The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell Page B

been wiped.’
    Ivy’s nostrils flared. How confused and scared Granma Sylvie must have been!
    â€˜Then she is hardly going anywhere,’ Selena Grimes summarized. ‘Place her under twenty-four-hour guard and question her again in a few days’ time. Maybe whatever was used to wipe her memory was only temporary. There is no need to alarm the whole of Lundinor unless you have solid information
and
evidence.’
    Smokehart grimaced. ‘This woman has concealed herself for years – that’s more than enough evidence to make her a suspect. I already have her grandson in custody. He may have valuable knowledge. I plan to start the interrogation immediately.’
    Ivy’s chest tightened.
Seb . . .
    Selena’s mouth twitched. ‘
Officer
. While I admire your pursuit of justice, GUT law does not allow you to reprimand someone if they themselves are not under suspicion. If this boy is Ms Wrench’s grandson, then he is an uncommoner; he is one of us. You must release him and allow him to roam Lundinor freely.’
    She turned, her long dress billowing at her side. ‘That is my final word. Oh, and I don’t want the press getting involved – there’ll be uproar.’ She looked fondly down at her dog. ‘Come along, little one.’
    Smokehart followed as Selena Grimes swept towards the exit. His shoulders stiffened as the front door closed behind her with a thud.
    Ivy gave a sigh of relief. She didn’t quite know what to make of that conversation but she did know one thing: Smokehart’s back was turned. This was her opportunity to sneak through to the cells, and she was going to take it.
    The door opened into a gloomy slate-tiled corridor. Glass doors were set into the left-hand wall, each inscribed with a different underguard rank and name. Officer Smokehart had what appeared to be the largest room; a Sergeant Crabshorte was next, followed by a Sergeant Pike and a Constable Stormfront. On the opposite wall was a series of doors with only a small glass window at the top; a brown feather hovered outside at eye level.
    Ivy approached the first cautiously.
    â€˜Be not uncarefully,’ whispered Scratch. She felt him vibrating in her pocket and gave him an appreciative squeeze. When she was in front of the first feather, it began writing:
    Prisoner 4
    Name: ‘2 grade’ Lil
    Crime: Fraud
    Status: Awaiting sentence
    Ivy peered through the glass and found a neon-lit square room beyond. A woman with scruffy red hair, in a tartan beret and football kit, was lying on a plastic bench, picking at her nails.
    The next two cells were empty, and the one after that was filled with a strange green light that made Ivy feel dizzy.
    â€˜Ghoul hole,’ Scratch explained in a tinkling whisper. ‘Cell for special uses with muckers. Losing of memory inside, so Lundinor being ever forgotten.’
    Ivy shivered. So if a mucker went inside a ghoul hole, they lost their memory. Wow – uncommoners really did go the extra mile to keep Lundinor a secret. As she approached the next door, the feather began writing:
    Prisoner 2
    Name: Valian Kaye
    Crime: Theft of a bell from Ethel Dread
    Status: Investigation pending
    Ivy gasped.
Valian
. She could see him sitting on the edge of the bench, rubbing his bare arms as if trying to warm himself. His mouth was a tight line. Ivy bit her lip. If he was in there, he must have been arrested earlier and not run away. She wondered if he’d really stolen a bell from Ethel. She wasn’t sure how she felt about him being locked up. Maybe he deserved it.
    She shook her head. She didn’t have time to work it out. She was here for her brother. She moved on to the next cell. When she saw who was in there, her heart pounded.
    Seb.
    He was scrunched up in the corner, his knees tucked under his arms, the lead from his headphones creeping down his chest. His grey hood was hanging low over his eyebrows but Ivy could still see