Children of the Red King Book 01 Midnight for Charlie Bone Read online

  "We had a bit of excitement here this week," Charlie's mother said, as she poured the tea. "Benjamin's dog was attacked and your uncle Paton took charge. I've never seen him so active. He went out in broad daylight."

  "In his bathrobe," Maisie added.

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  "Runner Bean was attacked?" Charlie said anxiously "Where's Uncle Paton now? And where's Grandma Bone?"

  "Locked in their rooms," said Maisie. "There have been terrible fights, every night. Shouting and stamping and slamming doors. I don't know how many lightbulbs we've lost."

  As soon as tea was over, Charlie took Billy across the road to meet Benjamin. The door was opened by a woman with short blonde hair and glasses. She was wearing a gray suit and, although she looked very businesslike, she had a warm and welcoming smile.

  "Hello, Charlie," she said. "You don't recognize me, do you? I'm Mrs. Brown, Benjamin's mom."

  Charlie was amazed. He hadn't seen Mrs. Brown for ages. He was sure she'd once had long dark hair. "This is Billy" he said.

  "Come in! Come in!" said Mrs. Brown. "Runner Bean's having his treatment."

  "His treatment?" said Charlie, stepping into the hall. There were suitcases on the stairs, rubber boots on

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  the floor, and coats and raincoats draped over chairs and banisters. What on earth had been going on?

  "Benjamin's in the living room, Charlie," said Mrs. Brown. "He'll be pleased to see you."

  Charlie led Billy to a room at the back of the house. He hadn't been in it very often. Benjamin usually preferred the kitchen.

  When he opened the door he was met by a loud hiss and a long, warning meow He could hardly believe his eyes. Aries, the copper-colored cat, stood on the back of an armchair; Sagittarius stood on the back of another; and Leo was perched on the arm of the sofa. They stared fiercely at Charlie, and then relaxed. Aries even gave a soft purr. Benjamin was sitting on the sofa beside Leo. "Come in, Charlie," he whispered. "Mr. Onimous is treating Runner."

  Runner Bean was lying on the floor with Mr. Onimous kneeling beside him. He had a bottle of green liquid in one hand and a cotton ball in the other. Runner Bean had a bandage on his nose and a

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  stitched-up ear. Nasty scars could be seen on his body where the fur had either been torn or fallen out.

  "He's getting better," Benjamin whispered.

  Charlie slipped into the room and sat beside Benjamin, but as soon as Billy came in the three cats set up a low; warning growl. Mr. Onimous looked up. "What's going on?" he asked. "I gotta have quiet." Billy stood with his back against the wall. He looked terrified.

  "Who's that?" asked Benjamin.

  "It's Billy Raven," Charlie whispered. "He's from the academy He hasn't got a home so he's staying with me for the weekend."

  "Hello, Billy" said Benjamin in a hushed voice. "Have a seat!" Mr. Onimous was now changing the bandage on Runner Bean's nose. The dog gave a little whimper. At that moment Billy took a step forward and all three cats leaped to the floor, grumbling and yowling.

  "They don't like me," squeaked Billy

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  Mr. Onimous frowned at him. "Why ever not?" he asked. "I think you boys had better leave the room. Old Runner here is getting a little bit excited." Charlie, Benjamin, and Billy went into the kitchen, which was wonderfully tidy for a change.

  "So what's been happening?" asked Charlie.

  ?A lot," said Benjamin. He began with the terrible discovery of Aunt Eustacia in his house, and then went on to describe the mysterious attack on Runner Bean; how he'd run across to ask Charlie's uncle for help; and how; since that moment, his life had changed, because Paton had somehow located his parents and insisted they come home.

  "I think he got the police to find them," said Benjamin. "Mom wears this yellow raincoat sometimes, so she's easy to spot. Anyway Mom and Dad came home, just like that. Your uncle said they'd been tricked and sent on a wild goose chase. I think your grandma had something to do with it. Anyway when they came home, your Uncle Paton had this big long private talk with them, and since then, Mom says she's only going 319

  to work while I'm at school, never at night, and never on the weekends." Charlie could hardly believe it. Uncle Paton had put his head up at last. He could obviously make things happen when he wanted to. Mr. Onimous popped his head into the kitchen. "We'll be off now, boys," he said. "Runner Bean's doing very well, considering. I'll be back on Monday" He was off in a flash, as usual, with the three cats whizzing after him like fiery-colored rockets.

  "What a funny man," Billy murmured. "He's a bit like a mouse." The others agreed, although Benjamin pointed out that Mr. Onimous had extraordinary powers. "I thought Runner Bean was dead," he said, "but Mr. Onimous just put his funny hands on him and he began to get better. And the cats kept him warm by walking around and around him, even though they don't like dogs."

  "They didn't like me either," Billy said quietly ?Animals always like me, but they didn't."

  Charlie had an idea. "Billy can understand animals," 320

  he told Benjamin. "Do you want him to talk to Runner? He could tell us what really happened."

  Benjamin wasn't sure. He gave Billy a funny look. "Is he one of those kids like you?" he asked Charlie.

  "Yes," said Charlie. "You could do it, couldn't you, Billy?" Billy nodded.

  ?All right." Benjamin led them back to the living room where Runner Bean was licking one of his wounded paws. He seemed a bit afraid of Billy but when the albino boy started making his funny little grunts and hums, the dog relaxed. He pricked up his ears and listened.

  When Billy had finished, Runner Bean began to talk, or rather to grunt, and then he gave a tired sort of groan and lay down.

  "Well?" said Charlie. "What did he say?"

  "He says he was attacked by a wolf," said Billy

  "What?" cried Benjamin.

  "It wasn't an ordinary wolf" Billy went on. "It was a 321

  boy as well as a wolf I think he meant that the boy turned into a wolf."

  "Whew!" Benjamin collapsed into a chair. ?A wolf!"

  "It was one of us," Charlie murmured. "It had to be. One of those boys at the academy can turn into a wolf-a kind of werewolf-and Aunt Eustacia let him in, so that he could get Runner Bean away from the cellar door. Because she thought Dr. Tolly's case was still there."

  "Isn't it?" asked Billy

  The other two boys looked at him. Could they trust Billy? They would have to, Charlie realized, because tomorrow they would all be going to Gunn House together. They couldn't leave Billy behind.

  "Dr. Tolly's case is somewhere else," said Charlie. "I'll tell you about it when we get home."

  Benjamin looked very cheerful as he waved goodbye from the steps of his house. His mom came out and waved too, and then she put her arm around Benjamin's shoulders and they went inside together.

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  "My Uncle Paton's a genius," Charlie said proudly "Before this week Benjamin hardly ever saw his parents. I'd even forgotten what his mom looked like."

  "I'm going to have new parents," said Billy

  "Really? That's fantastic! When did you find out?" asked Charlie.

  "Oh, just the other day" said Billy "Only I have to be... good."

  "I'll help you to stay out of trouble," Charlie promised. That night, before they went to sleep, Charlie told Billy everything that he hoped would happen the next day

  "But what will Emilia do, when she wakes up?" asked Billy

  "We don't know,?Charlie admitted. "We don't even know if she really is Emma Tolly or if she'll come to Gunn House. It's all up to Olivia now" Olivia had very obliging parents. When she told them she had to see a girl called Emilia Moon, who lived miles away on Washford Road, her mom drove her to

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  Emilia's home and agreed to collect her and Emilia from a Gunn House at five o'clock.

  ?Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you?" Mrs. Vertigo called from her car.

  Olivia stood at the g
ate of a house called Moonshine. "No, Mom." She gave a wave. "I'll be OK."

  Nevertheless, Mrs. Vertigo waited until she saw Olivia press the bell. A gray-haired woman opened the door, and Mrs. Vertigo called, "Bye-eee!" and drove off.

  "What do you want?" the gray-haired woman asked Olivia.

  "I've come to see Emilia," said Olivia. "She invited me."

  "Emilia; never said. The thin, angry-looking woman made no attempt to invite Olivia in.

  "Well, then she forgot," said Olivia. "You can't send me away now, because my mom's gone and I live miles away".

  "The woman clicked her teeth. "Emilia!" she shouted. "Come here!" Emilia appeared. She looked rather gloomy

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  "Did you invite this girl here?" demanded the woman. Olivia waved and smiled at Emilia, until Emilia said, "Yes."

  "You'd no right," said the woman. "I suppose you'd better come in," she said grudgingly

  Olivia stepped into a cold, exceptionally tidy house. Emilia gave her a weak smile and led the way upstairs to her room. It was a rather sad room. There were no pictures on the walls, and everything that Emilia owned must have been packed away in the numerous drawers and closets that lined the room. The bed was covered with a spotless white blanket, and on the pillow sat a very neat-looking stuffed duck.

  "That's nice," said Olivia, for want of anything better to say Emilia smiled.

  "Shall we go out?" asked Olivia. "There might be more to do in the garden." Emilia agreed.

  The garden consisted of a neat lawn surrounded

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  by large, bushy shrubs. Beyond a swing at the far end, Olivia spotted a promising-looking wall.

  "What's on the other side of that wall?" she asked Emilia.

  "Just an alley" said Emilia. "It leads to the main road."

  "Let's climb over it."

  "Why?"

  "Because I want to show you something," said Olivia. "It's very special. I can't tell you what it is, but it's in Fidelio Gunn's house."

  "Is this a trick?" Emilia looked anxious.

  "Emilia, trust me," said Olivia. "I'm your friend." Olivia's gentle tone was so persuasive, Emilia was soon climbing over the wall behind her.

  "We'll be back before your mom has noticed we're gone," Olivia promised. Meanwhile in the attic at Gunn House, Fidelio, Charlie, Benjamin, and Billy were munching their way through a second plate of sandwiches. They were sitting on various piles of boxes and music cases, while blasts of music reverberated beneath them.

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  Charlie decided he was just eating to forget his anxiety Was he doing the right thing? Would Olivia find the house? Would Emilia wake up? And if she did would she scream and freak out, or faint... or turn into something else? A bird maybe? He took another sandwich. For a singer, your mom makes amazing sandwiches," he told Fidelio, as he munched into banana and peanut butter.

  "Fidelio!" Mr. Gunn sang out from the hall. "There are two young ladies to see you!"

  "Show them up, Dad!" called Fidelio.

  "Up you go, right to the top, mind your heads, and please don't hop!" sang Mr. Gunn.

  Olivia burst out laughing but Emilia was silent - as far as Charlie could tell -there was so much noise in the musical house.

  "Here we are!" said Olivia, striding into the room. Emilia followed her. She looked puzzled, but not frightened.

  "Did Olivia explain?" Charlie asked her.

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  "You've got something to show me," said Emilia slowly

  "Yes. It's something your father made," said Charlie. Emilia frowned. "My father's an accountant. He doesn't make things," she said.

  "Well, actually he was an inventor," said Fidelio. "But he died and he left you this case." He pointed to the metal case that lay in the center of the room.

  "How do you know?" asked Emilia, her frown deepening. Fidelio looked at Charlie, and Charlie said, "It all happened when I met your aunt."

  "I've got an aunt? I never knew I had an aunt."

  "She's a very nice person, and she's been wanting to see you for years and years," Charlie told Emilia. "She gave me the case, and then I found out what was in it and how it could -er -wake you up." Emilia looked even more confused. Olivia sat on a large trunk and pulled Emilia down beside her. "It's going to be OK. We won't let anything bad happen to you," she said.

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  "I didn't know I wasn't awake," Emilia murmured.

  "I think we'd better do it now,? said Fidelio. "Time's running out. Go on, Charlie."

  Charlie stepped forward. He ran his fingers firmly but carefully over the letters on the side of the case. Tolly Twelve Bells. As he reached the last letter he looked around the room. Everyone was staring at his fingers. He noticed that Billy Raven's eyes had gone wide and dark, and that they completely filled the round frames of his glasses. It gave him a blank, hidden look.

  When the last letter had been pressed, the lid began to open. Charlie stood to one side and watched Emilia's face, but it was Olivia who cried out in amazement. Emilia just looked baffled.

  When the knight raised his sword, everyone jumped up and backed away even Emilia. And then the bell began to chime, and the voices of the chanting choir filled the room.

  For a moment, Emilia looked as if she were in intense pain. She hunched her shoulders and put one

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  hand over her mouth. She closed her eyes and sank back onto a box. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

  The others watched, fearfully as the tears grew into a stream and Emilia began to sob helplessly She rocked back and forth, moaning and sighing until the knight lowered his sword and descended into the case. When the chanting ceased and the bell chimed for the last time, Emilia was silent. Both hands now covered her face and she was completely motionless. No one in the room spoke. Charlie closed the case, wondering what to do next.

  At last Emilia said, in a very small voice, "I didn't know that I was so unhappy All my life I've lived with people who didn't love me." Olivia flung her arms around her, saying, "It's going to be OK, Emilia. You're going to be happy now You'll see. Charlie, tell her." So Charlie told Emilia about her poor mother who died, and her father, Dr. Tolly the inventor. And then he described Julia Ingledew, who lived in a bookshop and

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  longed to see Emilia, longed to look after her forever and ever, in fact. And then Charlie told Emilia the strangest thing of all. "Your father said you could fly Emilia. That's why they wanted you at Bloor's."

  "Me?" said Emilia. "I can't fly"

  "Well, you did once," said Charlie. "Perhaps it only happens when you need to."

  "Like, if you're frightened," said Olivia.

  "Tomorrow I'm going to take you to see your aunt," Charlie told Emilia.

  "But how?" she asked.

  "I'll find a way" he said confidently "You know you can just walk away from the Moons whenever you want to, now that you know who you are." Suddenly a voice called up through the singing flutes and violins, the drumming and piano exercises, ?A Mrs. Vertigo is here!"

  "Well timed, Mom," said Olivia. "Come on, Emilia." Emilia followed Olivia downstairs where Mrs. Vertigo was comfortably chatting with Mrs. Gunn. At Olivia's insistence, she broke off her interesting

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  conversation about lungs and drove the two girls back to an alley behind Washford Road. Mrs. Vertigo was rather surprised to see Olivia and Emilia climb over a wall, but did as she was asked and drove around to the front of the house, where she waited for Olivia to come out of the front door. This happened about two minutes after she'd parked the car.

  "You're a star, Mom," said Olivia, climbing into the car. "It all worked perfectly"

  ?You do lead an exciting life, Olivia," said Mrs. Vertigo, who was, in fact, a real star. A film star, as it happened.

  For a few moments after the girls left, the four boys sat in a bemused silence. Charlie was enormously relieved that their plan had worked. Now it was up to him to see that Emilia found a home where she truly
belonged.

  "What shall I do with the case?" asked Fidelio.

  "Can you keep it up here?" Charlie asked. "I think I'm going to need it again."

  "It's safe with me," said Fidelio.

  Billy Raven stood up. "I'd better go back now,? he 332

  said. "They're sending a car for me." His voice was a bit shaky and he looked at the floor as he spoke.

  Charlie wondered if he was feeling ill. He agreed to take Billy home immediately Fidelio had to do his violin practice, and by the time the three boys left Gunn House, they could hear their friend adding to the musical racket behind them.

  As they wandered back to Filbert Street, Charlie and Billy were wrapped in their own thoughts, but Benjamin hopped along, whistling and chattering, eager to be back with his returned parents and his precious dog. A black car sat outside number nine. When the boys tried to peer through the smoked-glass windows, a cloor opened and an elegant cane shot out, whacking Charlie on the knee.

  "Ouch!" He leaped back. "Who's in there, Billy?"

  "It must be old Mr. Bloor," he said.

  Something made Charlie anxious. "Billy you won't tell anyone about Emilia, will you?" he said. "No one can know until we're ready" 333

  Billy shook his head.

  Charlie took him in to collect his bag and, after a brief thank-you to Maisie and Mrs. Bone, Billy ran out and jumped into the black car.

  "What a strange boy" said Maisie, as the black car pulled away from the curb.

  Emilia Moon lay in bed in her tidy white room. "Emma Tolly" she said to herself She repeated the name and decided she liked it much better than Emilia Moon.

  The telephone in the hall rang several times. This was unusual. The Moons never got phone calls at night. But Emilia thought nothing of it. She was so excited. She'd never really felt excited about anything before. Her life had been dull and cold and organized. Nothing had ever surprised or delighted her. But all that was about to change. "Now I am Emma," she murmured.

  Her door suddenly opened and Mrs. Moon looked in. "Get dressed and pack your things," she said. "We're going out."

  "Where are we going?" Emma asked nervously

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  "Back to the academy. We've just had a call."

  "Why?" asked Emma. Could they have found out about her visit to Gunn House?