Jenny Nimmo - Midnight for Charlie Bone

The Heights sprawled up the side of a wooded hill that looked down on the city. The houses were tall and grand and the people in them lacked for nothing. The large gardens were full of flowers that seemed to bloom all year.

‘I know for a fact that not every child will come from the Heights,’ said Charlie’s mother. ‘There’s a girl just two streets away, Olivia Vertigo, she was in the papers. She’ll be in Drama, so you’ll see her in a purple cape.’

‘Huh!’ muttered Charlie. ‘If you mean Dragon Street, that’s just as smart as the Heights.’ He decided he’d tuck the cape under his anorak until he reached the academy.

Even Maisie was beginning to give in. ‘It’s really cute,’ she said of the blue cape. ‘Such a nice colour.’

Charlie grudgingly took the cape up to his room and stuffed it in a drawer. (Later his mother would come up and carefully hang it in the wardrobe). Then he put Benjamin’s birthday card in the orange envelope and ran downstairs. ‘I’m going to Benjamin’s birthday now,’ he called to his mother.

Runner Bean greeted him with a loud barking. He wouldn’t even let Charlie through the front door.

‘What’s the matter with Runner?’ he shouted as Benjamin came bounding down the stairs.

‘It’s that case you left,’ said Benjamin. ‘He hates it. I pushed it under the bed like you said, but Runner growled and snarled and tried to pull it out again. He’s chewed up the bag and scratched the lid with his claws.’

Charlie managed to squeeze past the door while Benjamin hauled Runner Bean away. At length the dog gave a great howl, ran down the passage and banged through his dog-flap into the back garden.

Now that Charlie had arrived, Benjamin wanted to open his present. He ran upstairs to get it.

There was absolutely no sign that a party was about to take place. Benjamin’s parents worked every day of the week and Saturdays as well. Charlie wished he’d asked Maisie to make a cake for his friend, but he’d had too much on his mind.

‘It looks really exciting,’ said Benjamin, shaking the box. ‘Come on, let’s go into the living-room.’

No sign here of a party either.

Benjamin sat on the floor and opened the box. ‘Wow! A dog!’ he said.

Charlie pulled the dog’s tail and Dr Tolly’s voice rapped out the instructions.

Benjamin was so excited he could hardly speak. At last he managed to say, ‘Thanks, Charlie. Thanks. Wow, thanks!’

‘I should have got you a new tape,’ said Charlie, ‘then you’d have . . .’

He was interrupted by Runner Bean, who tore into the room barking madly. He paced round the metal dog, glaring at it, and then he began to whine.

‘He’s jealous,’ said Benjamin. ‘That’s all.’ He flung his arms around Runner Bean, saying, ‘I love you, Runner. You know I do. I couldn’t live without you.’

The big dog licked Benjamin’s face. He was everything to Benjamin: mother, father, brother and grandparent. He was always there when Benjamin’s parents were out. And the boy could go anywhere, at any time of day or night. As long as Runner Bean was with him, he was safe.

Charlie gave Benjamin the birthday card. ‘I made it after all,’ he said.

Benjamin didn’t notice any of Charlie’s mistakes. Gazing at the picture, he told Charlie it was the best card he’d ever had in his life. And then Runner Bean looked up at the ceiling and howled.

Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound was faint but definite. Benjamin’s room was right above them.

‘It’s that metal case,’ said Benjamin. ‘I wish you’d take it away. There could be a bomb in it, or something.’

‘Miss Ingledew didn’t look like a terrorist,’ said Charlie. ‘Nor did Dr Tolly.’

‘How d’you know?’ said Benjamin. ‘Terrorists are good at disguises. Let’s go and have a look.’

Runner Bean followed the boys upstairs, growling softly. This time he wouldn’t even come into the bedroom.

Charlie pulled the bag from under the bed and, together, the boys drew out the metal case. The tapping had stopped. Charlie undid the clasps on either side of the handle, but the case wouldn’t open. It was locked, and the key was missing.

‘Didn’t that woman tell you what was inside?’ said Benjamin.

Charlie shook his head. ‘She said she didn’t want to know. Whatever it is, it was swapped for a baby. Her very own niece.’

‘A baby?’ Benjamin’s mouth dropped open. ‘That’s terrible.’

Charlie was beginning to feel guilty. ‘We’ll put it in the cupboard under the stairs,’ he said. ‘You won’t hear it there. And then I’ll go back to Miss Ingledew and ask her for the key.’

They dragged the bag downstairs and hid it behind a pile of old clothes Benjamin’s mother had dumped in the cupboard. When they’d closed the door, Runner Bean stood beside the stairs howling mournfully. Benjamin could only stop him by saying ‘Walkies!’ very loudly.

It was getting dark but there was still no sign of Benjamin’s parents. Benjamin seemed more resigned than upset. ‘I’ll make my own cake,’ he said. And he did. It was a chocolate sponge and he stuck ten candles in the top, and then he and Charlie sang ‘Happy Birthday’. The cake was a bit crumbly but very good.

It was half past seven when Charlie looked at his watch. He knew he should be going home, but he didn’t want to leave Benjamin alone, not on his birthday. So he stayed another hour, and they played hide and seek with Runner Bean, who was brilliant at it.

At half past eight, Benjamin’s parents still hadn’t come home, so Charlie decided to take his friend back for one of Maisie’s hot meals. There was only one egg and a pint of milk left in Benjamin’s fridge.

‘How was the party?’ asked Maisie, when two boys and a dog walked in.

‘Great,’ said Charlie, ‘but we’re still a bit hungry.’

‘There was a peculiar boy round here a couple of hours ago,’ said Maisie. ‘He was pretending to be an old man but anyone could see he was a boy. He said you’d got some case of his mixed up in the wrong bag and he wanted it back. Well, I looked in your room but all I could find was a bag of shoes. The boy was very put out. He wouldn’t believe me. A nasty piece of work, he was. Now you two run off, while I get some food on the table.’

Outside the kitchen door, Charlie whispered, ‘Don’t tell anyone about the bag, and specially not the case.’

‘Why not?’ asked Benjamin.

‘Because it was given to me and I feel sort of responsible,’ said Charlie. I think we should keep it safe until we know more about it.’ He decided not to tell Benjamin about Mr Onimous and his cats, just yet.

At that moment Grandma Bone appeared at the top of the stairs. ‘What’s that dog doing here?’ she said, glaring at Runner Bean.

‘It’s Benjamin’s birthday,’ said Charlie.

‘So?’ she said coldly.

Runner Bean barked up at her and before she could say anything more, Charlie dragged Benjamin back into the kitchen.

‘Grandma Bone’s in a mood,’ Charlie told Maisie.

‘Isn’t she always?’ said Maisie. ‘She’ll calm down once you’re at Bloor’s.’

Charlie hadn’t wanted to break this news to Benjamin on his birthday, but now it was out and Charlie felt like a traitor.

Benjamin stared at him accusingly. ‘What’s Bloor’s?’ he asked.

‘It’s a big school near the Heights,’ Charlie explained. ‘I don’t want to go there, Ben.’

‘Then don’t.’

‘He has to, dear. His mum’s bought the uniform,’ said Maisie. She put two plates of baked beans and sausages on the kitchen table. ‘Now come and eat. It may be your birthday but you look half-starved, Benjamin Brown.’

Benjamin sat down, but he had lost his appetite. He slipped a sausage to Runner Bean when Maisie wasn’t looking.