The Girl With Nine Lives and The Girl Who Bit Back: The Adventures of Benedict and Blackwell Book 1 & 2

by E. Earle

  “What’s happened?” Ben meowed. He raced into the next room and I followed him. We ran into each room, climbed upstairs to find everything absent. I climbed back downstairs, out of breath and put my hands in my hair, ready to pull it out.

  “Do you think Old Marley’s just had a clean out?” I asked.

  But Ben was sniffing at a pile of rags covered with plants of wood and netting. Suddenly it started to move, making Ben and I jump back in alarm. Groaning came from the debris and I wondered if the place was haunted.

  Ben meowed and I dived forward towards the pile, ripping off the first plank of wood, bandaged hands be damned.

  Poor Old Marley lay beneath the wood, beaten, bruised and with a bloody nose. “Oh God,” I breathed, hauling off the rest of the rubbish. “Marley! Are you ok? Marley!”

  I fumbled in my pocket and dragging out my phone, I dialled 999.

  “Hello? I need an ambulance!”

  The woman on the other line told me to be calm and talked me through checking Marley and instructed me not to move him. He was still groaning, so that was a relief.

  “They took my gems!” Marley sobbed suddenly, his tears mixing with the dust and blood on his face. Seeing an old man like this so vulnerable made me want to cry myself and I put my hands on his shoulders. Ben tugged the rest of the fish netting off with his teeth and curled up next to Old Marley’s neck.

  “Who?” I demanded. “Was it your brother and his men?”

  Marley nodded and continued his sobbing, his thick fingers grasping for Ben for comfort. He breathed in a shuddering sigh of relief as his fingers touched fur and once again I thanked the day Ben came back into my life.

  “It’s ok, Marley,” I said softly, the woman on the phone still glued to my ear, reassuring me that the ambulance was on its way. “We’ll get it back- I promise, ok? We’ll sink the bastards down!”

  He fixed his pale blue eyes on mine and a small smile played on his bloody lips. “You sound like a pirate,” he said.

  An uproar rose in the town at the sound of the ambulance and hearing that poor Old Marley had been robbed. The police came and I explained everything, knowing nothing would be done. Patrick Marley had connections with the police and the case would be dismissed as simple theft.

  I called Brynn as soon as the ambulance arrived and he was there sooner than I thought was possible.

  “I came in to see my mother,” he explained, seeing my confusion. “I was having a beer when you called.”

  His face was grim as we watched the ambulance gurney take Old Marley, Ben meowing at his side so he knew he was still there. The ambulance wouldn’t let Ben come along, so Brynn promised to ride with him in the ambulance. I watched miserably as the ambulance drove away and the police had finished their all-too-quick inspection of the property.

  I crouched down to Ben as the cars drove away, misery and fury clawing at my gut. “Ben? Can you go inside and sniff out what you can?”

  A glint shone in Ben’s eyes as he saw the intent in mine. “Got it,” he meowed, and then he sped off.

  It was an anxious five minutes as I waited for him. “The two idiots who came last time were here,” he said.

  “Anyone else?”

  He sneezed from the dust and wiped his nose with his paw. “There was a woman there as well. But I don’t recognise her scent.”

  I frowned. “A woman?”

  He sneezed again and I picked him up, brushing off the cobwebs from his coat. Staring at the tire tracks on the ground, I felt my teeth clench. “We’ve got to get these bastards,” I snarled.

  “Marley was right,” Ben meowed and licked my chin. “You do sound like a pirate.”

  The teeny tiny Town Hall had no problem with letting me see their CCTV booth of the few cameras that were in their local area. I supposed the rules were far more relaxed here than other places, but I played on that sense of community as we gossiped about the theft from the museum, and the security officers reminisced of their own times at the museum.

  “I always wanted to be a pirate when I was younger,” Bill, a balding middle aged man said, patiently tapping on the mouse until we came an hour before I had arrived. “Old Marley always had the best way of retelling the old stories- he could strike the fear right in you!”

  I nodded, allowing Ben to flirt with the security lady Doris. “It really is a pity that the police didn’t even ask us to help,” she said, her long dangling earrings probably not what you would expect a CCTV operator to wear. I learned then that the CCTV operation was purely volunteer based.

  “We always step up on the cameras when it’s holiday season,” Bill had explained. “You know how some of the tourists get.”

  Sure enough at 08:03 a white transit van had driven down one of the roads, and at 09:12 had driven off. But another interesting thing we noticed was that a black BMW followed the van there and back. The woman perhaps?

  I jotted down the licence plates and after printing a few screen shots, I said my thanks and left.

  It wasn’t much, but it was a start to catching the bastards.

  Ben wasn’t happy about being shoved back into a bag hidden by a scarf, but it was the only thing I could think to do to get into the hospital.

  “You need to get a bigger bag,” came his unimpressed muffled meow.

  “Or you need to lose some weight.”

  Brynn was waiting at the doors for me and raised his eyebrows in disbelief when Ben’s tail popped out.

  “You’re sneaking in a bloody cat?” he hissed, pulling me aside as we walked through.

  “Keep your voice down!” I threw back in a low snarl. “And yes I am, so what? People sneak in things all the time!”

  Brynn stared at me, disbelief making his mouth fall open. “Yeah, chocolate, pizza, maybe even a bottle of gin,” he blustered. “But not a cat!”

  I waved him off with no concern, ignoring him shaking his head as I carried on walking. “Rubbish.”

  “You are insane, you know that don’t you?”

  “That’s what they said to all the greats,” I threw back at him.

  Old Marley lay in his bed in a miserable lump. His clothes were gone and replaced with a hospital gown. His face was a mess of bruises and dried up blood. I wished that someone would wash him up.

  I sat down on the side of the bed, and as I did, an image of sitting next to my own Granddad at his bedside came back to me. We always got told off by the nurse for doing so but we didn’t care. I think it made my Granddad feel like a school boy by going against the rules. I always promised I would sneak him out and we would go clubbing.

  I took in a shaky breath and looked into not the face of my beloved Granddad, but another man.

  Old Marley opened his eyes and grasped my hand suddenly. “Thank you,” he rasped, licking his lips.

  I looked down at his hand and squeezed it back. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I lifted the quite heavy bag onto the bed, Ben’s head sticking out.

  Marley stared at Ben for a few seconds, as if wondering if he was really seeing a cat in a hospital and then started to laugh. “My lawyer is going to love this!”

  “Ahem.”

  My eyes widened at the sound of a voice behind me and I shoved Ben’s head back in the bag, muffling an indignant meow. A short skinny man with glasses stood at the door with his hands clasped behind his back, a briefcase swinging behind him. He wore a plain but expensive looking navy suit and a small smile tugged the corner of his mouth, although his face looked unused to such muscle movements.

  “I very much doubt that, Mr Marley,” his unexpectedly high voice said. His eyes took in the sight of me and Brynn together and finally lay on the bag in front of me.

  Smiling nervously, I shoved it under a chair, hoping to dear God Ben would get the message and stay put.

  “I’m glad you’re both here,” Marley said, suddenly looking more like the man he probably should be. Not drinking suited him and I wondered what he had been like before all of this. He sat up in his
bed, grimacing at the pain. “Show them the papers, Christopher.”

  With an elaborate flourish, Christopher put his briefcase on a nearby side table and started pulling out a contract.

  “What’s this?” questioned Brynn looking suspicious.

  “I want to sign over my museum to you two,” Marley said, taking the contract from Christopher and shoving it at Brynn. “I don’t have any children- I want to name you two at inheritors of my estate.” He lay back then as if relieved he had finally gotten the words out.

  “Marley,” I said softly, “you’re not thinking straight-”

  “Nonsense, girl!” he snapped, looking insulted. “I have never thought so clearly in my life!”

  “Indeed,” Christopher said straightening his silk tie, “My client has undergone tests to prove he is of sound mind to pass over his estate over the past few weeks. As he has no children and no…” he paused, as if tasting something bad, “suitable relatives he wishes to pass over, he is entitled to name his inheritors as he sees fit.”

  I looked to Brynn, feeling panic rise in my gut. “But why?”

  “You don’t think for one second I want my slime ball bastard of a brother having my museum do you?” Marley’s face was an image of contained rage. “I would rather it burn to the floor than have him take it!”

  I paused, seeing the similarities of his words and the ones I had said previous to his brother.

  “He sent over those two idiots of his to talk to me,” Marley said, clutching his hands in memory. “Then they took my things! All of it!” His face crumpled and he fought to control himself. “Then that woman kept asking me about the plunder, but oh no! I wouldn’t tell her nothing.” He crossed his arms over his chest, a bitter smile now chasing away his sorrow. “That’s hidden and they can bulldoze the place down and they won’t find a coin.”

  “A woman?” I asked. “What did she look like?”

  Marley waved me off. “I don’t know- a woman!”

  I frowned. “Was she blonde or brunette?”

  Marley raised his eyebrows and shrugged. “I dunno,” he grumbled. “But she had great legs!”

  Brynn and I exchanged amused glances. “I saw on CCTV a black BMW drive to your museum,” I started and then I explained about the film I had seen and that I had the license plate numbers. “Much good it’ll do us,” I sighed. “I haven’t a clue how we’re going to find the vans.”

  “Well I can tell you where they’ve taken the stuff,” Marley said in bewilderment at the effort I had gone to. “My brother runs an illegal antique auction- his cronies said they were going to sell my stuff there unless I signed over my place.” A devilish glint gleamed in his eye. “And now I’m signing it over to you.”

  “But your things-” I started.

  “We’ll get them back,” Brynn interrupted.

  I peered at him curiously. “And how in hell are we doing that?”

  Brynn grinned at me.

  Oh good, more trouble.

  Chapter Nine

  It was obscene. The thought of Brynn and I owning the museum made me nervous. It would cost money! We didn’t have it! The thought of yet another burden made my shoulders tense.

  Brynn was insistent. It seemed like a dream come true to him, but I wasn’t so sure. Marley said he had funds to repair the damage, as long as we would be the ones prepared to do it. The hope in Brynn’s eyes made me hesitant to say no, so all I could say was, “let me think about it.”

  It would mean spending more time in Devon, and I hadn’t thought of the consequences. I had a life in the Midlands. Surely I couldn’t give that up? I didn’t want to choose. I loved my family and I didn’t want to miss out seeing Rowan grow up. But thoughts started running through my head of how we could run both places- how we could make a success of them, and I had to admit that I did get a bit excited.

  “Just rest for a while, Marley,” I said as I kissed his cheek to say goodbye.

  “You promised you would help me,” he said earnestly, holding my arm. “I’m asking you now.”

  I stared at the faith in his eyes and before I knew what I was doing, I was nodding. “Ok.”

  Brynn had a pen in my hand before I could change my mind, and so it was done. I stared numbly as Marley signed his section of the papers, passing on responsibility to us and watched his muscles relax as he lay back in the bed. Suddenly, he looked ten years younger.

  “Do me proud, kidda,” he said grabbing Brynn’s hand. “Make it what it should be.”

  Brynn nodded gravely. “I promise,” he said seriously. “We won’t let you down.”

  I shivered at the word ‘we’. Just what had I gotten myself into?

  Marley nodded and lay back on his pillow. “Take care of that cat of yours, lass,” he said to me, one eye open as he started to fall into sleep. “He’s all talk but he’s a good sort.”

  I froze in my spot, but before I could say anything else, Christopher was ushering us out of the room. I stared through the small window in the door, mouth agape at Marley as he shook Christopher’s hand.

  He caught my eye and winked.

  I walked out of the hospital like a zombie. Ben couldn’t wait to get out of my bag and nestled on my lap as Brynn drove us back, full of ideas on how to renovate the museum. We didn’t know how much in terms of funds Marley had to dedicate to the museum’s renovation, but he had some ideas how to generate income if it came to it.

  I stroked Ben’s coat, dying to talk to him about what had Marley said, and as I did, I made all the right noises to Brynn’s excitable ideas, frozen to my seat as the world passed me by.

  So much had happened and my mind was struggling to keep up. The thought of staying scared me. That would mean cutting Calloway out forever. Even though we weren’t together anymore and I owed him nothing- except from, ok, probably my life that one time when I got shot- something inside me tightened at the thought of not seeing him again.

  I frowned and promised myself a rum and coke when I got home.

  Home. Craggys.

  As soon as we pulled up, I was out of the truck, Ben hot on my heels. I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I stepped in and shrugged off my cardigan, going straight to the bar.

  “Oh good, poor me a drink as well while you’re at it,” Brynn said walking in after me.

  Rolling my eyes at him, I poured him his usual Jack Daniels and coke and then poured myself a double dark rum and diet coke.

  I swigged it down hard, ignoring the curious glances from Jack as he served a couple of customers. “It’s been that kind of day,” I told him with a grimace.

  He nodded in acknowledgement. “I heard about Old Marley,” he said, dreadlocks swinging as he shook his head. “That’s bloody awful.”

  I nodded and poured myself another rum. I glanced at Brynn who had just finished his own and tilted my chin in question. He nodded and passed me his glass for another measure. Ben meowed and jumped on the bar.

  “Sorry,” I said pulling out his catnip. He meowed in acknowledgement and shoved his face into it. I passed Brynn his whiskey and raised my own glass in mock toast.

  “Hey, can I have one?” Jack said cheerfully.

  “Nope,” Brynn said, downing his drink.

  “Why?”

  “Because we’re gonna need you to drive.”

  I shook my head as we got in the back of Brynn’s truck. Ridiculously, I had demanded us all dress in black and I wasn’t even sure whether it was going to make a difference.

  There was a chill in the air and the very faintest of fogs rolled on the ground. Whether God had decided to set the ambience for us this night, I didn’t know, but I hoped I could lend some help from him in any case

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this, I can’t believe we’re doing this!” I hissed under my breath as Ben jumped in after me.

  “The cat can’t come,” Brynn said sternly, standing just outside the truck. “You are insane if you think he can come.”

  I raised my eyebrows at him. “B
elieve me, he’s going to be more useful than you,” I snapped. “Now get in and let’s do this before I change my mind!”

  Brynn swore under his breath and climbed in after Ben, who was being very slow in getting out of his way. I frowned as he sat down close to me and plonked Ben ungraciously on my lap.

  “Seriously, does he have to go everywhere with you?”

  “If he was a dog it wouldn’t be any different,” I sniffed.

  “Um, are you two ok?” Jack stared at us worriedly.

  “Yes!” we snapped in unison.

  I scowled at Brynn and shifted in my seat, embarrassed as Jack mouthed, “wow” under his breath.

  “Literally, just drive us there and we’ll do the hard work, ok?” I mumbled, consciously aware suddenly how close Brynn’s leg was to mine. “It’s just something we’ve got to do.”

  Jack started the engine and nodded his head. “I’m stoked, man,” he said enthusiastically hitting the steering wheel. “I feel like I’m in Die Hard!”

  Unable to think of hot chicks that had featured in the Die Hard films, I kept my mouth shut, putting my Bruce Willis mode on.

  “This is the last thing I thought I would be doing tonight,” I muttered, fastening my seatbelt as Jack started to drive.

  “No it’s not,” Brynn said. He was wearing a black hoody over his t shirt with his black jeans. His face was determined and the unmistakable light of excitement was in his eyes. “You knew this was going to happen as soon as you reached for that bottle of rum tonight.”

  I opened my mouth to argue and then shut it again. It was pointless. He was right.

  He glanced at me, fixing his dark eyes on mine and I looked away quickly, not realising I was staring. Again. I really had to stop doing that. He leant forward then. “You ok?”

  Forcing myself not to shiver or snap anything childish at him, I nodded. “Of course.”

  “Good.”

  Jack drove for a solid thirty minutes before I started checking my watch. Don’t even think about backing down now, my mind hissed at me. Scowling, I reached down into my bag and pulled out a flask of rum.