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  ‘What will we do’, she said sobbing on Tommy’s shoulder.

  ‘We will have to carry on as if nothing has happened’, said Tommy. ‘If we don’t then Dad could be hurt’.

  ‘Your right’, said Tommy’s Mother drying her tears. ‘I think I will ask Granny to come over, she will know what to do for the best’.

  Just then the front door bell rang again which made both of them jump.

  ‘I’ll answer it’, said his Mother wondering whether they had returned.

  She slowly opened the door to find the grinning face of Smithy looking up at her.

  ‘Can Tommy come and stay for the weekend’, he enquired trying to look as pleading as possible.

  ‘You had better come in’, she said.

  Smithy bounced into the room in his usual bouncy manner

  ‘Old misery guts is not coming so Mum asked whether you would like to stay the weekend’, Smithy asked.

  Tommy looked at his mother and she nodded her approval.

  ‘It will do you good’, she said. ‘It will keep you mind off other things’, she added.

  Reluctantly Tommy agreed knowing that he would other wise spend the weekend with two tearful women.

  ‘I’ll get my things together’, he said as he headed into the kitchen.

  The kitchen door closed behind him and as it did so Tommy noticed something on the kitchen floor. He leaned forward to pick up a small card that lay near the kitchen wall.

  Goodnight Mattresses

  Kingfisher Road

  Broadacre

  The card had printed on it. This must have fallen from the crooks pocket when he crashed against the wall, Tommy thought. He placed it firmly in his pocket and gathered the rest of his things for the weekend. His Mother gave him an extra hug and kiss before he and Smithy made their way up the road with Smithy walking along all of the walls between his and Tommy’s house.

  Chapter 2

  A Fishing We Will Go

  Smithy asked Tommy if everything was all right.

  ‘Why shouldn’t it be’, Tommy replied.

  ‘It’s just that you don’t seem your normal self’, Smithy answered.

  For a couple of minutes nothing was said until Smithy jumped down from the wall blocking the path of his friend.

  ‘There is something’, he said looking quite worried.

  ‘No there isn’t’, answered Tommy with tears starting to well in his eyes.

  ‘You’ll have to tell me’, Smithy said. ‘Or I will stand here all night’, he added.

  ‘OK, OK’, Tommy replied. ‘But it’s for your ears only’, he added.

  ‘Right’, said Smithy, looking even more worried to see his best friend so upset. ‘We’ll go out to the shed as soon as we get to my house and you can explain what’s going on’.

  They arrived at Smithy’s house, and informed his Mum that they were going to the shed to play with his train set.

  ‘Your tea will be ready soon’, she said in a laid back fashion.

  Both of Smithy’s parents were like that. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble and they liked the fact that Smithy was independent.

  ‘I tell you what’, she said. ‘There’s no need to interrupt your play, I’ll bring it out to you’.

  They both smiled in approval and headed up the long garden path to the shed. The door creaked as they entered their secret world of make believe where they would loose themselves in play for hour after hour. The shed was five metres long and three metres wide. On one side there was a large layout of a steam railway complete with town and villages, goods yards and tunnel running through hilly countryside.

  ‘Well’ let’s have it’, said Smithy.

  Tommy a little worried at first started to tell Smithy what had happened. On his part Smithy stood spell bound grunting the odd ‘Cor’ and ‘Wow’ at various intervals. It took Tommy nearly half an hour to tell his story which was interrupted by Smithy’s Mum with their tea’s. When he finally finished Smithy stood there silent for a moment before bursting out into laughter.

  ‘That’s the funniest story you’ve ever told’, he said to Tommy who again had started to get a little upset.

  Smithy noticed Tommy’s face and said ‘Your not trying to tell me all this is true are you’.

  Tommy turned to face the far end of the shed. Suddenly the boxing glove on the coiled spring shot out from Tommy’s chair, just missing the background scenery that Smithy’s Dad had been painting.

  ‘Blimey’, Smithy said his mouth now wide open in wonderment.

  The glove had long disappeared but Smithy insisted in trying to find where it came from on Tommy’s wheelchair. Scratching his head he looked at Tommy with an almost disbelieving look on his face at what he had just witnessed.

  ‘Do it again’, he said. ‘But this time make the bat appear while I stand in front to see where it comes from’.

  Smithy watched with eagle eyes before suddenly remembering what was about to happen. He moved quickly to the right as the bat flew past his left hand side to hit his Dad’s scenery painting a deadly blow.

  The only words that Smithy could get out was ‘No’ as he saw the bat punch a great big hole in the middle of his Dad’s masterpiece. It fell to the ground with a crash with bits flying off it in all directions.

  ‘Sorry’, Tommy said in a panicky voice seeing the trouble they were now both in.

  Smithy surveyed the damage and said, ‘We’ll blame it on the cat. It’s always in here knocking things over’.

  Smithy’s attention was back on the chair.

  ‘How do you do that’, he asked.

  ‘I don’t really know’, Tommy answered. ‘Whatever thought I have at the time seems to have an effect on the chair’.

  ‘Can it do other things’, Smithy asked.

  ‘I don’t know’, replied Tommy.

  ‘Do you think that I could have a go’, Smithy asked.

  ‘OK’, replied Tommy as he moved over to a chair in the corner of the shed where he could lift himself onto it. Safely seated Tommy told Smithy to sit in his chair. Now think of something he said.

  Smithy sat there concentrating for all he was worth until he was red in the face.

  ‘It’s no good’, he said. ‘It must only work for you’.

  He got out of the chair and helped Tommy back in. In all the excitement they had forgotten all about the events that had taken place. It wasn’t until

  Tommy’s Mum popped in to see that he was all right did it all come thundering back to upset Tommy once again.

  During the early evening Smithy and Tommy went over the event once again. Smithy came up with the idea of rescuing Tommy’s Dad themselves, after all Tommy had just beaten one of the gang on his own. Tommy was a little reluctant at first unsure of what they could do, but finally agreed to give it a go, after all it was better than sitting around miserable waiting for Monday to arrive.

  ‘Right’, said Smithy. ‘What clues have we got. I’ll get a pad and pen to write them down’. Smithy came back with his pad and pen and seated himself on the chair beside Tommy’s wheelchair.

  ‘Let’s get this blokes description down first like the police would while it’s still fresh in your mind’, he said.

  Tommy’s description was clear leaving nothing out. ‘Just a minute’, Tommy said fishing for something in his pocket. ‘I found this on the kitchen floor just after the man escaped out of the back door’.

  Tommy placed the card on Smithy’s lap. ‘This may give us a clue’, he said.

  GOODNIGHT MATTRESSES

  KINGFISHER ROAD

  BROADACRE

  Smithy’s mouth dropped open again and his face turned a little pale.

  ‘That’s my Granddad’s company, he said. Blimey, I hope my Granddad’s not kidnapped your dad. He did pinch my last sweet the other week, but he made up for that by buying me a packet of crisps. He always pinches chips off my Grandmothers plate when she’s not looking, but he only does it for a laugh. He just doesn’t seem the type, a
nd my Grandmother wouldn’t let him do it anyway. Do you think they are both in it together’?

  ‘Hold on a minute’, Tommy said stopping Smithy from babbling on. ‘Just because we have found one of your Granddad’s company cards, it doesn’t mean he has something to do with my dad’s kidnapping’.

  ‘But, But!’

  Tommy stopped Smithy. ‘Look it may mean that this man either works for your Granddad or he has just brought something from his company. What we need to do is to find out’.

  ‘I suppose we could ask my horrible Uncle Frank if he works there’, Smithy said.

  ‘What a good idea’, Tommy replied. ‘Where does he live?’

  ‘On an old farm two miles outside of Broadacre, on the Windom road’, replied Smithy.

  ‘Do you think your Mum and Dad will let us go to see him, it’s almost 30 miles away’, Tommy asked.

  ‘Well, No’, came his reply. ‘They dislike him so much they would never agree for us to go there, even if they were coming with us’.

  ‘Then how do we manage it then’, Tommy asked.

  ‘We could say that we are going fishing for the day’, Smithy replied as he jumped up from his chair and walked over to a shelf to remove a rusty old tin from behind a stack of old magazines.

  He came back to his seat and fumbled with the lid. ‘This is my secret saving’, Smithy mumbled as he finally forced open the lid tipping the contents into his lap. There were six pound coins, a fifty pence piece and a twenty pence piece with chewing gum stuck around it.

  ‘There you are’, he said, looking quite triumphant in his achievement. ‘£6.70 that should help us on our way’, he added in a pleasing tone. ‘Have you any money on you’, he asked Tommy.

  Tommy searched through his pockets and came up with £1.25 and two old toffees.

  ‘I’m afraid that’s all I have’, Tommy said. ‘Maybe it will be enough to get us there and back’.

  Just then the door opened and in walked Smithy’s Dad. ‘Are you all right boys’, he asked with a smile on his face just before noticing his pride and joy laid on the floor in tatters. His face changed quickly to one of annoyance. ‘What has happened here’, he asked.

  ‘I don’t know’, Smithy replied. ‘We found it like that when we arrived. Maybe the cat knocked it down’, he added with his fingers crossed tightly behind his back.

  ‘I’ll cat him’, his Dad said as he stormed out of the shed with his backdrop in his arms. ‘That’s the last time I let that cat in my shed, do you hear’, he said as he headed towards the house. He suddenly stopped and headed back to the shed. ‘Hey you two, its time for bed, it’s just gone nine thirty’.

  They locked the shed and followed Smithy’s Dad back to the house where his Mum had a hot cup of drinking chocolate ready for them. There was a sudden squeal as Smithy’s cat shot passed them from the living room heading for the cat flap and safety, followed by his Dad who now had a satisfied look on his face.

  ‘What’s up with the cat’, asked Smithy’s Mum.

  ‘Oh, I just caught him with my foot’, answered Smithy’s Dad as he turned and headed back into the living room.

  ‘By the way Mum, Tommy and me are going fishing tomorrow by the canal if that’s all right with you’, Smithy asked. ‘We will be out all day and probably won’t get back until tea time’, he added.

  ‘That’s fine’, she replied. ‘Just as long as you take the mobile phone with you and ring me every two hours so that I know your OK’.

  Smithy picked up his and Tommy’s cups and put them in the sink. ‘We’re off to bed now’, he told his Mum as he opened the door to allow Tommy to pass through.

  Smithy and Tommy shared the downstairs bedroom that Smithy’s Dad had modified to allow Tommy to stay over. It was part of an old Granny Flat that the previous owners had constructed which included its own bathroom large enough to take Tommy’s wheelchair. Smithy’s Dad had papered the walls with Smithy’s favourite super hero ‘Dynamo Man’ and he peered down on you from every angle. There were posters all over the walls and shelves with stacks of ‘Dynamo Man’ comics on them along with plastic toys of equipment used by his super hero.

  They changed into their pyjamas and clambered their way into bed. Smithy’s Mum popped her head round the door to remind them not to stay awake all night talking before wishing them ‘God Bless’ instead of the normal sloppy kiss she would give Smithy before he went to sleep. He was so relieved that she had not decided to give them both a sloppy kiss, what would Tommy think. No sooner had she left than the two friend started to plan the actions for the task ahead.

  ‘Right’, said Smithy. ‘I’ll set my alarm for six, no, seven thirty and we’ll get up and ready ourselves to go fishing as planned. As normal we’ll tie the basket and rods onto the back of the wheelchair to save us carrying them’.

  ‘Right’, said Tommy. ‘Will we be taking our kit with us to your Uncle’s house’?

  ‘Ha’, said Smithy. ‘That will present us with a problem’.

  ‘I know’, said Tommy. ‘Why don’t we hide them behind the old barge hire poster next to the old canal bridge no one will see them there and we can collect them on the way back’.

  ‘Good idea’, said Smithy seeing the plan starting to pan out. ‘The bus for Broadacre stops just up the road from there so it will make our task that much easier’.

  ‘What about food’, said Tommy, ‘Do we take our packed lunch with us he asked’?

  ‘Yes’, came the reply. ‘Uncle Frank wouldn’t give us the crumbs off his table, even if we were starving’, said Smithy.

  Tommy yawned and said that he was tired so the two friends snuggled down in their beds as Smithy put out the light and within minutes they were both fast asleep.

  In the kitchen Smithy’s Mum was stood at the back door calling for the cat.

  ‘I don’t understand it’, she said. ‘He’s always here as soon as I call’, she added.

  ‘Maybe he fancies a night on the tiles’, said Smithy’s Dad. ‘After all he’s had a bit of a shock’.

  The night passed almost quietly with only the sound of a howling cat somewhere in the distance to break the silence. Dawn appeared at around five thirty and by six thirty the sun was shinning through the gap in Smithy’s curtains lighting up the room with a warm glow. The alarm went off and Smithy woke up and turned it off, rubbed his eyes and turned over to go back to sleep after noticing the time. Another hour he thought as slumber returned and the bright light receded to the back of his mind.

  ‘Are you awake’, asked Tommy.

  ‘No’, came the reply.

  ‘I’ve been awake for almost an hour’, said Tommy.

  A grunt came from the bed opposite.

  ‘I’m wide awake and can’t wait to get ready to go’, Tommy added.

  ‘OK, OK’, said Smithy as he opened his bleary eyes. ‘Just give me a few minute to come around, I find it difficult to focus first thing in the morning’, he groaned.

  By now Tommy had swung himself over the edge of the bed and was getting dressed in his fishing gear so that he looked the part.