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“What’s the matter?” the woman called to Tia. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Tia walked back over to the counter.“You don’t remember who put this up, do you?” she asked, not very hopefully.

The woman looked down at the card.“Oh, I see. You’re thinking—”

“It could be them, couldn’t it?” Tia gasped. She was desperate for a clue. Anything that might help them track Milly down.

The woman sniffed.“As it happens, I do know who put that up, and I wouldn’t be surprised if hewas a cat thief. He’s rude. I wish he didn’t come in here, but he picks up his motorcycle magazine every week. Some special order.”

Tia stared at her.“So – have you got his address then?” she whispered.

The woman looked uncomfortable.“Well, yes… I mean, I shouldn’t give it out. Just don’t say I gave it to you, will you?” She pulled out a big folder and flicked through. “Here, look. That’s him. But hang on, you can’t go over there on your own! Where’s your mum and dad?”

“It’s all right,” Tia said. “My mum’s just at the library – I’ll get her. Seventeen Emwell Road. Thanks!”

She grabbed Christy’s hand, and hauled her out of the shop. “I think we’re about to get Milly back! We have to find Mum… Come on.”

They raced up the steps to the library and shoved open the door. Mum was in the queue, and there were loads of people in front of her.

“I won’t be too long, Tia,” Mum said, as Tia came up to her.

“But I’ve found them!” Tia cried. “The catnappers!”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_41]

“What?” Mum stared at her, and some of the people in the line looked round curiously.

“There was an ad for pedigree cats for sale in the newsagent’s. It has to be them! And I’ve got the address.”

“Oh, Tia, I know you’re desperate to find Milly, but you’re jumping to conclusions.” Mum shook her head.

“Why won’t you ever believe me?” Tia said furiously. “I’m going there now!” She turned and marched out, Christy scampering after her. She didn’t even look back to see if Mum was following. She just had to find Milly.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_42]

Milly threaded her way through the overgrown front garden and squeezed under the rickety wooden gate. She darted a glance back to the house, but the man wasn’t chasing her. Still, she wanted to get further away. Then she would find Tia. She set off down the pavement, sniffing at the dandelions and the parked cars. It was when she reached the end of the street, where it met another, larger road, that she realized finding her home was going to be harder than she’d thought. She had expected to somehow know which way to go. But coming here in a van, she had lost her sense of direction.

She set off along one road, but it didn’t feel good. Milly turned uncertainly and hurried back. The other way felt as though it led home.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_43]

Milly plodded on, trying to sense the right direction. She wasn’t used to walking so far and the pavements were hard. Her paws hurt. Worst of all, she wasn’t really sure she was getting any closer to Tia.

Wearily, she jumped up on to a low wall for a rest. Another cat had scent-marked the garden beyond the wall, and Milly peered down nervously. The cat didn’t seem to be around. She curled herself into a tense little ball and let her eyes close. She was so tired.

Suddenly, Milly’s eyes shot open, and she nearly fell off the wall. A ginger cat was in the garden below her, hissing furiously. His fur fluffed up so much that he looked four times as big as her.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_44]

Milly scrambled backwards, her tail straight up, all the fur sticking out like a brush. She hissed at the ginger cat, but he was much bigger than she was. Milly backed herself up to the end of the wall and then sprang down on to the pavement, racing away as fast as she could.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_18]

“It’s this way,” Tia panted, hauling Christy along behind her.

“We should wait for Mum!” Christy wailed. “I can’t see her, Tia! We aren’t supposed to go where we can’t see Mum! We’ll get in trouble!”

“I don’t care! I’m going to find Milly. Look, this is Emwell Road!” Tia stopped, gasping for breath. What if the man who took Milly saw her and Christy? He’d probably recognize them. “Be like spies, all right? We don’t want the catnappers to catch us.”

Tia pulled Christy in close to the wall and they began to creep along, looking for number seventeen.

“This is it,” Tia murmured, a little way up the road. “Oh! The van!” She squeezed Christy’s hand and pointed. “Laura saw a blue van when the man was asking about Charlie.”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_45]

“Tia!” Mum was running up the road after them, looking furious. “How could you run off like that? You crossed roads! You know you’re not allowed!”

“Mum, look!” Tia grabbed her arm, towing her towards the van. “Look! It’s the catnappers!”

Mum frowned.“Oh… Is that the van Laura talked about?”

“Yes! And this is the road where the man who put up that advert lives. It’s got to be him, hasn’t it?”

Mum nodded slowly.“All right. Don’t you dare go in there, Tia! I’m going to call that number the police gave me. It’s starting to look as though you’re right.”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_18]