A Bump on the Head - Caroline Tailby (latest ebook reader .txt) 📗

enough time for her to go back and Bugsy says she’s not there!”
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’!” Tallulah would say, and leap off the table and start packing away her make-up. They’d both run out of the door.
I thought of how Bugsy would be feeling once they were altogether. He’d be worried sick. He’d taken me under his wing and probably convinced himself that I was his responsibility. He’d be walking around, clutching his head with his hands. Blousey would most definitely be trying to calm him down.
“Don’t worry, Bugsy. I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Don’t be stupid! She could be killed out there!” Well, I hadn’t been killed yet.
Blousey’s next words would be stern. “Knock it off, Bugsy, cool down, will ya?”
Then Fat Sam might say something. But what would he be doing? Sitting down smoking? That was all I could think of. “Maybe she’s just lost.”
Bugsy would tense even further then.
“Sam, you’re not helpin’!” Blousey might say indignantly. Then she could turn to Tallulah, who might be looking out of the window for me. “Any sign of her?”
“Nope,” Tallulah would certainly say, because I was here, not there. “I’ve seen plenty of guys walkin’ past, but no broads.”
“Oh, man,” Bugsy might say. “That ain’t helpin’ either!”
I’d stopped crying by this point and took my phone out of my pocket. I’d kept it with me ever since Bugsy nearly broke it, for fear it might get damaged even more. It was running low on battery, but at least it had turned on again. I’d thought it had been permanently broken after Bugsy knocked it. Then something amazing happened. I had a brainwave! I’d been trying to call Bugsy’s telephone when he knocked it, hadn’t I? I could phone him!
My light of hope suddenly dimmed. It might not work.
What was I saying?! It was most definitely worth a try. What was the number? Had I written it down? Yes, I had!
“I’ll keep that safe,” I said, putting the slip of paper in my pocket. “You never know when these things will come in handy.”
Right now that number was about as handy as it could ever be! I dug in my pocket and pulled out the crumpled slip of paper. The number was still there, in Bugsy’s neat sloping handwriting.
#12486
I punched the number into my phone, then put it to my ear. The dial tone sounded, then I heard the phone-ringing sound that you always here when you call someone. It was answered in five seconds.
“Hello? Tallulah speakin’.”
No, not Tallulah! It was Bugsy I had to talk to.
“Erm…hi, Tallulah. Is Bugsy Malone there?”
“Sure, honey. I’ll pass you over. Bugsy, telephone.”
I heard the sounds of the receiver being passed over, then a short conversation.
“Hello? Bugsy Malone.” He sounded terrible. I didn’t know if it was just the phone lines or how he was feeling.
“Bugsy!” I said with enthusiasm. “It’s me! Liana!”
“LIANA??!” he yelled, his voice instantly sounding so much better. “Oh my gosh, are you OK?!”
We were both so relieved to hear each other’s voices again.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Only problem is I’m trapped.”
“Where are you?”
“OK, this is going to shock you.”
“Just say it.”
“Dandy Dan’s. He kidnapped me.”
“What?! Why?!”
“He seems to think I can tell him how to take over Sam’s business. Because I know so much.”
“Where the hell did he get that idea from?! You won’t understand business, you’re only…?” We’d both forgotten Bugsy didn’t know how old I was.
“Eleven.”
“You’re only eleven.”
“Exactly.”
“Has he hurt ya?”
“No. Just left me in his lounge. I’m on my own. He and the gang are asleep, I think.” Then I added nervously “I hope.”
“Yeah,” said Bugsy. “Me too. What happened? Did he grab you just as you were…I don’t know. Walking?”
“The gang caught me on the street as I was leaving Blousey’s. I would have run but I could’ve been shot. Oh, Bugsy, believe me,” I shivered as I remembered. “There was a splurge gun right in my back.”
“OK,” said Bugsy, his tone a combo of comforting and determined. “Don’t fret. We’ll come and get you out of there.”
“NO!” I shouted.
“What? Why not?”
“It isn’t safe! You don’t know how angry Dandy Dan is with you, Bugsy! He’s using me as bait to get you in a trap!” My next words frightened me so much. “He’s gonna kill you!”
“Ha. I’d like to see him try,” said Bugsy incredulously. But his tone changed to one of perplexity. “But Liana…how did you get through to me?”
“My mobile phone,” I said triumphantly. It had worked at last.
“I thought you said it didn’t work.”
“It didn’t, not at your house. But it’s working now.”
“That’s peculiar. But don’t worry,” He changed to a comforting tone again. “I’ll tell the others. We’ll think of somethin’.”
“You’re altogether then?” I asked.
“Yeah. But I just can’t believe you’re OK!”
“I’m honestly fine.”
“Good. Well, I’ll see you soon.”
He hung up. I pressed the red button on my phone and almost laughed. Now Bugsy knew where I was, he could rescue me! He wouldn’t need to be careful; Dandy Dan was asleep. No killing tonight.
Or so I thought.
The door suddenly swung open. I looked up, puzzled. Surely they couldn’t be here already! My puzzlement was short-lived, because Dandy Dan walked through it, followed by his gang. I stood up in surprise and fear. But I didn’t show it.
“I thought you lot had left me alone!”
“Nah, too risky,” said Laughing Boy. He certainly wasn’t laughing right now. All of them looked shattered.
“I thought we’d better keep an eye on you,” Dandy Dan took over the speaking. “In case Malone comes along.” He emphasised Bugsy’s surname unkindly.
“Bugsy,” I said, correcting Dan on his reference to Bugsy. “already knows I’m here. You know what, I bet he’s on his way right now.” I couldn’t be sure, but if I made Dan think that maybe he’d realise he was defeated.
“I bet he isn’t.”
“Well, I bet he is.” I wasn’t going to give up trying to out-bet him.
“How could he know you’re here?” He certainly gave up trying to out-bet me! I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted me.
“No, no, don’t tell me. It’s a totally irrelevant detail.” Oh, rats. I’d been about to say something that would scare him. I can’t remember what it was now.
“When are you going to let me go?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.
“As soon as Bugsy Malone’s dead,” cut in Yonkers.
“That’ll only be the safest time to do it,” added Shoulders. Dandy Dan didn’t look at all pleased that they’d taken over speaking.
I suddenly noticed something. Behind the hoodlums, the lounge door was still open. That was so stupid of them. I knew exactly what to do.
“No way,” I said. “No way are you keeping me here until Bugsy’s dead. And no way is he going to be killed.”
“I think you’ll find he is, missy,” said Dan, glaring at me. “And there ain’t nothin’ you can do.”
“Yes there is,” I said, grinning. I think there was a mischievous twinkle in my eye. It felt that way anyway. “I’m getting out of here!” And I charged straight at the gang, punched my way through them and sprinted out the door. I might be small but I can pack a heavy punch when I need to…and I think I hit Bronx Charlie right where I’d been aiming, because he yelled out.
I dashed down the hallway, going a little slower than I might have because I didn’t think they were chasing me. Until I heard Dandy Dan’s voice.
“Well, come on, you dummies! What ya waitin’ for?! She’s gettin’ away!”
Oh, pants!


Entry 11

The chase and the fight

I ran for my life. The front door was pretty heavy, and opening it slowed me down, but once I was out I was fine. I jumped over all the stone steps, not even stepping on one, and bent my legs as I landed on the path in front. Starting off again, it seemed like an eternity before I reached the gates to the grounds and jumped through a gap in between the bars. I’m exactly the right size and, if you ask me, the gaps were pretty wide.
As I came onto the street my heart started hammering like a kettledrum. I’d realised I didn’t know the way to Bugsy’s house from here, so I had no option. I just ran.
I ran and ran and ran. Past houses, shops, you name it, the lot, until I think I took a wrong turning. Because I came straight into a dead end. I stopped to catch my breath, my heart hammering against my chest, hoping I’d lost the gang. It seemed I had, and I breathed out with relief. But I was lost. I had no idea where to go, and I heard footsteps coming around the side of the alley. My heart started thumping again, and my six pursuers ran around the corner…but I must have been pretty well hidden at the back of the alley, because Dandy Dan took one look towards me and said, “She’s not there. The little pest’s playing tricks on us now.” They ran right past the alley. Bronx Charlie seemed to have recovered. I chortled to myself.
“Idiots,” I whispered, and ran out of the alley in the opposite direction.
Now which way? I looked behind me. I could see the gang, but they were looking the other way with their backs to me, so I kept going, cherishing the time I had. I looked at my watch. Twenty to nine. I’d been going ten minutes. I looked up again and carried on. Where had I gone wrong? Not knowing what else to do, I turned left, then right, then right again. Everything looked the same. I couldn’t see any way back. So I just kept running.
“There she is!” Oh, great! The gang must have caught up with me! I turned and there they were, and Benny Lee was pointing his gun at me. “Freeze!” he shouted.
But of course I didn’t freeze. I just gasped, turned on my toe and kept on running. They were a lot slower than me, so I had no trouble outrunning them. The only problem was I still didn’t know where I was. But wait a minute…what was that in the distance, at the end of the street I was in? It couldn’t be…yes! It was the bookstore that disguised Fat Sam’s! Pop Becker’s bookstore! I knew exactly where I was now. I checked behind me for the gang. They weren’t there but I couldn’t waste any time. I darted up the road and into the high street.
It was dark now, but I recognised everything. I saw Robinson’s Art Supplies, where I’d bought my notebook, and Lugini’s, and the hair salon. I knew Bugsy’s house was near a grocery store, and much to my joy there was one right at the end of the high street. He said left at the grocery store. Which way was left if I faced it? Aha. Straight on from where I’d been before. I sprinted that way and…
…you’ll recognise the street. And my house.
I recognised the street, and his house.
I darted up to the front door, gasping for breath and my legs turning to jelly as I did so, and hammered on it with my fist as if doing so would save my life. And the door was answered a moment later…by Bugsy.
“BUGSY!” I yelped as he opened it. I was falling over.
“What…Liana?!” he cried. “I’m not going mad, am I?!”
“No, I’m here all right!” I said,