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‘She had to go out with her mum. Because of the baby taking up so much time, Sylvie wanted to spend some time alone with Connie while Claire babysat.’

‘It’ll be fine, Aleksy,’ Summer said, sweetly.

‘Tommy, will you come and help me put the posters up?’ Aleksy asked.

‘If I say no you’ll tell Mum, won’t you?’

‘Yup, but because I need help, not because I’m a snitch. Anyway, it’ll keep you out of trouble,’ Aleksy said.

‘Meow,’ I said. Tommy could always get into trouble, there were no two ways about it.

I followed Aleksy and Tommy as they went to put some of the posters up. Tommy was dragging his feet and acting as if he didn’t want to be there but Aleksy persisted. They had put the posters in plastic sleeves that Claire had pinched from Jonathan. They put a couple on lamp posts on Edgar Road, which brought back memories. A few years ago there was a spate of catnapping going on around here and posters kept going up on lamp posts looking for cats. I foiled the plan, but not without danger – I put my son George at risk and I have never quite forgiven myself for that. That was another story, and thankfully had a happy ending, but I had to say it was nice to see good news going up on the lamp posts for once.

‘We should put one in the restaurant, and some up in school, although I’ll have to do that as you’re excluded,’ Aleksy said.

‘Thanks for reminding me. I never thought I would say I miss school, but I do,’ Tommy said.

‘Really?’

‘I miss my mates, I miss football and, yeah, it’s a bit boring being on my own working at home all day. Plus I have to do a load of washing up in the restaurant. That sucks.’

‘You should tell Mum that, it’ll make her very happy.’

‘Whatever.’ Ah, there he was again.

‘Maybe I will. How about we take a poster to the neighbourhood watch people? The ones who wear matching jumpers and always carry binoculars wherever they go?’ Aleksy suggested. I meowed my approval, it was a very good idea. The Goodwins knew everyone and would soon spread the word.

I stood on the doorstep between Aleksy and Tommy as they rang the bell. Heather and Vic Goodwin came to the door at the same time. I don’t think they ever did anything without each other. I had never seen either of them on their own, in all my years on Edgar Road. Salmon was behind them. We raised our whiskers at each other.

‘Hello, are you here to report a crime?’ Vic Goodwin asked.

‘Please don’t tell me you’re here to commit one? I mean, you don’t look like criminals,’ Heather added.

‘You know us. We’re Aleksy and Tommy … from the restaurant?’ Aleksy explained, looking confused. They had seen the boys a lot, especially as they watched the street nearly all the time, and they had met them when we had the big Edgar Road power cut a couple of years ago and we all had to have Christmas lunch at the restaurant.

‘Well I know that, but that doesn’t exclude you from criminal behaviour,’ Heather said. I shook my tail. Honestly, these people!

‘We are trying to put on a show for charity,’ Aleksy said. ‘And we made posters to ask people to audition.’

Tommy stared at his feet.

‘And as you are so important on the street we thought if we gave you a poster you might …’ Aleksy said, cleverly. Flattery would get him what he wanted.

‘Audition ourselves? Oh yes, and we could also spread the word to everyone else on the street. In fact, we could rally the troops, so to speak.’

Tommy and Aleksy exchanged glances.

‘That would be amazing,’ Aleksy said. They were being very polite, but I could sense they were both trying not to laugh a bit.

‘What do you think you might audition with?’ Tommy asked.

‘As you can see from the poster, it’s a Christmas show,’ Aleksy added quickly.

‘Well, we could maybe try to form an Edgar Road singing group? And do some Christmas songs?’ Vic suggested.

‘We both have lovely voices, if I do say so myself,’ Heather added.

‘That would be awesome,’ Aleksy said. ‘The vicar said the church choir would probably audition but they are probably more into carols. We are also going to do a grown-up Nativity play, which we thought would be fun, and then the children want to sing, but it would be great to have your group involved.’

‘It sounds like a terribly good idea.’ Vic took the poster that Aleksy was holding. ‘Leave it with us, young men, and as I said, we’ll rally the troops.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Meow,’ I bid Salmon goodbye. It seemed my idea for a Christmas show was coming together really very nicely.

Chapter Twelve

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Iwent to find George at Hana’s and saw that all hell had broken loose. Marcus was jiggling around Theo, who was screaming, his poor face all red, Sylvie was on the phone and Connie was hovering around, trying to help but without knowing what to do.

‘What’s wrong?’ I was immediately worried.