And the words of Agent Blacker came shooting back to her.
If you see Baby Face, don’t bother calling for Mommy, run!
What Clancy saw. . .
Clancy watched as Ruby cycled towards a silver car parked in front of the Smithson’s luxury home. He saw her jump off her bike and lean it against their wall.
What are you doing Ruby?
He saw her skip over to the driver’s side as whoever it was wound down the window. Hitch! thought Clancy. Then Ruby got in a little awkwardly and the car zoomed off into the darkness.
Darn it Ruby, you promised! said Clancy, slamming his bedroom window. Now I’m really in trouble!
He sank back onto his chair and stared at the blank piece of paper in front of him. Now the only thing to look forward to was getting an F from Madame Loup.
‘They could feed my toes to a pack of vultures but I would never blab’
THE NEXT MORNING Hitch walked into the kitchen.
‘Well hello there stranger,’ said Sabina warmly.
‘Nice to have you back on board,’ said Brant. ‘Things haven’t been the same without you.’
‘Glad to hear it,’ said Hitch. ‘Now where’s that short kid? She not bothering to get up these days?’
‘Oh, you know how it is,’ said Sabina, rolling her eyes. ‘Trying to get Ruby out of bed early on a Saturday morning is next to impossible.’
‘I’ll offer her French toast,’ said Hitch. ‘She’ll be down those stairs before you can say “maple syrup”.’
Hitch knocked on Ruby’s door and was not surprised to be met with silence.
He knocked again, a lot louder, and when there was still no answer he opened the door a crack and let Bug bound over to her bed.
‘Hey, Kiddo, rise and shine, it’s a big day for…’ his voice tailed off.
It was clear to anyone who knew Ruby that she had not slept in her bed – it being perfectly made and Ruby being no maker of beds. That’s strange, he thought. He picked up Ruby’s donut phone and dialled the Crew’s number. The maid answered and put him through to Clancy, who was brushing his teeth.
‘Clancy, it’s Hitch – I don’t suppose Ruby is with you is she?’
‘No,’ replied Clancy, ‘and the weasel can collect her own bike – thanks to her I’m sure to be getting a big fat F.’
‘Her bike?’ asked Hitch. ‘She didn’t ride her bike home last night?’
‘You know she didn’t. She left it leaning against the wall – didn’t lock it or anything.’
‘Why would I know that?’
‘You picked her up in the car, remember?’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘Yeah you did – I saw you with my own two eyes.’
‘It wasn’t me kid.’
‘Look,’ said Clancy Crew, ‘one thing I know about Ruby is she wouldn’t have just gotten into some stranger’s car and one thing I know about me, I got pretty good eyesight.’ But there was no answer from Hitch because Hitch had already hung up. He pressed the tiny button his wristwatch phone and was instantly connected to LB.
‘We have a situation.’
LB took a deep breath, ‘What kind of situation?’
‘I think Ruby has gotten into the wrong hands.’
‘The wrong hands? What do you mean by that?’ asked LB,
‘Someone has taken her.’
‘But why? How would anyone have caught on to the kid? No one knows she’s been working for us – I made sure of that.’
‘I think it could have something to do with the redhead she was talking about. We knew the kid was smart, but I think she might have even better instincts than we credited her with – I think she found something out and I think she got clocked doing it,’ said Hitch.
‘Where was Froghorn when all this was happening? I specifically asked him to keep Ruby safe.’
‘Beats me, but wherever it was, he certainly wasn’t keeping an eye on the kid.’ Hitch was feeling horrible – the kind of guilt that causes nausea. Why hadn’t he listened, he never should have let LB assign that numbskull.
‘Get hold of him,’ said LB, ‘and tell him to get his wretched behind in here before I start thinking about using him as shark bait.’
‘I think shark bait should be my fate,’ said Hitch. ‘I’m the one who should have been looking after her.’
‘You’re being too hard on yourself – it was Froghorn’s responsibility. He was assigned to keep her out of trouble.’
But Hitch couldn’t agree.
‘Please tell me Klaus Gustav is safely in Twinford?’ said LB.
‘He is – Blacker flew him in yesterday. I hear he’s not exactly all things nice – no wonder he’s a recluse but at least he is secure and all tucked up at the Grand Twin.’
‘And you?’
‘I’ve been working with the security squad and everything looks as locked down as it’s ever going to be,’ replied Hitch.
‘Well, that’s something,’ said LB. ‘So this kid Clancy – do you think Ruby might have confided in him, told him everything?’
‘There’s a good chance,’ said Hitch. ‘Ruby can keep a secret, no doubt about that. But Clancy is her closest friend; if she’s going to tell anyone it’s going to be him.’
‘Speak to the kid, find out everything he knows.’ With that she was gone.
Hitch got in his car and drove the short distance to Ambassador Crew’s elegant residence.
He swung the car through the main gates and parked. As he climbed the carved stone steps he smelt the fresh smell of blossom and felt the warm sun on his back, it was hard to believe anyone was in peril on a morning like this. The housekeeper answered the door and asked him to sit in the hall while she went to fetch Clancy.
Hitch perched uncomfortably on a delicate French chair and gazed around at the imposing portraits of ambassadors and dignitaries – they all looked back at him with accusing eyes. He was feeling bad. OK, so it wasn’t his fault that Froghorn was an incompetent idiot and had let Ruby slip through his fingers, but the truth was he should never have left her with him in the first place.
Should have listened to her. Someone else could have gone to brief the security staff. And it had to be said that as far as working with thirteen-year-old kids went, Ruby wasn’t so bad… She was one cool customer, funny too. But now she was gone and he could only blame himself.
Kid, if you’re still out there, I’m gonna find you. You can count on it.
Hitch was pulled out of his circular thoughts by the appearance of Clancy, his face displaying considerable mistrust.
Hitch stood up. ‘Shall we go outside?’
The two of them sat down on the warm stone steps facing the twisty gates, Ruby’s bike visible through the bars.
Hitch looked at Clancy. ‘So what do you know?’