got on and pointed it in the direction of town. She rode fast, not wanting to tempt fate by looking behind her.
Just pedal, Ruby!
As she rode, her right eye began to clear and she could see enough to know she wasn’t far from home. She began to laugh, the slightly hysterical laugh of one who is both relieved and a little surprised to be alive. No one had seen her, and she had gotten away free as a bird – luck was on her side.
Ruby had many hiding places, all of them good ones. As soon as she got back she would choose the best…
But she had forgotten something. Clancy! She had promised she would help with his assignment.
Drat! OK Clance my old pal, I’m coming. She made a detour at Rose and turned left up Birchwood.
It would be nice to see Clancy – although she wasn’t in the mood for French. However, she wouldn’t say no to a long cool glass of lemonade. She was just turning the corner on to Ambassador Row when she saw a dark silver car pass by. She watched as it drove a little beyond the Crew’s house and came to a stop just in front of the neighbouring wall, its engine idling. She wasn’t sure but wasn’t that…
Hitch? She smiled. Just in the nick of time too!
She pedalled fast up the road towards the car – boy! was Hitch going to feel pretty stupid for ignoring her now. Maybe she would confess about blabbing to Clancy – how she had had to tell him all about Spectrum. After all, Hitch was going to be so impressed by her detective work, he probably wouldn’t even get mad. She had her line all worked out, as soon as that butler guy opened the car door she was going to deliver her smart remark.
Ruby hopped off her bike and propped it against the huge brick wall, skipping towards the car. She had her hand on the door and was about to open it when she noticed something strange. This car that looked silver in the moonlight was not silver, it was grey.
It was not a convertible.
And the man who had just wound down the window was not Hitch.
Ruby froze as she looked into the friendly green eyes of Baby Face Marshall.
And the words of Agent Blacker came shooting back to her.
If you see Baby Face, don’t bother calling for Mommy, run!
What Clancy saw. . .
Clancy watched as Ruby cycled towards a silver car parked in front of the Smithson’s luxury home. He saw her jump off her bike and lean it against their wall.
What are you doing Ruby?
He saw her skip over to the driver’s side as whoever it was wound down the window. Hitch! thought Clancy. Then Ruby got in a little awkwardly and the car zoomed off into the darkness.
Darn it Ruby, you promised! said Clancy, slamming his bedroom window. Now I’m really in trouble!
He sank back onto his chair and stared at the blank piece of paper in front of him. Now the only thing to look forward to was getting an F from Madame Loup.
‘They could feed my toes to a pack of vultures but I would never blab’
THE NEXT MORNING Hitch walked into the kitchen.
‘Well hello there stranger,’ said Sabina warmly.
‘Nice to have you back on board,’ said Brant. ‘Things haven’t been the same without you.’
‘Glad to hear it,’ said Hitch. ‘Now where’s that short kid? She not bothering to get up these days?’
‘Oh, you know how it is,’ said Sabina, rolling her eyes. ‘Trying to get Ruby out of bed early on a Saturday morning is next to impossible.’
‘I’ll offer her French toast,’ said Hitch. ‘She’ll be down those stairs before you can say “maple syrup”.’
Hitch knocked on Ruby’s door and was not surprised to be met with silence.
He knocked again, a lot louder, and when there was still no answer he opened the door a crack and let Bug bound over to her bed.
‘Hey, Kiddo, rise and shine, it’s a big day for…’ his voice tailed off.
It was clear to anyone who knew Ruby that she had not slept in her bed – it being perfectly made and Ruby being no maker of beds. That’s strange, he thought. He picked up Ruby’s donut phone and dialled the Crew’s number. The maid answered and put him through to Clancy, who was brushing his teeth.
‘Clancy, it’s Hitch – I don’t suppose Ruby is with you is she?’
‘No,’ replied Clancy, ‘and the weasel can collect her own bike – thanks to her I’m sure to be getting a big fat F.’
‘Her bike?’ asked Hitch. ‘She didn’t ride her bike home last night?’
‘You know she didn’t. She left it leaning against the wall – didn’t lock it or anything.’
‘Why would I know that?’
‘You picked her up in the car, remember?’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘Yeah you did – I saw you with my own two eyes.’
‘It wasn’t me kid.’
‘Look,’ said Clancy Crew, ‘one thing I know about Ruby is she wouldn’t have just gotten into some stranger’s car and one thing I know about me, I got pretty good eyesight.’ But there was no answer from Hitch because Hitch had already hung up. He pressed the tiny button his wristwatch phone and was instantly connected to LB.
‘We have a situation.’
LB took a deep breath, ‘What kind of situation?’
‘I think Ruby has gotten into the wrong hands.’
‘The wrong hands? What do you mean by that?’ asked LB,
‘Someone has taken her.’
‘But why? How would anyone have caught on to the kid? No one knows she’s been working for us – I made sure of that.’
‘I think it could have something to do with the redhead she was talking about. We knew the kid was smart, but I think she might have even better instincts than we credited her with – I think she found something out and I think she got clocked doing it,’ said Hitch.
‘Where was Froghorn when all this was happening? I specifically asked him to keep Ruby safe.’
‘Beats me, but wherever it was, he certainly wasn’t keeping an eye on the kid.’ Hitch was feeling horrible – the kind of guilt that causes nausea.
