Don't Feed the Rat!

by Annie Appleton

  ‘He is available,’ Jacob said and marched towards the door behind which he hoped was Rupert’s office. Dave followed.

  Rupert was in a meeting with a man. He glanced up at Jacob and Dave as they came in, then turned to his other visitor. ‘Would you mind coming back in ten minutes? These gentlemen have some urgent business with me.’ Without a word the man stood up and walked out.

  Jacob threw the building plans on Rupert’s desk. ‘Could you tell us what these are?’

  Rupert’s face lost a bit of its colour, but remained unmoved. ‘I don’t recognise these plans. Where did you find them?’

  Jacob stared down at him. ‘I already knew you were condescending and sneaky, but now I can add liar to the list.’

  Rupert’s eyes hardened. ‘Do you realise that one phone call from me will have you lose your teaching job forever?’

  Jacob shrugged. ‘I’m on suspension anyway.’

  Rupert stared at Jacob, his face unreadable. ‘Have you forgotten what I told you yesterday about looking into the building plans and your mother’s rental situation?’

  ‘We made some phone calls,’ Jacob said. ‘My mother is safe, so I can do what I want.’

  Now Rupert turned red. ‘Perhaps.’

  He stared at Jacob some more, then turned to Dave. ‘That niece of yours is a bit of a troublemaker, isn’t she? She should be careful not to breach her probation or she will end up in jail.’

  Dave fidgeted under Rupert’s stare. His cheeks started to burn. ‘If you dare touch Emily, I will take you down.’

  Rupert barked a laugh. ‘I understand you’re her guardian while she’s in York, so you better keep her in check if you want her to remain wandering the streets of Milbury. Little freak that she is, scaring the hell out of everyone.’

  Dave dived across the desk, two hands outstretched, ready to grab Rupert by the throat. Jacob pulled at his arm to stop him, barely managing to keep Dave away from Rupert. A split-second later the two burly men materialised in the room. They pushed Jacob aside and dragged Dave back by his arms.

  Dave squirmed. ‘Let me go! I need to strangle him.’

  In the kerfuffle Dave lost his balance and ended on his bum on the floor. He kicked to get the two men off, but they renewed their grip and dragged Dave across the floor and out of Rupert’s office.

  ‘Somewhat undignified for a head neighbourhood warden to react like that,’ Rupert said with a smirk. ‘I wonder what he does when a teenager throws a wrapper on the street.’

  Jacob glared down at him. ‘You can keep throwing us out of your office, but we know what you are up to.’

  ‘Ha!’ Rupert’s eyes turned hard again. ‘You think I can’t hurt Emily and her family?’ He leant forward on his desk. ‘I know how her father built up his developing business and it’s not pretty. I only have to say a word and he’s out of business, taking his whole family down with him in shame.’

  Jacob’s blood ran cold. ‘I don’t believe you.’

  ‘Have you ever wondered how a junior assistant can make it to manager in barely two years’ time?’ He pushed his chair back and got up. ‘Better stay quiet, or otherwise it’s not just Emily and her family that is in trouble, but also your buddy Dave and his lovely sister Peggy.’

  Jacob glared at Rupert. Could it be true? Was Dave’s brother-in-law a crook?

  ‘You’d better stay quiet,’ Rupert said, a malicious grin on his face.

  Jacob turned on his heel and left. There was nothing he could do at the moment. He first needed to find out if Rupert’s story was true.

  Down at street level, Dave was pounding the pavement, much like Jacob had done the day before. He grabbed Jacob by the lapels of his lab coat when he came out.

  ‘How dare he say these things about Emily!’ Dave’s brown eyes flashed. ‘She’s perhaps a bit immature for her age and dresses in a distinctive style, but she’s not a bad girl. She just needs some people who believe in her and she will turn out fine.’

  Jacob gently pushed Dave away. ‘You’re right. She will be fine.’

  ‘We really do need to find some evidence against this lunatic.’ Dave waved his arms. ‘He can’t just go around blackmailing people.’

  ‘We will try what we can,’ Jacob said. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to thwart Rupert if it meant seeing the Dawson family hurt.

  The two men climbed into Dave’s car and drove off.

  ‘I’m certain that Rupert is bluffing again, just like before with your mother,’ Dave said.

  ‘Well, if Emily keeps behaving as she does now, she’s not in breach of her probation and there won’t be any grounds to arrest her.’

  ‘I hope you’re right.’

  Jacob looked at his friend. ‘How was she put on probation in the first place? I heard she bit a policeman?’

  Dave nodded. ‘I never told you? She’d been living with these squatters, who were keeping an old seaside hotel from being demolished. It was actually her father’s developer’s office who had made new plans to build a golf course on the cliffs. The squatting went on for about a year before the police came to throw them out. There was a fight and Emily got arrested after she kicked an officer in the shins and bit another one on the hand.’

  ‘Interesting,’ Jacob said. ‘I’d better keep her at arm’s length in future.’

  ‘I’m sure she won’t hurt you.’

  ‘I was joking.’ Jacob looked at his hands. ‘So, um, how did her father take it that his daughter was protesting against one of his projects?’

  ‘Not very well. I guess they sent her to York to repent and get reformed.’ Dave grinned. ‘Not sure if that’s working, what with her blue hair and the rats.’

  They drove on in silence for a bit. Then Dave said, ‘I can’t let him hurt her, you know. She’s like a daughter to me now. We need to take him down.’

  Jacob nodded. They needed to expose Rupert, but how could that be done without him hurting everyone? He couldn’t let that happen. The Dawsons already had so much to deal with in their lives and didn’t need this evil man breathing down their necks as well. And above all, they were his friends. He wanted them to be safe. But he needed to be sure first if Rupert was right about Emily’s father and he didn’t want to ask Dave, in case he got suspicious.

  ‘Don’t you think so?’ Dave said.

  ‘Sorry, what?’ Jacob hadn’t been listening to Dave talking about his plans of how to take Rupert down. They turned into Woolaston Road and stopped in front of the pedestrian traffic lights. This was his opportunity to get rid of Dave and do some research on his own.

  Jacob unbuckled his seat belt and opened the car door.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Dave said.

  ‘Sorry, but I just remembered I need to check on one of my projects.’ Jacob got out of the car. ‘It’s rather important that I do that right now.’

  ‘But we need to make plans about how to stop Rupert!’

  ‘Later,’ Jacob said and slammed the door behind him. Ignoring Dave’s angry stare he walked quickly down Woolaston Road. If Rupert was right about Emily’s father, there might not be a way to stop him.

  It wasn’t easy, lurking outside Georgie’s house, while at the same time trying to look inconspicuous. Several times Emily had to duck behind some wheelie bins or parked cars to avoid getting funny looks.

  Not that it worked. Several people had looked Emily up and down as they walked past her, while she tried to blend in, checking Facebook on her smartphone. She hoped none of them would get suspicious and alert the police.

  For the fifth time that morning Emily saw Georgie moving about in her living room. It didn’t seem she was planning to go anywhere; she swept a bright pink feather duster along the windowsills. For a potential killer, she seemed awfully calm, but you simply never knew. Emily was sure of that. She tucked a strand of hair under the woolly hat she wore for the occasion. She couldn’t let Georgie spot her blue hair sticking above the bonnet of a car.

  Suddenly Emily’s attention was drawn aw
ay from Georgie’s house to further down the street, where Priscilla was walking towards her with her dog. There was no way she wanted Priscilla to see her, so Emily ducked into the front garden of one of the terraced houses opposite Georgie’s and crouched down behind a low wall.

  As Priscilla came nearer, Emily heard her muttering to her dog.

  ‘Are you feeling better today, Major?’ She stopped and readjusted the large bandage that was rolled around the dog’s head several times and fastened with a bow under its chin. ‘Don’t you worry. I will make certain those nasty rats don’t hurt you any more. I will find the one responsible.’

  Priscilla walked on.

  What was she talking about? Emily watched as Priscilla and her dog disappeared around the corner. But who actually cared what that crazy woman was doing? She had more important things to do, like shadowing Georgie.

  Just at that moment Georgie emerged from her house. She came out dressed in her dungarees and flower print wellies and made her way down the street. Emily followed at a discreet distance.

  Emily still wasn’t certain about Georgie’s motive for killing Godric. It all seemed so trivial. Could becoming chairman be so important to her that she would do something like that? And why even think of selling part of the allotments to Rupert? He was just a slinky developer without scruples, the kind Emily knew only too well. Daddy had shown her clear enough recently to what length some developers went to get their projects of the ground. He hadn’t even blinked when she was arrested. Almost as if he was glad to get rid of her. Emily blinked back some tears and kicked a garden wall. She wasn’t sad, she was angry. It was better to keep telling herself she was angry and pretend everything was okay. She hadn’t actually talked to her father since she came to York, even though Aunt Judith had pressed her to do so. She didn’t see the point. He wouldn’t listen to her anyway.

  In any case, she needed to focus on Georgie now. The woman had entered her allotment and Emily hid behind the compost bin, from where Marlee had been keeping an eye on Georgie before. What did Georgie have to gain by being in cahoots with Rupert? It had to be more than just the Chair. Was it the fooling around? Was Georgie the type of woman who couldn’t do without a man’s attention and was willing to do anything to get some of that? Emily couldn’t really imagine how that felt.

  Suddenly a hand clasped around her shoulder. She nearly jumped a foot in the air and turned around to see Priscilla leering at her. The woman was pale and unfocussed, her dog sitting at her feet, with his silly bandage around his head.

  ‘I’m on to you, rat lover,’ Priscilla said with a hiss. ‘I don’t know what your game is, but you have them well trained.’

  Emily’s stomach clenched into a ball. ‘What do you mean? I don’t understand.’

  Priscilla stared at her, her nostrils flaring. ‘Liar!’ Although almost nose to nose with Emily, the girl stood her ground. Priscilla continued. ‘The rats are gathering. They have a plan and it’s all your fault. You’re a rat whisperer.’

  Emily now tried to back away from Priscilla, but was cornered by the compost bin and a pile of bags full of potting soil. Priscilla’s eyes were crazed and unfocussed as if she didn’t know where she was. What was she going to do next? From the corner of her eye Emily saw Wilbur walking past. She made eye contact, desperately hoping he would help her out. He stopped and surveyed the situation.

  ‘What are you doing, Priscilla?’ Wilbur asked, coming near.

  Priscilla turned around. ‘Ah... the vole man. Another type of rodent there are far too many of around here. You feed them all. The rats and the voles.’ Priscilla looked back at Emily; her eyes bulged. ‘You’re in cahoots together. You both want rodents to rule the world.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous, Priscilla,’ Wilbur said. ‘Where do you get such nonsense?’

  ‘Nonsense?’ She poked Wilbur in the chest with a bony finger. ‘They are everywhere and they have it in for me and my dog. I’ll have you know they stole my dress and dropped a bucket on my dog’s head.’ She pointed down. ‘Look at him!’

  Wilbur smiled, taking in the bandage. ‘You have an active imagination, Priscilla.’

  ‘Okay, don’t believe me. But I know I’m right.’ Priscilla stalked off, dragging the dog with her. She looked over her shoulder and said, ‘I’m keeping an eye on the both of you. Rat whisperers!’

  Emily and Wilbur watched Priscilla move off. Emily shivered. She had never seen Priscilla act like that before.

  ‘Is it me or does Priscilla seem more crazy than normal today?’ Wilbur said. He laughed. ‘In any case, she does seem to have it in for me lately. Ah well, as long as she only talks gibberish...’ He put his hand on Emily’s arm. ‘Are you okay?’

  Emily nodded, unable to speak at his closeness. Wilbur’s hand left a nice warm sensation. Then he winked and walked away. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she watched Wilbur’s retreating back. Despite Wilbur’s words, Emily couldn’t feel so light-hearted about what had happened. It seemed Priscilla was really going mad. She’d better prepare for more weirdness from her.

  Georgie emerged from her shed and started weeding her onion plot. Emily had better focus on Georgie again. After all, she was a murder suspect. Who knows what else that woman had to hide.

  * * *

  Paddy

  It was a quiet morning on the hill. Not many two-leggeds about and there hadn’t been a peep out of Cecil yet.

  Vinnie was feeling better again and hung around with me on the garden wall. To his credit when he heard what happened last night, he didn’t laugh or poke fun at us being chased down the hill by Moe. In fact, the whole situation had him rather worried.

  ‘So Moe listened to what Cecil said, did he? Interesting.’ Vinnie scratched the fur on his chin. ‘I wonder what power Cecil has over him to make Moe obey his commands.’

  ‘If Cecil conjured up Moe, of course he would be grateful to be alive,’ I said, pulling my right ear just at the thought.

  Vinnie stared at me. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, Mad Maggie came to life, so why couldn’t some other ratlore creature like Moe?’

  ‘You can’t be serious.’ Vinnie stamped his paw in anger. ‘I was hit on the head with a bucket, so I should be the one that muddles things up. Moe is just an overgrown cat and there’s nothing more to it!’

  I ignored Vinnie. I knew he wouldn’t believe me and wished I hadn’t said anything.

  Vinnie continued. ‘And didn’t you say that there isn’t even a ratlore story about a big cat on this hill? So where would he come from, if he been conjured up?’

  ‘There’s more ratlore than just here on the hill.’ I shrugged. ‘Perhaps he came from somewhere else?’

  ‘Rubbish.’ Vinnie looked me in the eye. ‘Listen to me. Cecil is a just a silly two-year-old rat, who is lucky enough to have found an ally in Moe. Moe’s appearance has made Cecil stronger, but it’s not something we can’t handle. In my opinion we have bigger problems at the moment. Mad Maggie’s behaviour is deteriorating and she might be a more realistic threat to us than Cecil and his mate Moe.’

  I looked out over the allotments. Could Vinnie be right? Cecil had bruised my ego somewhat when he set Moe up to chase us all down the hill. But was that enough to ignore Mad Maggie’s behaviour?

  I cleared my throat. ‘I simply don’t like thinking about Mad Maggie. She gives me the shivers. Not just her behaviour now, but also all those years ago, when I was a little’un.’ My skin crawled thinking back at it.

  ‘Tell me, Vinnie. Why was she digging that allotment other than for creepy, nefarious reasons? Dealing with Cecil is so much easier than dealing with a creature from the ratlore.’ I sighed. ‘At least I thought so, until Moe showed up.’

  Vinnie clapped me on the shoulder. ‘Believe it or not, I do understand. And we will find a way to take Cecil down and restore order on the hill.’ He smiled. ‘We just have to deal with Mad Maggie at the same time.’

  I nodded and I scratched the fur on my cheek. ‘
If we could just find a simple solution to quickly deal with Cecil, then we could focus on Mad Maggie after that.’

  Vinnie poked me in the side with his elbow. ‘Look who you just conjured up with your words.’

  Mad Maggie appeared over the crest of the hill. She carried a stick and was hitting random bushes. Startled birds flew up with lots of wing flapping. We watched as she came closer. I couldn’t help pulling my left ear twice and right ear once.

  Pete joined us on the wall. ‘This is strange behaviour, even for Mad Maggie,’ he said.

  Vinnie nodded. ‘Unfortunately, yes.’

  Cecil appeared from an allotment. He was carrying a dirty old glove in his mouth and put it in the middle of the path. As he ran off, a piece of string unravelled. It was attached to the glove. The glint in his eyes made it clear he was up to no good.

  I sighed. ‘He’s not going to provoke Mad Maggie some more, is he?’

  Mad Maggie arrived at the glove. Cecil pulled the string and the glove hopped forward. The movement startled Mad Maggie and in a flash she started hitting the glove with her stick. We all stared, slack-jawed. She wasn’t just hitting it. She kept flogging the glove over and over, as if she wasn’t able to stop.

  ‘Aaarrrggg.’ Her face was contorted in a rage.

  ‘This is not good,’ I said. My heart was beating fast.

  Next to me, Vinnie kept straightening out his whiskers, his eyes wide as he stared at Mad Maggie. He nodded. ‘Not good at all...’

  I noticed Cecil sitting under a bush. He was rolling around with laughter, holding his belly.

  On the wall, Pete was in stitches as well. Vinnie gave him a well-aimed kick in the side. ‘This is not funny.’

  Pete managed to sober up. ‘Sorry.’ His ears drooped a bit.

  Mad Maggie, now calmed down again, chucked away the stick and kicked the glove. ‘Those bloody rats.’ She wandered off down the hill, looking over her shoulder every now and then, as if checking if she was being followed. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad she was gone.