walked triumphantly back into the house carrying the wire.

  'Have we got any sellotape mum?' He asked Pat who sat by the kitchen table with her face covered by her hands.

  Without hesitation she opened a drawer and gave him a reel of sellotape.

  'Thanks.' He took it and walked out the back door. 'Now all we have to do is to get on the roof!'

  'At least it’s flat and not sloping like normal roofs.' Stuart replied. 'Hang on! Wasn’t there a ladder hanging on the wall in the shed?'

  Two minutes later they struggled up the path with the ladder and set in up against the roof with Pat’s help.

  'You be careful going up there!' She warned. 'I’ll make sure the ladder doesn’t fall.'

  Stevey looked up the ladder with trepidation, then, making sure he had the tape, scissors and wire, he started climbing. Stuart watched until he reached the roof and climbed on to it out sight. He gulped and started up the ladder. He found Stevey screwing the first two wires together, he had leant over and pulled the short wire back onto the roof. When he was happy with the join he wrapped it in lots of sellotape. He did the same to the next wire and lowered the other end of the vacuum wire down gently but it did not reach the ground. Not put off by that he turned to go back to the ladder. Stuart turned to follow, then something caught his eye.

  'There’s a trap door!' He cried, thinking that he would not have to go back down the ladder.

  On the roof there as a trap door, they assumed it was locked by a bolt on the inside as it would not move when they tried to open it.

  'I wonder where that is in the house.' Stevey mused, a little disappointed that he still had to climb back down the ladder. He walked to the ladder, dropped the sellotape and
scissors close to the house, making sure they were nowhere near Pat and started to climb down.

  When he was safely down Stuart followed and armed with the sellotape and scissors they walked round to the front of the house. Neither of them could reach the wire so they had to carry the ladder round and set it up, so that they could reach it. Stevey stripped back the wires on the telephone cable but one made him jump when he touched it. He let it fall and walked off, when he came back he was wearing a pair of Pat’s yellow marigold gloves. Now he was ready to go to work. He repeated what he had done upstairs even down to making sure that the same wire went to the corresponding wire in the phone cable which had a protruding rib on one side.

  'Okay, try it now!' He yelled when he had finished.

  Stuart ran inside and heard the dialling tone.

  'You’re a genius!' He declared when he came back out!

  Stevey climbed down the ladder with a big smile on his face and Pat went in to summon help. Half an hour later the police and a fire engine arrived. Shortly after that, a doctor arrived to make sure they were alright. The police searched the building while the fire brigade made sure the fire was completely out. They were sure it was arson but the fire had removed anything which might lead them to the arsonist. The firemen boarded up the broken window, to keep out unwanted intruders but it was obvious to the two boys that whoever had started the fire, had done so from inside the house! A chilling thought! The police and firefighters eventually left, soon after that Stevey sat down in one of the old armchairs in the sitting room. He had many thoughts running round in his little head and it was too much for him. He sat there thinking for a minute then his eyes closed and he fell asleep. He woke when Stuart called his name.

  'Yes what is it?' He asked.

  'Are you going to sleep all day?' Stuart asked.

  'Was I asleep then?' Stevey asked.

  'Snoring like my dad does.'

  'I’ll phone the telephone man and see where he’s got to!' Stevey said jumping out of the chair.

  'He’s been. He had to put in a new wire from the post.' Stuart replied. 'Your mum signed for it, as you were sleeping like a baby!'