Chapter 6
"Link! Is everything in order?"
"Yes sir" came the squeaky voice.
"And so it should be!"
"These people are serious buyers and I don't want anything mucked up especially by any police men - understood".
"Yes sir".
"Get your men ready and armed, I'm not taking any chances".
"Yes sir, right away sir" the little figure scuttled away through the shadows".
"My question is how are they transporting stolen antiques and drugs at the same time without anyone noticing?" Bo sighed to the girls.
"True Bo," Shirley agreed, "It would be simpler if they took on one crime but... that's it! They are... well in a way".
"What do you mean?"
"Look if you wanted to transport two things or more without arousing too much suspicion to your selves on working on two jobs, then what would you do?"
"Make it look like one job - of course!" Bo exclaimed.
"I think we had better take a trip to that antique shop to have a look at that ornament, we'll stop by my house".
Standing up Shirley took off, Alex and Bo shrugged at each other and followed her retreating form.
"Well I must say it ain't as cold as I expected" Terrell remarked.
"Okay, here's what we do: we'll split up into pairs and go and ask the antique sellers some questions. Sammo, you and Terrell go east and Grace and me will take the West. Here's a list of the shops. Let's go and Sammo?"
"Hmm?"
"Try not to get into a fight. Amy, or whatever her name is, has been going down my throat about our manners in this country. I don't want to lose my job, okay?"
Sammo grinned, "Understood".
The door tinged as they entered the shop, the shopkeeper eyed them suspiciously over her thin-rimmed spectacles,
"Can I help you?"
"Uh... yes," Bo stuttered, "We're doing a project for school about antiques, and we're wondering if it would be okay to have a look around at some of the ornaments".
"Why of course you can, if it's for school. It's great to see kids doing work these days and taking an interest in their history and culture".
Alexanna smiled sweetly to hide the giggles that were threatening to engulf her.
Shirley looked around until her eyes rested on the little hawk; Bo and Alex joined her while she ran her fingers lightly on the detailed surface. Turning it upside down, the seal caught her eye, carefully she looked closer, her eyes were as round as saucers as she looked at the other two.
Just then the door opened making them all jump, a young Chinese looking woman and a man walked in, they walked up to the counter and engaged in conversation with the old woman.
Shirley motioned the other two to come closer but found that the Chinese woman was looking at her suspiciously,
"Let's go"
Shirley placed the hawk back quickly and they ran out the shop. Grace stared at what the girl had put back, recognising it from somewhere.
"Wha... wha... what was that all... about?" Bo asked catching his breath.
"That woman was acting strange".
"Was that all?!" Bo asked, "You know you act strange all the time but you don't see me running away from you".
"Yeah but I don't think you might be a member of these thieves".
Bo just stared at her; Shirley caught her breath then explained,
"That woman had a plane ticket sticking out of her pocket, she had arrived three hours ago from LA".
"So, she could be anyone!"
"Oh, yeah, well if you were a holiday maker wouldn't you want to unpack first?"
"How about a business person?" Bo replied defiantly
"Well why aren't they in a meeting or something. Wouldn't they be carrying a briefcase or something?
Bo was stumped,
"Aren't we missing the point a wee bit," Alex interrupted, "They were both carrying a gun".
* * *
"Are you saying that those three kids are in the gang?"
"No, that's ridiculous but what were they up to?"
"I don't know?"
"Guy's," Lewis broke in putting away his phone, "We're wanted down at the station. There's a major lead".
"Where would they store these antiques?" Alex asked.
"Why?"
"Well, Bo, they'll need somewhere to store the stuff before they can sell it Plus they need somewhere where they will be able to cut these ornaments open, that is if you're right Shirley".
"I definitely saw the crack where it had been cut".
"The Industrial Estate" Bo stated.
"What?" Shirley and Alex asked simultaneously.
"Look there's plenty of disused warehouses down there. It's right next to the river and there is plenty of equipment that they'll need there".
Shirley and Alex just gave him lopsided grins,
"What?" Bo asked defensively.
"This is too easy" Grace whispered to Lewis as they drove in their provided car.
"I know" Lewis whispered back.
Terrell leaned forward whispering,
"I've got a bad feeling about this, it feels like a trap".
"Why are we whispering?" Sammo asked sticking his head forward to.
The other three pointed silently to the radio,
"Oh!"
"That guy DI Miggan Eastern sure gave me the creeps, there was something about that guy that told me he was more than what he seemed..."
"I wouldn't worry, if this guys right, we'll have them arrested, in jail and be home before we can blink".
"I wouldn't be so sure" Terrell said quietly.
"That has to be the place and look; there's a boat. Those men are loading something on and off".
Shirley took her camera out her rucksack and snapped some pictures from where they hid in a clump of bushes.
"I wish Bo would hurry up," Shirley whispered to Alex with a tinge of anxiety in her voice.
"He will once he finds nothing..."
"Or someone finds him" Shirley finished for her.
"You really care about Bo" Alex stated.
"He's my best friend - of course I care for him!" Alex just nodded watching as a blush crept up Shirley's cheeks.
"Hey!"
"Hey!" Bo gave Shirley a funny look as he noted her face was unusually red.
"Look I think I've found something..." Bo started.
"They're there" Alex stated.
"Uh?"
"Look" Bo looked to where Alex was pointing, "Come on let's go and snoop around".
She sped off so fast that Shirley and Bo didn't get a word in before having to follow her.
Shirley gave Bo an inquisitive look but Bo just shrugged his shoulders, it probably wasn't anything anyway, he thought to himself.
Lewis stopped the car just around the corner to where the warehouse stood. Terrell could just make out the suspicious loading and unloading, other cars were pulling into their places.
"Tango Oscar 7 to Romeo Alpha 10, are you ready?"
"Yes we're ready" Sammo replied in a stony voice to the radio.
"Let's go!"
There were slamming of door, running of feet as twenty officers including Sammo and his friends raced towards the warehouse,
"Shirley, someone's coming" Bo hissed hearing the rabble outside.
Shirley and Alex froze but the doors were flung open. Through the house all the men stopped as twenty police officers charged in,
"Freeze!" shouted Sammo.
"Of course" came a flirty voice from the far end.
A tall woman with sleek, jet black hair emerged from behind a pile of crates. Her walk was proud and seductive, swinging her hips, flirtatiously in an attempt to entrance the officers.
Bo noticed that all the men carried strange boxes around their neck, where had he seen them before?
Meanwhile the woman had walked around the officers spreading her charm like a scent. Obviously she had watched to many movies!
Grace growled quietly,
"Unfortunately your seductive ways don't work on me so go sit on you butt on that chair and start talking".
The woman snarled at the flaw but sat down when Grace produced a gun.
"So you don't know everything, what a pity" she sneered at Graces sickened face.
"Shirley!" Bo hissed urgently as she stood up and jumped off the stairs that they had hid themselves on.
Everyone watched in surprise as a girl landed in front of Grace.
"Correction, we know a lot, so I would co-operate if I was you".
"Get a life little girl. Go home to mommy before you get killed" the woman brandished a gun as well.
Shirley ignored her last statement,
"I know how you transport the drugs and stolen antiques. You cut the ornaments in half, pack the drugs inside, then seal it up. Nobody takes much notice as they are looking for the drugs, it's right in front of them but they can't see it. Then you transport them abroad, re-open them, sell the drugs to the highest bidder then fix the ornaments so that nobody will know that they've been tampered with. All the time you're making huge sums of money, quite ingenious".
Bo noticed a man move towards a tap fixed to a strange cylinder.
"Clever girl but your efforts won't get you far..."
Shirley puzzled over the woman's words, Bo was frantically piecing a jigsaw together. It hit him square in the face,
"STOP, it's a trap!"
"So long suckers, Barkley NOW!"
The man by the cylinder turned the tap as the woman and the other crooks pulled gas masks out. The woman waved a mocking hand of farewell, Bo lunged at her, so did Sammo and the others but the woman broke free in time. Knowing that if they shut the doors all of them would be in trouble Sammo dived at the door but he was a second to late as the door bolted shut. Grace, Lewis, Shirley and Terrell were frantically shaking the big metal doors in which they arrived through but they wouldn't budge. One by one they fell unconscious. Shirley couldn't see Alex but tripped over the unconscious Bo, in horror she pulled him back towards the metal gates, the world started to go hazy; then spin around her, her head pounded, `I must get us out' seeing a trap door, Shirley dragged Bo with her over to it but passed out after two steps.
Slowly Shirley came round, her head pounded, light blinded her vision for a few seconds.
"Shirley?" came a horse whisper.
Looking about, Bo came into focus beside her.
"What's happening?" she asked, her throat screaming in agony at her.
"Not so loudly!" Bo groaned, holding his head, "Man I feel like an elephant danced the conga on my head".
Shirley smiled, slowly sitting up, the world spun, feeling sick to the stomach she stopped,
"Bo, I really don't feel well".
"Neither do the others".
"Others?"
"Yeah, some are awake, they're talking to that police guy over there. I think he found us since I never saw him before".
"Let's go and eavesdrop".
Standing up slowly, Shirley felt her legs wobble; the world spun furiously, the next thing she knew was she was heaving up the little that was in her stomach.
Bo turned away feeling queasy and waited until she had finished,
"Feel better?" he asked genuinely worried
Shirley nodded; she did feel better now.
Alex joined them, still looking very pale but curiosity burned in her eyes.
"That must be the new chief inspector, he's standing in for Markie".
Alex was taken a back at the looks on Shirley and Bo's faces,
"Markie has been granted two months break, but I don't know his name is. Alan was saying what a pain in the `you know what' he is".
Bo and Shirley shared precarious glances.
"Come on let's get out of here while they're preoccupied" Shirley whispered, jaded.
"Shirley Holmes, is that all, sir?"
"Yes, thank you Proctor".
"Shall, we pay this little madam a visit?"
`Yeah, Grace. Terrell, could you and Grace go and dig up as much info as you can about these people. Also," he lowered his voice, "Do a little research on this new DI, there's just something about him that I don't like".
"On the job, sir"
"Sammo, you and I are going to give this Miss Holmes a little visit".
"Right, you don't have any aspirin?"
It feels a little strange, sitting here with Bo. It's like there is this big dare enclosing on me but what and why?
Shirley and Bo had collapsed on Shirley's bed; Alex had gone to pay Alan a visit to dig up some info or something. Both were still feeling the effects but Shirley refused to rest. Bo was sitting there dosing. The atmosphere was comfortable and neither wanted to break the peace. But something was nagging at Bo's subconscious mind. Things were pretty vague just before the gas incident, `Frell, what is it?'
"Bo," Shirley's voice was wearily, "There's so much missing!"
Bo's head snapped up in surprise, the discourage in Shirley's voice was heartbreaking.
"There are so many gaps".
Am I hearing this right, is she, Shirley Holmes, giving up so easily? There's something seriously wrong here.
"Shirley are you alright?" he asked turning around and holding her wrists in concern.
Shirley knew why she felt this bad, the woman had mentioned her mother. The search for Joanna Holmes was now becoming hopeless. Everyday the news of no news about her mothers' whereabouts flooded in. She didn't know whether she was alive or dead, it had been what three years, or was it more? All that time she had been optimistic about finding her mother but the constant negative reports were wearing her thin.
Bo followed her gaze to the picture of her mother, finally he understood, the sorrow in Shirley's gaze was demoralizing to him. Sub-consciously he put his arms around her in comfort.
The feeling of warmth enlightened her mood slightly. He wanted to tell her it was okay but how?
"Shirley... your mum's okay. I know she is" Shirley turned to him in surprise, he smiled and continued, "She is your mother Shirley, like you I know she is brave and smart. There's no way anyone could fool her. I know she wouldn't want you to give up, keep hope!" He felt her lean into his arms.
"Let's give her something to learn about when she comes back, I know you'd never give up so snap out of it. Your mum will be proud of you as I am. Come on let's go through this case again from the beginning".
Bo's right! I shouldn't give up; I never give up. I'm a Holmes.
This seemed to wake her up,
`Come on let's get started..."
The door banged open,
"Nice to see you again, can we have a word?"
Shirley and Bo peered up at two of the men who had been with the police officers earlier...
* * *
"Then you lot came bursting in" Bo finished.
"Clever, very clever, well done. I'm probably supposed to tell you off for interfering but you've been very helpful" Lewis smiled.
"We're sorry..." Shirley began.
"No you're not, you wanted to interfere" Lewis interrupted with another smile.
Sammo looked at the two teenagers in front of him,
"Maybe you could help us?"
"Uh... Sammo?" Lewis started.
"You've been a big help, we could do with some decent brains".
He gave Lewis a look; Lewis didn't bother to argue.
"So what would you do next?" Sammo asked Shirley.
"Well we need to find out that woman's name and this new Inspectors name..."
"You mean DI Miggan Eastern?" Sammo asked.
"Is that him? Anyway, the gang must have had pre-warning of your advance, there's a leak somewhere in the chain. How did you know that they would be there?"
"Miggan did, he got a call from an anonymous person".
"He could have faked it" Bo replied.
"No, there were people there. It was a young female".
Lewis looked at Sammo,
"Why don't I arrange Grace and Terrell to come pick us up?"
"Sure".
"Uh... Sammo? Why wasn't DI Miggan Eastern there when you came?" Shirley asked while writing everything down in a notebook.
"He said his duty was to stay back at the station, though that could be a ploy".
Shirley nodded,
"That guy did look a little fishy, but appearances can be deceiving. We still have to work out who this DIME Master is".
"Who?"
"DIME Master" Bo repeated.
"By the way where is your little friend?"
"Who? Alex? She's with Inspector Alan Goodyear. They're good friends".
"Yeah, Alan said she'd probably want to stick her nose in a lot!"
Lewis pulled out his mobile and dialled a number,
`Hi, Grace? Yeah, it's Lewis, could you and Terrell pick us up now. Thanks".
"They'll be here soon".
Shirley's phone rang, she picked it up curiously,
"Hello? Alan? No she's not. What? Really, but where would she go? Okay I will. Thanks and don't worry she'll be fine".
Meanwhile Alexanna walked through the streets of Redington towards Shirley's House. Deep in thought she jumped when there was a click behind her and something cold touched the back of her head.
"Don't move".
Alex stopped, her heart racing, fear prickled her skin, turning around she looked up,
"Oh it's you..."
Then something heavy hit her skull and the world went black.
"What's wrong Shirl?" Bo asked, fear creeping up on him by her look.
"Alex is gone!"
All three faces looked her,
"What?"
"Link! Is everything in order?"
"Yes sir" came the squeaky voice.
"And so it should be!"
"These people are serious buyers and I don't want anything mucked up especially by any police men - understood".
"Yes sir".
"Get your men ready and armed, I'm not taking any chances".
"Yes sir, right away sir" the little figure scuttled away through the shadows".
"My question is how are they transporting stolen antiques and drugs at the same time without anyone noticing?" Bo sighed to the girls.
"True Bo," Shirley agreed, "It would be simpler if they took on one crime but... that's it! They are... well in a way".
"What do you mean?"
"Look if you wanted to transport two things or more without arousing too much suspicion to your selves on working on two jobs, then what would you do?"
"Make it look like one job - of course!" Bo exclaimed.
"I think we had better take a trip to that antique shop to have a look at that ornament, we'll stop by my house".
Standing up Shirley took off, Alex and Bo shrugged at each other and followed her retreating form.
"Well I must say it ain't as cold as I expected" Terrell remarked.
"Okay, here's what we do: we'll split up into pairs and go and ask the antique sellers some questions. Sammo, you and Terrell go east and Grace and me will take the West. Here's a list of the shops. Let's go and Sammo?"
"Hmm?"
"Try not to get into a fight. Amy, or whatever her name is, has been going down my throat about our manners in this country. I don't want to lose my job, okay?"
Sammo grinned, "Understood".
The door tinged as they entered the shop, the shopkeeper eyed them suspiciously over her thin-rimmed spectacles,
"Can I help you?"
"Uh... yes," Bo stuttered, "We're doing a project for school about antiques, and we're wondering if it would be okay to have a look around at some of the ornaments".
"Why of course you can, if it's for school. It's great to see kids doing work these days and taking an interest in their history and culture".
Alexanna smiled sweetly to hide the giggles that were threatening to engulf her.
Shirley looked around until her eyes rested on the little hawk; Bo and Alex joined her while she ran her fingers lightly on the detailed surface. Turning it upside down, the seal caught her eye, carefully she looked closer, her eyes were as round as saucers as she looked at the other two.
Just then the door opened making them all jump, a young Chinese looking woman and a man walked in, they walked up to the counter and engaged in conversation with the old woman.
Shirley motioned the other two to come closer but found that the Chinese woman was looking at her suspiciously,
"Let's go"
Shirley placed the hawk back quickly and they ran out the shop. Grace stared at what the girl had put back, recognising it from somewhere.
"Wha... wha... what was that all... about?" Bo asked catching his breath.
"That woman was acting strange".
"Was that all?!" Bo asked, "You know you act strange all the time but you don't see me running away from you".
"Yeah but I don't think you might be a member of these thieves".
Bo just stared at her; Shirley caught her breath then explained,
"That woman had a plane ticket sticking out of her pocket, she had arrived three hours ago from LA".
"So, she could be anyone!"
"Oh, yeah, well if you were a holiday maker wouldn't you want to unpack first?"
"How about a business person?" Bo replied defiantly
"Well why aren't they in a meeting or something. Wouldn't they be carrying a briefcase or something?
Bo was stumped,
"Aren't we missing the point a wee bit," Alex interrupted, "They were both carrying a gun".
* * *
"Are you saying that those three kids are in the gang?"
"No, that's ridiculous but what were they up to?"
"I don't know?"
"Guy's," Lewis broke in putting away his phone, "We're wanted down at the station. There's a major lead".
"Where would they store these antiques?" Alex asked.
"Why?"
"Well, Bo, they'll need somewhere to store the stuff before they can sell it Plus they need somewhere where they will be able to cut these ornaments open, that is if you're right Shirley".
"I definitely saw the crack where it had been cut".
"The Industrial Estate" Bo stated.
"What?" Shirley and Alex asked simultaneously.
"Look there's plenty of disused warehouses down there. It's right next to the river and there is plenty of equipment that they'll need there".
Shirley and Alex just gave him lopsided grins,
"What?" Bo asked defensively.
"This is too easy" Grace whispered to Lewis as they drove in their provided car.
"I know" Lewis whispered back.
Terrell leaned forward whispering,
"I've got a bad feeling about this, it feels like a trap".
"Why are we whispering?" Sammo asked sticking his head forward to.
The other three pointed silently to the radio,
"Oh!"
"That guy DI Miggan Eastern sure gave me the creeps, there was something about that guy that told me he was more than what he seemed..."
"I wouldn't worry, if this guys right, we'll have them arrested, in jail and be home before we can blink".
"I wouldn't be so sure" Terrell said quietly.
"That has to be the place and look; there's a boat. Those men are loading something on and off".
Shirley took her camera out her rucksack and snapped some pictures from where they hid in a clump of bushes.
"I wish Bo would hurry up," Shirley whispered to Alex with a tinge of anxiety in her voice.
"He will once he finds nothing..."
"Or someone finds him" Shirley finished for her.
"You really care about Bo" Alex stated.
"He's my best friend - of course I care for him!" Alex just nodded watching as a blush crept up Shirley's cheeks.
"Hey!"
"Hey!" Bo gave Shirley a funny look as he noted her face was unusually red.
"Look I think I've found something..." Bo started.
"They're there" Alex stated.
"Uh?"
"Look" Bo looked to where Alex was pointing, "Come on let's go and snoop around".
She sped off so fast that Shirley and Bo didn't get a word in before having to follow her.
Shirley gave Bo an inquisitive look but Bo just shrugged his shoulders, it probably wasn't anything anyway, he thought to himself.
Lewis stopped the car just around the corner to where the warehouse stood. Terrell could just make out the suspicious loading and unloading, other cars were pulling into their places.
"Tango Oscar 7 to Romeo Alpha 10, are you ready?"
"Yes we're ready" Sammo replied in a stony voice to the radio.
"Let's go!"
There were slamming of door, running of feet as twenty officers including Sammo and his friends raced towards the warehouse,
"Shirley, someone's coming" Bo hissed hearing the rabble outside.
Shirley and Alex froze but the doors were flung open. Through the house all the men stopped as twenty police officers charged in,
"Freeze!" shouted Sammo.
"Of course" came a flirty voice from the far end.
A tall woman with sleek, jet black hair emerged from behind a pile of crates. Her walk was proud and seductive, swinging her hips, flirtatiously in an attempt to entrance the officers.
Bo noticed that all the men carried strange boxes around their neck, where had he seen them before?
Meanwhile the woman had walked around the officers spreading her charm like a scent. Obviously she had watched to many movies!
Grace growled quietly,
"Unfortunately your seductive ways don't work on me so go sit on you butt on that chair and start talking".
The woman snarled at the flaw but sat down when Grace produced a gun.
"So you don't know everything, what a pity" she sneered at Graces sickened face.
"Shirley!" Bo hissed urgently as she stood up and jumped off the stairs that they had hid themselves on.
Everyone watched in surprise as a girl landed in front of Grace.
"Correction, we know a lot, so I would co-operate if I was you".
"Get a life little girl. Go home to mommy before you get killed" the woman brandished a gun as well.
Shirley ignored her last statement,
"I know how you transport the drugs and stolen antiques. You cut the ornaments in half, pack the drugs inside, then seal it up. Nobody takes much notice as they are looking for the drugs, it's right in front of them but they can't see it. Then you transport them abroad, re-open them, sell the drugs to the highest bidder then fix the ornaments so that nobody will know that they've been tampered with. All the time you're making huge sums of money, quite ingenious".
Bo noticed a man move towards a tap fixed to a strange cylinder.
"Clever girl but your efforts won't get you far..."
Shirley puzzled over the woman's words, Bo was frantically piecing a jigsaw together. It hit him square in the face,
"STOP, it's a trap!"
"So long suckers, Barkley NOW!"
The man by the cylinder turned the tap as the woman and the other crooks pulled gas masks out. The woman waved a mocking hand of farewell, Bo lunged at her, so did Sammo and the others but the woman broke free in time. Knowing that if they shut the doors all of them would be in trouble Sammo dived at the door but he was a second to late as the door bolted shut. Grace, Lewis, Shirley and Terrell were frantically shaking the big metal doors in which they arrived through but they wouldn't budge. One by one they fell unconscious. Shirley couldn't see Alex but tripped over the unconscious Bo, in horror she pulled him back towards the metal gates, the world started to go hazy; then spin around her, her head pounded, `I must get us out' seeing a trap door, Shirley dragged Bo with her over to it but passed out after two steps.
Slowly Shirley came round, her head pounded, light blinded her vision for a few seconds.
"Shirley?" came a horse whisper.
Looking about, Bo came into focus beside her.
"What's happening?" she asked, her throat screaming in agony at her.
"Not so loudly!" Bo groaned, holding his head, "Man I feel like an elephant danced the conga on my head".
Shirley smiled, slowly sitting up, the world spun, feeling sick to the stomach she stopped,
"Bo, I really don't feel well".
"Neither do the others".
"Others?"
"Yeah, some are awake, they're talking to that police guy over there. I think he found us since I never saw him before".
"Let's go and eavesdrop".
Standing up slowly, Shirley felt her legs wobble; the world spun furiously, the next thing she knew was she was heaving up the little that was in her stomach.
Bo turned away feeling queasy and waited until she had finished,
"Feel better?" he asked genuinely worried
Shirley nodded; she did feel better now.
Alex joined them, still looking very pale but curiosity burned in her eyes.
"That must be the new chief inspector, he's standing in for Markie".
Alex was taken a back at the looks on Shirley and Bo's faces,
"Markie has been granted two months break, but I don't know his name is. Alan was saying what a pain in the `you know what' he is".
Bo and Shirley shared precarious glances.
"Come on let's get out of here while they're preoccupied" Shirley whispered, jaded.
"Shirley Holmes, is that all, sir?"
"Yes, thank you Proctor".
"Shall, we pay this little madam a visit?"
`Yeah, Grace. Terrell, could you and Grace go and dig up as much info as you can about these people. Also," he lowered his voice, "Do a little research on this new DI, there's just something about him that I don't like".
"On the job, sir"
"Sammo, you and I are going to give this Miss Holmes a little visit".
"Right, you don't have any aspirin?"
It feels a little strange, sitting here with Bo. It's like there is this big dare enclosing on me but what and why?
Shirley and Bo had collapsed on Shirley's bed; Alex had gone to pay Alan a visit to dig up some info or something. Both were still feeling the effects but Shirley refused to rest. Bo was sitting there dosing. The atmosphere was comfortable and neither wanted to break the peace. But something was nagging at Bo's subconscious mind. Things were pretty vague just before the gas incident, `Frell, what is it?'
"Bo," Shirley's voice was wearily, "There's so much missing!"
Bo's head snapped up in surprise, the discourage in Shirley's voice was heartbreaking.
"There are so many gaps".
Am I hearing this right, is she, Shirley Holmes, giving up so easily? There's something seriously wrong here.
"Shirley are you alright?" he asked turning around and holding her wrists in concern.
Shirley knew why she felt this bad, the woman had mentioned her mother. The search for Joanna Holmes was now becoming hopeless. Everyday the news of no news about her mothers' whereabouts flooded in. She didn't know whether she was alive or dead, it had been what three years, or was it more? All that time she had been optimistic about finding her mother but the constant negative reports were wearing her thin.
Bo followed her gaze to the picture of her mother, finally he understood, the sorrow in Shirley's gaze was demoralizing to him. Sub-consciously he put his arms around her in comfort.
The feeling of warmth enlightened her mood slightly. He wanted to tell her it was okay but how?
"Shirley... your mum's okay. I know she is" Shirley turned to him in surprise, he smiled and continued, "She is your mother Shirley, like you I know she is brave and smart. There's no way anyone could fool her. I know she wouldn't want you to give up, keep hope!" He felt her lean into his arms.
"Let's give her something to learn about when she comes back, I know you'd never give up so snap out of it. Your mum will be proud of you as I am. Come on let's go through this case again from the beginning".
Bo's right! I shouldn't give up; I never give up. I'm a Holmes.
This seemed to wake her up,
`Come on let's get started..."
The door banged open,
"Nice to see you again, can we have a word?"
Shirley and Bo peered up at two of the men who had been with the police officers earlier...
* * *
"Then you lot came bursting in" Bo finished.
"Clever, very clever, well done. I'm probably supposed to tell you off for interfering but you've been very helpful" Lewis smiled.
"We're sorry..." Shirley began.
"No you're not, you wanted to interfere" Lewis interrupted with another smile.
Sammo looked at the two teenagers in front of him,
"Maybe you could help us?"
"Uh... Sammo?" Lewis started.
"You've been a big help, we could do with some decent brains".
He gave Lewis a look; Lewis didn't bother to argue.
"So what would you do next?" Sammo asked Shirley.
"Well we need to find out that woman's name and this new Inspectors name..."
"You mean DI Miggan Eastern?" Sammo asked.
"Is that him? Anyway, the gang must have had pre-warning of your advance, there's a leak somewhere in the chain. How did you know that they would be there?"
"Miggan did, he got a call from an anonymous person".
"He could have faked it" Bo replied.
"No, there were people there. It was a young female".
Lewis looked at Sammo,
"Why don't I arrange Grace and Terrell to come pick us up?"
"Sure".
"Uh... Sammo? Why wasn't DI Miggan Eastern there when you came?" Shirley asked while writing everything down in a notebook.
"He said his duty was to stay back at the station, though that could be a ploy".
Shirley nodded,
"That guy did look a little fishy, but appearances can be deceiving. We still have to work out who this DIME Master is".
"Who?"
"DIME Master" Bo repeated.
"By the way where is your little friend?"
"Who? Alex? She's with Inspector Alan Goodyear. They're good friends".
"Yeah, Alan said she'd probably want to stick her nose in a lot!"
Lewis pulled out his mobile and dialled a number,
`Hi, Grace? Yeah, it's Lewis, could you and Terrell pick us up now. Thanks".
"They'll be here soon".
Shirley's phone rang, she picked it up curiously,
"Hello? Alan? No she's not. What? Really, but where would she go? Okay I will. Thanks and don't worry she'll be fine".
Meanwhile Alexanna walked through the streets of Redington towards Shirley's House. Deep in thought she jumped when there was a click behind her and something cold touched the back of her head.
"Don't move".
Alex stopped, her heart racing, fear prickled her skin, turning around she looked up,
"Oh it's you..."
Then something heavy hit her skull and the world went black.
"What's wrong Shirl?" Bo asked, fear creeping up on him by her look.
"Alex is gone!"
All three faces looked her,
"What?"