Life and Times of the King. (Ch 8!)

[mikinare]

Thank you for all your lovely comments. My exams are over so I have some free time now to update. =] Hope you like Chapter Six. It's just a filler chapter really. <3

Chapter Six

It was early Sunday morning when Carl woke up. He had fallen asleep in his clothes, on top of the covers and still clutching the pillow. He remembered last night and closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose. The sunlight that filtered through the window highlighted the dust particles in the air. They danced and twinkled above the boy’s head. Carl couldn’t decide about what to do. He wanted so badly to warn his father of Matthew’s lies and deceit and to tell Jimmy that he was dating the world’s biggest hussie, but Matthew’s words echoed through his mind.

“Not everything is black and white.”

What was that supposed to mean? Carl shook his head as if to clear his mind of his troubles and rolled out of bed. He pulled on his football strip and brushed his teeth in his bathroom before plodding down the stairs. His stomach growled for breakfast and as he reached into the fridge for orange juice his father and two eldest brothers entered the kitchen.

“Morning.” Carl mumbled and poured the yellow liquid into a tall glass.

“I don’t know why you’re dressed like that – you’re grounded. You’re not going to football practice today.” Tom said sitting around the breakfast table with Jimmy and Matthew.

“But dad!” Carl protested. His father gave him a stern look and the boy’s face fell.

“Your breakfast better be more than that glass of juice and a Digestive Biscuit.”

Carl bit into the biscuit.

“You’re never going to put on weight if you keep eating like a mouse.”

“I don’t. I eat plenty. I just have a fast metabolism.” Carl grumbled. Tom gave him a sceptical look and opened the newspaper that had been laid out on the table. He began to read as he spoke.

“Since you have a free day you can come with me and take the dogs to the park.”

“What? No. Please!” Carl whined.

“Stop complaining. We can have some quality father-son time. Maybe I’ll get to the bottom of why you’ve been acting up lately.”

Matthew’s head shot up.

“Dad, you know, maybe you’ve been too hard on little Carlos. He did buy that alcohol for my birthday. It wasn’t like he was going to drink it.”

Jimmy glanced at Matthew curiously. Matthew normally loved it when Carl and Max were in trouble. Mostly as it took the heat away from him!

“Matthew, that is not the point. He stole money and he lied and his general behaviour hasn’t been acceptable for some time now.” Tom informed.

“I am here you know.” Carl moaned. Toby and Roxie barged through the kitchen door, tails wagging and tongues lolling out their mouths.

“Looks like the dogs need a good long walk.” Jimmy grinned. Carl glared at him, as did Matthew.

“Come on then, son. No time like the present. Get your shoes.”

Carl wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and watched his father walk out into the hall. Matthew glanced at Jimmy who was reading the paper and then looked towards his little brother. Carl caught his eye and watched as Matthew drew his finger across his throat in a ‘you’re dead’ gesture. Carl understood. If he said anything about the photos or tape, Matthew would finish him. He turned and made for the hall.

“See you boys later! Carl and I have a lot of catching up to do!” Tom yelled. A chorus of ‘bye’ rang through the house.



“Toby! Fetch!” Carl yelled and threw the stick with all his might. It soared through the air and the Great Dane barked and took off after it.

“So, do you want to tell me what’s being going on with you lately or are you just going to keep on avoiding the subject?”

“I’m not avoiding the subject.” Carl replied. The truth was he had been. He had been talking non-stop about football and music and the business, making sure to leave no time for his dad to ask him about what was wrong. He couldn’t lie to his father. Tom had a way of seeing right through him.

“What do you think about Sadie, Dad?” Carl asked. Tom chuckled slightly and shook his head.

“Fine. If you want to play it like that.” He took the stick from the dog’s mouth and threw it in the opposite direction from where Carl had.

“I like her. She’s good for Jimmy. She’s smart and strong and easy on the eye.” Tom winked at Carl who screwed up his face in disgust.

“What? You don’t like her?”

“She’s a witch.”

“Carl King!” Tom scolded. He frowned. “You get on with everyone you do. Why not Sadie? She’s a nice girl.”

“I don’t think you can trust her.”

Tom turned, hands on hips to give his son his full attention.

“Why should I have to trust her? She’s going out with Jimmy.”

“That’s……..That’s what I meant. Jimmy. Jimmy can’t trust her!” Carl stammered. His cheeks flushed hot pink.

“Carl, what is it?”

“I hear Max is seeing a girl.” Carl faked a laugh as he desperately changed the subject once more and turned away from his father’s harsh gaze.

“Carl.”

“Well she’s eleven and he thinks dating is letting her sit next to him in school.” Carl tried to fake another laugh, but it came out like a choking cough.

“Carl.”

“Oh look! Roxie is annoying a woman over there. I’ll just go get her.” The boy took off across the park. He needed to get away from his father. He was going to spill everything if he didn’t get some space. Half of him wanted to tell his dad the truth, but another voice at the back of his head was reminding him that there was something dodgy about the whole situation.

“Not everything is black and white.”

Carl apologised to the woman who Roxie had taken an interest in and dragged her back into the middle of the park by her collar. He looked up and saw his father watching him suspiciously. He squatted down hiding behind the dog’s flank and gathered his thoughts out of Tom’s sight.

He had to keep his mouth shut for now. He needed to find out exactly what was going on before he told his dad and Jimmy. Matthew had been ready to tell him something before Sadie had burst into his bedroom. He remembered what Sadie had said too.

“This is bigger than you’ll ever be able to understand!”

What was bigger? What had she been talking about? Was it Matthew and Sadie’s relationship she had been referring to? Or was it the business deal? He had to get to the bottom of this – no matter what.

[maryg]

#220108_09# MMMMMMMMMMMMM Very good cant wait to find out what it is. #220108_09# hurry up and tell me #220108_09#

and congradulations on your inpending exam results am sure you have done great #220108_03# #Beer_smiley#

[Jimmy Kings P.A.]

Wow! This is excellent!!!!!!!!!!

[missking]

thats mint loving it post more really soon please hope you get the results you want in your exams too

[eppsy]

Congrats for finsihing your exams.

Great chapter.

More soon please. x

[tomsgirl]

Wow Mikinare well your story is fab & you have a fab writing style I wish I could write as good as you do yours puts mine to shame.

Well done for finishing your exams & I am sure that your grades will be fab.
More soon please x

[mikinare]

Thank you guys for your feedback and messages about my exam results!! You all rock socks. =] This chapter is slightly longer than the others. I was going to make it into two separate chapters, but it didn't really work out that way. Anyways, I hope you like.

Chapter Seven

It was Sunday night and Carl had managed to walk back from the park with his dad and not spill the beans on Matthew’s secret. He had blamed school for his recent behavior. He had lied that the work had been stressing him out. He wasn’t entirely convinced his dad believed him, but the man let the matter drop. When he got home he avoided his family by staying in his room all afternoon. He needed to come up with a plan. He needed to get to the bottom of Sadie and Matthew’s deal. He had the feeling he was getting into something that was way over his head, but his curiosity and determination wouldn’t let him back down. He needed to know.

Okay, the tape had mentioned about some piece of land dad was going to buy, Carl thought. He clicked his fingers as a plan formed in his mind. He could sneak into his father’s office and hide the tenders and accounts his father had organized for the business deal. Those were what Matthew was going to photocopy and show Sadie’s father. If he couldn’t find them then it would buy the boy some time to think about what to do next. He had to play this buy ear.

“Carl!! Dinner’s ready!” Max yelled from downstairs. The boy licked his lips. Every Sunday, after dinner, his father always took his brandy into the library with Jimmy and Matthew and talk for half an hour. That was his chance. He would sneak into the office while they were distracted and Max was outside playing with his friends.

The teenager ran downstairs and into the dining room. Smells of a traditional Sunday roast flooded his senses and his taste buds watered.

He took his normal seat round the table which was across from Matthew and beside Max. His little brother smiled at him as he took his seat.

“Guess what?” Max whispered. Carl bent down so his brother could whisper into his ear.

“I dropped potatoes when I was putting them on our plates and guess who I gave the dirty ones?”

Carl grinned and shrugged and his little brother suppressed a giggle.

“I put them on Matt’s plate.”

Both boys glanced over as their big brother forked a large roast potato into his mouth and they erupted into fits of laughter. Carl held his hand out under the table and Max high fived him. It was the first time he had laughed all weekend.

“Nice one.”

“Well I know he’s been giving you a hard time lately.” Max explained and smothered his food in tomato ketchup.

“What you two fairies muttering about?” Matthew mumbled. They gave him innocent looks and simultaneously said,

“Nothing.”

“Yeah right.”

Dinner was uneventful. Max talked about school and his ‘girlfriend’, Jimmy droned on about how wonderful Sadie was, Matthew steered the conversation towards business and Carl kept quiet. Tom cleared his throat as he put down his knife and fork. He patted his stomach.

“I think it’s time for a brandy, eh lads?”

Jimmy grinned and stood to pour three glasses.

“Can I go outside now please, dad?” Max asked.

“Have you done all your homework?”

“Yeah.”

“Good boy. Yes, you can go outside, but don’t go far. You’ve to come back inside early for school tomorrow.”

“Okay!” Max pushed his chair out and scampered to the front door.

“Have you done your homework, Carl?”

“Eh, I haven’t done all of it.”

“Which means he hasn’t started.” Jimmy translated with a chuckle.

“I have too!” Carl moaned.

“Well, I want you to go upstairs and finish it.” Tom ordered. “I don’t know why you can’t be more like Max. He works first and plays later.”

Carl shrugged. “Okay, I’ll go do it.”

“That was fast.” Jimmy observed.

“What?”

“Normally dad has to drag you upstairs to get it done.”

“Whatever.” Carl left the living room. This was perfect. When his family thought he was upstairs working on an English report he could sneak into his dad’s office.

He ran upstairs and stood outside his bedroom door and then to fool his family into thinking he had went into his room he opened and closed the door. The office was downstairs at the far left of the house. The tricky part was sneaking past the dining room and library.

He hoisted himself up on the banister and slid down it to avoid the squeaky stairs. When he got to the bottom he jumped off and landed as quietly as he could. He felt like James Bond. A James Bond who would sneak through his own house in a pair of shorts and a football top, he snickered to himself.

He crept through the hall and past the living room. A noise had him diving into the TV room and hiding behind the sofa. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was just Roxie looking for a place to hide her rubber bone. As he made his way further into the house he came to the door that led into the dining room and library. He peeked through the gap between the hinge and the door and saw his dad and brothers relaxing on large leather arm chairs with a cigar in one hand and a glass of brandy in another.

They began to laugh loudly at something Tom had said and Carl, deciding they were distracted enough performed a front roll to the other side of the door.

“007 eat that!” He whispered and sprinted to the back of the house. His father had built an extension on their home and turned it into his very own office. The teenager gripped the handle of the door and turned it slowly, quietly pulling it open. Slipping in he took another minute to close it. On tiptoes he made his way through a narrow corridor until he came to a glass door. The door of his father’s office. He pulled down on the handle and pushed his weight forward, but the door didn’t open.

“Shoot!” He thumped a fist down on his thigh. The door was locked. He looked about the small room and noticed a rectangular window a foot above his head. He chewed his lip. His father always complained about the heat in his office. Carl knew the window would be open. If he squeezed through this one he could jump onto the window ledge of the office and get in.

He pulled himself through the window and swung his legs down, his feet hitting the brick that extended out at the bottom of the glass. Judging the distance he twisted around and jumped across to the office window’s ledge and grabbed hold of the window frame to steady him. He breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the window open, jumping into the office.

“This better be worth it.” He muttered to himself as he walked over to the desk that was in the corner of the room. He pulled out drawers and leafed through papers sitting on top of the desk, but his search was in vain.

“Where are you?” He asked out loud. His father organized things by date and he knew the deal had been made pretty recently. He strode over to the filing cabinet. If only he knew the name of the land. Sadie had just said it was around the area where they lived on the tape. He groaned in frustration. Maybe Matthew has already got a copy of them?

He ran a hand over his hair, making it stick up in all directions. If Matthew had already photocopied the paper work the game was over. The boy closed the filing cabinet and paced the office in frustration. On his fifth trek back across the office he caught sight of a red tray underneath the desk drawers. He dropped to his knees and pulled it out anxiously. Inside were three folders. He opened the first. There were accounts and letters and pictures of buildings. He closed the folder disheartened. Picking up the other he flicked through with renewed hope, but it turned out to be printed off e-mails and lists of numbers of lawyers and building companies.

The third folder was pale blue and he opened the plastic cover willing it to be information about land. His eyes lit up as pictures slid out the file into his lap. It was photographs of a large field from different angles. There were also accounts written up and dated not long ago and various papers and balance sheets that Carl couldn’t understand. It had to be this. He flicked through some more papers until he found a hand-written note by his father. It was a list of names of people interested in the land too. He chuckled to himself. His father would know his competitors inside out. He was a diligent businessman. Scanning the list he caught sight of a last name he recognised. It was Sadie’s last name. Sadie’s dad!! He grinned and put the file back together. He’d found it! If Sadie’s father was interested in this land, then that had to be the paper work Matthew was going to copy. As the teenager was mentally praising himself for the find and getting to his feet so he could go back to his room and hide the folder, he heard a noise that made his blood run cold – the noise of a key opening a lock. He froze. Someone was coming inside!!

[maryg]

awwwwwwwwww poor Carl how will he get out of this one

very good update soon please

[eppsy]

Ooo, will Carl be caught?

Love the suspense. That was a great chapter.

More please. x

[missking]

post more soon i wonder whats going to happen too him

[tomsgirl]

WoW yet another fab update here Mikinare more soon please x

[eppsy]

Post more soon, can't wait to see if Carl gets caught. x

[Jimmy Kings P.A.]

WOW! This is fab!

[missking]

post more soon please x

[eppsy]

More soon pleaseeeee. x

[tomsgirl]

More soon please with a cherry on the top x

[rooneyc7]

more soon please xx

[mikinare]

Heyyy. Sorry I have been neglecting this story. I will update. Don't worry! I have just been working so much lately. Try update tomorrow! Thanks for all the encouragement!! <3

[mikinare]

Sorry for the long wait!! Here is Chapter Eight!


Chapter Eight


As the door opened slightly, Carl glanced to the window. It was too far away to make outside. He held his breath and cramped himself under the desk, bringing his knees to his chest and clutching the file in front of him. He couldn’t see much out from under the desk apart from a pair of black, leather shoes. They were too small to be Jimmy’s, which meant it was Matthew or his dad. He prayed they wouldn’t hear the hammering of his heart. It sounded deafening to him.

“Where are you?”

Carl nearly fainted. It was his father’s voice. He was searching for something.

“Dad if you can’t find it, don’t worry.” Jimmy’s voice floated into the room as did another pair of shoes.

“How about you two go sit down and I’ll have a look.”

Carl dropped his forehead to his knees. Matthew had entered the office too. He was so dead if they walked behind the desk.

“I’m not leaving you alone in my office, son, there are too many secrets wrapped up in here.” Tom joked and then laughed loudly.

“You know I’m not interested in any of your business.” Matthew replied quickly.

LIAR! Carl screamed in his head. He bit his bottom lip in anger.

“I’m only kidding you, Matthew. I’m sure it was in here.”

What were they looking for?

“I’ll try in this cabinet.”

The floor creaked as his father walked to the other side of the room. He pulled open an old filing cabinet.

“So, do the two of you know what’s going on with your brother?”

“Which one?” Jimmy asked. Matthew coughed nervously.

“What do you mean ‘which one’? The one that always has cause for concern.”

Carl glared at the desk in the direction of his dad.

“He’s just a little attention seeker. We should just ignore him.” Matthew said.

“The kid is just at that age.” Jimmy piped in. “Teenage problems.”

“Hmm.” Tom didn’t sound entirely convinced. “Ah ha! Found it!”

“Nice!” Jimmy jeered.

“Finest whisky.”

Carl clenched his fists. He’d nearly been caught sneaking into his father’s office over a bottle of whisky??!!

“C’mon, lads. Let’s go and have a taste, shall we?”

“I’ll be right there, dad. I just want to check my e-mails.”

“Do it later, Matt.” Jimmy moaned.

“It’ll only take a sec.” Matthew’s feet moved around the side of the desk. Carl could feel the sweat on his forehead.

“Matthew, since when have you ever stalled tasting some of this.”

There was silence.

“Is something up?” Tom asked suspiciously.

“No, no.”

“Well come on then. Check that thing later.” Jimmy ushered him out of the room. As the door shut, Carl gasped in a full lungful of air. They were gone and he hadn’t been caught!

As soon as his brothers' voices had faded down the hallway Carl walked to the office door and grinned as he found it unlocked. Sneaking out he tucked the file under his hooded jumper and dashed back upstairs.

When he made it back into his bedroom he took another look at the file. He couldn’t understand half of what was going on, but he knew that it was important. He needed to hide this. Glancing around his room he spotted his car magazine collection. Pulling out the copy with his favourite car on the front he slotted the file in between two pages and shut it over, replacing it on the shelf.
He sighed deeply, a weight seemingly been removed from his slender shoulders. He had got the file, the file that Matthew was after and now he could stop his older brother from betraying his family.

At that thought, his gaze trailed across the room to his school bag. He had a mountain of homework to finish for tomorrow. Monday. He couldn’t believe he had to go to school after the weekend he had had. The teenager pulled out various coloured jotters and textbooks and got to work.




“Bye Carl.” Colleen, a girl in Carl’s class spun around suddenly and kissed his cheek. The boy felt his cheeks turn hot pink. It was Monday afternoon and school had finished for the day.

“Uh, bye.” He watched her saunter up her garden and flash him a smile before she walked in her front door. He swallowed. Colleen was so pretty and everyone at school said she wanted to kiss him. He was a little nervous at that thought. He had kissed a girl before, but she wore glasses and had frizzy hair so the kiss didn’t mean all that much to Carl. Colleen was different. She had big, expressive eyes and smooth, shiny hair and lips that smelt of cherry lip balm.

The boy bit down on his lip and continued on his route walking home. School had been boring as usual. The only thing that had kept him sane was Colleen in a skirt and Mr Dolton, their Maths Teacher, tripping over the bin. He remembered how the whole class has laughed loudly for a good five minutes while the man had stuttered and mumbled in embarrassment.

As he reached the gates of his house his family’s problems drowned him in a tidal wave of depression. He hadn’t thought once about Matt or Sadie at school and now it seemed as he neared his house that that was all he could think about. It wasn’t fair.

“I’m home!” Carl yelled as he closed the front door.

“Hi!” Max sprinted through from the TV room, already changed in jeans and a t-shirt. “What kept you so long?”

“Some of us have to walk home from school, Max.”

The younger boy grinned. “Oh yeah, Dad came and picked me up.”

“Where is everyone?”

“Matt and Jimmy went to play golf and Dad’s gone away on a business trip.”

“What? Gone where? For how long?” Carl grabbed his little brother’s shoulders.

“I don’t know, Carl.” Max squirmed free. “He just said he was going for a little while. I got to stay by myself for a whole ten minutes.”

“He just left ten minutes ago?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn it!” Carl punched his thigh in frustration. He was planning on telling his dad everything tonight.

“What’s wrong, Carl?”

“Nothing. Forget it. Go and watch the rest of your cartoons.”

“Aren’t you coming too?”

“No, Max. It’s only kids who watch those. I have important business to deal with.”

Max gave him a sceptical look. “Want me to record X-Men for you?”

“Yeah, okay.” Carl stalked into the kitchen as Max dashed back to the TV. The teenager poured some orange juice and gulped it down quickly. He needed to find out when his dad was getting home. Matthew would go looking for that file in his father’s absence. When he realised it wasn’t in his office he’d become suspicious. Suspicious Matthew always led to an angry Matthew which usually meant one beat up, sore Carl.

Carl had to keep a low profile for the next few days, he had to stay away from Matthew and not cause any trouble. He re-filled his glass with orange juice. He had to be silent as a mouse, no trouble, absolutely none, concentrate on school and not.........

“Ahhh!” Carl tripped over a loose shoe lace and fell through the kitchen door. The juice flew from his glass and landed on a dark mop of hair.

“Oh man....” Carl moaned, finding his footing. Matthew looked up from his golf club and fixed his younger brother with a death-stare. His hair and face was covered in sticky orange liquid.

“Matthew....I didn’t mean to....It was an accident...” Carl stammered out as he backed away from his seething brother.

“Come here!” Matthew roared and took off after Carl. As Carl ran for his life a thought came to mind – this is what happens when I try to stay out of trouble!!!

[missking]

hahahaha poor carl i am loving it post more soon please

[maryg]

Great update need to read more

[tomsgirl]

WoW what another fab update here Mikinare. More soon please as I want to see what happens next.

[tomsgirl]

More soon please x

[missking]

post more soon please

[tomsgirl]

Please post more soon x

[missking]

please post more soon