Page 45 of A Merry Little Christmas
It was a few days later, and with Ellie away at the cash and carry, we’d gathered in the café to drink coffee, eat mince pies and talk about Chutney-gate.
‘Okay.’ Maddy gave a heavy sigh. ‘Who’s actually prepared to tell her?’
I frowned. ‘I thoughtyouwere going to break the bad news?’
‘But why should it be me?’ she exclaimed. ‘If I tell Ellie we were all ill after eating herdeliciousChristmas chutney, which is why she should just bin the whole lot, she’s going to feel really bad that she poisoned her best friends. Someone could havedied! I’m just not willing to drop that bombshell on her.’
‘So what are we going to do, then?’ asked Jaz, looking around at our clueless faces, and looking pretty clueless herself.
I shrugged. ‘Beats me.’
‘Well, I was thinking, wecould... make the chutney disappear?’ said Maddy with a shrug.
I made a face at her. ‘How on earth do you propose we do that?’
‘Hire a magician for the night?’ suggested Fen.
Jaz gave a snort of laughter. ‘I don’t think she means it literally.’ She looked at Maddy. ‘You’re talking about nicking it, aren’t you?’
‘Absolutely. All the jars are in boxes in Ellie’s shed in the back garden.’
‘So... we break into the shed and steal it all?’ I said doubtfully.
‘Exactly.’ Maddy’s eyes sparkled wickedly. ‘Who’s up for a midnight chutney heist?’
‘It kind of goes against the grain,stealing,’ said Fen, looking quite appalled at the idea.
‘But we’d be doing the public a service,’ I pointed out, ‘so technically, it would be thieving for a good cause.’
Fen still looked worried. ‘But what if Ellie and Zak catch us in the act, breaking into their shed?’
‘Well, then we’d have to come clean and tell them why we were forced to do it,’ said Jaz.
‘They might call the police, thinking it was an actual real break-in, though.’
‘You’re overthinking it, Fen,’ said Maddy, grinning. ‘The police aren’t going to scream over there, blue lights flashing, over some rank homemade chutney that’s gone walkabout! It’ll be fine and we’ll have saved the community from the evil Sunnybrook Poisoner.’
‘Well, I’m up for it,’ said Jaz, her eyes gleaming with relish. ‘We could call it “Operation Chutney Grab”.’
Even Fen couldn’t help chuckling at that.
‘Operation Chutney Grab,’ she repeated. ‘Okay. Fine. I’m in.’
*****
Later, at home, my phone rang and I pounced on it, hoping it might be Caleb.
It was Penny, and my hope died once more.
‘Hey, I’m not sure what you said to Will the other day, but he actually did an audition at school today.’
‘He did? Oh, wow, I don’t believe it.’
‘Neither do I,’ she laughed. ‘But he did. And guess what? My lovely son is only going to be playing thestarring rolein the school Christmas show!’
‘He’s going to play Shrek? Oh, Penny, that’s great. Good for Will!’And yah boo sucks to that scummy horror, Lewis Hatcher!
‘Katja? This is changing the subject, but I was wondering . . . is there something up with my brother?’
