Dan and the Dead Read Online Free

pin? Simon’s always said ‘Yes, probably, yes,’ and yes is a good answer.
    It’s the ‘probably’ part that bothers me.
    But I know and Si knows that he’s already done his trick twice in the last few minutes, and whatever spooky battery Si uses to move stuff with his mind gets flat pretty quick. And a gun’s a gun, after all. Right now, I’m guessing I can’t even count on ‘probably’.
    Looks like it’s up to me.
    â€˜Now, Mr Bagport,’ I say. ‘Don’t go making another ghost. I’d’ve thought having Ems haunting you’d be enough.’
    â€˜Oh, cut the crap,’ says Bagport. ‘Who sent you?’
    â€˜It’s Ems. I told you. She’s standing right there.’ And I manage to tip my head towards the part of the room where Simon is still wringing his ghostly hands and Ems is shaking her head like she knew I was a doofus all along. I don’t like her looking at me like that, but I’m too busy noticing something else to really mind: the memory stick is still in the computer, and I don’t think Bagport’s spotted it. Yet. I’ve got to keep him talking.
    â€˜Emeline!’ I cry, in my spookiest voice. ‘Give us a sign!’
    The ghost of Ems puts her hands on her hips. Instead of a sign she gives me that ‘what-have-I-stepped-in?’ look girls do so well, but that’s okay because it’s really Si I’m talking to. And fortunately, Si’s finally getting it together.
    There’s a poncy great chandelier in the centre of the ceiling, and concentrating as hard as he can, Si manages to set it swinging with the last of his spirit powers. As the light turns and the shadows dance weirdly about, I hear Bagport gasp and swear andstep back in surprise. I grab the USB stick, yank it out, and stuff it in my shoe.
    â€˜Behold, the sign!’ I really love doing the spooky voice.
    â€˜Impossible!’ Bagport’s crouching back, waving his gun at the swinging chandelier. ‘It’s not possible!’ But I don’t hang around to argue. I’m up and running across the room.
    The man shouts after me, swearing like Captain Potty Mouth, and I half expect to hear the gun go off, but I’m banking on him not wanting to make all that noise now, not without the back of my head as a silencer. Instead he’s blundering after me as I slide down the banister. When I skid into the storeroom, there’s some geezer there, lighting up, but he’s not expecting a pale kid in purple glasses and a death’s head coat, is he? I barge him down, and then Bagsy trips over him, and before you can say ‘scarper’ I’m out and pelting down the back alley in a storm of wheelie bins.
    It’s only when I’m about a mile away and hiding in a skip that I reach into my shoe and find the USB stick’s gone.
    â€˜Zooking hell!’

7
A GRAVE BUSINESS

    â€˜A right pair of numpties, you are!’
    It’s the next day and we’re in the toilets, the ones behind the school swimming pool. No one uses them, except me when I need to talk to Si, only today Ems is there too. And I’m not so worried about being caught talking to myself right now, because with Ems I can hardly get a word in edgeways.
    â€˜I wanted revenge!’ she’s shouting. ‘Not Chuckles the clown and his dancing newt! And what does“zooks” mean anyway? No, don’t answer that, Frilly Knickers! Just tell me what you’re going to do about it. God, if there was only someone else who could see me…’
    â€˜Ems,’ I say into a gap. ‘Ems, it’s just a setback! We’ll get him, don’t worry. It’s just going to take a bit longer than we thought, that’s all.’
    â€˜It was most unfortunate that Bagport was armed,’ Simon puts in. ‘I should have searched him first. Emeline, please don’t be angry with Daniel. The blame lies