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Icicles? I sat back and looked up at the house It did seem darker, I supposed

Holly’s cheeks were red ‘Don’t worry They’re going back up tomorrow And then some’

‘So you took them down because …?’

‘I had a run-in with Mrs Te in sympathy

I’d had run-ins with Mrs Templeton before I wouldn’t even wish them on Perdita

‘You’d better co aside to let Jack andposth heaven knohat she’ll think we’re up to in here’

Jack laughed ‘I’m sure she doesn’t care what you do in the privacy of your own ho about the appearance of the street, I think’

Holly and I both gave hiht now’

We all peered out into the darkness, towards the drawn curtains of number 13 Maple Drive As atched, one of the curtains on the ground floor suddenly twitched and lay flat again

‘See!’ Holly crowed, triuhbour! Quick, get inside before we give her anything more to talk about’

Jack laughed ‘You see spied on by her next door neighbour’

‘I had to test the mulled wine’ Holly headed into the kitchen Jack dropped my lead as soon as the front door closed, so I trotted after her, hoping there erbread in my future Or at least some cat food ‘Would you like some?’ she called back over her shoulder

‘That would be great, thanks,’ Jack said ‘I a Day, so I feel like I should celebrate’

‘You absolutely should’ She handed hilass full of dark red liquid I sat at her feet and looked up hopefully She sighed as she spotted ain, aren’t you? Well, you won’t like mulled wine, Claude, I can tell you that much’

‘I wouldn’t be so sure He’s a huge fan of gingerbread – not that I recoerbreadto be sick later’

Clearly, these humans did not understand the power of ave a soods

‘No ot around to decorating erbread house yet But you can have sory’

I followed her to the cupboard with Perdita’s things in, past a table holding a whole erbread Maybe, if I was really nice to Holly, she’d let me have some, eventually But in the meantime, cat food it was It wasn’t ideal, but at least it had an added advantage of annoying my nemesis That counted for a lot

‘What about you?’ I heard her ask Jack, as I tucked into the cat food ‘Are you full of gingerbread, too?’

‘A bit,’ Jack admitted ?

??But actually, our visit next door gaveI’d like to talk to you about’

‘Really? That sounds interesting,’ Holly said

I zoned out and focused on the bowl in front ofabout food I could always start listening in again In the s to think about

Like how to get to that gingerbread house And how to convince Jack to stay in Maple Drive

‘Okay Everyone stand back’ Daisy lifted the umbrella over her head and prepared to smash the lock of the vanity case

This had officially gone on long enough Not only were they down one dog, they’d been lost in the wilds of northern France for the past hour and a half without even a phone to call for help It was already the worst Christmas on record, and they hadn’t even made it to Christmas Eve yet

It was time to take serious action