Читаем 9e945bf3b1d705d5d70aa6e5ed9fa2ba полностью

“Okay,” Butterbean said. It looked like she was shedding on the mat. She hoped Mr. Axe Body Spray wouldn’t notice.

“So, Walt, what’s in it for me?” Chad said, splashing quietly. He started counting off on his tentacles. “One, I don’t live with your human, so her fall doesn’t affect me. Two, I’m not at risk here. Look at this place. I’m set for life. I have everything an octopus could want. Why should I waste my time?”

“Well,” Walt started.

“Walt says that you can get out of anything. Or into anything,” Butterbean interrupted. “She says that locks can’t stop you.”

“Walt has a big mouth,” Chad said.

“Yeah, no kidding!” Butterbean snorted. “But how is that possible? About the locks, I mean. You live in a tank and hang out in a toilet.”

The octopus shrugged. It was like he was doing the wave all by himself.

“Cute friend, Walt. But this isn’t convincing me. Why should I help you?”

Walt jumped down onto the bath mat.“Hilarious good times?”

Chad folded his tentacles in front of him.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_27]

“And I know where Mrs. Food keeps the sardines.”

The octopus seemed to consider.“I’m in.”

“So that went well,” Butterbean said after Chad closed the door behind them. There had been more haggling, but in the end Chad had seemed enthusiastic about the whole heist idea. Well, as enthusiastic as Butterbean thought Chad could be. He didn’t do cartwheels or anything.

“I hope so,” Walt said. “I think this is all coming together, Butterbean. I just hope we’re moving quickly enough.”

“Wait one second—I promised Polo,” Butterbean said, stopping at the empty-smelling apartment. Madison’s apartment.

Walt rolled her eyes as the elevator dinged.“Bean, there’s no time,” she muttered, slinking back into the shadows as the elevator doors opened.

Just in time, too. Bob stepped out into the hallway. He was flipping through a stack of papers and heading straight for Madison’s apartment.

Butterbean gave a muffled yelp and hid behind a pillar.

Luckily, Bob was too focused on his papers to notice her yelp, or see her tail sticking out into the hallway. (Butterbean was always the first one caught in hide-and-seek.)

He banged loudly on Madison’s door.

After a few minutes the chain on the door was pulled back, and Madison opened it a crack. Then she plastered a smile on her face and opened the door slightly wider. Not too wide, though, Butterbean noticed. And that smile was definitely fake.

“Oh, hi, what’s up, Mr.—Bob?” Madison said. She looked nervous, like she’d been caught doing something sketchy. Butterbean could smell waves of panic all the way across the hallway.

“Hey, kid, is your aunt here?” Bob said, peering behind her into the apartment. “I need to talk to her about your pet-watching situation.”

“Um, no. She’s not. She’s at work,” Madison said, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Huh. I thought she was in what, the navy? Something like that? Weird time to be at work,” Bob said, still looking into the apartment.

Madison laughed, but she pulled the door almost shut behind her.“Close. Army. But she’s at a meeting. For the army. That kind of meeting. I’ll tell her you stopped by.”

“Fine, well, just wanted to give you all the heads-up. You won’t need to watch those animals much longer. Their owner woke up, but it doesn’t look like she’ll be able to live on her own. So those guys are headed for the shelter, probably in a day or so. Also, your aunt needs to fill out these forms so we can pay you. She’ll need to sign them.”

Madison stared at the papers.“I can’t just sign them?”

Bob snorted.“You’re a kid. An adult needs to sign. Anyway, tell your aunt I said hi, and I’ll stop by later about the papers. And I’ll let you know when we need those animals rounded up—we may need your help with that. Okay, later.” He turned and headed back to the elevator. It came immediately.

“Great,” Madison said, still staring at the stack of papers. After a few moments she quietly closed the door.

Walt shot out of the shadows and streaked over to Butterbean.

“Did you hear that?” Walt said in a low yowl. “Did you hear what he said?”

Butterbean nodded.“I did. Polo is right. There’s something wrong there—that girl does not live with her aunt. I don’t think there’s anyone else living there.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Butterbean!” Walt shrieked. “About Mrs. Food! He said she’s not coming back.”

“But what does that mean?” Butterbean said. She’d heard Bob, but she didn’t want to think about what he’d said. Or what it meant. Especially now that Walt was totally losing it. That was never a good sign.

“I’ll tell you what it means,” Walt said in a low voice. “Heist day is NOW.”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_3]

12

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]

[Êàðòèíêà: img_28]

“WALT, CALM DOWN!” OSCAR SAID. Ever since she’d gotten back with Butterbean, Walt had been literally bouncing off the walls. Oscar flew to a safe perch on the bookshelf as Walt sideswiped his cage. “Walt, be rational. We can’t do the heist right now. We’re not set up for it!”