‘Go and see what’s the matter with him,’ the first voice ordered from inside the Irving Room.
Footsteps sounded on the wooden floor, getting closer and closer. Theo looked desperately at the nearest display case. There was no way he could run back to it without being seen. The footsteps were almost out of the room. Theo crouched down lower against the wall, knowing with absolute certainty that he was going to be caught …
Chapter Eighteen
Choices
‘DYLAN, IT’S ME.’ Angela stood up and ran over to the entrance of the Irving Room.
She stood between Theo and the entrance, just as a man whom Theo couldn’t see came out into the main hall. Theo made himself as small as possible, crouching down against the wall. If he could’ve merged with it, he would have. He didn’t dare blink, he didn’t dare breathe. His heart was pounding so loudly, surely it could be heard throughout the entire museum?
‘Angela! What the hell are you doing here?’ Dylan exclaimed. ‘Tom, it’s your sister.’
Theo stared at Dylan’s shoes, visible just past Angela’s legs. He couldn’t bring himself to look up. If he didn’t look in Dylan’s direction, maybe Dylan wouldn’t look in his. Angela put one hand behind her and waved at Theo to stay back. Another set of footsteps sounded on the floor. An arm emerged and pulled Angela into the Irving Room. Theo crept forward slowly, still holding his breath.
‘Angela, what’re you doing here? And this had better be good.’ The low, deep voice held quiet menace.
‘Robbie, I … I wanted to make sure that Tom was all right …’ Angela’s voice trailed off into a miserable silence.
‘Angela, you shouldn’t have come here. I’m fine.’
Theo peeped around the corner. Tom was looking worriedly from Robbie to Angela and back again.
‘Tom’s right. You shouldn’t have come here,’ said Robbie. There was more in his voice than just agreement with Tom. Nervously, Tom moved to stand nearer to his sister. Angela was the only one directly facing the entrance. The others were too busy glaring at her. Theo caught Angela’s eye. They both knew she was in deep trouble. Angela looked up at her brother, so as not to give Theo away. Theo had to act NOW. Summoning up all the courage he possessed, Theo raced across the entrance, keeping low and on tiptoe. He flung himself against the wall as soon as he was clear of the entrance and waited.
‘Robbie, listen. It’s not a problem,’ Tom said earnestly. ‘I’ll take care of her. I’ll make sure she stays out of our way.’
‘Angela, how did you know where we were?’ Robbie asked. There was no mistaking the menace in his voice.
‘I listened when you were all in our kitchen,’ Angela admitted. ‘That’s how I knew how to get in.’
Theo stepped behind Ricky and bent down to try and untie his hands and feet.
‘Shush …’ Theo whispered softly in his friend’s ear.
‘And where’s Scott? He should’ve been here by now,’ said Robbie.
‘How s-should I know where he is?’ Angela tried and failed to keep her voice steady.
‘What’s going on, Angela?’ Robbie’s voice was even softer than before.
Theo’s fingers had all turned into thumbs and the knots felt like they’d been superglued in place. At last they began to give. Moments later, Ricky’s hands were free. Ricky pulled the tape off his face, suppressing a wince of pain as he did so. Then he quickly untied his feet.
‘There’s nothing going on,’ Angela replied. ‘I told you, I just wanted to be with Tom. I’ve got to look out for him. You lot sure won’t.’
Theo pointed towards the nearest display case in the main hall and the ante-room behind it. Ricky nodded, understanding. Ricky got to his feet and they both dashed for the display case. Theo turned back to see what was going on in the Irving Room.
‘I’m tired of falling over kids every time I turn around,’ Robbie said.
‘Calm down, Robbie,’ Dylan soothed. ‘That boy was just an accident. And Angela is Tom’s sister. We can trust her. She wouldn’t betray us.’
‘You reckon?’ Robbie chided. ‘If I was drowning in a bathtub, I wouldn’t trust that girl to pull the plug out.’
‘You got that right!’ Angela replied, frost in her voice.
‘Angela! You’re not helping,’ Tom pleaded.
Theo indicated the next case down and he and Ricky made a dash for it. Theo wanted to put as much distance as possible between them and Robbie but really they needed to be on the other side of the main hall where the exit to the basement was. The problem was how to get there. Robbie and Dylan were now standing side on to the Irving Room entrance. If Theo and Ricky risked darting across the hall, they’d be spotted for sure. And besides, Theo didn’t want to leave Angela behind with that lot. If she hadn’t come out into the open like that, he’d have been caught for sure. He had to admit, Angela was brave if nothing else.
‘What’s going on? What’s Angela doing here?’ Ricky whispered. ‘How come she knows all of them?’
‘Tom, the one with the dark brown hair, is her brother,’ Theo explained.
‘Her brother?’ Ricky said, aghast.
‘Yeah. Shush! I’ll explain later.’
Theo looked around. He had to get himself, Ricky and Angela out of there in a hurry. But how?
How?
‘Ricky where’s your phone?’
‘They took it off me,’ said Ricky.
So much for that idea then. Theo racked his brains. A diversion. He needed a diversion.
‘Ricky, listen,’ Theo whispered quickly. ‘See the door behind that display case?’ he pointed across the hall.
‘Yeah?’
‘There’s a staircase and a lift beyond that door which lead down to a basement corridor. You’ve got to get to the other end of that corridor and up the stairs on the other side. That’ll take you out into the street on the opposite side of the museum. Then leg it to the nearest phone box and phone for the police.’
‘What about you?’
‘Don’t worry about me. I’m going to run interference for you.’
‘Huh?’
‘I’m going to create a diversion. Wait until the coast is clear, then make a run for it,’ Theo said.
‘But Theo, Robbie’s got a gun. You can’t outrun a bullet,’ Ricky exclaimed.
‘D’you know if any of the others have guns?’
‘No, they don’t. Just Robbie.’
‘OK then,’ Theo said grimly. ‘I’m still gonna go for it.’
‘But Theo …’
‘Ricky, we’ve got no choice,’ Theo countered.
‘Angela, if you’ve done anything, anything to mess up my plans …’ Robbie took a step closer to Angela, who immediately backed away from him.
‘Watch out, Angela,’ Dylan said quickly.
‘Don’t touch those cases. I haven’t deactivated the alarms on them yet.’
Angela turned to look at the Astral Collection, sparkling in the five display cases behind her. She took a step towards them. Robbie leaped forward and grabbed her by the arm.
‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ he hissed.
‘Ow! You’re hurting me,’ Angela protested, trying to prise his fingers off her upper arm.
‘Robbie, let her go.’ Tom tried to pull Robbie away from his sister. Robbie turned and, without letting go of Angela, he pushed Tom away from him.
‘It’s now or never,’ Theo whispered to Ricky. ‘Duck down and keep out of sight until you can make a break for it.’
‘OK,’ Ricky replied doubtfully. ‘And Theo?’
‘Yes?’
‘Am I glad to see you!’
It took a moment for what Ricky had said to sink in.
‘What’re friends for?’ Theo smiled ruefully.
Without further delay, Theo made his way on all fours down the hall, using the display cases as cover. At the end of the hall, he raced up the stairs to the first floor, keeping close to the wall. On the landing he picked up a blue and white pottery vase off a
plinth and ran along to stand just above the Irving Room. Theo held out the vase over the banister, striving to keep his arms out – at least for the moment.
‘Oi! I know you’re there and I’m going to call the police,’ Theo shouted out.
‘What the hell …?’
Theo heard footsteps charging out of the Irving Room. The moment he saw a head below him, he released the vase. He didn’t miss, either! Dylan was just looking up when the vase cracked him on the top of his head. He crumpled up like wet newspaper and was out like a light. On impact, the vase shattered into a thousand pieces which rained down around him.
‘I hope that vase wasn’t expensive,’ Theo murmured.
Tom emerged from the Irving Room, followed by Robbie who was still holding a struggling Angela in his vice-like grip. Frantically, Theo hunted around for something else to drop, but it was too late. Tom and Robbie had seen him. They both jumped forward, already out of the range of anything else Theo might drop.
‘Go and get him,’ Robbie ordered Tom.
Theo stared down in frustrated panic. This wouldn’t work if Robbie didn’t come after him as well. Robbie looked up at Theo. His green, cat-like eyes narrowed. Already Tom was running down the main hall on his way to the stairs.
‘Angela – RUN!’ Theo shouted.
Angela didn’t need to be told twice. She gave Robbie a kick in the shins that Theo felt from up on the first floor. Robbie yelped and released her immediately, clutching his leg. Angela took off like a bolt from a crossbow towards the door where she and Theo had come in.
Time to follow her example, Theo decided. Tom was on the stairs and gaining fast. Theo ran along the upstairs landing, darting into a large room off the walkway. This room was full of pictures and models of dinosaurs. Various display cases were filled with dinosaur paraphernalia. This had always been one of Theo’s favourite rooms but now was not the time to relax and enjoy it!
‘Angela, take one more step and I’ll shoot. Your choice.’ Robbie’s voice froze Theo in his tracks.
Robbie was going to shoot Angela. He was actually going to shoot her …
‘Robbie, no,’ Tom called out from the first-floor landing. At the sound of Tom’s retreating footsteps, Theo ran out of the dinosaur room, edging along the landing until he could see down into the main hall. Robbie was holding a gun and pointing it straight at Angela who stared at him, horror-stricken.
‘Robbie, no! Don’t!’ Tom charged down the stairs and ran towards Robbie, stopping only when Robbie turned to point the gun at him.
Theo ran silently along the landing and down the stairs, careful to keep to the wall and out of sight.
‘Robbie, calm down,’ Tom soothed. ‘It’s only my sister.’
‘She kicked me,’ Robbie hissed.
‘You probably frightened her.’ Tom shrugged with careful nonchalance. ‘You know she’s got a bit of a temper. But she can be trusted. She’d never do anything to hurt me, to hurt us.’
‘No? Then why am I up to my armpits in kids? Where did that boy Ricky come from?’ Robbie nodded in the direction of the Irving Room. ‘And where … did …?’ Robbie’s voice trailed off as he realized Ricky was no longer by the entrance. Eyes blazing with rage, he turned back to Angela who recoiled from his look as if it was a physical slap. There came a loud click as Robbie drew back the hammer on his old-fashioned revolver.
‘Where is he, Angela?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know. I swear I don’t. I didn’t let him go …’
Robbie took a step towards her. Tom ran to stand between his sister and Robbie.
‘Robbie, listen to me. We can still do this. We can still take the jewels and blow.’ Tom spoke rapidly. ‘Ricky and my sister aren’t the important ones now. The Astral Collection is. And it’s ours. Robbie, listen!’
‘Get out of the way, Tom.’
‘No way.’
‘Tom, move,’ Robbie demanded.
Tom straightened up slowly. ‘No, Robbie. She’s my sister. I’m not going to let you hurt my sister.’
Robbie and Tom studied each other for a long, tortuous moment.
‘Ricky, I know you’re here somewhere,’ Robbie called out, his eyes never leaving Tom’s. ‘You’ve got five seconds to show yourself otherwise I shoot Tom and his sister and then I’m coming after you. Five … Four …’
Theo could hardly breathe. What should he do? He crawled along the floor towards Ricky who was still crouched behind a display case. So much for his so-called plan. Everything was falling apart, crumbling around him.
‘Three …’
From the sound of it, Robbie had gone off the deep end. There was no way Robbie would let any of them leave the museum alive to grass on him. Theo knew that as surely as he knew his own name.
‘Two …’
‘All right! All right! I’m here.’ Ricky stood up quickly before Theo could reach him.
‘And the other boy …’ Robbie called out. ‘You can come out too or your friends get it. And this time I’m not even gonna count.’
Think … think … Theo had to think of something, fast.
The display cases …
‘Show yourself. I’m not going to ask you a third time …’ Robbie warned.
Theo stood up immediately.
‘Now all of you. In there.’ Robbie indicated the Irving Room with his gun.
Reluctantly Theo followed the others into the Irving Room with Robbie entering the room last. Theo briefly thought about launching himself at Robbie, but he dismissed the notion at once.
Don’t be a doof! he thought.
Robbie would shoot him before he’d taken two steps. And no way could he outrun a bullet. Robbie’s gun was very real. Not a toy, not filled with blanks but with real bullets that could kill and maim. And Robbie wasn’t playing games. The man was already several sandwiches short of a picnic. They all had to be really careful now. Anything might set him off.
‘Robbie, look. The jewels are here.’ Tom pointed with a smile. ‘Don’t lose sight of what we came here for.’
‘Shut up. Just shut up,’ Robbie roared. ‘Everything’s gone wrong and it’s all your fault. You and your sister. Look at this. Three kids. Count ’em. Three! Scott’s missing and Dylan’s unconscious.’ He pointed his gun at Theo. ‘I ought to do you for that alone …’
Theo took a small, terrified step backwards. His mouth dried instantly. Sweat trickled down his back like rain on a windowpane. He didn’t, couldn’t take his eyes off Robbie.
‘You can wake up Dylan. And Scott’s probably just been delayed,’ Tom said calmly.
‘If anything’s happened to Scott, anything at all …’ Robbie threatened.
Theo could feel Angela look at him but he was careful not to look back … That would give them away for sure.
‘Robbie, that gun you’re holding is the only thing stopping us from leaving here rich and free. If we tie up Ricky and the other one, by the time they’re found we’ll be long gone. Think about it.’
Robbie frowned at Tom. ‘Dylan’s our alarm expert. How do we get at the jewels without triggering the alarm?’
‘Wake Dylan up!’ Tom said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
‘Tom …’ Angela began.
‘Shut up and stay out of this, Angela,’ Tom said harshly.
Angela’s mouth snapped shut.
‘OK then. I’ll bring Dylan around,’ Robbie said at last. ‘You kids stand against that wall and don’t move, unless you want your next move to be your last.’
Theo, Ricky and Angela stepped back against the wall at once. They had no choice with Robbie pointing his gun at them.
‘That’s more like it. Let’s get to it, Robbie.’ Tom grinned his relief.
‘Hhmm!’ Robbie turned around and walked towards Dylan.
Without warning, Tom sprang at him, knocking him to the ground. The gun flew out of Robbie’s hand and went off as it hit the ground, shooting into the main hall. Then everything happened at once. Robbie twist
ed like a snake shedding its skin and punched Tom viciously on the side of his face. Angela raced forward, trying to dodge past the two men on the floor. Theo picked up the security guard’s chair next to him and, leaping forward, he smashed it down on the nearest display case. The glass shattered and flew in all directions. Theo dropped the chair immediately to shield his face and eyes from the glass. Instantly an ear-splitting shriek sounded throughout the museum. Ricky jumped over the two men still trading blows on the floor and raced off like the wind. Robbie kicked Tom off him and launched himself towards the gun.
But Angela got there first.
‘Give me the gun, Angela,’ Robbie ordered, jumping to his feet.
‘Stay where you are.’ Angela had to shout over the noise of the klaxon.
Tom sprang to his feet, wiping the blood trickling from his nose on the back of his hand. He moved forward, past Robbie towards his sister.
‘Well done, Angela. Now give me the gun,’ he smiled.
‘Angela.’ Theo ran over to stand beside her. ‘Don’t give it to either of them.’
‘D’you want it?’ Angela asked.
‘No fear,’ Theo replied immediately. No way did he even want to touch the thing. It was giving him chills just being this close to it. ‘Just don’t give it to those two either.’
‘Angela, don’t listen to him. I’m your brother. Give it to me,’ Tom said, incredulously.
‘There’s no way I’m going to let you hand over my property to your brother,’ Robbie threatened.
Angela took a step back, looking from her brother to Robbie and back again. She cupped her left hand under her right to steady it, pointing the gun in both Robbie’s and Tom’s direction. The gun visibly shook in her hand.
Theo felt he should do something, anything but he didn’t know what. He could see the fearful indecision all over Angela’s face. But it was up to her now. She had the gun and it was her choice.
Chapter Nineteen
Family Loyalty
ANGELA GLANCED DOWN at the gun. She flicked a tiny switch at the side of it and the chamber fell to one side. Tipping up the gun she let the bullets fall into her hand.
‘Theo, lose those,’ she said, handing them over.