Part 6 (1/2)

She slumped down, her head in her hands, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. She was s.h.i.+vering uncontrollably and her hand hurt like h.e.l.l.

Ace looked at it. Blood oozed from her knuckles; the back of her hand was swollen and purple. G.o.d knows what sort of dent she had made in the bonnet of the cab. Wiping her eyes she gave a humourless laugh.

'Don't know your own strength.'

Wrapping a paper towel around her injured hand she pulled the Doctor's bug out of her pocket and stared at it. She could see the whole set-up now. Repairing her jacket, his suggestion of a little walk.

Coming apart at the seams, he had said.

'Yeah, right, Professor. And whose fault is that?'

She felt herself flushed with anger again. Why had he felt the need to bug her? What the h.e.l.l was he playing at? Why couldn't he just talk to her, for G.o.d's sake?

She stood up and lifted the toilet seat. She was d.a.m.ned if she was going to be used again. This time the Doctor's little plan would stop right here. She held the bug over the bowl, reaching for the handle, then she stopped, a smile curling the edge of her mouth.

She had suddenly had a much better idea.

Crowds were leaving the gate of London Zoo when Ace arrived. A sea of umbrellas, families huddled underneath, making their way back home. Ace checked her watch. It was nearly five thirty, the place would be closing soon.

s.h.i.+vering, she pulled her jacket around her and hurried over to the ticket barrier.

'You haven't got long, love, said the neatly uniformed man at the ticket window. 'We shut in half an hour.'

'It's OK.' Ace gave him a weak smile. 'I know where I'm going.'

'Well, that will be two s.h.i.+llings then, please, miss.'

Taking her ticket, Ace pushed through the turnstile and crunched down the neat gravel path into the zoo. She stopped at a tall white-36 washed pole pierced with arrows, nodding to herself.

'This will show him.'

Bugging device grasped tightly in her hand, Ace made her way through the straggling line of sodden sightseers to a large white-washed but in the centre of the zoo. She pushed open the door and a wave of warm, musty air wafted over her. Gooseb.u.mps ran up her Spine. This was the warmest she'd been all day.

The monkey house was long and narrow, cages ranged along one wall. Dozens of inquisitive eyes turned towards her as she stepped into the hut. A small boy was talking excitedly to his parents at the far end of the room; apart from them the place was deserted.

Ace pretended to read the various notices about where the different species were from and what they ate, all the time keeping an eye on the family. Eventually the boy tired of the antics of the monkeys and scurried out, pursued by his mother and father.

Checking quickly around her, Ace climbed over the low fence that bordered the cages. One of the monkeys ambled over to her, climbing the mesh of his cage and looking at her quizzically.

'h.e.l.lo, matey, feeling hungry?'

Ace delved in her pocket and brought out the bag of nuts that she had bought at a sweetshop. The monkey was joined by several of his fellows all looking at her expectantly.

Ace ripped the bag open and shook the nuts into her hand. A dozen arms thrust out though the cage, grasping for the nuts, the apes chattering excitedly. Ace let them grab a few handfuls, then held the bug out. 'How about a nice toy to play with as well, hmm?'

A hairy paw s.n.a.t.c.hed it from her. Ace watched as the monkey chewed experimentally on the small gunmetal shape. Finding it inedible, it threw the bug across the cage, tutting in irritation. Ace nodded in satisfaction.

'That's right, you kick the nasty old thing around the cage for a while.'

She smiled. By the time the Doctor found it, it should be covered in monkey s.h.i.+t, or better still swallowed. That would teach him to take the p.i.s.s out of her. She stuck a handful of nuts in her mouth.

'Cheers, lads.'

'Is spending time with these boys the best offer you got this evening?'

A lazy American drawl. Ace jumped and spun. A youngish male figure was silhouetted in the doorway.

'You know, you're really meant to stay on this side of the barrier.'

The figure moved forward into the light. A janitor or something, wearing a dark blue boilersuit and carrying a broom. Guiltily, Ace climbed back over the low fence.

'Just wanted to get a closer look.'

37.The man looked at her, eyes twinkling. 'Lucky them.' He grinned cheekily. 'A pretty face and nuts, you've made their day.'

'If I'd known it was such a big deal for them, I'd have made more of an effort.' Ace tugged at her matted hair. 'They're not catching me at my best.'

The young man grinned again and stretched out his hand. 'I'm Jimmy.'

'Ace.' Ace reached to shake his hand, then realised hers was still wrapped in its makes.h.i.+ft bandage, blood from her knuckles staining the tissue paper.

Jimmy frowned. 'Hey, are you OK?' He nodded at the monkeys. 'They didn't do that, did they? There's a lot you can catch from a chimp...'

'No.' Ace shook her head. 'I did this punching a taxi-cab.'

Jimmy raised a quizzical eyebrow. 'Oh?'

'It's a long story.'

'Well, there's a first aid kit over in the hut. You can tell me while I find a slightly better bandage for you.'

'No, it's all right.' Ace shook her head. 'I'm fine, really...'

'Or I could call the head keeper. It's what I'm meant to do if we find people where they shouldn't be. It's up to you.

Ace sighed. 'Do you always blackmail women to get them back to your hut?'

Jimmy shook his head. 'Normally I just club them unconscious and drag them back by the hair. I'm making an exception in your case.'

He held the door open. Please?'

Ace smiled and nodded. Her hand was still throbbing, and she had nothing better to do. Besides Jimmy was cheeky, good looking and kind, and at the moment that was just what she needed.

From the window of the reptile house an old man watched as Jimmy and Ace dashed through the rain to the little keeper's but and tumbled inside, shutting the door behind them.

Smiling to himself, the man eased open the lid of a small wooden box and plucked out a struggling locust with his finger and thumb. He brought the insect up to his face and peered at it.