At half past seven on Wednesday morning. Tom arrived at Terry's office. He took all the newspapers out of his bag and laid them on the table.
He picked up a box and put it in his bag. Then he got on his bicycle and rode to Oakwood Avenue.
Bill was waiting at Oakwood Avenue. He had stopped his milkfloat beside a telephone box at the end of the avenue. He looked at his watch.
When it was eight o' clock exactly, he went into the phone box and dialled 999 for the emergency services. A woman's voice asked, 'Do you want police, fire or ambulance?'
'Fire,' replied Bill.
Then he heard a man's voice.
'Where are you calling from?'
'I'm calling from the telephone box at the end of Oakwood Avenue - near Manor Park Road,' said Bill. 'There's a fire at Number 12. I can see lots of smoke coming from the house.'
'12 Oakwood Avenue,' said the fireman.
'OK. Wait where you are. We'll be there in two minutes.'
Bill did not wait. He drove his milkfloat up the Avenue towards Number 12. After one minute, he sounded the horn of his milkfloat.
Suddenly smoke rose up in the garden of Number 12. Tom hid in the smoke and walked quietly up to the front door of Number 12. He pushed one smoke bomb through the letterbox and then another. Thick smoke began to come out of Number 12. It looked as if the house was on fire.
In a few minutes, the fire engine arrived.
The fireman ran up to the door of Number 12 and began to beat on the door. A fireman came out from the side of the house where he had been waiting.
After a few moments, a woman opened the door of Number 12. She stood in the doorway coughing. Two firemen pushed past her into the house. Then a third fireman came running up the steps and pushed past her. The third fireman was carrying a sharp fireman's axe.
When he was inside the house, Terry knew where to go. He ran up the stairs to the second floor. The door of the front bedroom was locked.
Terry raised the axe and brought it down on the door with all his strength. The door broke open.
Yes, there was a woman on the bed. Terry picked up the woman in his arms. He ran down the stairs. He had to get her out of the house as quickly as possible.
When the smoke had gone, the fireman saw that there had not been a fire at all.
'Someone has put a smoke bomb in here,' said one of the firemen. 'The police will be here soon. They'll want to have a look at this.'
At that moment, Terry reached the hallway carrying the woman. He walked outside. Two firemen looked at him in surprise.
'Wait a moment!' Who are you?' one of the firemen asked.
'Stop! Stop!' shouted Isobel. That is a sick woman. She must not be moved.'
'No! No!' said the woman. 'I must get out of this house. They are keeping me here. They are going to murder me.'
Part - 2
The Lonely Laday
