Eleanor Jones is Playing with Fire, page 16
Barb tries to convince us all to volunteer for local not-for-profits and gives us what is clearly a pre-prepared speech about being a good citizen. She lays it on a bit thick actually and I almost roll my eyes until I remember the kissing Troy thing, and instead nod sagely at her monologue.
Smitty talks to us about fires and if I didn’t know Tyler had a solid alibi, she’d be right back at the top of my suspect list. She’s absolutely fascinated by the whole topic and by the end of our time with him, she’s quizzing him about what it takes to become a CFA volunteer.
‘So, you said fire travels twice as fast uphill,’ she says, and her voice is so enthusiastic she almost comes across as friendly. And normal. ‘Why is that?’
‘Well,’ Smitty answers, happy to chat about what is clearly his favourite topic. ‘Hot air rises, see? The fire burns the fuel ahead of it, and the air gets drawn in underneath, and –’
‘Does that mean you run downhill if there’s a fire on a hill?’ Tyler cuts him off.
‘It’s not as simple as outrunning it. It’s the radiant heat that gets you, and the debris like bark and leaves that get pulled up and spat out . . .’
I think of the heat from Garry McGregor’s place, and how far away I was but it still felt like the hottest summer day and I give a little shudder.
‘Well, class . . .’ Ms Kahn gives her signature clap. ‘It’s time we said thank you and farewell to our guests, and hopefully you’ve got some more information and detail for your final presentation. Each of our guests have generously offered more of their time should you need it.’
As they prepare to leave, I notice that Noah is watching Holly closely. I want to give him a nudge, tell him again to talk to her, but it’s no good. He’s not going to do it just because I’ve told him to. And besides, I’ve already decided I’m going to tell her if he doesn’t. I have to, or I may as well be stealing those cars myself.
‘What do you suppose that was about with Deklan before?’ Liv says to me as we watch Holly, Smitty, Barb and Joyce walk out the door.
‘There’s definitely something going on with him,’ is all I can think to say.
Noah grabs his books and stands quickly, taking a deep breath as he does so. ‘Well, while people are making dramatic exits, I might just go have a quick chat to that cop,’ he announces. ‘Tell Ms Kahn I’ll be back.’
He looks down at me and I give him a nod and what I hope is an encouraging smile.
‘Stay gold, Ponyboy,’ he says as he gives me a wink. ‘Stay gold.’
I’m not sure whether to laugh or get weirdly emotional. I’m so relieved he’s doing this, and I’m sort of proud of Noah, and that’s a strange feeling to have. If he was closer right now, I’d punch him in the arm. Before I can decide what to say to him, he’s left the room.
‘So, Noah watched the movie then,’ Liv says wryly.
‘He might have read the book,’ I suggest.
We both look at each other for a beat and then at the same time we speak. ‘Nah!’
‘Ugh.’ Tyler folds her arms across her chest. ‘Now I’m stuck with you two nerds? Brilliant.’
I ignore her and instead drag Deklan’s books across the table so they’re in front of me. One by one I pick them up and flick through them.
‘Hey!’ Tyler says. ‘Don’t go through his stuff. What do you think you’re doing?’
‘Calm down,’ I tell her. ‘I just want to see his handwriting.’
‘What for?’
‘Just to compare,’ I say, not wanting to explain further. I reach for a notebook and when I open the first page, I’m hit with no handwriting at all, but lots of angry black lines and sketching. I flick through and as soon as I look at the first paragraph I know I can’t make excuses anymore. The loop of the ‘y’, the hook of the tail of the ‘s’ – it’s identical to the note that was in my bag. Deklan wrote it, I’m sure of it. The thing is, he told me he trains with his dad every day, and then there’s the fact he doesn’t fit the profile. Maybe he wrote the note, but did he start the fires? Something isn’t right about all this, and I need to figure out what.
I tear the sheet of paper from the book and Tyler cries out.
‘Stop! That doesn’t belong to you.’
‘Listen, Tyler, you can hate me all you want, but Deklan Webb isn’t okay. He’s going to hurt himself, or someone else, and he needs to be stopped. So you can either help, or hinder, the process.’
‘Is everything okay here, girls?’ Ms Kahn approaches us with a stern look on her face.
I stare at Tyler, daring her to dob me in. Instead, though, she lets out a long sigh and shakes her head.
‘It’s fine, Ms Kahn. Just Eleanor being rude and bossy like always.’
Not exactly helpful, but coming from Tyler Linney, I’m taking that as a win.
CHAPTER 35
I’ve sent everyone on a mission.
Troy is to chat with some of Deklan’s mates from the footy club. Liv is to hit up her Aunty Gwen about Garry McGregor and any connection he had directly with Deklan. Alfie lives closest to the school, so I’ve made him stay behind to see if Deklan shows up at his locker. Namita and I are walking to the library to find Ethan. Well, technically, I want Ethan to find Jarrod. I want to go to Deklan’s house and for that I need a car.
‘Okay, so let’s say you get to his place, what are you even going to say to him?’ Namita is nervous.
‘That’s the thing. I’m pretty positive the note is from him, but we can’t know for sure he’s behind the fires. Maybe he knows who is lighting them, and he was just trying to warn me?’
I still can’t for the life of me figure out why a guy who is popular and well liked is setting stuff on fire. I just don’t get it.
‘Eleanor.’ Namita is using her most sensible voice. ‘He might have killed a person. I think we can agree the note was a warning, so shouldn’t you therefore see it as . . . I don’t know . . . an actual warning?’
‘I know, I know,’ I grumble. She’s right, but it’s still annoying that nothing about this is making any sense. ‘Tell me again about Deklan. What’s his deal? All I know is that he’s kind of grumpy, and a bit mean. That’s most of the boys in the popular group though . . . unless you’re actually in the popular group. Oh, and I know that his eyebrows have their own personality.’
Namita gives me a stern look. It’s not the time for funny. Got it.
‘I didn’t go through primary school with him, but everyone in Cooinda knows the Webbs. His dad, obviously. His mum is really glamorous and always involved in community events. He has a little sister, she’s in Year Seven and I don’t know anything about her except she’s super small.’ Namita squints as she scans her memory bank. ‘He’s never had a girlfriend, or boyfriend, as far as I know, but that’s not for a lack of interest. Plenty of people like him. You’re right that he’s not super friendly, but he’s got a big group of mates and always seems to be happy with them, so it’s not like he’s got any reason to go out of his way to talk to anyone else. I don’t know . . . what are you looking for?’
‘It’s just all the things Angus said about the kind of people who light fires. I want it to make more sense than it does.’
‘Come on, Eleanor.’ Namita shakes her head at me. ‘You know it’s never that straightforward. You’re the one who is always saying that people aren’t always what they seem. Look at Liv. Friendly and enthusiastic! Whoever would have thought?’
We walk through the glass doors of the town library and it doesn’t take long to spot Angus and Ethan. They’ve completely taken over a table and Angus is animated as they debate what I’m assuming is a chemistry-related issue.
As we get closer, Ethan spots us. He smiles warmly at Namita, but the smile drops as he turns to me.
‘What?’ I ask, on the defence.
‘Are you sure you want to do this?’
‘When you say “this”, are you referring to your brother driving me around, or us dropping by, unannounced, to Deklan’s place?’ When I say this out loud, I realise why he might not be happy with my proposed plan.
He answers by tilting his head.
‘I’ve got some of his schoolbooks, is all.’ I swing my backpack around to one side and pat it. Much to Tyler’s horror, I took all of Deklan’s books after English class. What better excuse than that to just ‘pop by and drop them off’? So helpful.
‘Yeah, well, at least I’m coming too. If you really think he’s the firebug, and he was the one who warned you to butt out, then rocking up at his place possibly isn’t the smartest plan.’
Namita takes a seat next to him and stares up at me, her brow furrowed. Simply looking at her worried expression frustrates me. They all wanted me to figure it out, didn’t they? Well, everyone except Troy. So, here I am. Figuring.
‘Is Jarrod okay to come and take me?’
‘Us,’ Ethan reinforces. ‘Yes. He’ll be here in five.’
I reply with my sweetest smile, but Namita is already pulling books out of her bag and they’re all talking about NMR and mass spectro-something so I figure that’s my excuse to take a moment.
‘I’m book-looking,’ I tell them. ‘Give me a hoy when he gets here.’
I head over to the stacks and as I round the bend to the YA section, I nearly fall over a brightly coloured polyester ball. The ball unravels itself to reveal Vi, collecting a pile of novels from the bottom shelf.
‘Hey!’ I say happily. It’s always nice to see her.
‘Hey, yourself,’ she says. ‘More schoolwork?’
‘Nope,’ I reply. ‘I’m purely here for the fun of it. Anything new in that you know of?’
‘I think Alex has a couple set aside for you behind the counter,’ she tells me with a wink. ‘I’m putting together what you would probably consider classics for an author friend who is doing some research.’
‘Nice,’ I say as I look at the spines. She’s got at least four of John Marsden’s Tomorrow books, and I sigh. I’d love to be able to read Tomorrow When the War Began for the first time again.
‘It’s lovely to see a teenager spending a Friday afternoon at the library. You give me hope for the future, Eleanor. Also, it’s comforting to know you’re not getting in any trouble right now.’
I hesitate before saying anything. ‘Well . . .’
A perfectly arched eyebrow appears above the red frame of her glasses, and I hurry to justify myself.
‘I am hoping to figure out why someone would light fires in Cooinda right now, what with it being so dangerous and all. That’s not trouble so much as just a question.’
‘Oh, the fires.’ She nods, the corners of her mouth turning down. ‘Terrifying. There’s been a few big fires here over the decades. We’re very fortunate it’s not the height of summer. We desperately need some rain, but the moisture in the air is hopefully enough to slow things down . . .’ Vi stops speaking as she registers what I’ve said. ‘Wait a minute, Eleanor. Are you saying you know who has been lighting these fires?’
‘Not for sure . . . I mean, not one hundred per cent.’
‘But perhaps ninety?’
I give one hand a little wiggle in the air. ‘Maybe ninety-five.’
‘Eleanor!’ Vi scolds me. ‘I’m assuming you’ve told that lovely policewoman Holly this?’
‘I’ve been talking to her,’ I say, which is sort of lying by omission. I want to confirm it before I talk to Holly about the handwriting. It’s bad enough Tyler hates me – especially because I dobbed her in to Holly, but if Deklan already hates me too, and then I’m wrong about everything, well, where does that leave me?
‘It isn’t someone young, is it?’ Vi looks deeply troubled.
‘My age?’ I think she’d define anyone under thirty-five as ‘young’.
She makes a sharp clicking sound with her tongue. ‘It makes me think of that old African proverb. What is it? “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” So sad.’
‘Huh,’ I tell her. ‘That’s interesting. That’s where the unsure five per cent comes from. This child is totally embraced by the village. So to speak. He’s possibly right in the heart of it, if you think about it.’
Vi shrugs and gives me a gentle pat on one arm. ‘I’m sure you’ll figure it out, love. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and you understand that what’s going on inside isn’t always what it says on the outside of the box.’
‘Eleanor!’ I look to the end of the aisle and see Ethan. ‘He’s here. Let’s go. I’ve got stuff to do before Angus has to be home.’
‘Sure,’ I tell him, and I adjust my backpack. ‘Thanks, Vi. Catch ya.’
‘See you later, Eleanor,’ she says. ‘And I’m sure you’ll work out who has let this poor child down and what made him so angry with the world. You’re very clever.’
I give her a small wave because she’s got me thinking now. Who could possibly have let down a guy like Deklan Webb?
CHAPTER 36
The Webb house is about fifteen minutes’ drive across the other side of town, and I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. The street he lives on is fancy. Wide, impeccably landscaped blocks that are lush and impossibly green despite the rest of Cooinda being a dry, scrappy yellowish-brown. Most of the homes are two-storey and they’re all new and shiny. Large dark windows and elaborate porches at the end of long, spotless driveways.
‘Someone’s gonna call the cops on me if we’re sitting in this neighbourhood for too long, Eleanor,’ Jarrod says as we pull up out the front of their house.
Even Ethan looks uncomfortable and the bravado he was showing in the library has all but disappeared.
‘You two just sit in the car,’ I say. ‘I’m only going as far as the front door. I want to drop his books off, make sure he’s home, and let him know I know he wrote that note. I’ll see what he has to say, and if he’s got no idea what I’m on about, then I’m wrong. If he does know, I call Holly. Easy.’
‘So you say,’ Ethan grumbles. I swear, I don’t know where his lack of trust comes from.
I get out of the car and am careful not to slam the door. I’m pretty sure it would fall right off its hinges if I did. I have no idea where Jarrod is sourcing his vehicles from, but they’re questionable.
I make my way up the driveway, and I hear kids laughing from a nearby backyard. A single bird tweets in the distance. It’s all ridiculously picturesque. I wonder what it’s like to live in a house like this. To grow up in this kind of neighbourhood, surrounded by other families and well-stocked fridges and plenty of kids to play with. I feel a short tug inside my chest. It’s the dream, this is. Loving parents, a cute little sister, a shiny new house. I tighten my grip around Deklan’s books as I realise I’m feeling both sad and angry. He’s got everything, and he’s sending me threatening notes? In what world is that even close to fair. Also, though, look at me feeling the feelings! I give myself an invisible pat on the back. Maybe I’m getting better at that. Better than Jarrod Griggs, at least.
When I get to the front porch, it takes me a minute to work out where the doorbell is – it seems to be a silver panel to one side of the double entry doors – and I’m about to press it when the door swings open. Staring at me with big wide eyes and wearing a Cooinda Secondary uniform is a small girl who I can only assume is Deklan’s little sister.
Before I can register her, or the luxurious entryway, I’m distracted by the sound of someone absolutely screaming. Like, not just randomly shouting like Min does when she’s lost something in the cupboard, but ranting and raving and saying words that you’d get expelled for if one of the teachers heard you at it.
Entering the hallway is the source of the voice and I recognise him from last weekend’s footy match. It’s Deklan’s dad, Leigh Webb. He’s tall and dark and muscular, and what with all that yelling, he has a couple of veins that look like they’re about to pop out of his forehead. Never mind Deklan being a potential threat. It’s very clear that his dad is the one I need to be worried about. Before I even realise I’m doing it, I find myself cowering in his presence. He’s terrifying.
As soon as he registers me standing there though, his expression totally changes. The anger disappears from his eyes and the cruel and twisted mouth that was frothing with obscenities turns into a charming smile.
‘And who is this, Tessa? You didn’t tell me you had a friend coming over.’
‘She’s Deklan’s friend,’ Tessa, who I’ve never seen before today, says. ‘This is Eleanor Jones.’
Honestly, how is it that all these people know who I am? I notice that Tessa’s expression barely changes. It’s like she doesn’t even care that her dad was throwing a massive tantrum two seconds ago and then flicked a switch, which tells me that this isn’t an unusual situation. I want to give her a look that lets her know I feel sorry for her having such a psychopath as a parent, but instead I figure I’m best to get a move on before he starts yelling again.
‘Deklan and I are working on an English assignment together,’ I explain, my words falling over themselves as I hurry them out. ‘He left some things behind today. At school. Earlier. Before. Um, is he home?’
‘He hasn’t come home from school,’ Tessa whispers, but her father speaks over her.
‘He’s meant to be here,’ Leigh Webb says sternly, his friendly facade dropping a little. ‘We’ve got a big game tomorrow, and he should be out the back by now doing some drills. He’s been skiving off practice for over two weeks now. It’s not good enough.’
Really? Drills? It’s Friday arvo. Where he should be is on the couch eating a snack with flavour and congratulating himself for surviving another week of school.
‘Oh,’ I say. ‘Okay. Well, these belong to him.’ I pass the books from class across to Tessa. ‘If you could let him know that I dropped by. I’d kind of like to talk to him too. About the assignment, you know? It’s sort of important. Just maybe ask him to call me?’
