h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Mel hurried out of her flat and met Kelly waiting for her dog Pat to stop sniffing at a bush. She smiled at Mel and pushed her fair hair out of her face.
"Will you be glad to be back at school after half term?" asked Mel, starting the conversation with something neutral.
Kelly nodded. "I've missed my friends. But I've got half term first."
"Have you taken Pat for his walk today?"
"No. I'm just setting out."
"Where do you go?"
"Round the Old Farm field."
This information pleased Mel, because the field lay just beyond the road where the Sisson's lived. "Do you mind if I come with you?"
"Sure," said Kelly.
They set out together and Kelly talked about her school friends.They had kept in touch while she was off sick. Having walked through the estate, they came to one of the roads which led out of town.
Mel pointed to the close where the Sissons lived. "Can we go up there and back?. There's a friend of mine lives there." She was aware she was stretching the meaning of the word "friend."
Kelly turned up the close without complaint.
Mel didn't want to linger close to the Sisson's house, so she didn't slow as they passed. "That's where my friend Wendy lives. I want to know when she takes her little boy George out. Could you go past on the way to the park and let me know if you see him?"
Kelly turned to her with shining eyes. "Are you spying?"
Mel smiled. "Not really.I'm just trying to prepare a surprise for Wendy."
"Pity. Spying would be exciting."
Mel wondered it it was right to involve an innocent schoolgirl in her plot. However, she told herself that all she wanted from Kelly was a bit of information.Besides, in her experience of life twelve year old schoolgirls were quite capable of playing tricks on each other.