Midnight for Charlie Bone. Jenny Nimmo

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СКАЧАТЬ control.’ He produced a card from the inside pocket of a furry-looking coat.

      ‘Ominous?’ said Charlie.

      ‘Not at all,’ said the man. ‘Onimous. Quite different. Orvil. Orvil Onimous.’ He gave Charlie a big smile, revealing sharp, bright teeth. ‘I believe you have a problem here. Mice?’ He gave a funny sort of leap and landed beside Charlie.

      ‘I don’t know,’ said Charlie. He’d been told never to let a stranger into the house. But this one was in already. ‘Did someone send for you?’

      ‘Something did. I can’t tell you what it was, just yet. You might not believe me.’

      ‘Really?’ Charlie was intrigued.

      The cats had followed Mr Onimous and were now prowling round the hall. They were most unusual-looking cats. The first was a deep copper colour, the second a bright orange, and the third a fierce yellow. The copper cat seemed to know Charlie. It stood on its hind legs and rattled the kitchen doorknob.

      ‘Have patience, Aries,’ said Mr Onimous. ‘Will you never learn?’

      Aries had managed to turn the knob. The kitchen door swung open and he ran inside, followed by the other two cats.

      ‘Sorry about this,’ said Mr Onimous. ‘He’s an impetuous fellow, is Aries. Leo’s a bit pushy too, but Sagittarius has lovely manners. Excuse me, I’d better keep an eye on them.’

      Before Charlie had time to turn round, Mr Onimous had slipped past him and hopped into the kitchen, calling, ‘Flames, don’t let me down. Do it nicely.’

      All three cats were now pacing before the larder. Charlie remembered the rotting fruit, and before the cats could break through another door, he opened it and let them in.

      A fierce pouncing, leaping and screaming began. The larder was apparently full of mice. Not for long. The cats despatched one mouse after another, depositing their bodies in a neat line along the wall.

      Charlie backed away. He hadn’t known there were any mice at all in the larder. Why hadn’t Maisie or his mother noticed? Perhaps they had all arrived this morning, drawn by the smell of old fruit. Charlie was rather fond of mice and wished he didn’t have to watch the row of little grey bodies grow longer and longer.

      When the line was fifteen mice long, the cats appeared to have finished the job. They sat down and vigorously washed their immaculate fur.

      ‘How about a cup of coffee?’ said Mr Onimous. ‘I feel quite exhausted.’

      As far as Charlie could tell, Mr Onimous had hardly lifted a finger, let alone done anything exhausting. The cats had done all the work. But Mr Onimous was now sitting at the kitchen table, looking eagerly at the coffee tin, and Charlie didn’t have the heart to disappoint him. He was still holding the photograph, so he put it down and went to fill the kettle.

      ‘Ah,’ said Mr Onimous. ‘Here we have it. This explains everything.’

      ‘What does?’ Charlie looked at the photograph which Mr Onimous was now holding up to the light.

      Mr Onimous pointed to the cat at the bottom of the photograph. ‘That’s Aries,’ he said. It was quite a few years ago, but he doesn’t forget. He knew you’d spotted him. That’s why he led me here.’

      ‘Pardon?’ Charlie felt weak. He sat down. ‘Are you saying that Aries,’ he pointed at the copper-coloured cat, ‘Aries knew I’d seen his photo?’

      ‘It wasn’t quite like that.’ Mr Onimous scratched his furry-looking head. His pointed nails were in need of a good cut, Charlie noticed. Maisie would never have let anyone get away with nails as long as that.

      The kettle boiled and Charlie made Mr Onimous his coffee. ‘What was it like, then?’ he asked, putting the cup before his visitor.

      ‘Three sugars, please,’ said Mr Onimous.

      Charlie impatiently tossed three spoonfuls of sugar into the coffee.

      Mr Onimous beamed. He took a sip, beamed again and then, leaning close to Charlie, he said, ‘He knew you were connected, Aries did. And so you are; you have the photograph. These cats aren’t ordinary. They know things. They chose me because I’ve got a special way with animals. They lead me here and there, trying to undo mischief, and I just follow, helping where I can. This case,’ his finger came down on the man holding the baby, ‘this is one of the worst. Aries has always been very angry about it. Time and again he’s tried to put it right, but we needed you, Charlie.’

      ‘Me?’ said Charlie.

      ‘You’re one of the endowed, aren’t you?’ Mr Onimous spoke softly, as if it were a secret, not to be spoken out loud.

      ‘They say so,’ said Charlie. He couldn’t help but look at the photograph, with Mr Onimous’ finger stuck so accusingly on the man’s face. And as soon as he looked, he began to hear the baby crying.

      Aries ran over to him and, placing his paws on Charlie’s knees, let forth an ear-splitting yowl. His cry was immediately taken up by orange Leo and yellow Sagittarius. The noise was so painful, Charlie had to press his hands over his ears.

      ‘Hush!’ commanded Mr Onimous. ‘The boy’s thinking.’

      When the yowling had died down, Mr Onimous said, ‘You see. You are connected, Charlie. Now tell me all about it.’

      Although decidedly odd, Mr Onimous looked kind and trustworthy, and Charlie was badly in need of help. He told Mr Onimous about the mix-up with the photographs, the voices, the horrible Yewbeam aunts and their assessment, and their decision to send him to Bloor’s Academy. ‘And I really don’t want to go there,’ finished Charlie. ‘I think I’d almost rather die.’

      ‘But, Charlie boy, that’s where she is,’ said Mr Onimous, ‘the lost baby. At least, that’s what the cats seem to think. And they’re never wrong.’ He stood up. ‘Come on, cats, we’ve got to go.’

      ‘You mean the baby in the photograph was lost?’ said Charlie. ‘How can you lose a baby?’

      ‘It’s not for me to say,’ said Mr Onimous. ‘You take that photo where it belongs, and perhaps they’ll tell you.’

      ‘But I don’t know where it belongs,’ said Charlie, beginning to panic. Mr Onimous was slipping away without helping at all.

      ‘Use your loaf, Charlie. That’s an enlargement, isn’t it? Find the original and you’ll find a name and address.’

      ‘Will I?’

      ‘Without a doubt.’ Mr Onimous smoothed the pile on his coat, turned up his collar and made for the front door.

      Charlie stood up, uncertainly, questions bubbling in his head. By the time he reached the open door, all that could be seen of his visitor was a small disappearing figure, followed by a flash of hot colours, like the bright tail of a comet.

      Charlie closed the door and ran upstairs. Seizing the orange envelope, he shook it fiercely and out fell a small photograph; the original of the enlargement downstairs. He turned it over and there, sure enough, was a name and СКАЧАТЬ