Queen hazel

Chapter 19

As we exited the tent, I heard shouts and screaming. The ringmaster was screaming at the workers there to catch us immediately. We had to run! Again. All the time I ran, I couldn't help but think about that encounter with Mr.Bilnos. I remembered overhearing that he hated circuses, and will never see them. So, why was he there? I shook my head, confused. We lost them in the forest, my friends shivering in fear. But I just couldn't be afraid when I was so confused.

"HAZEL! EARTH TO HAZEL!" Rose shouted in my ear, prodding me on the back.

"AGH!" I yelped. "Yep, yep. I'm alive, no need to worry. But did you see Mr Bilnos in the crowd? He said he absolutely hated circuses!"

Sadie frowned. "Now that you mention it, that does seem suspicious. We should investigate!"

Shadow nodded. "YIPPEE! Finally, my detective skills would be put to the test. The case of the weird Mr. Bilnos. And who will solve it? Superior Shadow of course! Sneaking under couches, spying through windows..."

I rolled my eyes. "Remind me why we allowed him to come." Rose shrugged, unaware of my sarcasm. We headed towards the direction of the mansion, and Shadow was like a GPS. He'd tell us when to turn, or which way to go, and we were fine by that. We didn't want to be lost forever!

When we arrived, ("Finally! Finally!" Howled Sadie, smooching the land tenderly.) We slipped through the golden gate and tip-toed into the grand mansion-stealth mode. Well, at least Shadow went in stealth mode, the rest of us merrily walked, Rocky and Sadie swooning at the huge lobby.

"DADDY! WHERE ARE MY NEW DOGS?!" A familiar posh voice echoed through the hallway.

"In a moment, dear. And before you ask, yes, it is a poodle and a chiwawa." A voice groaned-Mr. Bilnos. He didn't seem too excited, and there was a hint of annoyance and frustration in his voice.

Rose and I dived beneath a couch when we heard footsteps, I saw Rocky and Sadie jump behind a plant, and Shadow... Um.. He was being a detective, his entire focus on a small beetle.

"So, what do you know about the case of the weird Bilnos, Mr.Beetle."

The beetle chittered excitedly.

"Oh yes, thank you for your time, Mr. Beetle. It is most appreciated." Shadow said, nodding his head. (Seriously, did Shadow really talk beetle language?)

"Shadow!" I hissed, as Mr. Bilnos's butt came into view.

Shadow was immediately alert, and slid under the couch. "Detective Shadow is on the case." He said, angling his ears towards Mr. Bilnos's voice.

"Where are the dogs?!" He asked, clearly on the phone. There was silence when the other voice responded. "WHAT?! They're coming late?! Oh I can feel you're snickering on the other end, I'll call you on facetime, to make sure you're being really sincere." Mr. Bilnos threw his perfectly good phone on the ground, and snapped his fingers. A huge screen was lowered, and a prochracter nearby flicked on. A huge face appeared on the screen, a red haired man with freckles and curly short hair was shivering on-screen.

"S-sir." The redhead spoke.

"CHARLIE! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DELIVERY IS ALWAYS ON TIME??!!"

"I'm sorry sir. It won't happen again." Charlie spoke, looking very sincere.

Mr. Bilnos huffed. "Whatever. I don't care. You'll just have my daughter to deal with in a moment."

Charlie gulped, his face turning white with terror. "O-of course."

Mr. Bilnos paused the video call and called for Katilyn.

"KATILYN DEAR!"

A girl with purple hair (She dyed it again?) came rushing down the steps. "DADDY!!! Where are they? My cutie chiwawa and elegant poodle?" She asked, her eyebrows tight with concern. (Wow. She cares about dogs now?)

"Um.. About that dear. They're going to be running late, not my fault, though. It's because of you-know-who." Mr. Bilnos simpered.

"CHARLIE!!" Katilyn screamed, as if demanding for a servant.

"Yes dear. Would you like to talk to him? I know you would like to give him a telling-off."

"NO!! I can't bear to even hear the voice of that bird poop. Daddy, you talk to him, I'm going to my room." She started marching up the stairs again, but paused halfway. "Actually, we'll use earpieces, me and you. I'll tell you what I wish to say to poopy, and you tell him what you hear from me."

"Most certainly, dear."

After Katilyn tossed him an earpiece, and stomped up the stairs, Mr. Bilnos unpaused the video.

"CHARLIE!" Mr. Bilnos's voice boomed across the halls.

His voice made me shiver.

"Sir, the dogs are coming, no need to worry." Charlie's high-pitched voice started anxiously.

"Good. And let me tell you what my daughter wishes to say, she has quite a bit of things she wishes to share with you." Mr. Bilnos said with a sly smile.

Charlie nodded vigorously.

"So," He started. I could just imagine Katilyn shrieking into the earpiece, throwing insults and garbage everywhere, perhaps even throwing a tantrum. That, I would pay to see.

"YOU STUPID BIRD POOP! CAN'T EVEN GET DOGS TO ARRIVE ON TIME? I'M SURPRISED YOU EVEN MANAGED TO GET A JOB HERE!" Mr. Bilnos didn't actually say that himself, but shoved the earpiece against the microphone, so that Katilyn's voice could be heard loud and clear.

"Oh my, sir. You really do have a good way with voices." Charlie said, putting on a large fake grin.

"THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT ME!" Mr. Bilnos shouted. Uh- oh, wrong move, Charlie.

"Anyways," Mr. Bilnos continued. "Katilyn wishes to say that you should be fired on the spot."

The other line was silent for a moment, apparently, this was how all employers of Mr. Bilnos got fired.

"Oh sir, I'll do anything! In fact, I'll even pay the truck to move ten times faster so they can arrive here in a matter of seconds." Charlie begged, trying to win back Mr. Bilnos's favour.

"SHUT UP!" Mr. Bilnos demanded, stamping his feet. Charlie zipped his mouth shut. "So, as I was saying," Mr. Bilnos resumed, "Katilyn wishes you to be fired, and in fact I agree. If you can't make dogs arrive here on time, then you won't be able to give me important work files on time."

Charlie gasped. "Oh my sir. I can jolly well do that. Please give me another chance."

"Hmm." Mr. Bilnos thought for a moment, and Charlie's face lit up with hope. Mr. Bilnos shoved the earpiece against the microphone again.

"YOU ARE SOO FIRED CHARLIE!" Katilyn said, her voice filled with anger. I imagined her shaking with fury, ripping her underwear and snapping her many phones.

"Sir..." Charlie implored.

"No." Mr. Bilnos's answer was straight forward and certain.

"Of course." Charlie said, looking like he was trying hard not to burst into tears. "Sir." He quickly added.

A startling BEEP of the call ending startled a few servants, who came rushing and started realizing what just happened. They started backing away, not wanting the same to happen to them.

Katilyn was truly quite bossy! Just the way she bossed servants, her dogs, and her dad. Mr. Bilnos stormed up the stairs in a huff, a couple servants trailing after him. This was our chance! Time to find out what Mr. Bilnos was up to.