“You know what, Matthew? Forget it. I wouldn’t want a friend like you anyway.”
He was speaking the truth and it hurt. He pushed his pedal up with the top of his foot and cycled away.
The policemen outside number eleven had gone indoors and Gordon was just coming out of number one with a large box in his arms. He crossed the road and walked toward our house. That was all I needed. I just wanted to get home.
I followed him up our path and stood behind him as he rang our doorbell, trying to find the space to slip past. The box was covered with the Harrington’s Household Solutions logo: Mum must have been ordering from Penny again. Tucked awkwardly under one arm was the latest catalog, which dropped onto our step.
“Could you pick that up for me, son?” he said, without saying hello. I stared down at the open pages. A man with a tanned face holding a silver cocktail shaker in one hand smiled up at me. He looked like the happiest man on earth.
“Matthew? The catalog?”
I reached down and picked it up using my finger and thumb, not caring he’d see my gloves. Dad opened the door.
“Ah, Gordon. Wonderful. Thanks for bringing it over,” he said, taking the box and leaning against the doorframe. I stepped to one side to try and get around, but the entrance was completely blocked now.
“No problem, Brian. No problem at all. Sorry it’s late. Penny’s a bit behind with the orders, you know, what with …” He wiped the top of his balding head with his palm as he nodded toward Mr. Charles’s house.
“Well, if she needs Sheila to help, just say.”
“Thanks, Brian. And let me know if you need a hand with this.” He tapped his fingers on the top of the cardboard box.
“I hate decorating, but I can’t keep putting it off. Sheila won’t let me anyway!”
Dad shook the box in his arms and gave a little laugh. I jiggled around on the step. I just wanted to get in and straight into the shower to wash all the disease away.
“Excuse me,” I said and I made a dash for it, brushing against Gordon’s arm and crashing into the box in Dad’s arms. I threw the catalog onto the stairs.
“Matthew, be careful!” said Dad, stumbling. “Sorry about that, Gordon.”
“No problem. Anyway, I’d better be off. You know … back to Penny, indoors,” said Gordon, nodding toward his own house now.
“Thank you, Gordon. And remember, if Penny needs a hand, just say, okay?”
He pushed the front door closed with his foot and carried the box to the conservatory while I kicked off my shoes.
“Matthew. I need to talk to you about your room,” he said, but I was already upstairs, heading for the shower.
To: Jake Bishop
From: Matthew Corbin
Subject: Old Nina’s Tree
Hi, Jake.
You’re right. We do need your help. How about trying to get that thing out of Old Nina’s tree?
Matthew
He replied ten minutes later.
To: Matthew Corbin
From: Jake Bishop
Re: Old Nina’s Tree
I’ll go into her yard tonight after dark.
Jake
It was late and I was sitting at the computer, my hair still wet from the shower. There was another message from Melody, apologizing for missing my earlier email, as she’d been out. She said she hadn’t had any luck seeing what was in the tree. I hit Reply.
To: Melody Bird
From: Matthew Corbin
Re: Quick!
No problem. Jake is going to try and get the thing out of Old Nina’s tree TONIGHT. I know, I know, it’s Jake Bishop—but I think he could be useful?
And hey, guess what? I followed Old Nina today! She went out and she never goes out on Thursdays. She bought balls of wool and she was staring weirdly at some diapers in the window of a pharmacy! She didn’t buy any but isn’t that a bit odd???!!!
Matthew
After I sent it I cringed. My so-called evidence looked completely ridiculous now. Melody quickly answered.
To: Matthew Corbin
From: Melody Bird
Re: Quick!
Jake Bishop? Are you mad?!!
To: Melody Bird
From: Matthew Corbin
Re: Quick!
I know, but let’s give him a chance, OK? I kind of owe him.
Matthew
I turned the computer off and went to bed.
When I eventually drifted off I dreamed about Teddy …
I was at the window again, watching him pick the petals, but when he reached up for a flower he stumbled forward and fell straight into the roses. The branches snaked around his little body, wrapping him up tightly like a spider wraps a fly. Within seconds the bush had swallowed him whole and Teddy had disappeared.
My neighbors gathered, each of them calling out as if they were all playing a game of hide-and-seek.
“Teddy! Where are you?” called Mr. Charles.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Old Nina cried.
I ran into the road and shouted at them all.
“It’s the rosebush! The rosebush has got him. Listen to me! You’ve got to check the rosebush!”
Melody was there, and Penny and Gordon, Jake, Hannah with her swollen belly and Mr. Jenkins and Old Nina; as I ran around they started to laugh.
“Quick, get back in your tank, Matty!” said Melody, laughing so much she was nearly crying. “You’re going to die out here!”
I woke with a jolt at 3:22 a.m., wet with sweat. I lay there for a bit and tried to go back to sleep, but every time I shut my eyes I saw Teddy tangled in the branches. I got out of bed and crept to the office.
Mr. Charles’s front yard was empty and I could just make out a few pastel flowers bobbing in the darkness. There was no little blond boy in the roses. Teddy wasn’t there.
I turned to go back to bed, but then I spotted a figure in the shadows outside the Rectory. At first I thought it might be Jake on his mission, but this figure was too tall. It began to walk toward number three and I realized it was Mr. Jenkins. What was he doing out at this time of night? Wearing pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, he clearly hadn’t been out of bed for long; his hair was sticking up in all directions. In his left hand was a tiny, orange glow. I couldn’t believe it: Mr. Jenkins, the fitness-crazy, know-it-all, bullying teacher, was smoking!
He walked around the close, his eyes constantly on Mr. Charles’s house. When he got to Penny and Gordon’s house, he threw the cigarette onto the ground and left it there, burning, as he crossed over the road. He stood by the gate of number eleven and peered around the rosebushes and hedges, having a good look around. What was he doing? I stepped out of view as he turned toward home, and a few seconds later I heard his front door shut quietly. I went back to bed and took out my notebook.
Teddy’s Disappearance: New Suspects List
1. Old Nina
2. Mr. Charles
3. Casey
4. Mr. Jenkins???
Jake emailed first thing.
To: Melody Bird; Matthew Corbin
From: Jake Bishop
Subject: The Case of the Mysterious White Thing Stuck in a Tree
It’s a tea towel!!!!!
Well done, Sherlock and Watson.
Jake
A few minutes later, Melody replied.
To: Jake Bishop; Matthew Corbin
From: Melody Bird
Subject: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!
Look, Jake Bishop, I never asked you to get involved, so if you don’t have anything useful to say, I suggest you crawl back to your pathetic excuse for a life. OK?!
To: Matthew Corbin
From: Jake Bishop
Subject: Melody
Geez, she can’t take a joke, can she?!!
J
I didn’t want to get involved, so I switched the computer off and went to my room.
I cleaned for most of the morning and it still didn’t feel right. I went over the back of my door for a fourth time and then I tackled the legs on my bed, the legs on my dresser, and the legs on my bedside cabinet. Cleaning these would mean that the germs would have less opportunity to travel upward and spread around.
Dad was outside stacking up cans of paint, brushes, and dust sheets on the lawn as Mum came out of the conservatory carrying an armful of wet laundry. Hannah and Mr. Jenkins were out as well.