The detective The Lodger It was a cold night in Winter and it was snowing.

David Cray was walking home. David lived with his mother. His father was dead. There was a large Factory near Davids Home, and he walked along beside the high Factory fence. The Factory made computers. Davids house was in the next road. There was a car outside it. Mum has a visitor , David thought. Perphaps its a new lodger. David went to the back door of his house . He pushed open the door and went inside. David Heard his mother speaking. We had a lodger for three years , she was saying. But he went to live with his sister. Its nice to have another lodger. When can you come? David saw them in the kitchen. They sat the kitchen table, drinking tea. The other woman was about thirty years old. Her hair was long and black . She was wearing glasses. I can come tomorrow , Mrs Cray , she said. This is Miss Fox. Shes our new lodger. Miss Fox smiled at David . Hallo, David, She said. Hallo, said David. Miss Fox stood up. See you tomorrow morning , Mrs Cray, She said. Yes , Mrs Cray said. Come early . if you like. David and his mother watched Miss Fox go down the path. Do you like her? Mrs Cray asked David. I dont know, David said. What is her job? Shes a secretary , but she hasnt got a job , Mrs Cray said. Shes looking for one. How did she know we wanted a lodger? I dont konw , Mrs Cray answered . I forgot to ask her. Its strange she didnt say. Mrs Cray laughed . I konw you want to be a policeman , David , but stop being a detective.

Miss Fox came back on Wednesday morning . David was getting ready to go to college. He went to coleege every day .

His first class started at ten oclock that dat. Carry Miss Foxs Suitcase to her room, Mrs Cray said. Ok , David said , and he carried the suitcase up the stairs. How did you know we wanted a lodger? He asked Miss Fox. Er I saw your last lodger , she answered . He told me. You know Mr Turner? Yes , I know him a Little , Miss Fox said. David carried the suitcase into a room upstairs. He put it ton the floor by the window. He looked out of the Factory fence. They were White with snow. How long have youlived in this city? David asked Miss Fox. A long time. But nota round here. Do you have some Friends Not here, Miss Fox said. Not in this part of the city. She smiled . What a lot of questions. Mum says I ask a lot of questions. I want to be a detective , one day.

Miss Fox looked surprised . Do you? She said. David pointed out of the window. That Factory makes computers. Miis fox looked out at the Factory roof. I know. Perphaps you can get a job there. A job? Miis Fox said. Mum said you were looking for a secretarys job. We have a friend at the Factory. Jeff Garner . Hes a security guard. Perphaps he can ask about a job for you. No, Miss Fox said quickly . Im getting a job son. Next week. A secretarys job? Yes. Where? Miss Fox did not look pleased by all the question . Excuse me, she said. I want to unpack my suitcase .

David went back downstairs . She doesnt want to talk about herself , he thought . Why? Does she have a secret?

Later that day. David came home from college. Where is Miss Fox? He asked his mother. Shes out. At eight-thirty , Jeff Garner came to the house . He was on his way to work at the computer Factory. He was a night security guard. Sometimes he came to see David and Mrs Cray on his way . He liked to have a cup of coffee with them. David was watching TV. It was a programme about the police and he watched it every week. Hi , Jeff, he said. Im watching a programme about detectives .Theyre going to catch a thief. Jeff Garner looked at the televisin. I was a policeman a few years ago, he said. You dont catch thieves every day . We have a new lodger , Jeff , Mrs cray said. Jeff Garner looked surprised . When did Mr Turner go? A week ago, Mrs cray said. I forgot to tell you. Whats your new lodger like? Jeff asked . Shes strange , David said. Mrs Cray laughed . David thinks she has secrets . He likes being a detective. Jeff laughed too . Then he drank the rest of his cofee and went on to the Factory. David went upstairs after the TV programme was over. Miss Foxs room was quiet . She was not back. He went into his own room and looked out of his bedroom window. There was a moon in the sky . It was not snowing now , but the road was White . There was snow on the Factory fence . It was a security fence and had an alarm bell. Later , he saw Jeff Garner patrolling inside the fence . David smiled . He liked Jeff. An hour later , he Heard Miss Fox come back . He Heard her go into her room and close the door. She is a strange person , he thought.

2 The caf Im going to college , Mum , David said, on Thursday. See you this afternoon , Mrs Cray said. Wheres Miss Fox? She went out earlier. David walked towards college. He went past the Factory gates and saw Jeff Garner standing beside a car. The car was waiting to go into the Factory. Jeff was looking at something. Hes looking at the drivers security passes pass, David thought. The driver Works in the Factory. All the Factory workers had security passes to get in and out of the gates. David watched Jeff Garner give the security pass back to the driver. Then the car went on into the Factory and Jeff came across to David. Hallo, David, He said. Are you going to college? Yes, David said. Im going home soon, Jeff said. He was tired. Next to the gate there was a lottle office. A man came out of it. It was Alec Reed, the other night security guard. Im going home to bed, Alec Reed said to Jeff. He looked at David and smiled. It was not a nice smile . Hallo, Its the Young detective. David did not smile back. Alec Reed laughed. See you tonight, he said to Jeff. And he walked away down the road. Sorry, Jeff said to David. I told him you want to be a detective and he thought it was funny. I was wrong tos ay anything. I dont like him, David said. I can see you dont, Jeff Garner said, laughing. He looked at his watch. The daytime security guards are coming soon, then I can go home. David came home from college at four oclock. He saw Miss Fox coming down the stairs. Hallo, he said. I saw you this morning. Did you? She looked surprised. Where did you see me? You were in the caf in Hill Street. You were with a friend. Not a friend, Miss Fox said. Just somebody sitting at my table.

She went past into her room. She is lying, David thought. But why?

3 Face at the Window

On Friday afternoon. David came home early. His classes finished at three oclock. It was snowing and he walked by the computer Factory and into the next road . he saw the back of his own house, and the garden of the house next to it. The house on the left of Davids was very big, but he could not see it from the road. It it had large garden with tall trees. The house was behind the trees. An old man and his wife lived there. Their names were Mr and Mrs Lewis. Mr Lewis had a weelchair. Sometimes David helped Mrs Lewis in the garden, but the garden was too big. It looked like a jungle. David looked up at the only window at the back of his house. It was the window of Miss Foxs room. And Miss Fox was standing behind it, looking across at the Factory. There is something wrong with her, David thought. What is it? And then he saw what it was. Her hair is short, he thought, And it was true. Miss Foxs hair was very short now. She went to the hairdresses today. He trought. He walked across to the back door of the house and went inside. Hi, mum he shouted, Mrs Cray was cooking spaghetti the kitchen. She looked uo and and smiled at David. youre home early today. My classes finished at three oclock, he said. He looked at the spaghetti.im hungry Mrs Cray laughed. youre always hungry. David sat at the kitchen table. Miss Fox went to the hairdressers today , he said. Her at her window. Her hair is short now. Mrs Cray looked at him. youre wrong David . Miss Fox didnnt go out of the house today. But i saw her he said . her hair short. Dont be silly , his mother said. I saw it , he said. The telephone rang and Mrs Cray went to answer it. David went up to his room, Miss Fox heard the telephone ring ring and she came out of her room. And her hair was long again. Hallo , David , she said. Youre home early. My class finished early. David said. He looked at her hair.

It something wrong? She asked. Miss Fox! Mrs Cray shouted up the stairs. Somebody wants to speak to you on the telephone. Miss Fox went down the stair and David went to his room. He sat on the bed. There were posters on the Walls and books on shelves around the room. Was i wrong he thought. No, i saw her with her hair short! Her long hair isnt real, it is a wig . but why does she wear a wig? Perhaps its because she doesnt like short hair. But in that case, why doesnt she grow it long? He didnt understand it. He took a book from a shelf and started Reading. It was a story about Sherlock Holmes, a very famous detective. He soon forgot about Miss Fox and her wig

Davisd was dreaming . He was dreaming about Miss Fox. But a Miss Fox with short hair, without her mig. Who was she talking to? Its Mr Turner. Our old lodger, David said. Mr Turner and Miss Fox were behind a window, sitting at a table. They were drinking coffee. David and his mother were outside the window . Miss Fox! Miss Fox! David shouted. There was something in his hands. Hair..long, black hair. It was Miss Foxs wig! He hit the window with his hands, but Miss Fox didnt look up. She didnt hear him. David hit the window again and again. Stop it, David! His mother shouted. But David went on hitting the window . And then the glass was cutting his hands, and blood was running down his arms; running into the long, black hair ..and then David woke up. He sat up in bed and looked at his watch. It was after midnight. Then he thought he Heard a noise. What was that? He thought. Was it a door closing? He listened, but he Heard no more noises. I had a bad dream, he thought. It was just a bad dream.

The next day was Sunday and David went to see Mr Lewis and his wife. Mr Lewis was in his wheelchair. They were pleased to see David. Have a cup of coffee with us, Mrs Lewis said. They sat in the big kitchen and drank their coffee.

We have a new lodger, David told them. Do you? Mr Lewis said said. What is his name It is a women, David said. Her name is Miss fox. He finished his coffee and looked out of the window. Ill move the snow from your garden path. Oh, thank you, David, Mrs Lewis said . David went outsaid. There was a spade beside the back door and he picked it up. He started moving the snow from the path at the back of the house. It was hot work. There were some footmarks in the snow. Mrs Lewis was in the garden earlier, David thought. He followed the footmarks to the end of the garden. They stopped by the garden Wall. Suddenly he looked across at his own house. He looked up at the window of Miss foxs room. She was standing there, Shes wearing her mig today, David thought. He remembered his dream as he watched her. Is she looking at me or at the Factory? Only a few people work at the Factory on Saturdays. Miss fox stood by the window for a long time, David finished movign the snow from the path. Then he looked up and wave at her. He thought she was looking at him, but she did not wave back. Then she moved away from the window. David put the spade beside the door. Im going home now, he shouted to Mrs Lewis. She opened the door. Thank you, David David walked back to his own house.

4 Thieves

It was midnight . David was sleeping, but a noise woke him up. What is it? he thought. What woke me up? He Heard the noise again. Somebody is going down the stairs. David got out of bed and went to the top of the stairs. He Heard somebody close the back door. Was it Miss Fox going out? He thought. He went across to her door and pushed it open. She wasnt there. Where is she going at midnight? What is she doing?

He went back to his own room and quickly pulled on some clothes. He opened his bedroom door and went quietly down the stairs. It was not snowing outside, but it was cold. The houses in the Street were all dark. There were no lights in the window. David saw footmarks in the snow. They are like the footmarks I saw this morning, he thought. The footmarks in Mr Lewis garden. He followed them to the next house. To Mr Lewis house! The footmarks went into Mr Lewis garden. And David followed them. He followed them to the back garden, and then he saw Miss Fox. She was at the end fo the garden, beside the Wall. She has been here before, David thought. It was her footmarks I saw in the snow this morning. She was looking up at the Factory. David looked carefully at the Factory building. There were no lights in the Windows. The building was dark. Only Jeff Garner and Alec Reed are there. David thought. They are in the office beside the Factory gates. Then he saw something moving. Something on the Factory roof. It was a man. The man was moving slowly across the roof. He had a box in his hands. David watched him. There is a computer in the box! He thought. Hes a thief! He is stealing it! The man jumped down to a lower part of the roof. He walked carefully towards the edge. Im over here! Miss Fox said. She spoke quietly, but David Heard her. The man Heard her, too. Ok, he said. What is he going to do? David thought. And then he knew. Hes going to throw the computer over the security fence! Hes going to throw it into Mr Lewis garden! The man was near the edge of the roof now. He moved very slowly on the snow. Then he stood up on the roof. The moon was behind him. I cant see his face, David thought. But I know what he is going to do. Now? The man said. Yes, everythings is ok , Miss Fox said. Throw it into the bushes now. The man threw the box over the fence. It landed in a thick Bush below the garden Wall. Can you find it? He said. Yes, I can see it. Miss Fox collected the box from the Bush.

I have time to bring four more, he said. Put them in your car. Then I will get some more in two hours. Ok. Miss Fox picked up the box with the computer inside it. She started to walk back across Mr Lewis garden. David watched. The man fell on the fence, then on to Mr Lewis Wall. Then he fell into the garden and did not move. Oh, no! Shouted Miss Fox. She started to run. David jumped from the fence on to the Wall. Then he jumped on to Miss Foxs back and they fell to the ground. David Heard a man running along the side of the Factory building. It was Jeff Garner. He was carrying a light. Jeff! David shouted. Over here! Its a thief! A thief? Jeff Garner climbed the security fence and jumped down the other side. He ran across to the man in the snow. David looked across. Jeff Garners light was on the mans face. It was Alec Reed. A light came on in the Lewis house. Mrs Lewis came down the garden. Who is it? She said. What is happening? I Heard the Factory alarm bell. Its me, Mrs Lewis , David said. Telephone the police, please. Jeff Garner smiled. You are a good detective, David, he said. Dont forget to tell Mum! David said, laughing.

5 A good Detective You! Shouted Jeff. Youre the thief! Then he looked towards David. Who is that? Miss Fox, David told him. Our new lodger. I think she came here last night, too. Jeff came across to them. He putt he light on Miss Foxs face. Where have I seen you before? He said. Miss Foxs didnt answer. She looked afraid. Shes wearing a wig, David said. He pulled Miss Foxs long hair and it came off her head. Jeff Garner smiled. He took the glasses off Miss Foxs face. Ah, now I know you! Youre Rita Sharp! You worked at the Factory last year. You were sacked for not doing your job. Alec Reed was your boyfriend. Shes our new lodger, David said.

Your new lodger? Jeff said, surprised. How strange. No, its not, David said. They didnt want another lodger to see them stealing the computers. So she came to be our lodger. I dont understand, Jeff said. You can see the roof of the Factory from the lodgers room, David said. Alec Reed knew that, so he told her to come and be our lodger. Alec Reed had started to move. I need an ambulance. He said. He cried with pain. I think Ive broken my leg. Miss Fox Rita Sharp- said nothing. She started to cry. You waited for our last lodger to move out, didnt you? David said to her. You waited for him to leave. You didnt want him to see you. The woman didnt answer.