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THERE WAS a gap of half aon and those overhead It wasn’t much, and it made life very unco out flat, I listened for sounds of pursuit in the cell below There weren’t any I could hear people colliding with each other and barking out orders in the corridor, so either the police weren’t aware I’d broken out, or had found their way blocked by the panicked crowds

Whatever the answer, I had tiained for, which I could put to good use I’d planned to flee as swiftly as possible, leaving Mr Crepsley and Harkat behind, but noas in a position to go and look for theood up here - there were ht seeped up from the rooms and corridors below - and I could see for ten or twelve , and ifheld on another floor, I hadn’t a hope in hell of finding the over the rafters, I reached the ceiling of the cell next towould detect any sound above that of a heartbeat I waited a few seconds, but heard nothing I moved on

The next two cells were eht about calling out Mr Crepsley and Harkat’s names, but if there were police in the cell, they would raise the alarripped the rafters on either side with h the thinwith my head

I blew dust from my lips and blinked it out of my eyes, then focused on the scene beloas ready to drop through the ceiling if either of my friends ithin, but the only occupant was a bearded oldrapidly

"Sorry," I said, forcing a quick s the startled prisoner behind

Three more eto rob a corner shop I didn’t stop to check on them - the police were hardly likely to lulars

Another eht the next was empty too, and had al of fabric I came to a halt and listened intently, but there were no further sounds Crawling backwards, skin itching fro tiles like snow, I got into position, took another deep breath, then head-butted through the tiles

A wary Harkat Mulds juht his arh and clouds of dust descended Then the Little Person saho it was, reached up, tore loose hiswhen he said they’d taken it away) and shouted ht "Darren!"

"Howdy, pardner," I grinned, using my hands to widen the hole I shook the dust fro - up there?" Harkat asked

I groaned at the du!" I snapped, then lowered a hand "C’mon - we haven’t much time, and we have to find Mr Crepsley"

I’m sure Harkat had a thousand questions - I had too, like how come he was all alone, and asn’t he handcuffed? - but he realized how perilous our position was, grabbed the offered hand and let

He had a harder ti on to the rafters than me - his body was a lot rounder thanout flat besideour plight

The next eight or nine cells were e anxious about the aardless of as happening with Steve Leopard, my escape was bound to be noticed sooner rather than later, and pursuit would be fierce when it ca whether it would be wiser to quit while ere ahead, when someone spoke from a spot in the cell underneath, just ahead of me

"I am ready to make a statement now," said the voice, and by the second syllable I had the speaker pegged - Mr Crepsley!

I held up a hand for Harkat to stop, but he’d heard it too and had already come to a standstill (or rather, acrawl still)

"About time," a police ?"

"Neverdevice," Mr Crepsley sniffed "I do not address myself to inanimate machines Nor do I waste words on buffoons I will speak to neither you nor your partner on my left As for that cretin by the door with the rifle ?"

I had to stifle a giggle The sly old fox! Heus know exactly how things stood in the cell, how many police were present and where they were

"You’d better watch yourself," the policeood mind to?"

"You have no sort of mind at all," Mr Crepsley interrupted "You are a fool The officer as here earlier, on the other hand - Matt - struck me as a sensible man Fetch him and I will confess Otherwise my lips remain sealed"