On Monday morning, Andrew helped Mum into an imaginary rocket.
They blasted off together out from the flats, past the bench and on to Marsh Road. Mum was the lead pilot; Andrew was just there to watch out for passing asteroids and space junk.
‘Abandoned shopping trolley on port side!’ Andrew yelled.
‘Taking evasive action,’ Mum replied.
She’d had three good nights’ sleep. It had made all the difference. Knowing that the person responsible for her injuries was locked up, awaiting trial, had helped too.
‘I’ll pick up some provisions on my way home from the space station tonight,’ Mum said. ‘I’m thinking stuffed peppers with spicy rice?’
‘Not beans?’ Andrew asked hopefully.
‘I think we can do a bit better than that, don’t you?’ Mum steered the rocket down the perilous debris belt that was Marsh Road and executed a perfect landing outside Meeke and Sons.
‘Do you want me to come inside?’ Andrew asked.
Mum shook her head. ‘Absolutely not. Tilda and I have got lots of work to get on with if I’m going to learn how to run the shop while she’s away.’
Tilda and Benedict were planning a fortnight by the sea, so that they could both recover. Mum and Miranda would mind the shop while they were gone. With Bruiser standing guard against badly behaved cats.
‘Look,’ Mum said. ‘You should go and join them.’
Andrew looked.
Piotr and Minnie and Flora and Sylvie were sitting in the window seat of the cafe. Piotr gave him a wave.
Mum didn’t need him any more.
He wasn’t sure how he felt. For about three seconds. Then he whooped with delight. ‘I bet we find another mystery to solve by lunchtime!’ he said.
Mum laughed. ‘Why don’t you just have a milkshake and see what the day brings?’
Andrew gave Mum a quick hug. And let her walk on alone.
He headed towards the cafe. Where his friends were waiting.
Read on for some
top-secret character stats
on the Marsh Road
investigators!
Look out for the next instalment of
