OC, when asked to identify them, said: ‘That’s him and that’s him, that’s him and that’s him.’
While Cash glanced over at Jim Bowie and said in a voice like solid steel: ‘Next time, you’ll know not to mess with the Cash.’
A very large photo of the two boys appeared in the national press next morning, with the Western Daily Press heading their article:
When asked what they were going to be when they grew up, Cash had smiled broadly and said, ‘Detective’, having worked out that a wheelchair was unlikely to be a handicap in the police force. Besides, having villain-esque leanings meant he probably understood villains better than anyone.
OC had smiled and said, ‘lumberjack,’ having worked out that since he loved trees, climbing them would be an excellent profession.*
The Commissioner of Somerset & Avon Police Force was delighted at having the case wrapped up so quickly – and by his men. Inspector Sheppard became Chief Inspector Sheppard while the President of the Banking Association was given a big bonus.
The President of the Banking Association also organised a very large cheque to go to the two boys, while his secretary organised a party to be held in branch – with, of course, loads of press and photographers. Chief Inspector Sheppard put in an appearance, together with his counterpart from Birmingham, and Sergeant Hill, (who had been forgiven for asking stupid questions). All the Building Society employees were present including Mr Austin and his deputy manager, as were managers from other branches in Bristol, plus managers from all the banks that had been robbed. Also, Mr and Mrs Harris, Cash’s older brother George who was home on leave, Mrs Longbotham, Anna and Kitty.
Cash, who had totally recovered, was in his element and talked non-stop to loads of people who he thought might be useful to him when he left school. OC, on the other hand, found the noise and the flashing of cameras very bothersome, and hid away under a table to eat his cake in peace.
He was not looking at anything in particular when his eye happened to light on a middle-aged man wearing a very smart tweed suit. He stared at him for a long time positive he had seen him somewhere before. At that moment, Kitty wandered over. Ducking down, she crawled under the table, plonking herself down beside him.
‘Kitty?’
‘What?’ Kitty munched at a handful of peanuts.
‘You see that man?’
OC pointed out the middle-aged man chatting to the President of the Banking Association.
‘What about him?’
‘He’s the man on the coach, only he was wearing different clothes.’
‘You sure?’ Kitty dropped her voice to a whisper.
‘Yes.’
‘Stay here. I’ll get someone.’
A minute later Sergeant Hill appeared. Kneeling down, he lifted up the edge of the table cloth to inspect OC more clearly. ‘Your sister says you’ve identified the pin-stripe suit.’
OC pointed. ‘It’s that man, only he’s wearing a different suit.’
‘Phew!’ whistled the sergeant, swinging round to examine the milling guests. ‘You sure? That’s the top man for the south west.’
OC nodded. ‘Yes. I remember he had ears that looked like a leaf. See, with a notch on the side.’
The detective looked across to where the middle-aged man was still chatting to the President of the Banking Association. ‘They do rather,’ he said. ‘Like a plane tree!’
‘A plane tree,’ echoed OC. ‘Can it fly?’
‘It has seeds that can fly. I liked trees when I was a kid. Never get to see them living in a city. Well! Well! I tell you what, Philip. The chief was right. You’ve got some brains. I’ll make Inspector, after this.’
OC and Kitty watched as Sergeant Hill walked over, tapping the middle-aged man on the shoulder.
‘Excuse me, sir,’ he said quietly. ‘I need you to accompany me to the station to answer some questions.’
‘I beg your pardon,’ said the middle-aged man, looking down his nose. ‘Do you know who I am?’
‘Yes, sir, I do. And I’m curious to know what you were doing on a coach in Gloucester Cathedral car park, six Saturdays ago, in the company of a certain gentleman who goes by the name of Jim.’
The top man for the south west went pale and began to bluster.*
And carefully, very carefully, the President of the Banking Association stepped away.
‘We’ve had a positive ID, sir,’ Sergeant Hill continued. ‘And since you weren’t wearing gloves, I’ve no doubt we’ll find a nice set of prints, too.’
The top man for the south west went white, then red then white again ... then a uniformed policeman appeared and led him quietly away.
OC said. ‘It’s very exciting capturing bank robbers, isn’t it?’
‘I wish it had been me,’ Kitty sounded envious. ‘I could have done with some of that reward money.’ She was quiet for a minute then added, ‘What are you going to do with your share? Twenty thousand pounds is huge.’
‘Mum says I should put it away for my education but I told her I wanted to give some to you and Anna.’
‘How much?’
‘How much, what?’
‘Are you giving us?’
‘I told Mum
‘That’s fantastic.’
‘I asked Mum if we could all go to South Africa, too. She said okay.’
‘To see Dad.’
OC nodded. ‘I’d like to see him.’
‘I tell you what, OC …’
‘What?’
‘You know my joke … why is OC’s brain not like a Dyson cleaner …’
‘You mean, because it can’t go round corners.’
‘Well, I reckon your brain can go round corners now.’
‘That’s a really nice thing to say, Kitty.’
‘Don’t mention it.’
The End
Other Great Stories by Barbara Spencer
For Children
A Serious Case of Chicken-itis
Scruffy
A Fishy Tail
The Jack Burnside Adventures: A Dangerous Game of Football, The Bird Children, The Lions of Trafalgar (due 2015).
Legend of the Five Javean
For Teens
Time Breaking
Running
Turning Point
The Amazing Brain of O C Longbotham Page 12