Night School

Tucking the clipboard under her arm, Jules affected exaggerated patience. ‘What’s your point, Allie?’


‘Just that, if you’re going to that meeting, could you please send Carter back here. Now? Or just tell him I’m waiting here and I need to speak with him. It’s really important.’

Looking like she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard, Jules began walking again. ‘Of course, Allie. And would you like me to get you some tea and chocolate while I’m there? Because I’ve got nothing better to do today than to be your messenger girl.’

Dropping behind her, Allie raised two fingers at her back.

‘No thanks,’ she said, her voice cheerful and steady. ‘I can get my own tea.’

Jules’ voice floated back to her as she turned the corner. ‘How lovely.’

‘Thanks,’ Allie muttered when Jules was out of earshot, ‘and you have a great day, too, Jules.’

Leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest and the rubber sole of one foot propped on the antique wood panelling behind her, Allie waited. After ten minutes, she slid down the wall and sat on the floor, crossing her legs. In this spot she was hidden by the baroque, marble-topped occasional table next to her, so Isabelle didn’t see her when she walked by with her dancing partner a few minutes later.

‘… she needs to know that Nathaniel is out of control.’ Her voice was icy with rage. ‘Last night was unacceptable. She’s got to do something about it. At least pick a side. My God, Matthew, people got hurt. Children got hurt. This can’t continue.’

Matthew murmured something in reply that Allie couldn’t make out.

‘Well then you will just have to go and see her personally,’ Isabelle snapped as the two walked out of earshot.

Isabelle’s words had an electrifying effect on Allie, who leaned forward to peer around the heavily carved mahogany legs of the table.

So it wasn’t a teacher or a student after all. She drew her knees up close to her body and wrapped her arms around them as a strange feeling of relief washed over her. At least the murderer wasn’t somebody she thought of as a friend.

More footsteps.

Allie leaned forward again to see Carter standing nearby, looking up and down the wide corridor.

She scrambled to her feet. ‘Carter.’

‘Allie! Has something happened? Jules said you were looking for me.’

Allie almost smiled. I can’t believe it. She did tell him.

She stepped closer and lowered her voice. ‘Is Gabe in that meeting you were just in?’

He nodded.

‘He needs to go to Jo’s room – she’s freaking out,’ Allie said.

Carter didn’t seem surprised. ‘I’ll tell him. I could see something was wrong at dinner – he didn’t want to leave her, but …’

Allie’s eyes were worried. ‘She’s being very strange, Carter. Not like herself.’

‘I told him that would happen.’ There was a pause while he seemed to come to a decision. ‘Allie, we need to talk.’

‘Sure. What’s up?’

He looked around. ‘No, I mean, in private. Can you meet me at the chapel in twenty minutes?’

She looked at him dubiously. ‘We’re not supposed to leave the building on pain of wrath-of-Isabelle and it’s after nine already.’

‘It’s the perfect time,’ he said. ‘Everybody’s in meetings or gone to their rooms for curfew. The teachers are all distracted.’

Allie thought about saying no. The last thing she needed was detention. But Carter looked so determined. She hoped that whatever he had to say would explain some of what was going on.

‘OK, but if I get expelled I’m so grassing you up.’

Even though his lips curled up in a smile, his eyes were serious. ‘Good. See you there. Give me a ten-minute head start so that I can let Gabe know about Jo. Then run fast.’

As he walked away Allie muttered under her breath: ‘Run fast? I thought you said everyone would be too busy to notice.’

She paced impatiently (three hundred and ninety-one steps) while waiting for ten minutes to go by. At the eight-minute mark, she began walking towards the front door (thirty-three steps) with casual nonchalance. The entrance hall was quiet, but as her hand touched the door handle she heard voices coming down the hall.

Aside from large candle holders and tapestries there was little in this space save for one wrought-iron table draped in heavy fabric. Allie darted behind it just as Eloise and Zelazny rounded the corner.

‘Will this take long?’ Eloise was asking as their footsteps approached. She sounded irritated.

‘I hope not.’ Zelazny opened the door. ‘But it depends on what we find.’

‘Where do you want to start?’

As they walked out the door Allie heard Zelazny’s reply: ‘Where we found Ruth’s body.’

The click of the latch echoed in the empty, stone entry hall.