“perished” in an accident. I just remember a sea of white faces and a wave of murmurs. The house emptied in a blur. Just before Sligo led me out again, a small suitcase in my hand, I picked up the present that sat beside my birthday cake—a small white box, tied with a pink satin bow. I opened it in the car.’ Winter held up her heart-shaped locket for me to see. ‘It was this. Mum and Dad had it engraved for me. But they never had the chance to see me wear it.’
Winter picked up the photo again, and stared at the younger version of herself. ‘They always called me Little Bird. I think this was the last time I ever really smiled. Like that, I mean, with all my heart. If I hadn’t acted like such a brat, making them take me to the aquarium that day …’
‘It was raining,’ I pleaded. ‘Accidents happen on wet roads. Brakes fail. You can’t blame yourself,’ I reminded her again. ‘You can’t keep beating yourself up about it. What’s the point? You need to let it go.’
‘Cal, I can’t just let it go, ’ she said firmly. ‘Whether I feel guilty or not, it’s not over untilI find out the truth. I told you, I need to see the wreck of our car. Sligo said that brake failure was the reason for the fatal accident, and I need to see that for myself before I can move on. The guy forged my dad’s signature on his will. What else has he done that I don’t know about?’
I nodded, and continued listening.
‘Look, I know this year has been one crazy, dangerous ride for you, but once it’s over,’ she said, ‘after we’ve been to Ireland and discovered the truth about the Ormond Singularity—’
I went to interrupt her, but she stopped me short.
‘Cal. After all this is over for you, and you’ve cleared your name, you can go home … it may not be your place in Richmond, but you have a family. I can never go home . I don’t have a home any more. Mum and Dad are gone and Sligo gave my parents’ house to Murray Durham to pay him off for something. Just gave it away. All I have left is the truth. That’s the only thing that will make me feel complete again.’
‘Winter,’ I said, looking straight into her eyes, ‘I will help you, I mean it. I only have one month and a half left to get through, then—if all goes to plan—I will be free to do anything you need me to do. I will help you check the car at the yard, then I will stand by you when you go tothe police with the forged will. Everything that belonged to your family will be returned to you. You will have your home back, I promise.’
I was always so worried I was going to say something stupid to her, but right now I could see that I had comforted her. She was listening to me and nodding.
‘Thanks, Cal,’ she whispered. ‘I’m really tired. Let’s get some sleep.’
As soon as I woke up, I looked down to the floor of the treehouse for Winter. She was gone.
She’d left behind another note, with a couple of dollars on top.
I called Nelson on my way to the local news-agency , and filled him in on the money situation. He sounded pretty impressed, and promised he’d give the go-ahead to his contact to begin my fake passport. I still needed to get a photo to him.
Even from a distance, I recognised the familiar face flapping on the front pages of the newspapers. I crept up to get a closer look and almost burst out laughing. Underneath the headline ‘Bad Kitty’, in grainy black and white, was a huge picture of Oriana de la Force’s furious face. But that’s not what I was laughing at. Her nose had been coloured in black, with what looked like the same thick, indelible ink that had been used on my ankle, and drawn across her cheeks were long, black cat’s whiskers! She was caught snarling like a wildcat! It was clear the feline features were Kelvin’s handiwork.
‘In light of new evidence,’ I read, ‘Ms de la Force is again facing charges over the kidnapping of Gabbi Ormond, younger sister of the infamous teen fugitive
Winter picked up the photo again, and stared at the younger version of herself. ‘They always called me Little Bird. I think this was the last time I ever really smiled. Like that, I mean, with all my heart. If I hadn’t acted like such a brat, making them take me to the aquarium that day …’
‘It was raining,’ I pleaded. ‘Accidents happen on wet roads. Brakes fail. You can’t blame yourself,’ I reminded her again. ‘You can’t keep beating yourself up about it. What’s the point? You need to let it go.’
‘Cal, I can’t just let it go, ’ she said firmly. ‘Whether I feel guilty or not, it’s not over untilI find out the truth. I told you, I need to see the wreck of our car. Sligo said that brake failure was the reason for the fatal accident, and I need to see that for myself before I can move on. The guy forged my dad’s signature on his will. What else has he done that I don’t know about?’
I nodded, and continued listening.
‘Look, I know this year has been one crazy, dangerous ride for you, but once it’s over,’ she said, ‘after we’ve been to Ireland and discovered the truth about the Ormond Singularity—’
I went to interrupt her, but she stopped me short.
‘Cal. After all this is over for you, and you’ve cleared your name, you can go home … it may not be your place in Richmond, but you have a family. I can never go home . I don’t have a home any more. Mum and Dad are gone and Sligo gave my parents’ house to Murray Durham to pay him off for something. Just gave it away. All I have left is the truth. That’s the only thing that will make me feel complete again.’
‘Winter,’ I said, looking straight into her eyes, ‘I will help you, I mean it. I only have one month and a half left to get through, then—if all goes to plan—I will be free to do anything you need me to do. I will help you check the car at the yard, then I will stand by you when you go tothe police with the forged will. Everything that belonged to your family will be returned to you. You will have your home back, I promise.’
I was always so worried I was going to say something stupid to her, but right now I could see that I had comforted her. She was listening to me and nodding.
‘Thanks, Cal,’ she whispered. ‘I’m really tired. Let’s get some sleep.’
As soon as I woke up, I looked down to the floor of the treehouse for Winter. She was gone.
She’d left behind another note, with a couple of dollars on top.
I called Nelson on my way to the local news-agency , and filled him in on the money situation. He sounded pretty impressed, and promised he’d give the go-ahead to his contact to begin my fake passport. I still needed to get a photo to him.
Even from a distance, I recognised the familiar face flapping on the front pages of the newspapers. I crept up to get a closer look and almost burst out laughing. Underneath the headline ‘Bad Kitty’, in grainy black and white, was a huge picture of Oriana de la Force’s furious face. But that’s not what I was laughing at. Her nose had been coloured in black, with what looked like the same thick, indelible ink that had been used on my ankle, and drawn across her cheeks were long, black cat’s whiskers! She was caught snarling like a wildcat! It was clear the feline features were Kelvin’s handiwork.
‘In light of new evidence,’ I read, ‘Ms de la Force is again facing charges over the kidnapping of Gabbi Ormond, younger sister of the infamous teen fugitive
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