The Star Spear: Stolen Treasures, #3

By Susie Dinneen

A fast-paced adventure for readers aged nine to twelve. 

 

She hates being a thief, but if she wants to be free, she must do one final job: steal Viking treasure. Can she do it?   

 

Once again, Cairo is in the clutches of Gran, the cruel woman who taught her to pickpocket when she was a young girl and forced her into a life of crime. Living with Gran is miserable and Cairo is losing hope that she will be reunited with Astrid, the woman who wants to give her a home. 

 

Desperate to escape, Cairo is shocked when Gran offers her a way out. Cairo can return to Astrid, but only if she steals the Star Spear, a priceless Viking treasure. To succeed, she has to befriend a girl–and then betray her. Cairo doesn't know if she can, especially once she gets to know her and wants to be her friend. 

 

When Cairo realises Gran is keeping secrets about the Star Spear, she becomes determined to discover why it's so important to her. There's not much time as other dangerous people also want the treasure. 

 

With the clock counting down, Cairo has to make an impossible choice. If she obeys Gran she'll have to double-cross her new friend, but if she does what's right, she'll be trapped with Gran and never go home to Astrid. 

 

The Star Spear is the third book in the action-packed Stolen Treasures series. It's perfect for fans of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Read it for a tale of friendship, intrigue and bravery. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susie Dinneen
• Release date: Nov 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9780639739823

Susie Dinneen

Before Susie Dinneen became a writer, she was a reader, and before that she was a dreamer. Now she’s all of those things. She catches stories that flit and float through the air, which is what she’s really doing when it looks like she’s daydreaming (although sometimes she’s just daydreaming). Her first published book is Nombulelo and the Moth, a picture book for 4 to 8 year olds. It’s about love and being brave, even when there are leopards in the forest.  She’s currently working on the Stolen Treasures series of adventures for 9 to twelve year olds. The prequel short story, The Pickpocket and the Thief, is available for free on her website. The first Stolen Treasures novel is The Trunk of Stars.  She lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband, who’s a musician, and their cat, who pushes books off tables. One day she’ll have a library with a very comfy chair in it. She works as a creative director in a digital agency to fund her book habit. You can find her online at www.susiedinneen.com.

Book preview

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First published by Blue Moth Books 2022 Copyright © 2022 by Susie Dinneen

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

Susie Dinneen asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

ISBN: 978-0-6397-3981-6 (print)

ISBN: 978-0-6397-3982-3 (e-book)

For Lewis and Cole

Adventurers

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Contents

1.Promise

2.Fish and Chips

3.Safe Bag

4.Curiosities

5.Pippa

6.Lemonade

7.Dear Mum

8.Mermaid at the Circus

9.Impossible Places

10.The Shield Maiden

11.Lies

12.Sticky Situations

13.Into the Maze

14.The Night Market

15.Girls Only

16.Crimes

17.Lady Disgrace

18.Escape Plan

19.A Spy in a Movie

20.The Star Spear

21.Letters

22.Listening to the Dark

23.A Flash of Truth

24.A Secret Plan

25.Lock and Key

26.Stolen Starfish

27.Choices

28.Shredded Paper

29.Telephone Call

30.Home

31.Mum

32.Use Your Super Power

33.Acknowledgments

Promise

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It had been three weeks.

Three weeks of sharing a bed with Jojo using her as a pillow, in a cottage that smelled like burned toast. Three weeks of squashing into the front of the truck between Agatha and Aunt Griselda.

It had been three weeks since Cairo had seen Astrid, and the world grew colder every day they were apart.

Maybe she’d see her today.

Agatha sat next to Cairo in the Mulch and Sons Auctioneers truck, her small hands perched on the steering wheel. They were waiting for Aunt Griselda to emerge from the courthouse with Mr Hubert, their slimy lawyer. They’d gone to file for permanent guardianship of Cairo.

Instead of being adopted by Astrid, a dream Cairo had never even thought possible, she would have to stay with the Mulches. She would rather have gone into a foster home while the court decided her fate.

It was like travelling back into the past. Back then, Cairo had felt alone even while living with them in a ratty circus tent.

Now she had tasted the comfort and warmth of a real home and never wanted to let it go. Memories bubbled in her mind. Eating ice cream with Astrid in the middle of summer, the two of them laughing as they tried to lick up the sticky rivulets running down the sides of the cones. Lying on the living room floor with their feet propped up on the couch, talking about pharaohs and ancient Egyptian temples.

It had all been ripped away by the woman sitting next to her.

I can hear the gears in your brain grinding. Agatha slid her gaze over to Cairo.

Cairo shrugged. There was nothing to say to that. The only person she wanted to speak to was Astrid. Cairo turned her gaze back to the courthouse door across the street, willing Astrid to step out, wishing she’d yank open the truck door and whisk Cairo away.

Agatha tapped her pearly pink nails on the steering wheel. You know what I love about this? You brought it on yourself. If you’d just stayed put at that blondie’s house, this wouldn’t be nearly so easy for me. But you ran away like you always do, and suddenly your pretend mumsy looked negligent. And seeing as how I’m the one who raised you, they sent you back to me.

When Cairo’s only response was to stare out the window, Agatha poked her in the ribs. Oh, come on. Even you should see how funny that is.

Cairo gritted her teeth. She wanted to scream, to roar her pain and anger at Agatha. She was also ashamed because Agatha was right.

The day Cairo had seen The Mulch and Sons Auctioneers truck driving past Astrid’s house, she’d panicked and fled. Later that afternoon, when Child Services had come for a home visit in preparation for Astrid’s adoption of Cairo, Astrid hadn’t known where she was.

Eventually, Agatha huffed. Your pouting is annoying. Go and get me a paper. She opened her handbag and took out her purse. It was embroidered with a girl with black ringlets hugging a cocker spaniel. Neatly folded notes were tucked up against the blue satin lining within. Agatha dropped a few coins in Cairo’s hand and nodded towards the newsstand across the street.

Cairo didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. She hopped out of the truck, paused as a man on a motorbike rumbled past, and then crossed. When she glanced back over her shoulder, Agatha was watching her. She ran her fingers over the smooth edges of the coins in her pocket and sighed.

Astrid was so close, but Cairo hadn’t seen her yet. She probably wouldn’t. And then it would be four or five or even six weeks—or months—that she wouldn’t see her bright blue eyes and laugh with her.

While cars grumbled and spluttered on the street behind her, Cairo took her time pretending to choose a paper. Although Agatha hadn’t said which one she wanted, she read The Times every day.

When the moment was right, Cairo would make her move. If she acted too soon, she’d be busted.

The newsagent, a man with greased-back hair, looked at Cairo once and then didn’t pay her any more attention. He glared at a customer wearing a long grey coat who was reading a magazine called The Fly Fisher. When he licked his finger and turned the page, the newsagent said, You planning on buying that?

The other man shrugged. Need to see if I like it first.

Until you pay for it, you’d best stop gobbing on it.

A bus spewing dark fumes in its wake rounded the corner, and Cairo knew it was time. She waited until the front of the bus came between her and Agatha, then ran along the pavement towards the courthouse.

Her legs pumped. She gritted her teeth, forced herself to go faster, further away from Agatha. The doors to the courthouse came closer, she just needed to get up the steps, and she’d be inside.

She darted a glance over her shoulder. Agatha was already out of the truck and marching furiously towards her. Cairo didn’t have long.

She raced up the steps and through the wide doorway into the building. Astrid was in here somewhere, and Cairo was going to find her.

A light flickered in the reception area. The information desk slouched in the corner, a bored woman behind it filing her nails. Cairo could turn left or right. She looked back. Agatha was on the pavement, about to climb the steps.

Cairo bolted along the corridor on her left, her shoes smacking against the forest-green linoleum floor.

Would she be in time to see Astrid? If she’d chosen the wrong corridor, she might miss her. A woman came out of an office and had to press herself against the wall to avoid Cairo. She dropped the stack of files in her arms as Cairo raced past. Hey! Careful! she shouted.

Cairo didn’t pause. There was a tingling in her ears, a faint buzzing sound as she wondered if this was the last time she would see Astrid. No, it couldn’t be.

She came to a split in the passage. The right turn held a black wooden sign with white letters. Child Services.

Cairo flung herself in that direction. Shouts came from behind. Agatha had probably told the security guards to find her.

A door opened ahead, and Cairo readied herself to swerve around the person coming out of it. When she saw who it was, she stumbled.

Astrid’s arms went around her before her knees hit the floor. What are you doing, kiddo?

I had to see you. The words fell out in a jagged heap.

Astrid pulled her closer. Listen carefully. I’m going to get you back. I promise. But, for now, we’re not allowed to talk to each other. We have to follow their rules, okay? We’re going to do this right.

What? The words sank in. They had to follow the rules. Astrid would get her back. That meant that right now, Cairo was going back to the Mulches. She shook her head.

Astrid caught her chin and pulled back so she could look Cairo in the eyes. I know you’re strong enough to do this. We have to do what the court says. Trust me.

A voice came from behind Astrid. Unhand the girl.

Astrid’s blue eyes clouded over as she straightened and glared at the man who had spoken.

Before she could pull away, Cairo lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Astrid’s waist. No! she sobbed.

Astrid pulled her close one last time and whispered against the top of her head. It’s you and me, kiddo. Always. You’re brave. You can do this. Promise me you’ll follow the rules.

Cairo looked up at the woman who wanted to be her mother. Her throat was too tight for any words to escape, so she nodded. She was going away from Astrid, and there wasn’t anything they could do about it.

Footsteps marched down the passage, and a hand landed on her shoulder. It squeezed until Cairo let go.

Agatha put on her sweet grandmother act. Come, my dear. It’s for the best. Let’s get you home.

It felt as if a heavy blanket was draped over Cairo, muffling the sounds and blocking out the light, and she crumbled under its weight.

Fish and Chips

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The scent of vinegar and rancid oil wafted through the station. Cairo stood against the wall and watched the cook at the fish and chips counter wrap deep-fried hake in newspaper. He passed the wrapped fish to a man with leather patches on the elbows of his jacket.

It was late afternoon, the perfect time to find marks. People were tired and distracted, and the station was crowded enough to make bumping into commuters easy. Agatha had taught her this when she was eight.

Stealing had always pricked at Cairo’s heart, but she’d been forced to do it. It was just how her life had been. In the six months she’d lived with Astrid, that had all changed.

Cairo huffed her hair out of her eyes. Agatha had dropped her outside the station an hour earlier and told her to bring back something good.

A police officer whose belly sagged over his belt wandered the station length, turning around and repeating the beat when he reached the other side. His eyes had a faraway look while he rested his thumbs in his pockets, his fingers dangling out the sides.

Cairo wasn’t worried. She could outrun him—if he even spotted her.

She had been sucked back into her life with the Mulches, and the only reason they kept her was because she could steal and con people. Would Astrid even want her back after that?

Cairo placed her hand on the bag resting at her hip. Inside it was her most treasured possession: her mother’s journal. It was a link to the woman Cairo would never know, a peek back into her mind. What would her mother do if she were Cairo?

Cairo shook the thoughts away. Now wasn’t the time for daydreaming.

An older man shuffled towards the station exit, tugging the sides of his green cardigan closed as he prepared to step out into the cold afternoon. His jersey looked soft—maybe cashmere—and a gold strap on his wrist glinted out from one of the sleeves. Cairo could easily lift his watch. She’d be long gone before he even noticed it was missing.

He looked like someone’s grandpa, though. Unsuspecting. She imagined him realising that he’d been robbed. Cairo hesitated long enough that he left the station.

She couldn’t linger here all day—Jojo and Aunt Griselda were waiting for her at the cottage they had moved into. She needed to do this, even though it made her feel sick. Cairo didn’t want to be a thief again. She couldn’t, but it felt like she had no choice anymore.

If only she could walk out of the station and not look back, not stopping until she was home with Astrid.

That wasn’t going to happen. The easiest way out was to do what Agatha wanted and get it over with.

A woman rushed from the platform towards the exit. A folded newspaper peeked out from the magenta handbag dangling from her shoulder. She was perfect.

Cairo stepped away from the wall and approached her. Excuse me, could you please tell me the time?

Huh?

What’s the time, please? I’m supposed to meet my mother, and I can’t see her… Cairo stood on her tiptoes and peered around the station. Do you think she’s here? She wobbled and grabbed the sleeve of the woman’s coat to steady herself. Oops. This was the point she should put her hand in the woman’s bag and lift out her purse. But she looked up and watched her mark anxiously scanning the crowd as if she could spot an unknown girl’s mother.

An image of Astrid floated through Cairo’s mind. She took a deep breath for courage.

The woman’s eyes darted from the crowd to Cairo. She tugged back her sleeve to reveal her slim watch. It’s four fifty-three.

Oh, I’m early then. Thank you so much. Cairo walked away empty-handed.

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The cottage the Mulches were living in was cosier