small talk with his dad. Meanwhile, Rose was getting further and further away. ‘Look, Dad, I really need to get on,’ he said.
‘Get on with what?’
‘Er … somebody spilled popcorn in the foyer. I need to tidy it up.’
‘All right. Just stick Rose on for a moment, OK?
‘Er … right.’ Kip looked over his shoulder at Beth and beckoned to her to catch up with him. ‘OK, Dad, I’m putting Rose on now,’ he announced. He held the phone out to Beth. She was shaking her head and making gestures with her hands that said,
No way!
Kip covered the phone with his hand for a moment, still staring intently at Beth. ‘You’ve got to,’ he whispered. Then he raised his voice slightly. ‘Rose,’ he said, ‘Dad just wants a quick word with you.’ He thrust the phone into Beth’s hand. She lifted the handset to her ear as though it was a bomb that might go off at any moment. Kip heard a tiny insect-like voice as Dad asked a question.
Beth looked like she was walking on broken glass. When she spoke it was in a squeaky little voice that sounded, Kip thought, not so much like Rose but a constipated fairy.
‘I’m fine, Daddy.’ she squeaked. ‘No, we weren’t watching the film. I
hate
scary films.’
Dad’s voice said something else.
‘Oh yes, we’re having a lovely time. I’ve been doing some colouring in. What do you mean, I sound different? I’m not different. Well, I’m not. No, I’m just the same as ever. Honestly.’ A pause. ‘Oh, all right then. Kip? Daddy wants to speak to you.’ Beth thrust the handset back at Kip, looking daggers at him. He lifted it to his ear.
‘Er … yes, Dad?’
‘What’s wrong with Rose?’
Kip swallowed.
‘Nothing. She’s fine.’
‘She sounds
funny
.’
‘Do you think so? Well, I’m not laughing. She’s making me miss the film.’
‘Yeah, don’t start on about that. Anyway, I should be back around ten-thirty for the end of the movie.’
‘That’s fine, Dad,’ said Kip. ‘You take as long as you need.’
Just then the Communicator on his hip began to flash.
‘Look, Dad, I’ve got to go. Somebody’s come out for more popcorn.’
‘OK. Catch you later.’
Kip rang off on the mobile and pressed the button on the Communicator.
‘How are things progressing?’ asked Mr Lazarus in his earpiece.
‘Not great. I just had a phone call from Dad in Blackburn. I answered it without even thinking.’
‘Oh dear. Do you think he suspected anything?’
‘I just about got away with it … But never mind about that! We missed Rose on the beach. She’s already left. Now we’re walking along some kind of trail. Can you see us?’
‘No. I’m further on into the film, watching Rose and the others. They’re on the same trail I think, but further along it. I did warn you about the editing. The film must have jumped to a new scene just as you were touching down.’
‘Well, what should we do?’
‘Keep moving. If you step up the pace, hopefully you’ll catch up with her before too long. Rose is with a blonde woman, who seems to be looking after her.’
‘That’ll be Kara Neetly, I suppose. OK, you’d better ring off. Call me if anything comes up.’
‘I will. Good luck.’ The Communicator went dead. Kip glanced at Beth. ‘Bit creepy in here,’ he observed, but she didn’t reply. The trail was getting narrower and the jungle seemed to crowd in around them. There were sounds here, the rhythmic chirruping of insects, and a kind of hypnotic croaking sound.
‘What’s that noise?’ asked Kip nervously.
‘Tree frogs, I think,’ said Beth. ‘You get them in jungles.’ She watched a lot of nature documentaries and prided herself on knowing about this kind of stuff. She was looking around, her expression one of delight. ‘This is amazing,’ she said. ‘I always wanted to go into a jungle. What country do you think we’re in?’
Kip didn’t have the first idea. He was leading the way, peering along the narrow track, which twisted
‘Get on with what?’
‘Er … somebody spilled popcorn in the foyer. I need to tidy it up.’
‘All right. Just stick Rose on for a moment, OK?
‘Er … right.’ Kip looked over his shoulder at Beth and beckoned to her to catch up with him. ‘OK, Dad, I’m putting Rose on now,’ he announced. He held the phone out to Beth. She was shaking her head and making gestures with her hands that said,
No way!
Kip covered the phone with his hand for a moment, still staring intently at Beth. ‘You’ve got to,’ he whispered. Then he raised his voice slightly. ‘Rose,’ he said, ‘Dad just wants a quick word with you.’ He thrust the phone into Beth’s hand. She lifted the handset to her ear as though it was a bomb that might go off at any moment. Kip heard a tiny insect-like voice as Dad asked a question.
Beth looked like she was walking on broken glass. When she spoke it was in a squeaky little voice that sounded, Kip thought, not so much like Rose but a constipated fairy.
‘I’m fine, Daddy.’ she squeaked. ‘No, we weren’t watching the film. I
hate
scary films.’
Dad’s voice said something else.
‘Oh yes, we’re having a lovely time. I’ve been doing some colouring in. What do you mean, I sound different? I’m not different. Well, I’m not. No, I’m just the same as ever. Honestly.’ A pause. ‘Oh, all right then. Kip? Daddy wants to speak to you.’ Beth thrust the handset back at Kip, looking daggers at him. He lifted it to his ear.
‘Er … yes, Dad?’
‘What’s wrong with Rose?’
Kip swallowed.
‘Nothing. She’s fine.’
‘She sounds
funny
.’
‘Do you think so? Well, I’m not laughing. She’s making me miss the film.’
‘Yeah, don’t start on about that. Anyway, I should be back around ten-thirty for the end of the movie.’
‘That’s fine, Dad,’ said Kip. ‘You take as long as you need.’
Just then the Communicator on his hip began to flash.
‘Look, Dad, I’ve got to go. Somebody’s come out for more popcorn.’
‘OK. Catch you later.’
Kip rang off on the mobile and pressed the button on the Communicator.
‘How are things progressing?’ asked Mr Lazarus in his earpiece.
‘Not great. I just had a phone call from Dad in Blackburn. I answered it without even thinking.’
‘Oh dear. Do you think he suspected anything?’
‘I just about got away with it … But never mind about that! We missed Rose on the beach. She’s already left. Now we’re walking along some kind of trail. Can you see us?’
‘No. I’m further on into the film, watching Rose and the others. They’re on the same trail I think, but further along it. I did warn you about the editing. The film must have jumped to a new scene just as you were touching down.’
‘Well, what should we do?’
‘Keep moving. If you step up the pace, hopefully you’ll catch up with her before too long. Rose is with a blonde woman, who seems to be looking after her.’
‘That’ll be Kara Neetly, I suppose. OK, you’d better ring off. Call me if anything comes up.’
‘I will. Good luck.’ The Communicator went dead. Kip glanced at Beth. ‘Bit creepy in here,’ he observed, but she didn’t reply. The trail was getting narrower and the jungle seemed to crowd in around them. There were sounds here, the rhythmic chirruping of insects, and a kind of hypnotic croaking sound.
‘What’s that noise?’ asked Kip nervously.
‘Tree frogs, I think,’ said Beth. ‘You get them in jungles.’ She watched a lot of nature documentaries and prided herself on knowing about this kind of stuff. She was looking around, her expression one of delight. ‘This is amazing,’ she said. ‘I always wanted to go into a jungle. What country do you think we’re in?’
Kip didn’t have the first idea. He was leading the way, peering along the narrow track, which twisted
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