Hounded

Alex’ bed-time sees us plough through three more chapters of Anthony Horowitz’ ‘Stormbreaker’ – the debut outing of Alex Rider (14 year old hero in the James Bond mould). I return to downstairs, where I find Emma with the cordless phone by her side. She passes it to me.

Emma: Ken called.
Shane: I’ll call him now.
Emma: He said to try him tomorrow – he’s gone to see a film.
Shane: Oh, right.
Emma: There’s something not quite right with him, y’ know.
Shane: I know, that’s why I like him.
Emma: He had a visit from the police.
Shane: What?
Emma: That Belgian girl reported him.
Shane: Why?
Emma: He stole her dog.
Shane: What?!
Emma: He met up with her in Norwich –
Shane: Why?
Emma: She was looking after some relative’s house and dog, she and he had an argument -
Shane: Wha-
Emma: I didn’t ask what it was about and stop interrupting. They had an argument and as he stormed off he picked up the dog lead, hooked the animal, and walked – took her an hour to notice, and, well, she reported it.
Shane: He kidnapped a dog?
Emma: I suppose. He took it back after a couple of hours, but it took her less time to report him.
Shane: But... if that was in Norwich, why would he get a visit from the police? Surely one Norfolk dog going missing for a couple of hours is hardly worth police visiting London?
Emma: It’s not ordinary behaviour though, is it?
Shane: Of course not, he’s Ken.
Emma: Ask him about it tomorrow.
Shane: I will.

This is the sort of thing that can happen when I leave Kenny to his own devices for too long. I already feel responsible. I'm a bad mother to that boy.