Hannah in the Spotlight by Natasha Mac a'Bháird Read Free Book Online Page B

behaviour … completely careless … think they’d been brought up in a zoo … not like in my day …’
    ‘But Hannah!’ Bobby said loudly.
    ‘SHUSH!’ said Mr Jenkins. ‘No shouting in the library!’
    Bobby ignored him. ‘Hannah, I can’t find Maisie.’

Chapter Seven
    With a jump I realised how long it was since I’d seen Maisie. I had been so caught up in the book, and then in the row, that I hadn’t even glanced over to the table where she’d been colouring.
    Tracey sniggered. ‘You really shouldn’t be allowed out. Those children need a proper babysitter. You know, one who doesn’t let them tear up books, and generally knows where they are?’
    I ignored her. ‘Stay here,’ I ordered Zach and Bobby.
    ‘Hey!’ shouted Mr Jenkins, forgetting his own rule about not shouting in the library. ‘Where do you think you’re going – I haven’t finished!’
    I ignored him too. I rushed over to the children’s section. No Maisie at the colouring table, no Maisie at the comfy chairs along the window. No Maisie in any of the book aisles. No Maisie in front of the audiobooks and DVDs.
    I checked the toilets, even though I didn’t really think Maisie would have gone in there on her own – she’s scaredof the noisy handdryers. No one there either.
    I was starting to panic now. Where could she have got to? Surely she wouldn’t have left the library all on her own – would she? Maisie was a daydreamer – what if she got it into her head that we’d gone home without her, and decided to follow us?
    I rushed to the window and looked out onto the road. The first thing that caught my eye was the church hall where Mum had taken Emma to Tiny Tunes. Could Maisie have tried to go there to find Mum? It was on the other side of the road, across four lanes of traffic.
    I felt sick with fear. Maisie was only five – there was no way she should be out on her own, never mind trying to cross a busy street. Desperate, I ran back over to the desk.
    ‘Now look here …’ Mr Jenkins began once again.
    ‘Don’t tell me you’ve lost another one!’ Tracey could hardly keep the glee out of her voice.
    ‘What’s going on?’
    I could have cried with relief. Rebecca, the nice young red-haired librarian, was standing behind Mr Jenkins, a look of true concern on her face.
    ‘I’ve lost Maisie,’ I told her, trying to hold back the tears. ‘I’ve searched the children’s section, and I can’t find her anywhere.’
    Zach had pretty much stopped crying about the book, but looked like he was on the verge of crying about Maisieinstead, and even Bobby wasn’t far behind him.
    ‘Don’t worry, I’m sure she hasn’t gone far,’ Rebecca said. Her voice was so calm and kind that I felt reassured at once. ‘Now, why don’t you two boys come and sit down over here with your books, and I’ll help Hannah look for Maisie.’
    Taking absolutely no notice of grumpy old Mr Jenkins, Rebecca steered the two boys over to a couch in a central spot where we’d be able to keep an eye on them. She turned back to me. ‘Now, she’s definitely not in the children’s section?’
    ‘No. I looked everywhere,’ I told her, my voice trembling.
    ‘And she’s not in the toilet?’
    ‘No, I looked there too.’
    ‘Then let’s try the adult section. She may have wandered over there looking for you.’
    Rebecca led the way, calm and efficient. I was so glad to have someone else take charge. I followed behind her, my eyes darting all over, hoping Maisie would just suddenly appear.
    Rebecca walked along one side of the rows of shelves and I walked down the other. I even looked under the shelves, just in case Maisie was hiding under there for some reason. I spotted discarded books, an empty water bottle, and lots and lots of dust – but absolutely no sign of a cutelittle five-year-old with blonde plaits and a blue dress.
    I was just beginning to feel a bit frantic when I heard Rebecca calling. ‘Hannah!’ I knew from her voice that it