Pirongia's Secret by K. T. Bowes

Author:K. T. Bowes [Bowes, K. T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780463119693
Goodreads: 40791675
Publisher: K T Bowes
Published: 2018-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Threads

Vaughan swallowed. “It doesn’t matter, Leilah. I’ll say it’s mine.” He wagged the old cut on his hand. “They won’t know.”

“But it’s the blood from my lip. Red smacked the gate into me and everyone saw it happen. Tane’s dad even saw it bleeding afterward.”

“How could you not think they’d know?” Dante laughed out loud, the sound echoing around the bush canopy. “They’re using that new science to identify people. DNA testing or something like that. It’s been in the news for a while. They’ll know it’s Leilah’s blood.”

Vaughan swallowed, his master plan flattened as easily as an unfortunate possum under truck wheels. His gaze darted to Leilah and then away again as he floundered. “I didn’t think about that.”

Dante snorted. “You think Leilah offed Malcolm, don’t you? You’re trying to protect her.”

Vaughan shook his head. “I know she didn’t. But her blood at our place could complicate things. I didn’t think about the science of it, just that they’re looking for someone to pin Malcolm’s death on.” He sighed and slumped back into his crouched position. “Shit.”

“Did you already tell them it was yours?” Leilah asked, her tone soft. “Are you in trouble?”

Vaughan shook his head. “Na. Just you.”

Dante inhaled, a smirk on his lips. “You clown.” His brow narrowed and he joined Vaughan in his crouch. Leilah peered over their heads, trying not to knock them into the gully although admitting she felt a little tempted.

“What?” she demanded, staring into the swirling water.

Vaughan pointed a slender finger at the opposite bank. The impacted mud on the ridge appeared scuffed and jagged as though someone had scrabbled in the dirt before sliding into the water. A tuft of yellow thread waved in the gentle evening air, the effect of any wind negated by the tree canopy overhead. The branch it clung to stretched out clawed fingers over the water.

Leilah gasped. “He died here.” She backed away until the ridged trunk of a punga pressed into her spine. Glancing down she saw she’d disturbed a family of weta and jumped sideways.

“Why are you bouncing around like a kangaroo?” Both boys turned to watch her antics, each with confused, knitted brows. Dante spoke, his ready rebuke causing Leilah’s cheeks to flush with embarrassment and pique. When she couldn’t think of a suitable reply, he turned back and followed Vaughan’s direction as they spoke in hushed tones about the find.

“We have to move it.” Leilah raised her chin and tried to follow through with a determined edge to her tone. “It has to be destroyed. Or hidden.”

“Why?” Dante’s expression of openness pricked her conscience, but Vaughan spoke for her.

“Because Malcolm wore a yellow tee shirt to school the day he died. It was under his uniform shirt. Cloughie told him off in tutor group, remember? He let him keep it on because he said his dad’s friend brought it back from an overseas trip and he promised not to wear it the next day. He probably took his shirt off after school and slipped his denim jacket over the yellow tee shirt.

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