As I continued my journey home, I remembered what Dad had said about seeing Mum outside Tesco the previous evening, which also happened to be the night she disappeared. I decided I needed to investigate further in case there had been an ARMED ROBBERY with MASKED VIGILANTES and Mum had somehow been caught up in it.
They could even have KIDNAPPED HER and be HOLDING HER TO RANSOM as we speak. Perhaps someone might remember seeing her or I could ask a member of staff to check the CCTV.
In any case, I could do with a SNACK. All this detective work was making me hungry. I decided to kill two birds with one stone and head inside. As I entered the sterile supermarket, I looked around to see if anyone was ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY but nothing seemed out of place.
Even I had to admit that Tesco seemed an unlikely place for the scene of a crime, let alone an armed robbery. It was full of old ladies pushing shopping trolleys around with baskets balanced PRECARIOUSLY (dangerously) on top of them like skittles at a bowling alley and kids from my school buying enough sweets and chocolate to last the entire year and then DEMOLISHING all of it in APPROXIMATELY ONE NANOSECOND.
I did however manage to pick up a packet of salt and vinegar crisps and a can of coke so it wasn’t a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME. Although I had now spent the last of my dinner money. I wondered if I would get any more now that Mum had gone missing. Just as I was about to give up, I turned around and bumped straight into Mum’s friend Shirley, who also works in Tesco so we call her TESCO SHIRLEY. Inventive I know.
‘Hiya, Jake love,’ Shirley shouted from where she was stacking shelves by the entrance. ‘Haven’t seen you in a while, is everything all right?’
‘Just looking for my mum,’ I replied warily. ‘Have you seen her today?’
‘Not since last night. I saw her coming in as I was leaving at the end of my shift. Is she OK?’
Shirley’s statement confirmed what Dad had said earlier about seeing Mum outside Tesco the night before. I thought that if there had been a robbery the previous evening, Shirley would probably have brought it up by now, as Mum always says that she likes A BIT OF A GOSSIP. But as I had NOTHING TO LOSE, I thought I MIGHT AS WELL ASK.
‘There wasn’t some kind of robbery or anything here last night?’ I asked hesitantly, not wanting to cause too much alarm.
‘What? I don’t think so, no. Why do you ask?’
‘I just wondered, that’s all,’ I replied, doing my best to sound casual.
‘Well, as I said before, I wasn’t here all night but I’m sure someone would have mentioned it,’ Shirley chuckled to herself as she continued with her stacking.
‘Do you think I could check the CCTV? Just to be sure.’
‘Jake, are you sure everything’s OK? Do you want me to call someone to come and pick you up?’
Shirley was starting to look WORRIED and I decided QUICK ACTION was needed to throw her OFF THE SCENT. I didn’t want her to start asking questions and get Mum into any trouble.
‘No, that’s OK, thanks. I’m just taking an interest and doing my bit for the local community. We’re learning about it at school.’
‘Oh, I see. Well, as long as everything is OK at home?’
‘Yes, everything is fine. Absolutely fine. Nothing to worry about.’
‘I’m sure I could ask the manager about the CCTV if it’s for a school project?’
‘That’s OK, I think I’ve seen everything I need to see,’ I replied trying to act as normal as possible. ‘Anyway, I’d better be off home now, they’ll be wondering where I am.’
Before Shirley could start asking any more questions, I rushed out of the door, waving in what I hoped was a CALM and CONSIDERED FASHION as I looked back over my shoulder and tried not to TRIP OVER MY FEET.
It seemed that my suspicions of an armed robbery were SOMEWHAT UNFOUNDED. I’d have to go back to the drawing board when I got home. At least I could tick Tesco off the list for now.
places mum might have gone: