The Case of the Missing Cats Read Online Free PDF

out.
    â€˜Get down,’ shouted Dirk, diving on top of Holly, pulling her to the floor.
    â€˜Get off,’ she said.
    â€˜Don’t be stupid. Somebody’s shooting.’
    â€˜No, they’re not,’ she said, struggling beneath his heavy belly.
    â€˜Listen, kiddo. I’ve been in this business long enough to recognise a gun shot.’
    â€˜Then, how do you explain that?’ she said, wrestling herself free and pointing down to the street. Dirk raised his head slowly and cautiously and saw a dirty once-white van, emitting more smoke than an angry Firedrake on a cold day. It rattled unhealthily down the road then with another loud BANG came to a stop outside the barbed-wire surround.
    â€˜That was close,’ Holly laughed.
    â€˜Very amusing,’ said Dirk, looking very unamused.
    Two men stepped out of either side of the van.
    â€˜I think we need a new van, boss,’ said the short, fat man.
    â€˜This mode of transportation meets all of the vehicular requirements of our current engagement, vis-à-vis the transportation of undisclosed items from hither and inevitably to thither,’ said the taller man pompously.
    â€˜Come again?’The fat man looked perplexed.
    â€˜It still works.’
    â€˜Oh yeah, right,’ the other man said.
    Holly noticed that Dirk’s ears had pricked up and he was staring intently at the two men.
    â€˜Who are they?’ she asked.
    â€˜Suspects,’ he replied through gritted teeth.

Chapter Seven

    The taller man took a key from his pocket and opened the large padlock that kept the gate shut. The shorter, fatter man drove the van into the yard, climbed out and entered the warehouse. He emerged carrying a large and, judging by the redness of his face, very heavy wooden crate, with the words HANDLE WITH CARE printed on the outside.
    â€˜Flippin’ ’eck, this is ’eavy, Arthur. What do you suppose they’re all for, anyway?’ asked the short, fat man.
    â€˜Ours is not to reason why, Reg. Ours is but to do and die,’ replied the man called Arthur before adding smugly, ‘Shakespeare.’
    Reg dropped the crate into the back of the van, causing the forlorn vehicle to dip unhappily with its new burden.
    â€˜I don’t get poetry,’ he said, leaning against the van. ‘I can’t see why people can’t just say what they mean. I mean, a poet will go on about his lady’s eyes, saying they’re like windows or stars or chocolate truffles or something, but really they’re just eyes and if they’re like anything it’s other eyes because they’re all eyes. You can’t change what something is, can you?’
    â€˜What a fascinating thesis. Thank you, Reg. Tell me, are you familiar with the word ignoramus?’
    â€˜Course,’ said Reg. ‘It’s a big lizard. My uncle Phil had one. But it bit him on the bum, so he shot it. Made a right mess. Aunt Dot weren’t too pleased with him on account of it being a new carpet.’
    â€˜That’s an iguana, Reg.’
    â€˜Oh right. What’s that you said, then?’
    â€˜You, my friend, are an ignoramus. Now shut the doors and let’s go. You know how particular Mr G is about the schedule.’
    â€˜You ask me, there’s something funny about Mr G.’
    â€˜I didn’t ask you to do anything other than lift and drive. Come on.’
    â€˜How come we never seen him, then?’ Reg said,slamming the back doors of the van and walking round to the front. The two men climbed in.
    They pulled the doors shut and their voices cut out.
    The van moaned and spluttered reluctantly but eventually the engine turned over. Dirty smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe and the van, the two men and the crate drove away.
    â€˜Come on,’ said Dirk, ‘get on.’
    â€˜Are we going to follow it?’ asked Holly eagerly.
    â€˜Yes. Quickly.’
    She scrambled on to his back and clasped her