"Tôi xin lỗi, Maisie Tôi không nghĩ rằng tôi có thể ăn nhiều." Charlie giải thích những gì đã xảy ra. "Tôi nghĩ rằng tôi nghe tiếng sủa," Maisie kêu lên. "Oh, Charlie, những gì tin tức tuyệt vời." Ngoại trừ rằng Billy đã biến mất, "Charlie. Khuôn mặt của Maisie giảm. "Charlie, Bạn có chắc chắn? Ông phải ở trong nhà một nơi nào đó. | Will do. Thanks Mrs. Brown. Charlie ran back to number nine. Maisie was up and another fine breakfast awaited Charlie sausages eggs and mushrooms. I m sorry Maisie. I don t think I can eat much. Charlie explained what had happened. I thought I heard barking Maisie exclaimed. Oh Charlie what wonderful news. Except that Billy has disappeared said Charlie. Maisie s face fell. Charlie are you sure He must be in the house somewhere. Or he could have run up the road for something. Check his clothes. Charlie went up to his bedroom. Billy s clothes were piled neatly on a chair exactly where he had left them. His shoes were under the chair his slippers by his bed. So he can t have gone far Charlie said to himself and once again he tried to dismiss the thought that had persisted in entering his head 207 ever since he had searched the cellar. Billy has to be in Badlock. No. A wave of nausea made Charlie sit down quickly on his bed. He was far more frightened for Billy than he had been for himself. What chance did Billy have with his white hair and poor eyesight The shadow s army was bound to catch him. But what possible reason could the count have for taking Billy and letting Runner Bean go Unless it had been the shadow s plan all along He had known that Billy could never resist a cry for help from a dog. Charlie remembered Manfred s insistence that Billy should come back to number nine where the painting of Badlock waited like a trap. Charlie tore downstairs. He s gone Maisie. And I know where. He s in that painting. I can t believe it Charlie said Maisie. If he s gone I m going to call the police there s no two ways about it. She went into the hall and began to dial. 208 Knowing it would be useless to try and stop her Charlie waited in the kitchen. He listened to Maisie s voice insisting that a child named Billy Raven was missing and then her angry response to something she d been told. Bloor s Academy. Mr. Ezekiel Bloor or perhaps the headmaster Dr. Bloor. But the boy .
