Chapter 19

Before anyone could say anything else Jake was out of the door. Mr Moody sighed.

“One more delay,” he muttered. “Come on Dobbin, we must get him back onto his computer. That girl must not be allowed to get in the way of our new fortune.”

With that he dashed from the room, quickly followed by Dobbin, who ran as fast as his short legs would allow.

“Stop Natalie,” called Jake as he ran into the lounge room.

Natalie was almost up to the kitchen door, where she knew her mother and father were. But she stopped, ready to give Jake another piece of her mind.

“I’m going to tell Dad what you did,” she said. “And he’ll soon sort you out.”

“What did I do?” asked Jake indignantly

“You let a pair of complete strangers come into our house without calling Mum or Dad,” said Natalie. “You know you’re not supposed to talk to strangers, and you should never let them into your house.”

“This is different,” explained Jake. “Mr Moody’s a friend and he’s helping me.”

“They all say they’re your friends until they kidnap you,” she said.

Mr Moody heard that remark as he ran, panting, into the room, followed by Dobbin. A strange spluttering noise came from his throat. It was half way between a cough and a choke, and it made his face turned a deep red.

When he recovered a highly insincere smile appeared on his face.

“My dear,” said anxiously. “We’re not like that, not at all. We don’t kidnap people. I’m simply an honest businessman. I came here to help.”

“I don’t think so,” said Natalie. “You’re not here to help me - or Santa, or any of the other kids.”

Jake gave a derisive snort. “How many time do you need telling,” he said. “There’s no such thing as Santa.”

Natalie whirled to face him, her face going white with anger. “Of course there is”, she snapped.

Moody coughed discreetly and said softly. “I’m sorry if it upsets you my dear, but Jake is right. Santa’s not a real person.”

Then something really weird happened. There was a sparkling pillar of light that shone with fairy dust, and the air became soft and smelled of all the sweet things Natalie loved. Then the shimmering slowly disappeared and in front of Natalie stood what she assumed, judging by the wings that sprouted from her back, to be a fairy.

While all this was happening, Dobbin slowly edged away from Mr Moody. Something inside told him that trouble was about to happen. So, while everyone else was staring at the light, he slid to the floor and crawled into the cavity underneath the drinks cabinet.