slap-bang into the lady.
“ARGH!” she cried as she shot up into the air.
Look! A flying vicar!
The lady did a somersault (her first) and landed on her bottom.
Fortunately for Frank, Reverend Judith was such a nice lady that she was the one who apologised.
“So sorry for being in your way!” called out the vicar.
“I am so sorry, Reverend Judith!” shouted back the boy as he continued speeding down the staircase.
“I hope to see you at church on Sunday!” added the lady hopefully, rubbing her bruised behind. The vicar was always at the tower block inviting the residents to her empty church, even though they never came. Frank felt sorry for the lady, though not sorry enough to get out of bed on a Sunday morning and go.
The washing basket rattled down the last few steps and
Eventually it came to a stop. The boy hid the basket behind some bins, and then dashed off in the direction of the local pub, the Executioner and Axe.
As he peered in through the grimy window, Frank saw the pub was heaving. This was the grown-up world in all its glory. Men were arguing, women were fighting and everyone was drinking. The pub was so noisy it hardly seemed the most sensible place for a top-secret meeting. Try as he might, the boy couldn’t spot his father anywhere.
Just as he was about to give up and head home, Frank heard muffled voices coming from the car park. The boy turned round to see some men sitting talking in a
The boy couldn’t make out the men too clearly as the car was full of cigar smoke. Frank edged his way round the other parked cars to get a little closer. He could just see the outline of his dad sitting in the driving seat. But who were the other men? And what was he doing in this hugely expensive car?
To try to hear what was being said, Frank climbed up on to the roof of the plumber’s van parked next to the Rolls-Royce. But all he could hear was the occasional word. It sounded like the men were talking quietly so as not to be overheard.
The boy had come so far. He wasn’t going to give up now. So, as delicately as he could, Frank stepped from the top of the van on to the roof of the Rolls-Royce. He lay down on top of the car so he could hear what was being said.
This would turn out to be a dangerous mistake.
“What if we get caught?” It was Frank’s father speaking.
Get caught doing what? thought Frank as he lay on the roof of the Rolls-Royce, listening in.
“If you drive fast enough, no one will get caught,” replied a man. “I have done all the research. I have plans of the inside. You will be in and out in two minutes.”
“I ain’t sure about this. It’s much bigger than you told me. Just let me pay you back the money I borrowed from you. Please?” said Dad.
“I’ve heard that one a million times before from you.”
“I will find a job.”
“There are no jobs in this town, especially for someone who has to hop to get around.”
There was a low rumble of mocking laughter from the two men in the back seats. “Ha! Ha! Ha!”
“You love your boy, don’t you?” said the man.
Frank gulped. He was talking about him.
“Yeah, yeah, of course I do. I love him more than anything in the world. What’s he got to do with all this?”
“I would hate for anything to happen to him.”
“You leave my boy out of this!”
“Then do what I say.”
“If you ever do anything to hurt my boy, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” snarled the man in the front passenger seat. “Take off your false leg and kick me with it?”
The two men in the back laughed again.
“Ha! Ha! Ha!”
“All right, all right,” said Dad. “I’ll do what you say. But just this once. One job, and then I am done.”
“That wasn’t too hard now, was it?” purred the man in the front seat. “So, Gilbert, I want you to show me that you can still drive, like in the old days.”
“I can still drive all right. Leg or no leg.”
“Then show me.”
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Hold on tight,” replied Dad.
The huge Rolls-Royce engine revved up.
Then the back wheels spun furiously, and clouds of smoke filled the air. Frank couldn’t help but splutter at the smell of burning rubber. The boy struggled to his feet so he could jump back on the van parked beside the car. But Dad was much too quick for him. The Rolls-Royce raced off into the night with Frank standing on the roof!
Frank slammed his body down on to the roof of the car and clung on for dear life. The Rolls-Royce had spun out of the pub car park, and in no time was speeding down the road at one hundred
