Enrico continued, 'If the people ever suspected that I had anything to do with Topaz's elimination it could be the end of me. That's why I was so delighted when I read about the services offered by the Space Brigade.' He seemed to have forgotten - or was pretending to forget - that he had been wrong about the services they offered.
'Now, I assume you'll want to be off first thing in the morning,' said Enrico cheerfully. 'The sooner you're done, the sooner I can return your valuable friend. I have arranged for five of our finest, fastest ShobGobbles to be taken from the stables. They will be ready for you at the mansion steps at six in the morning. I have also organised plenty of provisions for your journey. No, no, don't thank me! I'm only too happy to help.'
Nicola, who had certainly not been about to thank him, said nothing.
'Well!' Enrico rubbed his hands together and glanced at his watch. 'I think that's everything you need. You must excuse us. My family's favourite television program is about to start.'
'It's called An Inside Look at Shobble's Most Amazing and Beautiful Family,' said Joseph.
'It's a reality TV show about us,' preened Josie. 'We let the TV cameras into our house for a week to film how we lived. You should have seen how hungry the TV crew looked when they filmed us eating our dinner and they hadn't eaten all day. Oh, how we laughed!'
'Sounds hilarious,' said Nicola sourly.
'I prefer to breakfast in bed, so I won't be able to see you off in the morning.' Enrico stood up and smiled his charming smile. 'I'll take this opportunity to wish you the best of luck. I'll call for Joy to take you back to your rooms. Oh and please don't worry about your hairity friend - we'll take very good care of her.'
His family followed as he flounced towards the door, but then he stopped, his hand on the doorknob. 'Unless, of course, you fail in your mission. In that case, we might become a little forgetful when it comes to delivering her food and water.'
He laughed and the rest of his family threw back their heads and laughed loudly with him.
It was the most frightening sound Nicola had ever heard.
14
'What are we going to do?' said Tyler when Enrico and his family had gone and the Space Brigade were sitting alone around the long table.
'Okay, I think I've got one idea,' said Greta. 'What we do -'
'We've got to rescue Katie before anything else,' said Sean, who was busy emptying all the food he'd carefully hidden away in his pockets back into the serving bowls. 'So first we've got to find out where -'
'And they've got my - I mean our - spaceship!' said Tyler. 'Did you see they were carrying it really carelessly? If they scratch it I'll -' He curled his hands into fists and shook his head.
Shimlara leaned forward urgently. 'I've got something important to tell you all,' she said. 'I was reading Enrico's -'
The door opened and Joy appeared. She put a finger to her lips and pointed at the corner of the room. Then she cupped a hand over her ear. She mouthed out the words: They're listening to you.
Everyone stopped talking. Shimlara clapped a hand over her mouth.
'I hope you enjoyed your dinner,' said Joy formally. 'Shall I escort you back to your rooms?'
'Yes. Thank you,' said Nicola, speaking awkwardly as if she was in a play.
They all stood up and silently followed Joy through the corridors of Enrico's mansion.
Nicola was impatient now with the heavy swishing of her red velvet dress around her legs. She wanted to be back in her jeans so she could feel capable and ready for action. They needed to think of a smart way around these people. 'Work smarter, not harder,' her dad said when he was coming up with a new (always ridiculous) way to do housework.
Joy led them back to Nicola's room and ushered them in without saying anything.
'Shall I run you a bath, madam?' said Joy.
Nicola was about to decline, but then she realised that Joy was nodding her head frantically.
'Oh,' she said, 'thank you. That's just what I need.'
Joy walked into Nicola's bathroom, beckoning them all to follow. She turned on both taps full blast so the noise of running water filled the room.
Then she crouched down on the floor. Intrigued, everyone sat down cross-legged in front of her.
'This is the only way to make sure Enrico's Thugs can't hear us on their listening devices,' said Joy. Her voice was low, so everyone had to lean forward to hear her. 'Every one of your rooms is bugged, so if you want to talk in private this is the only way to do it.'