Storm and Stone (11 page)

‘I don’t suppose you’ll tell me who else was in on this little joke of yours?’

Joe shook his head.

‘At least you don’t add snitch to jerk. I can guess. I’ll be having words with Nat and Daimon. I think you can all three safely count on being recalled and put on probation.’

Kieran had had enough. He really did not want his best friends at the YDA to end up on report because he had failed to handle their joke well. Before he could express this thought, Isaac turned to him.

‘Kieran, are you really OK with Dance? I can ask the school to change your option if you think your idiotic friends have tossed you such a curve ball that you won’t be able to bat this one out.’

‘No, Isaac, I’m fine.’

‘Really?’

Kieran arched a brow. ‘Do you doubt me?’

‘Of course not. OK, then I’ll send in another of our students to assist you in the completion of this mission, someone who will help and not hinder. Masters, pack your bag.’

Out of sight of the webcam, Joe kicked the rubbish bin.

No, no, no, this couldn’t happen, not to Joe. Wrong result.

Kieran knew he had to do something but it meant forfeiting some of his pride. He never talked to Isaac or his other mentors on subjects other than strict mission business. He didn’t
do
emotional appeals. ‘Isaac, can I butt in here?’

‘You want to report on your progress?’

‘Yes, but that wasn’t what I wanted to talk about first. I wanted to ask you to let Joe off this time.’

He heard his friend stop moving about the room. No one ever got Isaac to change his mind: he was famous for his ruthless verdicts on his students. Tough love, he called it, saying it was better to fail them than take them into a career to which they were not suited. Kieran wasn’t encouraged by Isaac’s stony expression. He had to give it a whirl anyway. He mentally sacrificed his pride on the altar of friendship.

‘I was mad at Joe at first when I found out what I was studying, but after reflection on my skill set, I decided he could have a point.’

‘A point? What kind of point?’

Kieran looked down at the worn patch on his jeans. ‘I need to be able to handle arts as well as sciences to be a better investigator. With the greatest respect, you and the other mentors were allowing me to duck the issue.’

‘You actually want to do arts now?’ Isaac was clearly unconvinced.

‘I’m finding my own way through. English I can manage as I am extremely well read.’

Isaac smiled wryly. ‘I know. I wasn’t concerned about that. You killed my team at the last quiz evening on the Dickens round.’

Kieran carried on, piling up the evidence in the case for the defence. ‘In Art, the teacher said she found my levels of craftsmanship and restrained expression very promising. She thinks I draw like Leonardo da Vinci.’ Which wasn’t surprising as he had studied the master in great depth. ‘In Drama, I am taking options for light and sound design where possible. With so many performers, someone who likes the backstage work is welcome. I’ve already sorted out a glitch in the PA system in the auditorium.’

‘Yeah, I saw a note from Mr Partington on your file that you are an asset to the class. But what about Dance?’

Kieran refused to look at Joe, who he knew was hanging on his every word. ‘I admit that that class is my biggest challenge.’ Well, actually she was only five foot three. ‘I’m finding a way through that too.’

‘What sort of way?’

‘His classmate is being very helpful,’ Joe chipped in, some of his usual ebullience restored. ‘A certain Miss Raven Stone is taking good care of him.’

‘Yes, well,’ muttered Kieran, adding a clip to his tower.

‘Kieran, are you embarrassed?’ Isaac’s voice defrosted a little.

Kieran ignored that. ‘My dance partner is being of assistance both with the subject and to our enquiry.’

‘I see.’ Isaac arched his fingers together. ‘And you think your teachers here at the YDA were remiss in letting this part of your training slide?’

‘Frankly, yes.’

‘I see. That’s a lot to take in.’ Isaac glanced off camera. Kieran realized that their boss wasn’t alone in the room. ‘What do you think?’

Kieran couldn’t hear the answer of the unseen person. He deduced it was the mentor for A stream, Dr Waterburn, brought in on the emergency consultation.

‘Yes, I agree. Kieran’s blending better than I expected. Exposure to arts subjects won’t kill him.’ Isaac turned back to them. ‘OK, Joe, for taking unapproved chances with a mission, you lose a life but you’re not out of the game yet. No more second chances.’

‘Actually, Isaac, that doesn’t make sense because logically another chance would be a third chance, wouldn’t it?’ Kieran argued reasonably. He had to correct such unscientific figures of speech; they rubbed him up the wrong way.

Joe hit him round the back of the head with a rolled-up essay.

Isaac looked to Joe, his ice age rapidly thawing. ‘OK, we get why you did it, Joe.’

Joe snorted. ‘I’m trying to wean him off saying stuff like that but it’s tough.’

‘I’ll not let it affect the job, I promise,’ said Kieran.

‘You don’t have to excel, just fit in so no one starts asking questions about you.’

‘I understand.’ Though he had never done anything but excel at any subject he had taken in the past and had no intention of not doing so here. ‘I have a new theory to send you, Isaac.’

Isaac rubbed his hands. ‘Excellent. I didn’t think you’d let me down, Kieran.’

‘It is only a theory,’ he cautioned. ‘Something that might start to link what’s going on at the school with the bigger picture.’

‘Yeah, but a theory from you is worth gold. Joe, consider your butt well and truly kicked and we’ll put this away. Agreed?’

Joe sat down beside Kieran. ‘Thanks, Isaac.’

‘But it is your last warning. Anything like this again and you’ll find yourself out of the YDA.’

‘Understood.’

‘I’ll see you both at the exeat weekend coming up. I’ll send a car to bring you home. Over and out.’

The connection closed.

‘Phew.’ Joe bumped shoulders with Kieran. ‘Thanks. I owe you big time.’

Kieran returned to
Pride and Prejudice
. ‘Yes, you do. Don’t expect me to make a habit of it.’

Joe grabbed the book and scrambled out of reach as Kieran tried to get it back. ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged … ’ He jumped over the bed, knocking over a pitcher plant. Kieran dived and saved it just in time. ‘That a single guy in possession of a dangerous sense of humour … ’ Kieran feinted right then rugby tackled Joe to the ground, pinning his legs down. Joe threw the book over to the other side of the room. It fell in the bin with a clang. ‘Must be in want of a friend who can blag him out of trouble. The end.’

Kieran flopped sideways to lie on his back beside Joe. He began to laugh, everything so much funnier thanks to relief that Isaac had not ended their partnership. His mood was infectious. Joe caught it and lay shaking next to him.

‘Stop laughing!’ gasped Kieran.

‘Can’t.’

There came a soft tap on the door. Raven peeked in.

‘Are you two OK? I heard … um … noises.’

‘No,’ groaned Joe. ‘He’s killing me—with laughter. Arrest him.’

She gave a weak smile. ‘Oh. I see.’

Raven was distressed about something. The thought sobered Kieran quickly. He sat up. ‘You can come in, Raven. What’s the matter?’

‘Oh, nothing.’ She stepped into the room, twisting the tie on her jacket uneasily. ‘Just dropping round the CD for Dance. So you can rehearse.’ She glanced over her shoulder.

‘Don’t give us that. Something’s upset you.’ Like Kieran, Joe was quick to sense all was not well. He stood up and closed the door behind her. ‘You can tell us.’

She clenched her fists then dropped them by her sides in despair. ‘It’s just that I’ve been called before Mrs Bain for stealing. Granddad too. I don’t care about me—I don’t even like it here—but I think they’re trying to get him sacked.’

Kieran wanted to give her a hug but was rooted to the spot. Joe gave him a significant look as if to say ‘go on’ and, when he didn’t move, took over.

‘Hey, hey.’ Joe wrapped his arms around Raven so easily. Why could
he
not do that? ‘They won’t fire him or kick you out. There’s no evidence.’

‘That’s not true. Gina said she saw the gold watch in our room the night she returned—the one that belonged to Adewale. It turned up with the other stolen stuff in reception so now it’s all linked to me. But I didn’t take any of it—I didn’t. I keep telling everyone but it’s like … like I’m just mouthing the words with no one hearing. And people are sending me horrible letters just to twist the knife. I’m so angry but I don’t know what to do.’

OK. Enough. Kieran wasn’t going to let his friend do his job. He tapped Joe on the shoulder. With a pointed look, Joe handed Raven over. Ah, that felt better immediately. She nestled against his chest, a hot bundle of hurt feelings. His arms were at first stiff, and then he relaxed, rocking her gently.

‘We’ll sort it out, Raven,’ he promised, letting his face drop to the crown of her head, catching the scent that was hers alone.

‘But everyone hates me now.’ Her voice was lost against his shirt buttons.

Hardly. He wouldn’t describe what he was feeling for her anywhere near that end of the emotional spectrum. ‘
We
don’t—and I’m sure lots of your other friends feel the same.’

‘Yeah, Raven, just because Gina’s setting you up, don’t mean it’s gonna work out the way she thinks,’ added Joe.

‘Setting me up?’ squeaked Raven.

‘Joe’s right. The watch had to come from somewhere. How better to disguise your own crime by accusing another?’

‘Oh my gosh, you’re right!’ Raven pushed away from his chest and gazed up at him. ‘I’m such an idiot! How could she do that to me?’

Anger was better than tears even if it did mean losing the hug. ‘But don’t do anything drastic.’ He knew her well enough to realize she didn’t always think her reactions through.

‘Why not? I’m going to murder her.’

‘No, you are going to outwit her.’

‘Huh?’

‘Listen to my man, Raven,’ Joe said. ‘You’ll only end up in worse trouble if you burst in and accuse her. She’ll say you’re lying to cover up what you’ve done.’

‘But that’s not fair!’

They had to deter her from doing anything rash or she might upset the investigation. If things worked out, she’d get her payback when they took down the scheme. ‘No, it’s not. But haven’t you heard that revenge is a dish best served cold? Put yours in the deep freezer.’

‘You want me to find some self-control? I don’t have much of that,’ Raven said grumpily.

‘It seems we are all fated to learn new things today.’ Joe grinned at Kieran. ‘Aren’t we?’

Thefts—accusations—and now blaming Raven, who was convenient because she had neither power nor influence: Kieran knew they had to be watching the early stages in the process of reeling in Gina’s connections. Both he and Joe were eager to find out exactly how that was done so they could understand more of the scheme they were investigating. Once Raven had gone back to her new room in the infirmary wing, they went in search of her ex-best friend and found her standing on the edge of the crowd that circulated around Hedda and Toni, a humble new planet in their binary solar system. The gang hung out in the sixth form common room, occupying the best sofas by the huge Tudor fireplace, its gothic cast iron grate keeping the logs in check, no flames in the hearth at this time of year.

‘How do you want to play this?’ Kieran asked Joe as they approached.

‘Good cop/bad cop works for me. You needle her; see what you can provoke her to say … ’

‘My pleasure.’

‘And I’ll then rush in all sympathetic, defending her from you. It’ll help convince them I’m on their side.’

‘Joe!’ cried Hedda, treating his appearance as if she’d caused it. She held out her hand, pearl-pink polished nails beckoning him closer. ‘We were just talking about the prom. Are you planning to go?’

‘I guess so. How’s it going, guys?’ Joe included the rest of the crowd in his greeting. ‘Gina, isn’t it? Welcome back.’ He took a seat beside her.

Gina preened under his attention. ‘Thanks. You have to be Joe Masters.’

‘So my reputation precedes me. Don’t believe anything anyone has said. Whatever it was, I wasn’t there and even if I was, I couldn’t possibly have done it.’

She laughed, smoothing a neat hairstyle that needed no tidying. Kieran only knew about fashion from the pages he scanned past in the newspapers, but he thought he recognized some of the latest designer trends worn by thirty-year-old executives, not sixth formers. Now he gave it some thought he realized all the girls in the group around Hedda and Toni were displaying similar tastes.

‘You won’t have met my friend Kieran.’ Joe waved towards him.

‘He’s the one who got stuck with Raven in Dance,’ said Hedda. ‘Poor guy. Be nice to him.’

Gina nodded towards him. ‘Hi, Kieran. I hear you walked out on her. We don’t blame you. I’ve moved group too.’

‘Actually, she’s been great. We’re still working together in that class.’

‘Isn’t he cute! He’s too nice to say a bad word about anyone, even if they earned it.’ Hedda patted the seat beside her. ‘Come and sit with me, Kieran. You need to hear the latest. It’ll change your mind about the Crow.’

‘I doubt that.’ But he sat down.

Hedda placed a finger on his wrist. He moved his hand. ‘You know Raven’s got a problem with stealing.’

‘No, I don’t know that. You are making a supposition based on no empirical evidence that would stand up in court.’

His flat tone appeared to wrong foot her, as it did not fall into the usual script. He suspected she too often set the agenda of the conversations around her. ‘Oh. Well, she has. Everyone else knows. Anyway,’ she turned to Joe, thinking to find a more sympathetic audience, ‘Mrs Bain has finally taken action. I wouldn’t be surprised if Raven isn’t suspended by the end of the day.’

‘Yeah, flap away, Crow,’ Toni added with relish.

‘So how did you find out she’s been stealing?’ Joe asked, giving no hint he disliked their attitude. That was why he always got to play good cop.