A Raucous Time (The Celtic Cousins' Adventures) Read Free Page B

himself that somehow Wren knew where Aunt Sarah’s stolen money was stashed: Bloody Crombie, putting ideas into his head. Money. It all came back to money. Maybe he could convince social services that it’d be cheaper for them to let him cope with Wren while Gran recovered … Rhyllann sat bolt upright as his mind threw up the one thing he didn’t want to think about; breaking more bad news to Wren.
    ‘Tomorrow. I’ll sort it tomorrow.’ He said out loud.
     
    Dragging his duvet downstairs Rhyllann snuggled on the sofa amused at Jeremy Clarkson raging against bus lanes; feeling envy at the Stig slamming round Gambon’s corner. In the unlikely event he ever got the chance to roar round that deserted airfield, Rhyllann decided he’d use third gear there, bang the gear lever into fifth for the straight …
    Rhyllann drifted off to sleep just before he crossed the finishing line.  

Chapter Five
     
     
    It took a second or two to realise it was his mobile and not the alarm going off. Christ! – he’d fallen asleep on the sofa, still wearing filthy trackies. He’d be late for school. Rhyllann rolled onto his stomach, sweeping the floor with his hand. Snatching the phone up, he answered without checking the caller’s name, an optimistic totally unrealistic part of his mind telling him it could be Becky, somehow having got hold of his number.
    ‘Wha?….’
    ‘Rhyllann? Rhyllann Jones?’
    A deep gravely voice rather than the bright tones he’d hoped to hear.
    For a second Rhyllann trod water, trying to remember the story he’d come up with. Working some spit into his mouth he brushed hair back from his forehead, wondering why his throat hurt.
    ‘Hey yeah. Me.’
    ‘Rhyllann, it's Crombie– are you ok?’
    ‘Yeah. Hi Mr – DI … erm … Detective Crombie. Yeah fine. Never better.’ He slurred, playing for time.
    ‘Son – I’m calling to speak with your mother – is she there?’
    Rhyllann sat up, shrugging off the duvet, rubbing at the crick in the back of his neck.
    ‘Erm no, sorry.’ The words echoed around the room, emphasising the emptiness of the house. Should he say she was at the hospital? On the train?
    ‘I spoke to her last night; she’s asked a neighbour to pop round. She’s getting the very next train – but.’ Rhyllann thought quickly. ‘She’s gotta book twenty four hours in advance for a supersaver ticket or such like. Else it costs an extra two hundred pounds or something.’ He gabbled, hoping Crombie didn’t hear the lies. But Crombie was talking to someone else, distracted.
    ’Ok son, get her to call me on this number a sap. We’ve a firm connection now to that other more serious incident and your Gran’s intruders. I really need to discuss it with her. Rhyllann – I’d be a lot happier if you stayed at home today.’ Crombie hung up abruptly.
     
    Rhyllann snorted as he lurched to the kitchen to hunt out breakfast, mentally listing the mountain of tasks in front of him today. As if he was gonna take notice of Crombie, ordering him around like some troublesome little boy. Crombie’s “serious incident” was obviously a ruse to get hold of Mum. Then with a sinking feeling he remembered he still had to tell Wren about his Mum, Aunt Sarah. I’ll get one of the nurses to do it. It’ll be better coming from a professional anyway, Rhyllann decided as he walked to the hospital.
     
    First though, he visited Gran. She shared a room with two other elderly ladies. Screens swathed in a lilac silky material provided a degree of privacy, the beds looked clean and comfortable. Taking a seat, Rhyllann curled her hand in his. It looked tiny, parchment white peppered with brown spots. Years ago he’d tumbled into a nettle bed. Gran plunged straight after him, yanking him upwards and out of reach of their wicked stings, without flinching. He sighed heavily, stooped to kiss her cheek and after checking no nurses hovered with awkward questions pelted down the stairs towards the