"I can't believe he confiscate my bag." "They know." "Somehow they know!" "It's just a co-incidence." "You've been unlucky." "No way is that a co-incidence." "You're going to be in trouble when he finds that file." "If he confronts me I'll confront him back." "Don't you worry!" "What have you done with joy?" "What's the big secret?" "Why can't I have her home number?" "Or you could deny it?" "No mara." "There is some sort of conspiracy going on." "And we have to find out what it is." "So - how's things between you and Amber." "Since this whole kissing incident?" "I'm not going to talk to you about Amber dude." "Only asking." "But I do have my ear to the ground if you need any information." "No thanks." "I think I've got it covered." "Of course." "You're Mick." "Yep." "As if you wouldn't know about your girlfriend and Alfie." "What was I thinking?" "What?" "!" "Alfie and Amber in the laundry room last night." "The laundry room?" "!" "Ohh you didn't know!" "Sorry mate I hate to be the bearer of bad news but..." "It does look like Alfie's a little bit more of a Romeo than we thought." "Right!" "Where are you going?" "To get Alfie." "No!" "No!" "No!" "You don't want to do that." "I do." "I really really do." "No you don't Mick." "You're better than that." "Alfie's a joke." "He's not worth the effort." "Yeah." "And Amber she's just a two-timing flirt." "You're better off without her." "Amber is gone." "History." "I don't need that." "That's my man." "I'm waiting for an apology Mick." "You'll be waiting a long time then." "Wait a minute!" "I'm the mad one!" "He's the one who stood me up!" "What are you grinning at?" "Just happy to be alive." "Any sign of Victor with our bags?" "The perfect excuse not to do french homework." "Here we are." "All checked." "Find anything?" "Nothing that shouldn't be there no." "Weird he didn't say anything." "Maybe he didn't find it." "Is it there?" "Have you got it?" "No!" "So he d find it then." "Obviously." "But didn't say anything?" "Think about it." "They don't want to get into any kind of discussion." "So it's easier to just steal the file back." "And pretend it never happened." "I suppose." "Now do you believe there's a conspiracy?" "Do you think Mick's playing hard to get?" "If he is I think thatís sooooo childish." "You just have to ask yourself wwvbd?" "What would Victoria Beckham do?" "So we're still sneaking out this lunchtime yeah?" "You're getting really good at this sneaking around stuff." "Learning from the best." "Whisper whisper whisper." "Very cosy." "Let's go." "When did you become her friend instead of mine fabian?" "Since you became such a witch Patricia." "He can be both of our friends?" "Not likely." "Hey Trudy!" "Before you ask Alfie's had the last of the hash browns." "I could make you a Trudy pancake surprise if you like?" "No...." "I've been meaning to ask." "Was it joy's parents who came and cleared her room out last week?" "Erm..." "It was a man." "I'm not sure if it was her father." "I've never seen her parents." "And when were you told she was leaving?" "The same morning she left." "Didn't you think that was weird?" "Well joy always was a walking soap opera" "I thought it was a bit sudden;" "I'm not sure about weird." "And what about Nina coming to replace her the same day?" "Now that was weird right?" "Not really" "Nina was always meant to start at the beginning of term." "But she's on a scholarship and there was a ...." "A bureaucratic mix-up which meant her money was delayed." "So have you guys given any more thought to your ancient history projects yet?" "Mick?" "Yeah." "History of the Roman gladiatorial games." "Excellent." "With a practical demonstration of me as a gladiator." "Humiliating and destroying Alfie in a very public arena." "Right." "Fabian any more thoughts on your project yet?" "Yeah." "Me and Nina thought we might do something on egyptian mythology." "Yeah especially with anubis house being named after an egyptian God." "Nice one nice one." "You know I'm a particular fan of egyptian mythology." "All that interest in life after death and living forever." "Imagine how wrinkled you'd get?" "Ha!" "What?" "Right." "Egyptian mythology good." "Anything else?" "Anyone?" "What's wrong with you?" "What do you think is wrong with me?" "I have absolutely no idea." "You two quiet." "okay we will continue this session after lunch.." "Hey Amber." "Can I..." "Carry your books?" "Thanks Alfie." "I think I can manage." "Alfie what kind of line was that?" "I'm surprised you didn't try the corny old red rose thing again." "You okay?" "Confused." "What about?" "Joy Nina the teachers." "Everything." "If I'm late back after lunch will you cover for me?" "Remember the hedgehog incident?" "I'm not that good at covering." "Hello can I come in?" "Sarah?" "Oh it's you." "Have you found it yet?" "Found what?" "The treasure." "No I came to ask you where it is." "You won't let him find it will you?" "Promise you won't let him find it." "I promise." "I promise." "Good." "Sarah...." "Who is this?" "Is it you?" "No it's not me." "She's way too cute." "It looks like you.." "Who's that?" "It's fabian." "Sarah meet fabian." "You musn't let him see it." "Quikly hide it." "Please please." "Okay okay." "It's gone." "See it's gone." "it's all right Sarah.." "Everything's going to be all right." "Good." "The black bird is watching the house." "You have to be careful." "Black bird?" "I'd like to report a missing person." "Hey Amber catch." "Sorry sorry." "Alfie!" "What on earth does she see in him?" "They say love is blind right." "It would have to be blind and have no sense of smell." "Why don't you go across and speak to Mick?" "He left me a note asking to meet and then didn't turn up." "Why would he do something like that?" "I don't know." "Who can get inside the brain of a boy?" "No-one." "It's not big enough." "Look at those two laughing." "Are they laughing at me?" "Gary put me on yeah?" "I'd wipe that smile off your face if I were you." "Oww!" "What was that for?" "Mick!" "What was that mate?" "What he's faking it." "I hardly even touched him." "Try to stand up." "If you've got the surname you can track them down can't you?" "And why do you think this family has gone missing again?" "Not the family just the daughter." "But wouldn't the family have filed a missing person's report if that were the case?" "Not if they don't know she's gone." "Please." "Can't you just..." "Find her home address." "And call her parents or something." "I don't know if she's missing or not." "But there's something strange going on." "She's my best friend and I know she would have been in touch by now." "I know she would." "Hey it's okay." "Calm down." "I'm sure I'll be able to check this out for you." "Really?" "Really." "Thank-you." "Thank-you so much." "This book rocks." "It's got a whole section on egyptian hieroglyphics." "That doesn't sound very cool does it?" "She's right." "This definitely looks like you." "No it doesn't." "Yes it does." "Look it's got the same pretty eyes." "My eyes are pretty huh?" "Well..." "Ossibly a passing resemblance." "But the fact is..." "We still don't know anything about the girl in the picture." "Or the treasure." "Or Sarah's connection to the house." "Or if she's even called Sarah." "Yeah but one thing is for certain." "This locket definitely belongs to her." "And it opens a secret panel in the house." "That's right." "Which means that Sarah or Emily or whatever she's called." "Must have either lived in or visited anubis house at some point in the past." "What if the girl in the picture is Sarah?" "What if the black bird is corbiere?" "Well then we wouldn't have much to worry about since it's stuffed." "It is a bit weird though - all this black bird stuff." "This whole thing is weird." "It's me." "I've had one of joy's friends in here today." "Filing a missing person's report." "Yes Patricia Williamson." "Do I need to do anything?" "I think I can do that." "Would you like another **." "Yes please." "What about some toast?" "Toast would be nice." "Oh Amber?" "With peanut butter?" "Okay." "Oh and Amber?" "A little bit of honey honey." "So Mick and Amber are definitely finished then?" "Well looks like it." "I can't believe she went on a date with Alfie." "I mean what's next?" "Cats and dogs living in harmony?" "I hope you're pleased with yourself." "Alfie's in a lot of pain this morning because of you." "Oh please!" "Can I see your phone to look at the symbols from the painting." "There you go." "How's that ankle Alfie?" "Really bad." "Hmm." "I thought so look." "Okay this symbol here." "That means terraced hill or stairs." "And this one means "buried" or "underneathî"" "And this one is the number 8." "So what if the treasure is buried underneath the 8th stair?" "Do you think?" "I don't know." "Maybe I've seen too many Indiana Jones movies." "But I think it's worth checking out." "Here you go Alfie." "Thank-you Amber you're so sweet." "Amber told me what Mick did." "I think it's pretty terrible." "After what Alfie and Amber did I'm surprised Mick didn't do more damage." "Why what did they do?" "They went on a date." "What?" "How is that possible?" "Are we talking about the same Alfie?" "It was the night we went up to the attic." "Remember we bumped into her in the corridor." "And she was all dressed up." "Yeah for her date with Mick not Alfie." "What?" "Yeah she got a message from Mick." "Or at least she thought it was from him." "Arranging to meet in the laundry room." "But he never showed." "She had me look at at least forty outfits." "Really?" "Yeah." "I'm not exaggerating." "Forty outfits." "Hello." "Patricia Williamson?" "." "Yeah?" "Sergeant roebuck." "I have some good news for you." "I managed to speak with joy's parents yesterday evening." "And they confirm that joy is safe and well and living at home." "Oh!" "That's great news!" "Thank-you." "So why hasn't she been in touch?" "I'm afraid you'd have to ask her that question." "Well I would if I could get hold of her." "Can you give me her home number?" "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to do that." "But I'm sure joy will be in touch." "Now she knows how worried you've been." "Yeah." "Thank-you...." "You're welcome." "Bye Patricia." "Bye.." "Oh." "You won't regret it." "Sucker." "Hey Jerome." "Why are you spreading rumours abou t Alfie and Amber going on a date?" "Iím not spreading rumours." "Yes you are." "Alfie and Amber are not an item and you know that." "Aren't they?" "Have I got it wrong then?" "Ahh well sometimes you have to give fate a helping hand." "You have to tell Mick the truth." "I don't have to do anything." "So how is your recycled homework business going then Jerome?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "I'm sure mr sweet would love to hear about your thriving trade with the lower years." "How much do you earn a month selling your old homework assignments 50?" "100?" "Hey Mick just the guy we're looking for." "Jerome here has something he wants to tell you." "Nah I don't really." "It isn't true about Amber and Alfie." "What?" "What I said about Amber and Alfie." "It was just a joke." "What about the date in the laundry room?" "Never happened." "Amber thought she was supposed to be meeting you there." "But I didn't know anything about it." "You little!" "Okay I got it seriously wrong babe." "But I just wanted to say." "Iím sorry I didn't show up on the date." "But I didn't know.." "Forget about it it's too complicated." "Here I got this for you." "oh Mick I love it.." "Oh it's a Shell." "From the Indian ocean." "Remember I went there last summer" "I had to dive really really deep to get it." "It was pretty extreme." "Really." "You almost died..." "For me?" "Okay." "Oh Mick!" "So are we still on for tonight?" "I brought my bike tools in." "What for?" "Prying up floorboards." "What else?" "Yes!" "I've had an email from joy!" "Really?" "That is great." "What does she say?" ""hi patricia"." "Hang on I'll read it." ""hi Patricia "" "That settles it I'm psychic." ""sorry I haven't been in touch."" "It's been hectic since I left." "Anyway just wanted to let you know that I'm fine." "I know it probably seemed a bit odd of me disappearing like that." "But dad's business went under and he needed to get me out of there asap" "I was a bit shocked myself." "Hope you are all okay and not missing me too much." ""Love joy."" "There's no smiley face at the end." "Joy always puts a smiley face;" "And there's no text speak." "It's all written out like.." "Properly." "Joy's learned to spell at last." "Hurray!" "And it's froa new email address?" "Sometimes I use text speak in emails and sometimes I don't." "And a new email address makes sense if she's moved house." "Yeah you're right." "Sorry." "I bet I've been driving you all crazy." "No!" "Yes!" "Especially you Nina." "Nothing a few years of counselling won't fix." "I guess I might have taken things a little too far." "It's really okay Patricia." "You were worried about your friend." "I'm just glad she's safe." "Can somebody help me take this food to the table please?" "Coming!" "Wow!" "I think that might have been Patricia's attempt at an apology." "I think you might be right." "Hey guys guess what Mick and I have made up." "Aw that's great guys." "And we're having a party to celebrate." "Tomorrow night." "You're all invited." "great!" "." "It was all just a terrible misunderstanding." "I mean as if I would ever fancy Alfie or Mick fancy you." "It's just crazy." "And he has been sooo sweet all evening." "And did I show you what he got me?" "Eleven times." "Did I tell you he almost died getting this for me?" "Fourteen times." "Oh are you tired mara?" "Dead tired." "Me too it's been a very emotional day." "Ssh!" "Victor." "There's nothing there." "No wait." "Yes!" "I wonder what it's for?" "Better get back." "Who's there?" "Aaagh!" "Aaagh!" "Victor sweetie what have you done?" "Aaaagh!" "What does it look like I've done?" "And don't call me sweetie." "Sorry sweetie." "Sorry." "I need to strap my ankle and I can't get into this blasted thing." "That's because I've locked it." "Another of your excellent habits rubbing off on me!" "I'll go and get the key." "Don't bother." "There's a spare one somewhere." "Aaagh!" "Do you have the spare attic key as well?" "Of course not." "Well somebody has.." "Those vermin are up to no good Trudy." "Somebody is going to pay for this." "You mark my words."