The Deadly Dare Mysteries

by Malorie Blackman

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Deadly Dare

  Chapter One: Dear Diary

  Chapter Two: The Game Begins

  Chapter Three: Theo in Trouble

  Chapter Four: I Did it …

  Chapter Five: Ricky Disappears

  Chapter Six: An Omission and a Find

  Chapter Seven: Someone’s Lying

  Chapter Eight: Wrong

  Chapter Nine: Don’t Tell

  Chapter Ten: The Next Step

  Chapter Eleven: Theo Knows

  Chapter Twelve: Betrayed

  Chapter Thirteen: The No-Show

  Chapter Fourteen: The Escape

  Chapter Fifteen: Watching the Warehouse

  Chapter Sixteen: Gotcha!

  Chapter Seventeen: The Irving Museum

  Chapter Eighteen: Choices

  Chapter Nineteen: Family Loyalty

  Chapter Twenty: Forgive Me

  Chapter Twenty-One: Three Weeks Later

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Friends

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Nowhere to Go But Up

  Computer Ghost

  Chapter One: The Message

  Chapter Two: A Brilliant Idea

  Chapter Three: Reality Like Rot

  Chapter Four: Ignoring You

  Chapter Five: The Surprise

  Chapter Six: The Question

  Chapter Seven: Bullet

  Chapter Eight: The Offer

  Chapter Nine: Evidence

  Chapter Ten: Uncle Pascoe

  Chapter Eleven: Tricks and Lies

  Chapter Twelve: Watching

  Chapter Thirteen: A Dirty, Rotten Trick

  Chapter Fourteen: The Messenger

  Chapter Fifteen: The Accident

  Chapter Sixteen: The Secret

  Chapter Seventeen: To Catch a Thief

  Chapter Eighteen: Friends

  Lie Detectives

  Prologue

  Chapter One: Detecting Lies!

  Chapter Two: Shock

  Chapter Three: Visiting Hours

  Chapter Four: A Mistake

  Chapter Five: If We hadn’t Turned Up

  Chapter Six: Motive

  Chapter Seven: The Unexpected Guest

  Chapter Eight: Where there’s a will

  Chapter Nine: Reckoning

  Chapter Ten: Look Out!

  Chapter Eleven: More Questions Than Answers

  Chapter Twelve: Shadows and Shadows

  Chapter Thirteen: Mrs Marriott

  Chapter Fourteen: No Doubt

  Chapter Fifteen: Office Life

  Chapter Sixteen: Opinions

  Chapter Seventeen: Visiting Hours

  Chapter Eighteen: Bait

  Chapter Nineteen: No Way Out

  Chapter Twenty: Live Saver

  About the Author

  Also by Malorie Blackman

  Copyright

  About the Book

  In Deadly Dare, there’s a new craze at Theo and Ricky’s school. The rules are simple: write a dare, put it in the bag and take turns to pick one out. But on the night Ricky does his dare and enters the deserted warehouse, he disappears. What really happened to Ricky – and how much does new girl Angela know? Theo needs to find the answers before it’s too late . . .

  There’s nothing unusual about getting emails from your dad . . . unless he died a few months ago. In Computer Ghost Jade asks Theo, Ricky and Angela to help her find out what’s going on. Could the mysterious, desperate messages really be from a ghost? One thing’s for sure. Whoever is behind them wants something badly – and they’ll stop at nothing to get it . . .

  Theo, Ricky and Angela have to become Lie Detectives to uncover the truth about top inventor, Darius Marriott, after he comes to give a talk at school and collapses. Who is out to get him, and why does their friend Bullet seem so involved? They’re determined to get to the bottom of it all – but that could prove to be much more dangerous than they think . . .

  Three gripping mysteries by bestselling Malorie Blackman.

  For Neil and Lizzy, with love

  DEADLY DARE

  Chapter One

  Dear Diary

  23:35 hrs Wednesday, 14th May

  I DON’T KNOW what to do. Tom just won’t listen to me. He says we need the money and this is the only way to get it. I told him I didn’t like his friends – especially that Robbie. He’s the kind who’d cosh you over the head for a packet of crisps. In fact, he’d cosh you over the head for free, just ’cos he’d have fun doing it. But Tom just laughs at me when I say that.

  What am I going to do?

  It’s past midnight and all I want to do is go home. Tom’s still down there with them – his so-called friends. He looks up every ten minutes or so and smiles at me. He doesn’t notice that I don’t smile back.

  I wish I could get through to him. I wish I could keep him away from them.

  What am I going to do?

  I’ve got to do something. If I don’t, Tom will end up in trouble – in prison, or worse. I’ve got to look out for my brother. He may be a lot older than me but he sure isn’t smarter. Anyone with half an eye could see that he and the rest of that lot are up to something. Knowing Scott, Robbie’s brother, it’s something illegal. Scott doesn’t say much but you can see his mind never stops working.

  I don’t like him either. He gives me the creeps.

  He’s always smiling, smiling, smiling. I don’t trust people who smile all the time when there’s nothing to smile about. In a strange way, I think he’s worse than Robbie. I know Tom and the rest are up to something bad, something dangerous. Someone’s going to get hurt. Knowing Robbie, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone ended up dead. I just don’t want it to be Tom – or me.

  Chapter Two

  The Game Begins

  THIS WAS IT! Today was the day! Theo was about to make some serious money. His brown-black eyes gleamed at the thought. Today was definitely his day! And if his head would just stop pounding and his body would stop aching, then there’d be no doubt about it at all!

  ‘Ai … ai … aischoo!’ Theo’s sneeze rang out through the classroom. Followed by another, then another.

  Mrs Daltry glared at him. ‘How much longer d’you intend to inflict your cold germs on us, Theo?’ she snapped.

  ‘Sorry, Mrs Daltry.’ Theo took an already soggy tissue out of his trouser pocket and wiped his nose.

  ‘Sorry isn’t good enough. You should’ve stayed at home.’

  Ricky, Theo’s best friend, kicked him under the table.

  ‘Ow!’ Theo yelled.

  ‘What’s the matter now?’ frowned the teacher.

  ‘Er … I got a sudden pain in my … er … leg,’ Theo mumbled.

  He glared at Ricky, who was bent over his workbook, writing furiously.

  ‘Theo, if your flu isn’t any better tomorrow, stay at home! And if I catch your germs, I won’t be best pleased,’ said Mrs Daltry.

  Moany old trout! Theo scowled at her as she turned away. But what did he expect? Sympathy?

  ‘Bless you!’ Ricky whispered. It was better late than never!

  Theo nodded and sniffed heavily. There was no doubt about it. His rotten cold was getting worse. But there was no way he was going to let a cold stand between him and how much? Over fifty pounds? Maybe even sixty? And what an easy way to get it! All he had to do was perform a couple of dares and the money was his. It was already as good as in his pocket. What would he do with the money? Theo closed his eyes and smiled as he considered all the possibilities. He could put it towards the cost of a games console, or start saving up for a new bike, or maybe he could buy that cool jacket he
’d seen down the precinct.

  Theo glanced over at the clock on the wall. Mrs Daltry’s maths lesson was dragging on even more than usual today – something Theo wouldn’t have thought was possible.

  ‘Angela, that’s the third time you’ve yawned in five minutes,’ Mrs Daltry frowned.

  ‘Sorry, Mrs Daltry,’ Angela said quickly.

  ‘Keeping you awake, am I?’ the teacher asked with sarcasm.

  Barely! Theo answered Mrs Daltry’s question in his head. He could well understand why Angela was yawning!

  ‘What each of you learns here in this classroom will serve you for the rest of your lives. You children need to realize that life is not a bowl of cherries.’

  A few indistinct murmurs floated in the air. Mrs Daltry had inflicted her favourite saying on the class yet again. Not a day passed without her commenting on life and bowls of cherries at least three times!

  ‘Come on. Come on,’ Theo muttered, his eyes returning to the clock. Why didn’t the buzzer hurry up and sound?

  ‘Theo, did you say something?’ Mrs Daltry enquired.

  ‘No, Mrs Daltry,’ Theo replied quickly.

  Today was not the day to wind up the teacher. Already, Theo could feel the others in the class glaring at him. He quickly looked down at his workbook, his face burning. He hated being looked at.

  ‘Hhmm!’ Mrs Daltry pursed her lips. Just as she opened her mouth to add more to her suspicious ‘Hhmm!’, the lunch-time buzzer sounded.

  ‘Exercise 24 is homework. I want it in first thing on Monday morning from everyone and no excuses. And for those of you who haven’t already done so, don’t forget to bring in your consent forms signed by a parent or guardian for next Friday’s trip to the Irving Museum to see the Astral Collection. That’s the Greek and Roman jewellery exhibition that’s on there at the moment. It’s very interesting. Some of the pieces are priceless.’

  The muttering that filled the classroom showed that not many people agreed with the teacher’s assessment of the jewellery exhibition. Words like ‘dull’, ‘tedious’ and ‘yawn’ floated down to the front of the class.

  ‘There’s also a computer exhibition, hands-on experiments and a space technology exhibition,’ Mrs Daltry added drily.

  The class gave a collective sigh of relief.

  ‘That’s more like it,’ Ricky whispered to Theo.

  Theo nodded, watching with everyone else as Mrs Daltry rushed out of the classroom, her packet of liquorice allsorts already out of her jacket pocket.

  Cathy ran to the door and popped her head out, looking up and down the corridor.

  ‘All clear,’ she said at last, giving the rest of the class the thumbs-up. She closed the door and leaned against it.

  Ricky whipped his black baseball cap with ‘CHILL!’ written on it out of his bag and put it on. Mrs Daltry didn’t let him wear it in class – at least, not when she was teaching.

  ‘OK everyone. It’s time to play Cash or Dare! Anyone who’s not playing has to leave the class now.’ Angela Tukesbury made her way to the front of the class.

  ‘Can’t we stay and watch?’ asked Carl.

  ‘No way. It’s against the rules,’ Angela replied firmly.

  Reluctantly, four or five others in the class got to their feet and moved to the door. Ishmar, the last of the non-players, left the classroom, slamming the door petulantly behind him. Cathy leaned against the door again.

  ‘No one’s allowed to ask for help from anyone who’s just left,’ ordered Angela.

  As Theo watched the new girl he couldn’t help frowning. She’d only arrived at the beginning of the week and already it was as if she’d been there for years. There was something about her that Theo wasn’t quite sure about. Something about her that he didn’t quite like. She had dark brown, almost black, hair and the palest blue eyes Theo had ever seen. Eyes that always seemed to be silently watching you – watching and waiting.

  ‘Theo, are you staying?’ Colin asked, surprised.

  Theo frowned. He looked at Colin, then around the room. Colin wasn’t the only one who was surprised to see him still there.

  ‘Yes, he is staying. What’s it to you?’ Ricky answered before Theo had the chance.

  Theo sighed. Ricky was a great friend but he did sometimes wish that Ricky didn’t insist on fighting all of his battles for him. Theo looked at Ricky, who was still glaring at Colin. Theo and Ricky looked so different. Theo wore round glasses which made him look like a wise owl and was small for his age. He was also too quiet – according to Ricky, Mrs Daltry and his parents! No one could say the same thing about Ricky. Ricky was massive, solidly built and almost as tall as Mrs Daltry. He had a loud voice and a louder laugh and no one messed with Ricky. Theo really envied that about him. Nothing and no one scared Ricky. Theo still hadn’t given up hoping that maybe just a little of it would rub off on him.

  Theo could feel another sneezing fit coming on. He dug into his pocket for his tissue again. It fell apart, damp and clammy around his fingers.

  ‘Ricky, have you got a tissue?’ Theo asked, sniffing heavily.

  ‘I’ve only got the one we used for Legs’ hammock this morning,’ Ricky answered.

  Theo wrinkled up his nose. He didn’t fancy using the tissue that Ricky’s pet tarantula had been swinging in, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

  ‘OK. That’ll do,’ Theo said.

  Ricky handed it over.

  All at once, a funny-peculiar feeling tickled the back of Theo’s neck. He frowned. He knew at once what it was. He was being watched! Theo’s head shot up. He was right. Angela was looking straight at him. He knew it! He just knew it! His frown deepened. Angela’s eyes burned into his before she looked away, waiting to get everyone’s attention. Theo shook his head slowly. There was definitely something about Angela Tukesbury … Still, Cash or Dare was her idea – and Theo had to admit, it was a good one.

  ‘There’s twenty-five of us,’ Ricky said, excitedly. ‘At two pounds each, that’s fifty pounds.’

  ‘And all that money is going into my pocket,’ said Theo, wiping his nose.

  ‘Dream on!’ Ricky scoffed.

  ‘This is a great game. We used to play it in my old school,’ said Angela. ‘Let’s get the money bit over first.’

  Each member of the class queued up to drop their pound coins into Angela’s plastic cup. Theo and Ricky deliberately stood at the back of the queue. When it was Theo’s turn, he peered into the cup before dropping in his money from a greater height than necessary. It made a satisfying plink as it hit the other coins. Slowly, he filed back to his desk. Angela smiled and put the cup down beside her.

  ‘The winner of the game will get all this money,’ she said.

  Theo stared at the money cup. Pound coins danced before his eyes. Gold-coloured coins, heavy and glistening.

  ‘The first rule of this game is no one is allowed to let anyone outside of this classroom know what we’re doing. Do that and you’ll be disqualified immediately.’ Angela’s voice was cool, almost cold.

  ‘These are the other rules of the game,’ she continued. ‘We each write down a dare on a piece of paper, fold it twice then drop it in this bag.’ She held up a carrier bag. ‘You mustn’t sign your name to it – it’s got to be anonymous. Then I’ll shake the bag and we each pick out a dare. If you won’t or don’t do exactly what’s written on the paper, then you’re out of the game and you lose your money. No excuses, no reasons, no explanations. If you tell anyone, anyone at all, what your dare is, you’re automatically out of the game. Those left after the first round then write out new dares and we go through the whole thing again until only one person is left. And that person gets all this money.’

  ‘That’s going to be me!’ Ricky muttered.

  ‘Hang on a minute. If we’re not allowed to tell anyone what our dare is, how is anyone to know whether or not we’ve done it?’ Sarah asked from behind Theo.

  ‘Yeah …’

  ‘That’s right …’

 
All eyes turned towards Angela expectantly.

  ‘If the dare involves someone else, then that person will be a witness. If it’s a dare you have to do by yourself, you have to be able to prove that you’ve done it. Otherwise I’ll act as a witness,’ Angela explained.

  ‘Why you?’ Darren asked.

  ‘’Cos this was my idea and it’s my game,’ Angela replied. ‘And one more thing – two kinds of dares aren’t allowed,’ she continued. ‘Spiteful ones and dangerous ones …’

  ‘What d’you mean by spiteful?’

  ‘And what d’you mean by dangerous?’

  Theo was wondering that himself.

  ‘Spiteful is like daring someone to thump someone else. And dangerous is something stupid like daring someone to run out in front of a car or a train. No dorky dares like that are allowed. They’ve got to have a little imagination behind them. If anyone writes down a dorky dare, the person who picks out that dare doesn’t have to do it and automatically goes through to the next round,’ Angela explained.

  ‘Who’s to say whether a dare is dorky or not?’ Theo asked.

  ‘I am,’ Angela replied instantly.

  Angela and Theo looked at each other. Theo wanted to ask who’d died and put her in charge, but he didn’t. If someone else had said it first, then he would’ve backed them up. Only no one else spoke up either. It looked like everyone was waiting for someone else to do it.

  ‘Remember – no one’s allowed to tell anyone outside this class what we’re doing. It’s our secret,’ said Angela.

  Sarah leaned forward over her desk and tapped Theo on his back.

  ‘Bossy, isn’t she?’ Sarah whispered.

  ‘That’s one word for her,’ Theo agreed sourly.

  ‘If it was me, I’d let you decide with me whether a dare is dorky or not,’ Sarah added.

  Theo and Ricky exchanged a look. Theo grimaced, kicking Ricky under the table as Ricky put two fingers in his mouth and mimed being violently sick. Theo wondered why Sarah always had to show him up like that? He’d known her since infant school and she was constantly drooling over him. It was so embarrassing.

  ‘OK, everyone.’ Angela smiled silkily. ‘Write down your dares.’

  Just at that moment, with that secret, silky smile, Angela reminded Theo of Legs, Ricky’s tarantula spider, just before it pounced on some unsuspecting insect and gobbled it up.