Read Online Conrad Cooper's Last Stand ePub by Leonie Agnew - Free Book Online

interrupt grownups. So I pretend to bounce the ball on my knee and listen. Lucky for me, Mr Watkins keeps talking. ‘It’s not that simple, Gaz. These Maoris have a point, legally speaking it’s got to be theirs …’ Dad rolls his eyes, but Mr Watkins glances over his shoulder at me. ‘Are they talking about it much at school?’
    ‘About what?’
    ‘You know, the Maoris protesting up on Bastion Point.’
    I think it over. If he means the teachers, well, they don’t talk about it, not ever. But the kids like to guess what’s really going on. Jasper swears he looked out one night and saw the side of the hill open up like a massive trapdoor and a fighter jet flew out. Trouble is, it sounds a lot like an episode of
Thunderbirds
. Personally, I doubt the Maoris have a secret military base, but I hope they do. It’s a cool idea.
    I open my mouth to answer, only Gaz gets in first.
    ‘Dave, he’s just a kid. Don’t go worrying him about it.’
    I don’t feel worried or anything, so I say, ‘But Gaz –’
    ‘But nothing. End of conversation, you hear me?’ He sighs. ‘Last thing I want to do is come home and start talking about work.’
    He must be right, ’cause everyone’s conversation ends, right there. We all wait in silence for Mum, listening to the crickets and hanging out for chips. The stereo changes, blasting Hello Sailor, but she still hasn’t come back. Bet she’s whipping up a dip for the chips.
    Finally, Mr Watkins winks at me. ‘Right, let’s get a good look at this.’ He stuffs half a sausage in his mouth and picks up my rugby ball, turning it over in his hands. ‘Looks a bit clean, if you ask me.’
    ‘Haven’t used it yet.’
    ‘That’s what I thought. What d’ya say, Gaz?’
    Mr Watkins looks at Dad. Gaz takes a swig of Lion Red and grins, then swings his feet over the side of his deckchair.
    He yawns. ‘You and me, Conrad, one of these days we’re going to kick that rugby ball around. Right now, I’d better get inside and sort out that kitchen door.’
    ‘Okay, Gaz.’
    Mr Watkins watches him go, frowning. He looks down at the ball and says, ‘Well, let’s have a throw while your dad’s busy.’
    I wait until Gaz’s inside before I set Mr Watkinsstraight. ‘You know, I’m allowed to call him Gaz, if I want. That’s ’cause I’ve got two dads, instead of one.’
    ‘Right, when I say go, you run to the end of the patio and catch. I’ll try and tackle you, but you’ve got to make it to the clothesline.’
    ‘My real dad’s in Canterbury. He’s a butcher in the freezing works, but he used to live in Leicester in a place called England. They think I don’t know, but I do.’
    ‘The two bushes over there, that’s the try line. You’ve gotta get past the clothesline and touch it down.’
    ‘I don’t think –’
    ‘Conrad?’
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Catch.’
    He tosses the ball my way. I’m not too bad with my hands, just slow, so I do my best to run and catch. Mr Watkins trains a lot and his arms are longer than an octopus. Normally he beats me, but not this time. I’d almost say he let me win, which is weird. Maybe all those sausages weighed him down.
    Dear Tane,
    Are you awake? Sorry, I know it’s late. What hours do you work? Do you even sleep? I mean, it’s got to be daylight somewhere in the world so … where was I? Oh yeah.
    All that stuff Gaz said about Bastion Point … it’sa Maori protest, right? Seeing as you’re Maori and everything, do you want me to protest, too? I dunno what’s going on exactly, but just let me know, okay?
    Best wishes for the future. Umm … goodbye. It’s Conrad, in case you were wondering.
    Oh, wait! PS. There’s nothing about avoiding protests on my star chart, so it’s not like I’m breaking any rules, right? I won’t mention it to Gaz, though. I don’t want him getting any ideas. My chart’s big enough already.

14
    The next day Jasper wears a black sock tied around his arm; he says it’s a sign of mourning for the