Read Online Friday Barnes 2 by R. A. Spratt - Free Book Online Page A

sieve,’ said Trea dismissively. ‘You must have confused her with someone else.’
    â€˜No, I distinctly remember,’ said Melanie. ‘Because she fell in a hole on the field, and went over on her ankle, giving it a nasty twist.’
    â€˜There was a hole in the field?’ asked Friday.
    â€˜Yes, quite a large one,’ said Melanie. ‘Her foot completely disappeared up to the shin. It reminded me of that game you play when you’re little, where you don’t want to stand on the cracks in the pavement or a lion will get you.’
    â€˜I always thought it was a crocodile,’ said Friday.
    â€˜Definitely something large that will eat your leg,’ agreed Melanie. ‘Which is why Jacinta’s leg suddenly disappearing before my eyes made me think of it. They had to carry her off crying. It was very sad. But a good cautionary example of why you should never play sport.’

    Several minutes later, when they arrived at Trea’s room, Jacinta wasn’t there.
    â€˜That’s good,’ said Trea. ‘You’ll be able to search her things.’
    â€˜I have no intention of doing that,’ said Friday. ‘It would be an invasion of Jacinta’s privacy.’
    â€˜But I’m her roommate,’ said Trea. ‘She has no privacy from me.’
    â€˜Hmm,’ said Friday, who did not particularly like her client, ‘go and stand by the door next to Melanie and be silent. If you find yourself unable to not speak, watch Melanie, she will show you how to do it.’
    Melanie smiled at Trea silently, which was very kind of her because she didn’t like Trea either.
    Friday looked about the room. There was no actual line marked on the floor or walls, but there may as well have been because there was a clear difference between the two halves. Trea’s half was very neat and all her possessions were pretty: feathery pens, love-heart-covered diaries and a pink quilt set.
    The other half of the room was more dishevelled. There seemed to be a large amount of stuff shoved into the small space. There were school books, papers, sports equipment, clothes and a half-eaten chocolate bar lying on the middle of the desk. There was also an eclectic collection of fiction. Lots of classic romance novels by Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, as well as lots of action adventure stories by Lee Child and Jo Nesb ø . Jacinta’s music collection included retro country classics by Dolly Parton and moody alternative rock by The Cure. On the wall were two large posters, one of the great ballerina Darcy Bussell and one of the great female hockey player Luciana Aymar. There was also a framed picture of a middle-aged couple. Both looked large, proud and stout.
    â€˜They’re Jacinta’s parents,’ said Trea. ‘They’re huge in the building industry. They met on a building site. Her dad was a bricklayer and her mum was a quantitysurveyor. Can you believe it? They let anyone into this school these days. No offence.’
    Friday went over to Jacinta’s desk, took out a magnifying glass and closely observed each item without touching it. ‘What’s this?’ she asked, pointing to a long pink elasticated bandage snaking its way out of a desk drawer.
    â€˜I don’t know,’ said Trea. ‘A bandage, I suppose. She did sprain her ankle playing hockey, although I’m sure Melanie has her times wrong.’
    At that moment a girl in a pink leotard and tutu walked in. To be strictly accurate, it was more as if she floated. Her movements were so graceful.
    â€˜This is Jacinta,’ glowered Trea.
    â€˜Hello,’ said Jacinta, not picking up on the tension in the room, because she immediately started looking through her voluminous ballet bag. ‘Trea, I just realised I’ve still got this.’ Jacinta pulled out a big black calculator.
    â€˜I knew you had it all along!’ exclaimed Trea.
    â€˜No,