How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini by Elen Caldecott Page B

Brown. We’ve got you covered. DS Ferguson, out.’
    DS Ferguson helped injured DI Brown up, by the arm, pulling it over his shoulders. He staggered under the weight of his fallen companion. ‘Stay with me, DI Brown. We’re nearly there.’
    Suddenly, Gez’s lolling head shot up. He stood up straight and pointed towards the road. ‘Look! No way!’ he said.
    â€˜What?’ Ali asked.
    â€˜That car! That car! Did you see?’
    â€˜Gez! What?’ Ali tried to see what Gez was pointing at, but the sleek silver car was pulling away from them.
    â€˜That was Jason Adams!’
    â€˜What would Liverpool’s best striker be doing driving around our estate?’ Ali asked.
    Gez pulled him forward, after the car. ‘I don’t know. Perhaps he was visiting his gran. She might live here.’
    â€˜He earns thousands of pounds a week. His girlfriend is a pop star. They’re in magazines all the time with pictures of their posh house and silly pets. His gran does not live here. It can’t have been him,’ Ali said.
    â€˜It was. I’m telling you.’
    â€˜No, it wasn’t.’
    â€˜Yes, it was.’
    Ali sighed.
    The car was out of sight. And they had reached the parade of shops. Ali put his arm out, barring the way. Gez was silent beside him. ‘Target in range,’ Ali whispered.
    â€˜Any sign of the enemy?’ Gez asked.
    â€˜Negative,’ Ali said. The front of the shop was in darkness. ‘Wait!’ Ali noticed something. ‘Miss Osborne’s house – there’s a light in the window upstairs!’
    â€˜Really?’ Gez stood on tiptoe to get a better look. ‘Do we have a new target, DS Ferguson?’
    Ali thought for a moment. They might find the other half of the envelope in the pet shop. But they might find the whole gang and their hostages in the house next door.
    â€˜Affirmative. We’ll start with the house. Then go to the cardboard pile. This has to be done quickly and quietly. We try to find out if Miss Osborne’s in there and who’s holding her. But we don’t get caught.’
    Gez nodded firmly. ‘No, if we get caught my dad’ll kill me.’
    â€˜Come on.’
    The boys crept down the back lane, silent as assassin church mice. Each step was careful and precise. Ali opened Miss Osborne’s garden gate slowly. The rusty hinge creaked.
    â€˜Shh!’ Gez hissed.
    â€˜I’m trying!’ Ali whispered.
    They moved into the garden. In the starlight, they could see an overgrown lawn with brambly borders. There was an apple tree in the centre of the lawn. Beyond that was a small concrete yard with the bin standing guard next to the back door. The house seemed to lean towards them, dark and forbidding.
    Ali waved Gez forward. They scurried towards the tree and crouched behind it. Ali felt the damp, crumbly bark beneath his fingertips. He looked at the house. There were no lights on this side of the building. No sign of anyone at all.
    â€˜We need to see in upstairs,’ Gez whispered. ‘I could climb the tree.’
    Ali looked up. The first branch was way over their heads. Gez probably couldn’t reach it, even if he helped. ‘It’s too high.’
    â€˜Nah. I can stand on the bin. Let’s pull it closer.’
    Ali nodded. Together they stepped across the yard and grabbed the handles of the wheelie bin. It tilted heavily back on its axis. They pulled it towards the lawn, its wheels rumbling over the concrete. They heaved together and the bin mounted the small rise where the turf began. Then it wobbled.
    Ali grabbed the side.
    Gez grabbed the lid.
    They both pushed upwards. Too hard.
    The bin clattered on to its side with a bang that sounded like a car crash in the darkness. The echoes bounced around the garden. Rubbish tumbled on to the ground. Ali grabbed Gez’s arm and pulled him back behind the tree. Ali’s heart was pounding like a