Gatwick Bear and the Secret Plans by Anna Cuffaro Read Free Book Online Page A

beautiful Italian marble. And, in the middle of the huge reception area was a lively fountain with water shooting up and breaking up into transparent drops as it danced into the silvery pool. A man was smiling at them from behind the shiny wood-panelled reception desk:
    â€œGood evening, sir; good evening, madam. How can I help you?” he said.
    Gatwick told the man that they had just come from Lugano City Airport. The security man there had directed them to this hotel. They needed somewhere to stay for the night.
    â€œThen you have come to the right place”, the man answered. “We have an indoor swimming pool, an award-winning restaurant, as well as an American grill room. Each room is hand decorated. Would you like a suite?”
    Well that was music to Gatwick’s ears. He’d stopped feeling sick. Of course, he’d like a sweet. Little Sister said she’d like one, too.
    â€œWe only have one free: the roof-garden suite. You can share it. It splits into two quite well”, he told them.
    They thought that sharing a sweet would be fine. Though they weren’t sure what a roof-garden sweet looked like or what flavour it was.
    â€œCould you describe it to us, please?” Little Sister asked.
    â€œIt’s beautiful and extremely elegant in soothing pastel shades and covered in richly coloured layers of fabric. Very cool in summer and warm in winter. Everyone enjoys it very much – it’s a memorable experience”.
    Both together the bears shouted: “We’ll have it!”.
    The receptionist continued: “The room has a view looking out onto the mountains and landscaped Italian sunken gardens. There are two en suite bathrooms with an en suite jacuzzi, small living room, four-poster beds with brass fittings and water mattresses, flat-screen TV...”
    â€œThat’s OK”, interrupted Gatwick, getting bored with the list. “We don’t mind what’s in it. We only want a place to sleep for the night because we got thrown out of the airport. So we don’t mind what it’s like”.
    â€œAh, and if you decide to extend your stay, you will receive a ten percent discount”. Gatwick knew what ‘ ten’ was, but he had no idea what ‘ percent’ meant – maybe they were sweets, too! The receptionist, still smiling, gave them a key each and signalled the porter to carry their cases up. They went up in the mirrored lift and stepped out into the plush corridor when the doors opened to the sound of ‘ ding’. Down the corridor they stomped until they came to a polished wooden door with golden knocker and handle.
    In the meantime, the bus driver had arrived home to his wife. “What hava you made for me, my bella?” he asked his wife, recognising the smell of pasta bolognese wafting in from the kitchen.
    â€œPasta bolognese, amore mio. Mada wida my own handsa”, she said, as she wiped her hands on her apron.
    â€œThatsa what I like”, he said to please  her.
    â€œDida you hear about de robbery today at the banka?
    â€œNo, tell me whata happened”.
    â€œLooka here, you canna read in de Lugano City News”, she said thrusting the paper under his nose.
    â€œOh, mamma mia, I know who dida dis. It wasa dose bear I took to de airport! He only hada silva shillin when he arrive and hada full box ofa money and a girl when he went!”
    â€œOh, mamma mia, mamma mia”, shouted his wife. “You musta calla de polis this minute”.
    She passed him the phone. The police had shut down for the night. He’d phone them first thing in the morning, when he got up for his late shift at 11 o’clock, and tell them everything he knew.

17  Five-star Life
    Gatwick and Little Sister were busy making themselves comfortable in their suite. Little Sister went through all the trinkets in the bathroom. She put on the plastic shower cap, then went and sat on the water bed and started playing