Midnight for Charlie Bone

  "It's no good to me," she said. "Do you want it?" Charlie thought of Runner Bean, and then of Benjamin. "Does it do anything?" he asked. Because inventions usually did something.

  "Of course. Let me see." She pulled down the dog's tail. It barked twice, and a voice said, "I am number two. You have already pulled my tail, so you know how to make me play To fast-forward press my left ear. To rewind press my right ear. To record press my nose. To stop pull my right foot up. To replace tapes open my stomach." The voice that gave these instructions was familiar to Charlie.

  “Any use to you?" asked Miss Ingledew. "Or would you like to see the others?"

  "It's perfect," said Charlie. "Brilliant. But the voice, is it your...?"

  “Yes. My brother-in-law. Dr. Tolly The device was one of his earliest, but he never bothered to sell it. Once a thing was made, that was it. He was a lazy man, Charlie. Clever, but lazy."

  "It's him in the photo, isn't it?" Charlie didn't mention that he'd recognized the voice. How could he?

  "Yes, that's Dr. Tolly He did something terrible once." Miss Ingledew's mouth closed in a grim line.

  "Why did you want his photo, then?" asked Charlie. The bookseller darted him a quick look, as if she were sizing him up.

  "It's the baby I want," she said at last. "It's all I have to remember her by." And suddenly Miss Ingledew was telling Charlie about the dreadful day when her sister Nancy died, just before her daughter's second birthday and how a few days later, Nancy's husband, Dr. Tolly had given his daughter away.

  "I didn't think you could give children away,” said Charlie, horrified.

  "You can't," said Miss Ingledew. “I was sworn to secrecy.

  I should have taken her, you see. But I was selfish and irresponsible. I didn't think I could cope. Not one day has passed, since then, when I haven't regretted my decision. I tried to find out whom she'd been given to, where she had gone, but Dr. Tolly would never tell me. She was lost in a system of lies and tricks and forgery She'd be ten years old now, and I'd give anything to get her back."

  Charlie felt very uncomfortable. He was being drawn into a situation he didn't much like. If only he hadn't heard the voices in the photograph. How could he possibly tell Miss Ingledew that three cats thought the lost baby was at Bloor's Academy She would never believe him. In a shadowy corner, a grandfather clock struck twelve and Charlie said, "I think I'd better go home now Mom'll be worried."

  "Of course. But take the dog, Charlie, and"-she suddenly darted to the table and withdrew a long silver case from the bottom of a pile -"will you take this one as well?"

  She didn't wait for an answer, but plunged it into a bag marked INGLEDEW'S BOOKS. Handing the bag to Charlie, she said, "You can put the dog in as well, there's just enough room."

  The bag was unbelievably heavy Charlie carefully placed the dog, in its box, on top of the metal case. Then he stumbled to the door, wondering how on earth he would manage to heave the bag all the way home. Julia Ingledew helped him up the step and opened the shop door, which gave another melodious ring.

  "I hope you don't mind my asking," said Charlie, "but what's in the case?"

  The answer was rather surprising. "I don't know,” said Miss Ingledew. “And I'm not sure I want to. Dr. Tolly exchanged it for his baby Whatever it is, it can't be worth as much as a baby can it?"

  "N-no," said Charlie. He put the bag on the ground.

  "Please take it, Charlie. You look like just the right person. I've got to get it out of the house, you see." She lowered her voice and darted a quick look down the street. “And can I ask you to keep it a secret, for now?"

  "That's a bit difficult," said Charlie, even more reluctant to take the strange case. "Can't I even tell my best friend?"

  "Tell no one who you wouldn't trust with your life," said Miss Ingledew.

  CHAPTER 4

  THE INVENTOR'S CASE

  Before Charlie could think of anything to say the bookseller gave him a brief wave and then closed her door. He was alone in the shadowy street with something that had been exchanged for a baby.

  Why hadn't Miss Ingledew opened the case? What could be inside? Charlie began to talk to himself as he struggled over the cobblestones and several people glanced at him suspiciously Perhaps they thought he had stolen the bag. He turned a sharp corner and nearly fell over a big, shaggy dog.

  "Look out!" cried Charlie, dropping the bag. "Runner Bean, it's you!" Runner Bean jumped on the bag and licked Charlie's face.

  "Get off!" said Charlie. "That's valuable." Benjamin came hurrying up to them. "Sorry,” he panted. "I couldn't stop him."

  "Were you following me?" asked Charlie, who was quite pleased to see Benjamin.

  "Not really I was just taking Runner for a walk. I think he must have got your scent." Benjamin stared at the impressive black bag. "What's in there?"

  “Your birthday present," said Charlie, "but you'll have to help me carry the bag. It weighs a ton."

  "Wow What? No, I mustn't ask," said Benjamin shyly Charlie had to confess that there was a mysterious something else in the bag, but after a quick peek, Benjamin said he didn't mind at all that he was going to get the small cardboard box, instead of the large metal case.

  "It's a funny place to come for a present," Benjamin remarked, with a backward glance at the looming cathedral.

  "I didn't know I would find one," said Charlie. "I came here to look for Runner Bean's photo." He told Benjamin about the strange lady bookseller and the mysterious case the lazy inventor had sent her.

  Taking a handle each, the boys began to carry the black bag home. They didn't notice that they were being followed. If they had looked behind them, they might have seen that a weasely red-haired boy badly disguised as an old man, was hiding in doorways and then creeping up on them. Runner Bean growled softly and nudged the bag, trying to hurry the boys. It was very troubling to the dog. There was something behind him and something in the bag that weren't right.

  As Charlie and Benjamin turned onto Filbert Street, Runner Bean whirled around and ran toward the stalker, barking furiously The red-haired boy jumped away from him and fled up the street.

  "What was that all about?" asked Benjamin as the dog came bounding back. Runner Bean couldn't explain.

  When they reached Benjamin's house, Charlie asked his friend if he would take the bag inside with him. He didn't want Maisie or Grandma Bone poking their noses into it.

  Benjamin looked dubious. "I don't know Where will I put it?"

  "Under the bed or something. Please, Benjamin. My grandmas are always in my room, but no one seems to hassle you."

  "OK," he said.

  "Don't open your present until I come back," he told Benjamin. "I'd better go home now, or there'll be trouble."

  Charlie was about to turn away when he heard a hollow knocking from inside the bag. Benjamin looked up, rather scared, but Charlie pretended he hadn't heard and ran down the steps. He walked into the kitchen where his two grandmothers were arguing fiercely When Charlie appeared, they glared at him.

  "Charlie Bone!" screamed Maisie. "How could you? You awful boy How did this happen?" She pointed at the row of dead mice. Charlie had completely forgotten about them.

  He explained how Mr. Onimous and the cats had leaped into the house before he could stop them. “And then I had to rush out and exchange the photo," he waved the orange envelope. "I'm sorry I forgot about the mice."

  "Yellow cats, orange cats?" said Grandma Bone, with a catch in her voice. Charlie could have sworn that she was afraid.

  "Well, I suppose they did a good job," said Maisie, beginning to forgive Charlie. "I'd better clean this up."

  Grandma Bone was not in a forgiving mood. "I knew it," she muttered angrily. “You brought them here, you wretched boy You're like a magnet. Bad blood mixed with endowed. It never works. I won't rest easy until you're shut up in Bloor's."

  "Shut up? You mean I won't be coming out?"

  "Weekends," snapped Grandma Bone. "Unfortunately." Out
she swept, her black boots rapping on the floor like drumsticks.

  "I didn't know that I would be shut up," cried Charlie.

  "Nor did I, love," puffed Maisie, busily disinfecting the floor. "What do I know of these fancy schools? Your mother shouldn't bring home so much produce. Beats me how the pest control knew about it. I never told them."

  "The cats," said Charlie. "They knew"

  “You'll be telling me next that cats can fly?” muttered Maisie. Perhaps those cats can, thought Charlie. Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius were not ordinary cats, that was for sure. And Charlie had a suspicion that Grandma Bone knew this. But why was she afraid of them? He went to his room to make the birthday card. But he found it hard to concentrate. The card went crooked, he left the "h" out of "birthday" and then the speech balloon slipped over Runner Bean's ear. Charlie flung down the scissors. Ever since he'd discovered he could hear photographs, his world had been turned upside down. If only he'd been able to keep quiet about the voices, he wouldn't have had to go to a horrible school where he'd be imprisoned for weeks at a time, with a lot of weird children who did peculiar things.

  He heard his mother come in and call to Maisie. If only she would take his side and fight theYewbeams. But she seemed to be afraid of them. Somehow, Charlie would have to fight them himself.

  Maisie had cooked vegetable spaghetti for lunch. Charlie wondered about the mice in the pantry but kept his thoughts to himself. His mother had bought him a sapphire blue cape, which she made him try on as soon as the spaghetti was finished. The cape reached almost to Charlie's knees. It had slits at the sides for his arms and a soft hood that hung down the back.

  "I'm not going to wear a cape in the street," said Charlie, "and that's final. Everyone'll laugh at me."

  "But Charlie, there'll be other children wearing them," said his mother.

  “And some will be in purple or green."

  "Not in our part of town," said Charlie, pulling off the cape. "They'll all be from the Heights."

  The Heights sprawled up the side of a wooded hill that looked down on the city The houses were tall and grand and the people in them lacked for nothing. The large gardens were full of flowers that seemed to bloom all year.

  "I know for a fact that not every child will come from the Heights," said Charlie's mother. "There's a girl just two streets away Olivia Vertigo, she was in the papers. She'll be in drama, so you'll see her in a purple cape."

  "Hmm!" muttered Charlie. “If you mean Dragon Street, that's just as smart as the Heights." He decided he'd tuck the cape under his jacket until he got to the academy.

  Even Maisie was beginning to give in. "It's really cute," she said of the blue cape. "Such a nice color."

  Charlie grudgingly took the cape up to his room and stuffed it in a drawer. (Later his mother would come up and carefully hang it in the closet.) Then he put Benjamin's birthday card in the orange envelope and ran downstairs. "I'm going to Benjamin's birthday party now,” he called to his mother.

  Runner Bean greeted him with a loud barking. He wouldn't even let Charlie through the front door.

  "What's the matter with Runner?" he shouted as Benjamin came bounding down the stairs.

  "It's that case you left," said Benjamin. "He hates it. I pushed it under the bed like you said, but Runner growled and snarled and tried to pull it out again. He's chewed up the bag and scratched the lid with his claws."

  Charlie managed to squeeze past the door while Benjamin hauled Runner Bean away Finally the dog gave a great howl, ran down the hall, and banged through his doggie-door into the back garden.

  Now that Charlie had arrived, Benjamin wanted to open his present. He ran upstairs to get it.

  There was absolutely no sign that a party was about to take place. Benjamin's parents worked every day of the week and Saturdays as well. Charlie wished he'd asked Maisie to make a cake for his friend, but he'd had too much on his mind.

  "It looks really exciting," said Benjamin, shaking the box. "Come on, let's go into the living room."

  No sign of a party here either.

  Benjamin sat on the floor and opened the box. "Wow! A dog!" he said. Charlie pulled the dog's tail and Dr. Tolly's voice rapped out the instructions.

  Benjamin was so excited he could hardly speak. At last he managed to say.

  "Thanks, Charlie. Thanks. Wow, thanks!"

  "I should have gotten you a new tape," said Charlie, "then you'd have..." He was interrupted by Runner Bean, who tore into the room barking madly He paced around the metal dog, glaring at it, and then he began to whine.

  "He's jealous," said Benjamin. "That's all." He flung his arms around Runner Bean, saying, "I love you, Runner. You know I do. I couldn't live without you."

  The big dog licked Benjamin's face. He was everything to Benjamin: mother, father, brother, and grandparent. He was always there when Benjamin's parents were out. And the boy could go anywhere, at any time of day or night. As long as Runner Bean was with him, he was safe.

  Charlie gave Benjamin the birthday card. "I made it after all," he said. Benjamin didn't notice any of Charlie's mistakes. Gazing at the picture, he told Charlie it was the best card he'd ever had in his life. And then Runner Bean looked up at the ceiling and howled.

  Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound was faint but definite. Benjamin's room was right above them.

  "It's that metal case," said Benjamin. "I wish you'd take it away There could be a bomb in it, or something."

  "Miss Ingledew didn't look like a terrorist," said Charlie. "Nor did Dr. Tolly."

  "How do you know?" said Benjamin. "Terrorists are good at disguises. Let's go and have a look."

  Runner Bean followed the boys upstairs, growling softly This time he wouldn't even come into the bedroom.

  Charlie pulled the bag from under the bed and, together, the boys drew out the metal case. The tapping had stopped. Charlie undid the clasps on either side of the handle, but the case wouldn't open. It was locked, and the key was missing.

  "Didn't that woman tell you what was inside?" asked Benjamin. Charlie shook his head. "She said she didn't want to know Whatever it is, it was swapped for a baby Her very own niece."

  “A baby?" Benjamin's mouth dropped open. "That's terrible." Charlie was beginning to feel guilty. “We'll put it in the closet under the stairs," he said. "You won't hear it there. And then I'll go back to Miss Ingledew and ask her for the key."

  They dragged the bag downstairs and hid it behind a pile of old clothes that Benjamin's mother had dumped in the closet. When they'd closed the door, Runner Bean stood beside the stairs howling mournfully.

  Benjamin could only stop him by saying, "Do you want out!?" very loudly. It was getting dark but there was still no sign of Benjamin's parents. Benjamin seemed more resigned than upset. "I'll make my own cake," he said. And he did. It was a chocolate cake and he stuck ten candles in the top, and then he and Charlie sang "Happy Birthday." The cake was a bit crumbly but very good.

  It was half past seven when Charlie looked at his watch. He knew he should be going home, but he didn't want to leave Benjamin alone, not on his birthday So he stayed another hour, and they played hide-and-seek with Runner Bean, who was brilliant at it.

  At half past eight, Benjamin's parents still hadn't come home, so Charlie decided to take his friend back for one of Maisie's hot meals. There was only one egg and a pint of milk left in Benjamin's fridge.

  "How was the party?" asked Maisie, when two boys and a dog walked in.

  "Great," said Charlie, "but we're still a bit hungry."

  "There was a peculiar boy around here a couple of hours ago," said Maisie. "He was pretending to be an old man but anyone could see he was a boy He said you'd got some case of his mixed up in the wrong bag and he wanted it back. Well, I looked in your room but all I could find was a bag of shoes. The boy was very put out. He wouldn't believe me. A nasty piece of work, he was. Now you two run off, while I get some food on the table."

  Outside the kitchen door, Charlie whispered,
"Don't tell anyone about the bag, and especially not the case."

  "Why not?" asked Benjamin.

  "Because it was given to me and I feel sort of responsible," said Charlie. "I think we should keep it safe until we know more about it." He decided not to tell Benjamin about Mr. Onimous and his cats, just yet. At that moment Grandma Bone appeared at the top of the stairs. "What's that dog doing here?" she asked, glaring at Runner Bean.

  "It's Benjamin's birthday,” said Charlie.

  "So?" she asked coldly.

  Runner Bean barked up at her and before she could say anything more, Charlie dragged Benjamin back into the kitchen.

  "Grandma Bone's in a mood," Charlie told Maisie.

  "Isn't she always?" asked Maisie. "She'll calm down once you're at Bloor's." Charlie hadn't wanted to break this news to Benjamin on his birthday but now it was out and Charlie felt like a traitor.

  Benjamin stared at him accusingly. “What's Bloor's?" he asked.

  "It's a big school near the Heights," Charlie explained. "I don't want to go there, Ben."

  "Then don't."

  "He has to, dear. His mom's bought the uniform," said Maisie. She put two plates of baked beans and sausages on the kitchen table. "Now come and eat. It may be your birthday but you look half-starved, Benjamin Brown."

  Benjamin sat down, but he had lost his appetite. He slipped a sausage to Runner Bean when Maisie wasn't looking.

  "I won't be going until after the semester," Charlie told his friend.

  "Oh." Benjamin stared at his plate, unsmiling. Unfortunately Charlie's mother chose that moment to walk in with Charlie's pajamas. "No more patched pajamas for you, Charlie," she said.

  "The Yew-beams are providing a whole new set of clothes for the academy."

  "Pajamas?" Benjamin looked up. “Are you going to sleep there?"

  "I'll be back on the weekends," said Charlie.

  "Oh." Benjamin shoveled a few beans into his mouth and then stood up.