‘Thank you,’ Cedric replied, beaming with pride.
‘Of course, I’d have been more impressed if you figured it out before it happened and stopped a lot of needless kidnapping and zombie fighting. Seems to me like that’s what a proper detective would have done.’
‘Shut up, Kate.’
‘You wouldn’t catch Sherlock Holmes letting the criminals get away with taking him hostage, locking him up in a shop, and only coming to his conclusions when it was all done and dusted and the bad guys were dead.’
‘I said: shut up, Kate.’
Cedric looked at her. As the early morning light streamed through the dusty curtains, after all they’d been through, she’d never looked more lovely to him. Her thick fringe of hair nestled on her bushy eyebrows, and a smile – or the delayed reaction from the onion rings she’d eaten for breakfast – played on her lips. She was almost beautiful.
The doorbell rang, interrupting the moment.
‘I’ll be back in a second,’ Kate said.
He heard the front door creak open. This was followed by the sound of excited voices. Young voices. Teenage voices. Oh no, not them, Cedric thought.
Kate ushered The Brute and Lauryn into the living room. Cedric didn’t bother to get up.
‘You two? How did you find us?’ he asked.
‘You’re not the only detective–’ Lauryn began.
‘Kate invited us over … oh, right, you were trying to make us look good,’ The Brute said.
‘Yeah, thanks for that, Mikey,’ Lauryn said, giving him a withering look.
‘Do you two want a drink or something to eat?’ Kate asked.
Lauryn glanced around the apartment. It wasn’t the type of place that was likely to win any hygiene awards. ‘No thanks,’ she said. She wasn’t even sure if she’d be happy sitting down on the couch. It looked like it came from a dump.
‘Shouldn’t you be in school?’ Cedric asked.
‘Mid-term break,’ The Brute replied.
‘Fantastic. I’m delighted for you. Kate, can I have a word,’ Cedric asked.
‘It’s OK, Ced. There’s a reason I invited them over. A reason I invited you over too,’ Kate said.
‘It wasn’t just because of my natural charm and amazing conversational skills?’ Cedric asked, pretending to be surprised. ‘You know, if I had known these two were turning up, I wouldn’t have called over. I have a lot to do. I’m a busy man.’
‘You’re sitting in your friend’s flat on a Tuesday morning,’ The Brute said. ‘How busy can you be?’
Kate suppressed a snigger.
‘We need your help,’ Lauryn said. ‘You heard about Colm, right? He’s sick.’
‘Yeah, I heard. Sorry,’ Cedric said. ‘But I’m not a doctor, so I don’t think–’
‘That’s not the kind of help we need. What Colm has, well, let’s just say traditional medicine isn’t likely to provide a cure. According to the Prof, we have about three days to save him,’ Lauryn said. ‘And we’re going to save him, right?’
‘I still don’t see what this has to do with me.’
‘We need a detective,’ The Brute said.
‘For what?’
‘Remember when the UV light came on and destroyed all the undead that night in the shopping centre?’ Lauryn asked.
‘No, why don’t you jog my memory?’ Cedric said.
‘Wow, you’re so sarcastic. How do you put up with him, Kate?’
‘I’m a saint,’ Kate replied, belching a smoke ring.
‘Back to your reason for coming here,’ Cedric said, tapping his watch.
‘Right. The UV light didn’t destroy every member of the undead. One of them survived it. We don’t know why, but the Prof reckons that we may be able to save Colm if we can figure out how this guy survived when all the others didn’t. At the very least we’ll be able to buy him more time,’ Lauryn said.
‘And you need me because …’
‘He’s disappeared. We need to find him and fast.’ Lauryn handed him a photo. It was a screen grab from the CCTV footage. ‘That’s the guy we need to find.’
Cedric looked at the picture of Fintan Wickerly.
‘You want me to go zombie hunting?’
‘Technically, he’s not a zombie …’ The Brute began.
‘I don’t care what he is. I’m not going to help you. Every time I meet you two it means trouble for me and this time I’m putting my foot down and saying: No Way José. Not on your Nelly. Count me out.’
There was a rumble as Kate cleared her throat loudly. Cedric looked over at her. ‘I’m helping them, aren’t I?’
‘Oh yeah.’
‘Fine. Let’s get our coats. It’s time to go to work,’ Cedric sighed.
About the Publisher
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Other Titles by this Author
Colm & the Lazarus Key
http://www.mercierpress.ie/Colm_And_The_Lazarus_Key/485/
Nominated for the Bisto Children’s Book of the Year Award! Colm thinks that spending a fortnight with his cousin – The Brute – is the worst thing that can happen to him this summer. He’s about to find out he’s wrong. While driving The Brute home, Colm and his parents stop for the night at a quiet, old hotel. The Brute falls in love for the first time, with the mysterious American granddaughter of their hotel owner and forces Colm to help him win her over.
When strange things begin to happen, Colm finds himself in the middle of a baffling and exciting adventure. Colm and The Brute must overcome their dislike of each other and work together if they’re going to find Colm’s parents and solve the murky mystery of the Lazarus Key.
Other Titles by Mercier Press
Arthur Quinn and the World Serpent
http://www.mercierpress.ie/Arthur_Quinn_and_the_World_Serpent/575/
It takes a hero to defeat a god ... Can Arthur stop the trickster Viking god Loki and the World Serpent from destroying the world?
Something wicked has awoken under the streets of Dublin ...
When his dad is offered a job working on the new Metro tunnel, Arthur has to move to Dublin with him. While exploring the dangerous tunnel and a hidden underground river, Arthur and his new friends Will and Ash find a mysterious glowing pendant. The pendant depicts a giant snake strangling the trunk of a tree. The friends soon figure out that the pendant is a warning, a sign that something evil is waiting underneath the city. Something that’s been imprisoned for a thousand years, something left by the Vikings, something that can - and will - destroy first the city, then the world.
What did the Vikings bury under the city of Dublin and why did they leave it there? Who is the dark man that spies on Arthur and what is his evil plan? In the end, only Arthur and his friends can save the world from the dreaded World Serpent.
Reviews:
‘A clever new offering from writer and illustrator Early drawing on Ireland’s strong Viking heritage.’ - Image Magazine
‘A clever blend of fantasy and the every day. It’s like Harry Potter, Dublin style.’ -Irish Exam
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‘This hair-raising fantasy adventure will have you thrilled to the end..’ -Writing.ie.
‘A gripping mythological thriller...’ -Evening Echo
‘A must read for fans of fantasy and mythology.’ -The Bookbag
Colm & the Ghost's Revenge Page 18