Reporters!
„What’s going on?“ Peter asked, who happened to come out of the stable.
„We’ll tell you later,“ Katie said, when she realized that Peter was accompanied by a strange woman and a strange man. The man had a big camera dangling from his neck.
„Hi,“ the woman said. „We are from the Daily Echo. This young man here,“ she pointed to Peter, „sent us an e-mail. It appears you have problems with the chicken baron Foulplay.“
„Yes indeed. Last night he set fire to our barn. Luckily neither the animals nor we were injured,“ Katie replied.
„Is it okay if we look around? My colleague wants to take pictures of the barn. And of course the children with the animals. It has a positive impact on the reader if children fight for the animals.“
The press! Typical, Katie thought, but maybe it helps a little. „Of course, take your time to look around and ask, should you have questions,“ she said politely to the reporter.
„Kids, let’s go over to the cows. That will make a good picture,“ the photographer said. „Sit down next to the cow lying in the grass.“
The children sat down around the cow in the grass. Excitedly Lucky ran around them. „No, it doesn’t work this way,“ said the photographer. „You twins get in the front. Put your arms around the cow.“
Katie frowned. „That’s too dangerous. A cow is not a pet. But are you by chance interested in the animal’s history?“ she asked the reporter.
„Of course. I understood from the e-mail, that this is a sanctuary. It this correct?“
Katie nodded.
„That means your animals all come from a difficult background and you want them to have a good life until they die?“
„That’s true. This cow’s name is Hilde. She is from Hungary. Together with many others she was on a transport that went all over Europe to Italy. The animals were treated so poorly, that some had already died during transport. For days they were kept without food and water. Hilde injured one of her legs when being unloaded and could no longer walk. She collapsed. The drivers hit her to make her get up. A camera crew, which had followed the transport, could no longer watch this and bought Hilde. My husband, who accompanied them, gave her first aid. Later on she was brought to our farm.“ Katie had tears in her eyes. „You should rather take pictures of animal transports than staging pictures like this.“
„Don’t get so annoyed! After all we are on your side,“ the reporter replied defensively. „Now take us back to the recent incidents. Foulplay wants to drive you out of the farm, so he can build a chicken farm?“
„A chicken factory farm,“ said Katie. „And he will try anything to achieve this.“
She recounted what happened last night. Then she pointed to the four-wheel-drive and mentioned the anonymous phone call. The reporter indicated to the photographer to take pictures of the vehicle and the men with the sunglasses.
„Talk to the mayor. He can still stop all this. However, my husband and I believe, that he is Foulplay's accomplice in this,“ Katie suggested to the reporter, when they said goodbye.
After the reporters had left, Katie looked at her watch. „Dear me, the day is almost over. We even forgot lunch. Aren’t you hungry, kids?“
The children nodded.
„We’ll make a few sandwiches quickly. I hope Daniel will be back from the surgery soon. We have to discuss how to protect ourselves tonight.“
„But first I have to ring the police and tell them about the number plate,“ said Miguel. „They will be impressed, how fast we found that out.“
There was an envelope at the front door. Katie picked it up and opened it. She pulled out a note, which had letters cut out of newspapers glued to it. She read it to the children: „Give up! Go away voluntarily or something very bad happens.“
„This is a threat,“ Miguel said. „We have to give it to police.“
„What do they mean, that something bad happens?“ Maria asked.
Hands shaking, Katie put the letter back into the envelope. „I don’t know. Maybe it would be better, if you returned home, children.“
„No way!“ said Peter.
„You need us,“ Miguel added.
„Our parents have gone on holiday anyway,“ Sarah said.
„We simply can’t go home,“ said Jane.
"Alright. Let’s eat first or I’ll be in trouble with your parents because you’ve lost too much weight,“ Katie yielded.
The evening and the night were quiet. The children took turns keeping watch. They sat one hour each at the window in the upstairs hall. From there they could see the whole paddock. Should the headlights of the four-wheel-drive approach, the one on watch would wake up the others. Once again Lucky guarded the front door.
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