Read Online Atticus Claw Breaks the Law by Jennifer Gray - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Gray
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gasped Slasher. ‘Isn’t that the name ofthe lady who’s organising the Toffly Hall antiques fair? The one who lives at number 2 Blossom Crescent.’
‘Her husband,’ Jimmy confirmed. ‘I followed him back home this afternoon and listened at the window.’ Jimmy glanced behind him and fanned his luminous-green tail feathers. ‘I nearly got my tail scalded by some foul-smelling brew in the process.’
Thug looked nervous. ‘You don’t think he’s on to us, do you?’
‘Why would he be?’ Jimmy demanded. ‘What have you done?’
‘Slasher tried to steal his badge.’ Thug confessed.
‘YOU DID WHAT?’ Jimmy grabbed the diamond ring off Slasher and whacked him over the head with it. ‘YOU BIRD BRAIN!’
‘It wasn’t me, it was him!’ Slasher pushed Thug violently.
Thug fell off his perch, fluttered unsteadily, then landed on Slasher’s back. ‘No, it wasn’t, it was you!’
Slasher pushed him off.
Thug shoved him back.
‘Cut it out!’ Jimmy snapped. ‘Luckily, Inspector Cheddar’s even more stupid than you two. He’s no threat. Not yet, anyway. He hasn’t got a clue about the burglaries. He’s stumped.’
‘Phew!’ Thug put his wing round Slasher and hugged him. ‘That’s all right, then.’
‘I did learn something interesting though,’ Jimmy went on carefully, examining his tail in the glittering diamond, ‘about our
so-called friend
, Atticus Claw.’
‘What?’ Slasher asked.
‘He’s living with the Cheddars.’
‘No way!’ Thug fell off his perch again.
‘I don’t believe it!’ Slasher gasped.
‘I got a peek through the window,’ Jimmy said. ‘He looked mighty cosy curled up next to the Inspector and a couple of snotty kids. Purring away, he was, like a good little kitty.’
Slasher stared at his boss. ‘What’s he up to?’
Jimmy’s eyes gleamed. ‘I’m not sure. My guess is it’s to do with Toffly Hall antiques fair. Somehow he must have heard about it when he arrived. I reckon he’s sneaked in there with the Cheddars so he can find out if there’s going to be anything worth stealing .’ He put his head on one side and looked sharply at the other magpies. ‘You haven’t told him about it, have you?’ His voice was brimming with menace.
‘No!’ squawked Slasher.
‘Definitely not!’ Thug started to tremble. ‘You can trust us!’
‘I hope so,’ Jimmy said icily. ‘Or you know what will happen.’ He tossed the ring back into the nest.
Slasher’s beak twitched.
Thug’s knees knocked.
‘No, Jimmy, please …’
‘Not the crows, Jimmy. Please! We haven’t told the cat anything, I swear.’ Tears were rolling down Thug’s cheeks.
‘Then he’s cleverer than I thought,’ Jimmy spat. ‘Where better to get the lowdown on the antiques fair than in the organiser’s own home? And where better to hide from the police than right under their noses?’
‘What do you think he’s going to do, Boss?’ Thug asked timidly, rubbing his bruised ankle with his wing.
‘He’s after that tiara,’ Jimmy said thoughtfully. ‘Think about it; it could buy him all the mackerel in the Mediterranean.’ He paused, his eyes glittering. ‘What worries me is that the only way he can be sure of getting it is if we’re out of the way …’
‘You mean he’s going to chomp us?’ Thug gulped.
‘Then he’d get everything!’ Slasher fumed.
‘Maybe,’ Jimmy said. ‘But he’d have to catch us first.’
‘I’d biff him in the snout,’ Thug said proudly.
‘And I’d peck him in the eye.’ Slasher sounded excited .
‘He’d have you both for breakfast,’ Jimmy said coldly. ‘But I doubt he’d take me on in a hurry.’
‘Who would, Boss?’ Thug agreed. ‘You’re horrible.’
‘Thanks, Thug.’ Jimmy looked pleased. ‘But even if he
does
manage to get rid of us, he’s still got to snatch the tiara. Toffly Hall will be swarming with cops. Nah …’ Jimmy shook his head. ‘I think he’s got something else in mind. Something
‘Her husband,’ Jimmy confirmed. ‘I followed him back home this afternoon and listened at the window.’ Jimmy glanced behind him and fanned his luminous-green tail feathers. ‘I nearly got my tail scalded by some foul-smelling brew in the process.’
Thug looked nervous. ‘You don’t think he’s on to us, do you?’
‘Why would he be?’ Jimmy demanded. ‘What have you done?’
‘Slasher tried to steal his badge.’ Thug confessed.
‘YOU DID WHAT?’ Jimmy grabbed the diamond ring off Slasher and whacked him over the head with it. ‘YOU BIRD BRAIN!’
‘It wasn’t me, it was him!’ Slasher pushed Thug violently.
Thug fell off his perch, fluttered unsteadily, then landed on Slasher’s back. ‘No, it wasn’t, it was you!’
Slasher pushed him off.
Thug shoved him back.
‘Cut it out!’ Jimmy snapped. ‘Luckily, Inspector Cheddar’s even more stupid than you two. He’s no threat. Not yet, anyway. He hasn’t got a clue about the burglaries. He’s stumped.’
‘Phew!’ Thug put his wing round Slasher and hugged him. ‘That’s all right, then.’
‘I did learn something interesting though,’ Jimmy went on carefully, examining his tail in the glittering diamond, ‘about our
so-called friend
, Atticus Claw.’
‘What?’ Slasher asked.
‘He’s living with the Cheddars.’
‘No way!’ Thug fell off his perch again.
‘I don’t believe it!’ Slasher gasped.
‘I got a peek through the window,’ Jimmy said. ‘He looked mighty cosy curled up next to the Inspector and a couple of snotty kids. Purring away, he was, like a good little kitty.’
Slasher stared at his boss. ‘What’s he up to?’
Jimmy’s eyes gleamed. ‘I’m not sure. My guess is it’s to do with Toffly Hall antiques fair. Somehow he must have heard about it when he arrived. I reckon he’s sneaked in there with the Cheddars so he can find out if there’s going to be anything worth stealing .’ He put his head on one side and looked sharply at the other magpies. ‘You haven’t told him about it, have you?’ His voice was brimming with menace.
‘No!’ squawked Slasher.
‘Definitely not!’ Thug started to tremble. ‘You can trust us!’
‘I hope so,’ Jimmy said icily. ‘Or you know what will happen.’ He tossed the ring back into the nest.
Slasher’s beak twitched.
Thug’s knees knocked.
‘No, Jimmy, please …’
‘Not the crows, Jimmy. Please! We haven’t told the cat anything, I swear.’ Tears were rolling down Thug’s cheeks.
‘Then he’s cleverer than I thought,’ Jimmy spat. ‘Where better to get the lowdown on the antiques fair than in the organiser’s own home? And where better to hide from the police than right under their noses?’
‘What do you think he’s going to do, Boss?’ Thug asked timidly, rubbing his bruised ankle with his wing.
‘He’s after that tiara,’ Jimmy said thoughtfully. ‘Think about it; it could buy him all the mackerel in the Mediterranean.’ He paused, his eyes glittering. ‘What worries me is that the only way he can be sure of getting it is if we’re out of the way …’
‘You mean he’s going to chomp us?’ Thug gulped.
‘Then he’d get everything!’ Slasher fumed.
‘Maybe,’ Jimmy said. ‘But he’d have to catch us first.’
‘I’d biff him in the snout,’ Thug said proudly.
‘And I’d peck him in the eye.’ Slasher sounded excited .
‘He’d have you both for breakfast,’ Jimmy said coldly. ‘But I doubt he’d take me on in a hurry.’
‘Who would, Boss?’ Thug agreed. ‘You’re horrible.’
‘Thanks, Thug.’ Jimmy looked pleased. ‘But even if he
does
manage to get rid of us, he’s still got to snatch the tiara. Toffly Hall will be swarming with cops. Nah …’ Jimmy shook his head. ‘I think he’s got something else in mind. Something
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