Product Description
When Ethan Blaine’s baby sisters die of cot death, his world is plunged into confusion. But things get worse when Ethan’s mother is accused of murder by an over-zealous doctor. So, with the help of his new book-wise friend Lexie Thatcher (a judge’s daughter), Ethan does the only thing that any internet-savvy kid can do – he turns detective!
By using the Internet and hacking into various computer networks, Ethan discovers a web of lies and corruption involving a devious doctor and a crooked social worker. But it turns personal when he finds out that his parents themselves may be involved in a baby-selling racket.
And with his mother’s case now being heard by the jury, the intrepid Ethan realizes that he cannot solve the case from the comfort of his room and the safety of his computer. He most go out into the world to find the answers – even if it means risking his life …
EXTRACT:
I was woken up at five o’clock in the morning by someone ringing the doorbell and banging on the door very loudly.
“Open up!” shouted a voice from outside. “This is the police!”
My room faces the back garden, so I barely heard it. I think I’d been dreaming, so when I woke I wasn’t sure if it was part of the dream. But the banging continued. So I got up and staggered to the stairs, barely awake. I got there just in time to see dad also staggering down the last few steps.
“Dad what is it?” I called out from the top of the stairs as dad reached the front door.
“Get back to your room,” dad replied turning back briefly to look at me. “I’ll deal with it.”
Of course, I didn’t go back to my room. I stayed at the top of the stairs to watch. Dad opened the door and three or four policemen barged past him. One of them – an older man in his forties – wasn’t wearing a uniform. That meant he was a plain-clothes detective – I know that from The Bill. He held up a piece of paper, practically shoving it in dad’s face.
“I’m Inspector Hart of the Metropolitan Police, Area Two. I have here a warrant for the arrest of Linda Blaine on suspicion of the murder of Davida Blaine and a warrant to search these premises. Where is your wife, Mr Blaine?”
I froze in panic. What on earth was going on? Mum didn’t kill the baby! The babies had died of cot death! Both of them! At least that’s what the doctors said!
“This is ridiculous!” dad snapped. But he didn’t sound angry. I’ve heard him when he’s angry and this didn’t sound anything like it. It sounded more like he was afraid. I’d never heard him sounding frightened before… and I think it made me a bit afraid too.
But I didn’t stick around long enough to hear anything else. I ran straight into Mum and dad’s bedroom – ahead of the two policemen who were striding quickly up the stairs. Actually one of them was a policewoman. She followed me into the bedroom, while the policeman stood in the doorway.
The policewoman looked at my mum.
“Mrs Blaine, we have a warrant for your arrest on suspicion of the murder of Davida Blaine.”
...“We have people from social services waiting downstairs,” said Inspector Hart.
“You’re taking him into care?” said Dad. I could hear the anger in his voice – and this time it was real anger and not just fear.
“It’s purely a precautionary measure,” said Inspector Hart.
“Am I being arrested?” said dad. Again the anger was real.
“Not as long as you don’t interfere with the execution of the warrant to arrest your wife or the search warrant for the premises.”
“Then why can’t Ethan stay with me?”
“Like I said, it’s purely a precaution. You may wish to attend the police station when your wife is questioned, or to make arrangements with a lawyer. The boy will need to be looked after in the meantime.”
... By now, I was clinging on to dad, while I watched mum being led away. I understood what they were talking about. And from the way mum was looking at me, I knew that she did too. Mum was being arrested and I was being taken away from dad.
By using the Internet and hacking into various computer networks, Ethan discovers a web of lies and corruption involving a devious doctor and a crooked social worker. But it turns personal when he finds out that his parents themselves may be involved in a baby-selling racket.
And with his mother’s case now being heard by the jury, the intrepid Ethan realizes that he cannot solve the case from the comfort of his room and the safety of his computer. He most go out into the world to find the answers – even if it means risking his life …
EXTRACT:
I was woken up at five o’clock in the morning by someone ringing the doorbell and banging on the door very loudly.
“Open up!” shouted a voice from outside. “This is the police!”
My room faces the back garden, so I barely heard it. I think I’d been dreaming, so when I woke I wasn’t sure if it was part of the dream. But the banging continued. So I got up and staggered to the stairs, barely awake. I got there just in time to see dad also staggering down the last few steps.
“Dad what is it?” I called out from the top of the stairs as dad reached the front door.
“Get back to your room,” dad replied turning back briefly to look at me. “I’ll deal with it.”
Of course, I didn’t go back to my room. I stayed at the top of the stairs to watch. Dad opened the door and three or four policemen barged past him. One of them – an older man in his forties – wasn’t wearing a uniform. That meant he was a plain-clothes detective – I know that from The Bill. He held up a piece of paper, practically shoving it in dad’s face.
“I’m Inspector Hart of the Metropolitan Police, Area Two. I have here a warrant for the arrest of Linda Blaine on suspicion of the murder of Davida Blaine and a warrant to search these premises. Where is your wife, Mr Blaine?”
I froze in panic. What on earth was going on? Mum didn’t kill the baby! The babies had died of cot death! Both of them! At least that’s what the doctors said!
“This is ridiculous!” dad snapped. But he didn’t sound angry. I’ve heard him when he’s angry and this didn’t sound anything like it. It sounded more like he was afraid. I’d never heard him sounding frightened before… and I think it made me a bit afraid too.
But I didn’t stick around long enough to hear anything else. I ran straight into Mum and dad’s bedroom – ahead of the two policemen who were striding quickly up the stairs. Actually one of them was a policewoman. She followed me into the bedroom, while the policeman stood in the doorway.
The policewoman looked at my mum.
“Mrs Blaine, we have a warrant for your arrest on suspicion of the murder of Davida Blaine.”
...“We have people from social services waiting downstairs,” said Inspector Hart.
“You’re taking him into care?” said Dad. I could hear the anger in his voice – and this time it was real anger and not just fear.
“It’s purely a precautionary measure,” said Inspector Hart.
“Am I being arrested?” said dad. Again the anger was real.
“Not as long as you don’t interfere with the execution of the warrant to arrest your wife or the search warrant for the premises.”
“Then why can’t Ethan stay with me?”
“Like I said, it’s purely a precaution. You may wish to attend the police station when your wife is questioned, or to make arrangements with a lawyer. The boy will need to be looked after in the meantime.”
... By now, I was clinging on to dad, while I watched mum being led away. I understood what they were talking about. And from the way mum was looking at me, I knew that she did too. Mum was being arrested and I was being taken away from dad.
