by Paul Moxham
“And all for nothing,” Sarah said.
“So, what’s the plan now?” Will asked.
Chapter 20: The Secret Entrance
Arriving at the beach, Amy was the first one to pause as she came in sight of the caves and, within moments, the others had also come to a stop.
Joe frowned as he saw it was high tide. “Blow! We can’t search the caves now.”
Will walked forward and peered into the water in an effort to see how deep it was. “We could still wade in and get to the cave,” he said, not wanting to give up that easily.
“We could take our shoes off,” Sarah said.
Joe shook his head. “That wouldn’t work.”
“What do you mean?” Amy asked.
“I’m sure we could get to the cave as well as the tunnel,” Joe said, “but what if the men were in there? What then?”
“We would be trapped,” Will said.
“Yes,” Joe answered. “And a lot of good that would do us. No. We only have one thing we can do.”
“What’s that?” Sarah asked.
“Search Chandler Manor for the other exit,” Joe replied. “I know we searched the basement before, but let’s search it again.”
Everyone nodded. It was annoying that they couldn’t get into the tunnel via the caves, but, unless they wanted to wait a few hours for the tide to start retreating, it was the only option.
They turned and headed back up the cliff. Everyone was worn out from all this walking, so Joe suggested that they get their bicycles and ride to Chandler Manor.
Before long, their four bicycles were whizzing through the woods. Soon, the children had reached the driveway of the manor and were not surprised to see that the police officer was no longer guarding the entrance.
“I guess everyone thinks that the crooks are at Rockford,” Will said, as he rode through the open gates.
“Probably. After all, they were seen there,” Amy said.
“Well, we’ll soon know, one way or another,” Joe said. “If the crooks are not in the tunnels, then they are not in Smugglers Cove.”
On reaching the front door, Joe threw the bicycle onto the gravel and hurried up the steps. He grabbed the door handle and twisted it. It didn’t open. “It’s locked.”
Will frowned. “The police must have locked it.”
“How are we going to get in then?” Sarah asked, worried.
“What about that broken window? The one we climbed out of?” Amy said.
“No use,” Will answered. “The crooks boarded it up.”
“There must be another way in,” Joe said. “Maybe another window will be broken.” He hurried along the side of the building. The others followed him as they looked at all the windows in an attempt to see if one of them was open. But none were. They made their way back to the front door.
“If we can’t get in,” Joe said, “it means that we can’t search the basement, and if we can’t search the basement, then we can’t search the tunnels and—”
“We can’t find my dad,” Will concluded. He sat down on the grass.
“So that’s it then,” Amy said. She sat down on the grass, disappointed “It’s all over.”
Sarah stared at the three of them. “Why are you giving up?”
“There’s isn’t any way in,” Joe said.
“Of course there is,” Sarah said, grinning.
“What?” Amy asked.
“Why don’t we climb the ivy?”
Will suddenly smiled. “That’s a brilliant idea.”
Joe grinned. “Yes, why didn’t I think of that?” He hurried around to the wall where Will had climbed down the previous night.
Standing below the window, he glanced up. Even though part of the ivy had broken when Will had climbed down, it was still possible to reach the window as long as you climbed to the right first. “Since Will climbed down it, I think it’s my turn to help.”
“But I’m more experienced than you are,” Will said. “I’ve climbed up and down ivy a lot.”
“Yes, but you fell last time.”
“I couldn’t help that. The ivy broke.”
Joe glanced at the girls. “Who do you think should climb up?”
“I don’t know,” Amy said with a frown. “Just hurry up and decide.”
Joe looked at Will. “I’m sure I can get to the window without falling.”
“Okay, I’ll let you be a hero this time.” Will smiled. “Just don’t show off.”
Joe turned to the wall and started the climb. He hoped the window was still as they had left it, otherwise they would have to think of another way in.
Up and up he climbed. He didn’t want to be like Will the previous night and have the ivy break away, so he went slower, making sure that each section of the plant was firmly entrenched in the wall.
He passed the second-storey window and paused. He rested his leg on the window frame and glanced down. He waved and yelled out. “It’s all good.”
“Don’t get cocky!” Amy called.
Joe shook his head and then continued up the wall. He hadn’t had any problems thus far, and, by not taking any risks, he was able to get to the third-storey window without any trouble. With one hand on the ivy, he reached forward and took hold of the window.
It was still ajar, so it opened without any trouble. He pulled himself up using the windowsill and tumbled into the room. Getting to his feet, he peered down at the others and waved to show that he was all right.
He raced out of the room and sprinted down the hallway. He slowed down as he reached the staircase and, moments later, he was at the front door. He turned the knob, but the door didn’t budge. With annoyance, he realised that it had been locked with a key.
He made his way into the nearest room and unlatched the window. He called out to the others and waited as they eagerly climbed in.
Once everyone was through, Joe closed the window and followed the others as they headed down the hallway, past the kitchen, and down the steps into the basement.
As they explored the room, it was hard to see how there could be a secret entrance somewhere. The walls and floor were made of stone and crates and boxes were piled here and there. Apart from a couch or two, and a few printing presses, it was bare.
“The police have already searched this place,” Amy said, “so how can we find something that they didn’t?”
“The police weren’t looking for a tunnel entrance,” Joe said, gazing around. His eyes came to rest on the couches. “We should move those.”
“Surely it wouldn’t be underneath there,” Sarah said.
“Why not?” Will inquired. “I think it’s the perfect spot. Let’s take a look.”
The first couch was extremely heavy and it took all their combined strength to move it. Once they had moved it far enough away, they stopped and looked down at the floor.
Amy bent down and felt the stones. “I don’t see any marks.”
“Let’s try the other couch,” Joe suggested, once it was clear that there was nothing underneath.
Everyone moved into position and pushed.
Sarah glanced down at the floor and squealed in delight. They had been right. A trapdoor was set in the stone floor. “Goodness! We’ve found it!”
Joe quickly bent down and pulled up the trapdoor to reveal a dark hole. He reached into his pocket, took out his torch, and turned it on. “Follow me and be quiet. We don’t want to alert the men if they’re in here.”
“What about telling the police?” Amy said.
“They won’t believe us,” Will said. “They think the crooks are in Rockford.”
Joe shone his torch down the hole and saw that there were a number of steps. “Keep close.”
The girls nodded as they followed Joe down the hole, with Will close behind. With the light from the two torches, it was possible to move fairly quickly and, before long, they found themselves at the first cave.
Still leading, Joe paused and listened. He heard no sound. “Maybe we were w
rong after all.” He searched the cave with the torch and saw that, while there were still a number of crates and boxes, it looked almost the same as it had when they had last seen it.
“If the other cave is deserted then yes, we were wrong,” Will said. “But let’s continue on. I’ll take the lead this time.” He pushed past Joe and hurried down the tunnel.
The others followed him but, within a minute, everyone had stopped. A light could be seen in the distance coming toward them. Listening, they could hear voices, which were getting louder with every passing second.
Chapter 21: Betrayed!
Will grimly smiled. “It’s the crooks!”
“We don’t know for certain. Either way, let’s retreat.” Joe turned and hurried back the way that they had come.
Once they arrived back at the first cave, Joe headed down the other tunnel, the one that led to the hill near the manor. He wasn’t sure if the people behind them would stop at the cave or head to the manor, but they certainly wouldn’t head up the other tunnel, considering that the entrance was now blocked.
Joe paused and waited until the others had passed him. He then turned off the torch and they waited.
The voices increased in volume and then stopped. The tunnel was plunged into darkness as the light ahead also vanished.
“What happened?” Sarah whispered. “One moment they were coming towards us, and then nothing.”
Joe frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe they heard someone and are doing what we’re doing, standing still and keeping silent.”
“Maybe we should stay where we are for another five minutes or so,” Amy suggested.
Everyone fell silent. After an agonising five minutes, Joe turned on his torch and moved towards the cave. “Let’s find out what’s happening.”
They reached the cave without any trouble and, again, Joe paused and listened. No sound could be heard. The children silently moved off down the tunnel.
Will suddenly paused and whispered to the others. “Wait!”
The others stopped as they arrived at the place that they had last seen the light.
“Turn your torch off, Joe,” Will said as he turned his light off.
A faint glow was visible on the right. There was obviously another tunnel that they hadn’t noticed previously.
Will whispered to the others, “This must be where those men disappeared to.”
“Yes,” Joe replied. “Let’s you and I investigate. The girls can stay here and warn us if anyone comes.”
Will handed Amy his torch. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
The boys disappeared down the tunnel. Joe switched off his torch as the light source got brighter and brighter. They tiptoed now, not wanting to attract any attention. Both of them could tell that there were quite a few men talking loudly up ahead.
Joe was the first to creep around the final corner of the tunnel and, while he knew that there would be a cave, he could never have been prepared for what lay in front of him.
He was staring into a cave that was three times larger than the furnished cave that they had first discovered. Several lamps sat on ledges around the walls of the cave. There were a number of bunk beds, complete with bedding. As well as this, there was a table and chairs in the centre of the cave.
It was clear that this cave was the hub of operations. He could see a stack of money piled in boxes beside the walls of the cave. There also appeared to be an adjoining cave.
Dan and Baz lay sleeping on the beds, while Jake, Louis, and Rocky played poker.
Joe froze as Jake suddenly yelled out. He relaxed as the man threw his cards on the table.
“A royal flush!” Jake grinned as he reached forward and took the money that lay in the centre of the table, but paused as Rocky laid his meaty hand over his.
Rocky sneered. “Not so fast! You no good cheat. You’re not getting away with that.”
Jake’s face took on one of astonishment. “I don’t cheat.”
Rocky glanced over at Louis. “What do you reckon?”
Louis threw down his cards and stood up. “I gotta check on the prisoner.”
As Louis headed into the adjoining cave, Rocky let Jake’s hand go. “Okay. Take it. I guess it doesn’t matter. After all, it’s fake money.” He laughed.
As his booming laughter echoed throughout the cave, the two boys hurried back up the tunnel to where the girls were standing.
“Are they there?” Sarah asked.
Joe grinned. “Yes, all five of them.”
“And my dad, by the sound of it,” Will said.
“Did you see him?” Amy blurted.
“Well, not exactly,” Will replied, “but one of the crooks said that he had to go and check on the prisoner, so I assumed he meant my dad.”
“Let’s head back to the manor,” Joe suggested. “We need to think of what to do.”
Once they had arrived back at the first cave, Joe paused. He had been thinking hard and had come up with a plan. “We need to get the police here as soon as possible.”
“Agreed,” nodded Will, “but Inspector Price is at Rockford and it will take some time for him to get here.”
“What if they escape before he gets here?” Amy asked.
“They can’t. It’s high tide,” Will said.
“Yes,” Amy said, “but what if there’s another way out that doesn’t rely on the high tide?”
Joe nodded. “One of us should go back to Chandler Manor, ride to town, find the constable, and tell him everything that has happened. He’ll know how to contact the inspector.”
“Who is going to get the constable?” Sarah asked.
“I’d better go,” Will replied. “He sometimes goes home in the afternoon, and I’m the only one who knows where he lives.”
Joe nodded. “Okay. We’ll wait here until you get back.”
“I’ll be as quick as I can.” Will waved and disappeared up the tunnel.
Joe wandered over to a crate and sat on it. The girls did the same. He turned the torch off to save his batteries.
Time passed slowly but, eventually, the light of a torch coming towards them could be seen and, a few moments later, Will and the constable entered the cave.
Amy looked at the constable. “Did you radio Inspector Price?”
“Yes, he’ll be along shortly,” Constable Howard replied. “So…” He paused as he suddenly had a fit of coughing. It was a deep, throaty kind of cough. He resumed talking a moment later. “Would you be able to lead me to the place where the cave is?” He looked towards Joe, who was looking at him in a weird way. “Is everything all right?”
Joe didn’t answer. Amy looked at him. “Are you okay?”
Joe came back to life. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”
“What about?” the constable asked.
“Oh, nothing that would interest you. I’ll show you where the men are now.” Joe stood up and led the way down the tunnel with the constable right behind him.
As Joe passed the spot where the tunnel was, the police officer called out. “Where are you going? Isn’t this where the entrance is?”
Joe nodded. “Yes, sorry, I was just thinking.”
“You’d better concentrate, now that you are going to identify those men.”
“I am?” Joe said.
“Yes. I need you and the others to make sure that they are the ones that were in Chandler Manor. After all, they could be a completely different gang.”
“But—” Joe protested.
“Can you just go down there again?”
Joe slowly nodded. “Okay.” He headed down the tunnel. Halfway down, he whispered, “He’s the informer. Amy, head back up and get ready to run. Will, help me tackle him.”
A moment later, Amy stopped. “Oh no,” she softly cried out. She turned and went to head back up the tunnel. She passed Sarah, but paused as the constable blocked her way.
“What’s wrong?” Constable Howard asked.
“I’ve lost something,” Amy said. “It mus
t be back at the cave.”
“Just identify the men and then you can go and search for it.”
Amy shook her head. “No. I can’t do that. I need to search for it now.”
Constable Howard reached into his pocket and pulled out a pistol. “I’m afraid…” Before he could get the rest of the words out, Joe pummelled into him.
“Run!” Will yelled. He joined Joe as they tackled the constable to the ground. Normally, two boys wouldn’t have brought down the police officer, but they had caught him unawares.
As he fumbled around on the ground for the weapon that he knew must be there, Amy and Sarah squeezed past him.
“Rocky!” the constable yelled. He tried to grab the girls, but missed.
Will threw his torch to the girls. “Go!”
Amy and Sarah disappeared as footsteps pounded behind the boys and Rocky came into view. He assessed the situation with one glance. He called out. “Dan! Jake! Louis!” He reached forward and pulled the boys off the police officer with his big meaty arms.
The constable got to his feet. “The two girls got away.”
“Not for long.” Rocky glanced backwards as the rest of the gang came into view. “Follow me.”
While Dan stayed to help the constable take care of the boys, Jake and Louis followed Rocky down the tunnel.
Chapter 22: No Way Out
Amy paused as she entered the main tunnel, causing Sarah to bump into her.
“Which way shall we go?” Sarah asked.
Amy thought. Heading back to the manor seemed like the best idea, but it was also the most obvious. “Let’s head for the beach.”
They were making good progress when Sarah suddenly tripped. She fell forward and landed on her face. “Ouch!”
Amy paused and helped her to her feet and they continued but, within moments, Sarah had stopped once more. “My ankle. It’s really painful.”
“You must have twisted it.” Amy bent down and shone the torch on Sarah’s ankle. She couldn’t see anything different, but when she touched it and then touched the other one, she could feel a difference.
They continued on, but slower this time. Footsteps were getting louder and louder as their pursuers gained ground on them. Sarah knew she had to make a choice. She paused. “Go ahead. Get help.”
