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But Katie’s whispered suggestion sort of hung in the air. What if the ridiculous suggestion was true and the Dementos were responsible for hiding all the missing pets?
    Wing h ad been given, not sold, to the pet shop, Ronnie thought. The Dementos weren’t making money by selling them.
    â€œAnyway, at least Wing is safe,” Jasmine said. “Catch up with you tomorrow. I’ve got music this afternoon.”
    â€œAnd we’ve got netball practice,” Katie reminded Ronnie. “And we’re running late.”
    All through netball practice Ronnie kept thinking of a reason why Drake had handed the cat to the pet shop. He knew that Jasmine was upset about her missing Siamese cats. Why had he told the pet shop owner that Wing belonged to him? Why hadn’t he just given Wing straight back to Jasmine?
    Wing and Sing were always straying, but the locals knew them so well that they just rang Jasmine to come and collect them. Perhaps he hadn’t realised that the district had an animal shelter? But if he found Wing, where was Sing? The two cats always kept together all the time and why hadn’t he told Jasmine he had found him?
    â€œWill you concentrate ? ” the coach yelled at Ronnie.
    Ronnie shook her head, put the puzzling matter of the missing animals out of her head, and tried to focus on the teamwork the coach said they needed so much to win the next game.
    After practice she and Katie collected their bikes and rode off. They slowed and turned into Jasmine’s place. Jasmine was sitting watching Wing, sleeping soundly in his basket.
    â€œHow is he?” Ronnie asked.
    â€œIf it wasn’t for the microchip I wouldn’t have believed it was him,” Jasmine said . “He’s got this ferocious appetite and sleeps all the time. Mum is putting him on a d iet.”
    â€œHaving a ferocious appetite shouldn’t affect his memory,” Katie said.
    â€œ Very weird,” Ronnie agreed. “Maybe he’ll be better in a few days.”
    â€œWe hope,” Jasmine said with a sigh.
    Ronnie and Katie then left and rode off on their bikes. It was getting dark. Ronnie was thankful they didn’t have far to go to reach their homes.
    â€œIt gets dark so early now that daylight saving’s finished,” Katie said with a sigh.
    â€œStill nice weather, even if we are into autumn,” Ronnie said.
    â€œI’ve been thinking,” Katie said.
    â€œAbout?”
    â€œHow we’ve been running around like headless chooks,” Katie replied. “Let’s just ask Drake why he left the cat at the pet shop instead of the animal refuge, or give it back to Jasmine, and find out if he knows where Sing is.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you think of that earlier?”
    â€œWhy didn’t you or Jasmine?” Katie retorted.
    Ronnie felt her worry and tension drain out of her. Katie was so right. It was the simple and straightforward thing to do.
    Without another word, they turned their bikes around and pedalled towards the big mansion at the end of Castle Street.

 
    Chapter Eight
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    By the time they arrived at the Demento place the sun had set and it was dark. The street light in front of the house was on. They left their bikes by the front gate and walked slowly up the driveway.
    The big black car was parked in the front . Ronnie and Katie paused. The house loomed very dark and silent in front of them. It looked creepy. Maybe it was because there were no lights on in the house. Or maybe it was because the house was set in such large grounds that it was isolated from the cheerful lights of the other houses in the street.
    â€œSomeone must be home, otherwise the car wouldn’t be here,” Katie whispered.
    â€œWhat are they doing, sitting in the dark?” Ronnie whispered back. “Didn’t Drake warn us not to drop by if the car was there?”
    â€œRubbish,” Katie said firmly. “We’re just going to have a