Moreover, the thieves have also taken a whole lot of books. The strangest thing however is,” added Mickey thoughtfully, “that they have only taken books of plays by George Bernard Shaw, although there were a number of more valuable volumes in the shop.”
“That’s really strange!” said Minnie, also surprised.

“Well, and the police are still groping in the dark. It is obvious that there is a connection between this break-in and the one in the jewellery shop.”

“How did you arrive at this conclusion?” asked Minnie, astonished.

“Because Mr Balthasar explained to me that the thieves had turned off the alarm system by using an absolutely simple trick. And if one can believe the newspapers, exactly the same trick was used at the jewellery shop. Therefore, in my opinion, it must have been the same group.”

“You are right, Mickey!” cried Minnie and looked at him with admiration. “I must say that in comparison to you, even Sherlock Holmes and Tom Wallas come across as amateurs.”

“That’s nice of you,” said Mickey modestly. “But at the moment, I am only a plumber’s helper and…”

“Speaking of that Mickey,” Minnie interrupted him, “the pipe in my bathroom would have to be…”

But she could not complete her sentence because suddenly they heard a beep from Mickey’s trouser pocket. “Oh, my cell phone!” remembered Mickey. “It was really a noble gesture by my boss Rudi to give me this marvellous little thing. With it, I am always within reach from now on.”

“Well then,” said Minnie saucily, “you had better go, otherwise the marvellous little thing will not have served its purpose. In the meantime, I will wash in your bathroom,” she added, slightly peeved, and left the house.

Mickey at first had to really struggle with the buttons on the cellphone before he was able to hear the voice of Rudi Higgins: “Man, it really took a long time before you finally came on the line! We have an assignment, so be on your way immediately, understand?”

Mickey had not understood. “Be on my way? Where to?” he asked baffled.

“Don’t ask such stupid questions! Naturally to my office. We have to drive down the fastest possible way to the work site,” Higgins bellowed into the telephone. “We have just received the order by fax. We have to change the pipes in the house of a woman who is stinking rich. So kindly hurry, or do you think I pay you for doing nothing?”

A little later they roared away in the plumber’s pick-up truck through a barren industrial area till they finally turned into a broad street lined with several luxury villas. Higgins grinned with satisfaction. “We are here, my little one,” he said and applied the brakes.
In front of them stood an impressive building, which was decorated like a birthday cake. Even the lawns which surrounded the house looked an artificial green like the deep-frozen peas. Quick as lightning, Higgins pulled out a video camera and filmed the entire plot.

“What are you doing?” asked Mickey, surprised. “Are we shooting a film here?”
“Oh, er… I am doing this only so that we find the house immediately the next time,” replied the plumber and put away the camera.

In the meantime, the house owner, Berta Buttercream, was standing in front of her house and kept talking to a man. “This is the limit,” she shouted angrily. “The pipes are absolutely fine. They were checked a year ago.”

“That may be, but when the inspector of the public office for gas and water works gives orders that all the pipes have to be replaced by new ones, there is nothing you can do.” He turned around. “Oh, there are the workers.”

Rudi Higgins greeted Mrs Buttercream politely and extended a hand to the man who introduced himself as Ian Pickering.

“Oh! Are you the Pickering? A businessman through and through, who undertakes anything that has to be undertaken,” said Rudi Higgins gushing with exaggerated admiration. At any rate, that’s how it appeared to Mickey.

“You sent us the fax. You should thank him, Mickey! It is really a great honour, Mr Pickering,” said Higgins theatrically.

While both the experts discussed the repairs and were deep in conversation, Mickey tried to calm down the agitated Mrs Buttercream.

Finally Mrs Buttercream led the plumbers into the basement of the splendid house and showed them the thick pipes that supplied the entire house with water.

To be continued

Courtesy: Eurokids International Pvt. Ltd.,
India’s largest interactive kids company