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‘We checked everywhere else, so we thought we would give it a try. They have been coming to rehearsals, and hanging around here, so I thought it was worth a shot before we had to call the police. It was Pickles that was the real worry. He’s not allowed out without one of us,’ Claire explained.

‘They somehow always manage to go to places they’re not supposed to be,’ Jonathan added.

‘But we are so glad we’ve found them safe and sound,’ Claire said. ‘Thanks again, Barbara.’

‘Of course. Oh and Claire? You can have the keys that Polly lent me; you’ll see her before me no doubt.’ She smiled innocently. Oh she was good. She was very, very good. But even so, she was no match for this cat.

Chapter Twenty-Six

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We were in the dog house. Not literally, unless you counted Pickles. Claire and Jonathan were furious that we had stowed away, as they called it, in the hall and got ourselves locked in. As if it was our fault. We were doing it for them, but did they appreciate that? No, no matter how much noise we made, they simply wouldn’t listen to us. We slunk home and the only saving grace from the evening was that Salmon had been very sensible, and that we knew, without a whisker of a doubt, that Barbara was the culprit. And she was, despite Jonathan’s thoughts, a very good actor. Because the way she was with Claire and Jonathan when they found us, and the way she spoke kindly to us as we walked home, was so convincing. I almost forgot she was a crazy woman trying to ruin our show. But not quite, because I knew that we would have to stake out the hall again the following night. Now, though, Barbara didn’t have keysso how would she get in? Part of me hoped she wouldn’t, but part of me knew she would. She was clever and there was no way she didn’t have a plan.

I was so tired and hungry when we got home that I ate my supper under a cloud as Claire kept on about how we had to be more careful, especially with Pickles. As if it was my fault he had come with us. Even George felt bad enough to apologise, but I was too tired to chastise him, so I ate, cleaned up and went to bed. My sleep was restless though, full of nightmares about what Barbara might do next. And that dark, dusty prop room wasn’t much fun, I can tell you.

The following day, George slunk out early to see Hana, and probably to get away from me. Claire took the children to school, with Pickles, and although she was still a bit cross with me– Claire could certainly hold a grudge – I was too tired to be upset. Jonathan was at home, which was unusual, but he explained that he was working from home today, in order to get something called admin done. He rarely worked from home so it was a treat to have him here. I sat next to him in the kitchen as he finished his coffee. Thankfully, he stroked me and relaxed into it.

‘Why exactly were you at the hall last night?’ he asked. Ah, good, someone was thinking about it in the right way.

‘Meow!’

‘I know, I talked to Claire about it and I said I was sure you were trying to tell us something, but what?’

‘Yowl.’ If only I could talk, and tell him everything. It would save me a lot of effort, that was for sure!

Jonathan sighed.‘If only I could talk cat.’ He stood up and went upstairs and I was pretty sure there was no way I could get him to understand right now.

I had to see everyone, obviously, and Snowball was my first stop. Luckily it was Harold’s senior centre day so she was free.

‘I am so tired,’ I said as I explained what had happened last night. She listened, horrified at first, then amused.

‘So, it went wrong?’ she said.

‘Well, you could look at it like that. Or you could say that we have successfully fulfilled phase one, which we would have done a little more successfully without George and Pickles, but still …’

‘Right, but Alfie we already knew who it was, and now you have to get her caught,’ Snowball pointed out.

‘Yes and I am working on it. Salmon and I are going to watch the hall every night until we do catch her.’ I bristled. I was trying to stay positive but Snowball wasn’t helping.

‘But how are you going to do that?’ she pushed.

‘I am going to discuss that with Salmon,’ I replied, a little snappily. I was still tired.

‘OK, so you and your new best friend,’ she teased, and I relented and grinned.

‘Sorry, I am still tired and grumpy. We were in that dusty room for ages before Claire and Jonathan found us.’

‘It must have been awful. Let’s go and find the others and start working on the next part of the plan,’ she said.

We made our way to the recreation ground, happy to find Nellie, Elvis, Rocky, and Salmon there.

‘Has Salmon filled you in?’ I asked.

‘He has, and Alfie we told you it could be dangerous.’

‘I have had another idea, Alfie, really based on what you said,’ Salmon said.

‘What is it?’ I was happy for someone else to contribute to my plan. More than happy, in fact.

‘Well, you said we’d go back tonight, and every night as necessary, right?’

‘Right, we cannot let anyone ruin our show,’ I agreed.