Invisible! Read Online Free Page B

spoilt.’
    â€˜I am
not
.’ Rosie knelt at the bucket, scooped up icy water and splashed it on her face, scrubbing vigorously with her palms and using fingers to wash inside and behind her ears. ‘Spoilt kids have hot water and central heating. I have to make do with this old bucket.’
    Her father looked at her, stirring tea with a battered spoon. ‘Is that what you want, Rosie? Hot water and central heating?’
    She shrugged, reaching for the towel. ‘Sometimes, in winter.’ She rubbed herself warm and shook her tousled hair. ‘No, not really. Not if it means living in one place all the time, in a house.’ She draped the towel over a bush, got up and helped herself to porridge.
    She’d just started eating when she heard a vehicle approaching. It slowed, pulled off the road and came nosing along the bit of overgrown track their home was parked on. When he saw that it was a police car, Rosie’s father got to his feet. Not everybody liked travellers, and sometimes a visit from the police meant trouble.
    The car pulled up and two officers got out. One of them nodded to the watchful traveller.
    â€˜Morning.’
    â€˜Morning.’ Rosie’s father remained wary. ‘Is something wrong?’
    â€˜Why, sir, should it be?’
    The traveller shook his head. ‘Not that I know of.’
    â€˜Well that’s all right then, isn’t it?’ One officer, a woman, moved off and started walking round the ambulance as though she might be interested in buying it. The other gazed at its owner. ‘I’m Detective Sergeant Springer and that’s D.C. Widmead. Can I ask you where you were last night sir, between midnight and four a.m.?’
    â€˜I was here, sleeping. Where else would I be?’
    â€˜Where else?’ The policeman pulled a face. ‘
Somebody
was over by Inchlake Manor betweenthose hours, sir. I suppose it wasn’t you, by any chance?’
    â€˜I told you – I was here.’
    Rosie looked up at the officer. ‘He was, and so was I and so was Mum.’
    â€˜Where’s your mum now, miss?’
    â€˜Gone to the village.’
    â€˜I see.’ He looked at her father. ‘D’you mind telling me your name, sir?’
    â€˜Not at all. I’m Daddy Bear, and my wife is Mummy Bear.’
    The officer sighed. ‘Your
real
name sir, please.’
    â€˜That
is
my real name. I chose it myself. It’s not against the law, you know.’
    â€˜I know the law, sir. I’ll call DVLC with your vehicle registration. They’ll have your – er – previous name.’ He looked at Rosie. ‘Baby Bear, is it?’
    Rosie shook her head. ‘Rosie.’
    â€˜Thank God for that.’ He glanced towards his colleague, busy kicking one of the ambulance’s tyres. ‘Mind if we take a look inside the vehicle, sir?’
    â€˜What on earth for?’
    The officer shrugged. ‘You know, sir – routine.’ He frowned. ‘I could probably get a warrant.’
    The traveller shook his head. ‘That won’t be necessary. Help yourselves. We’ve nothing to hide, only don’t mess the place up. It’s our home.’
    â€˜Why’re they bothering us?’ hissed Rosie, when the officers had disappeared inside. Her father shook his head. ‘Not sure, sweetheart. Probably investigating a burglary at that place he mentioned – Inchlake Manor.’
    â€˜But why
us
, Dad? Why do people assume we’re criminals, just because we travel?’
    The big man shrugged. ‘Who knows? It’s an old prejudice. Gipsies. Tinkers. New Age travellers. We’re that little bit different, you see.’ He chuckled. ‘People have a problem with that.’
    The officers emerged after a minute or two, empty-handed. The man came over. ‘Right, sir, that’s all for now. You’re not planning to move on in the next day or two, are you?’
    The