The Secret Knowledge (Dedalus Original Fiction in Paperback) by Crumey Andrew

Author:Crumey, Andrew [Crumey, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dedalus
Published: 2013-07-31T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Paige is in Starbucks with Ella when she gets the call.

“It’s David Conroy. There’s something we need to discuss. Could we meet?”

She’s seen him only once, when she had her first lesson a few days ago, and already he’s phoning her. Paige’s confusion is obvious to Ella who watches with a mixture of fascination and concern, able to hear the male crackle at her friend’s ear. Ella mouths Who? and Paige mimes helplessness. The meeting is fixed for later that week, the tutor hangs up and Paige explains.

“But you surely aren’t going to…”

“I’m seeing him at the college,” Paige says reassuringly.

“He fancies you.”

“It’s about the piece I’m meant to be learning, that’s all. He wants me to give him back the score.”

“Hasn’t he got one of his own? Can’t you drop it off?” Suspicion comes easily to Ella’s mind. “How old is he?”

“I don’t know, pretty old, in his forties.”

“This isn’t about music. He arranges extra lessons in college, next thing he’s asking you back to his place for some advanced tuition.”

Paige won’t be treated like a child. “Nothing’s going to happen unless I want it to.”

“When did you ever know what you want?” Ella says lightly, and Paige’s silence chills the atmosphere. “I didn’t mean…”

“Forget it.”

But the subject has been raised and Ella won’t let it go. “Sean got a new job.”

“I don’t care what he does.” Sean was a mistake, like the foetus he made. They’d pretty much split already when she found out. Her body told her what her mind must do: reject everything of him.

“You’ve got the right attitude, Paige. Ignore them completely, best way to make them feel bad. Cut loose and never go back.”

“I’m not playing games.”

“But surely you miss him sometimes? Bound to, until you find someone else. Then you make certain he knows.”

Paige doesn’t want to talk about it, she gazes towards the door of the café and sees two boys entering that she knows from college. Ella registers the distraction and turns to look. One of the boys waves.

“Who are they?” Ella asks.

“I think the tall one’s called Rob.”

The boys get their order then come to say hello. Introductions are made, the tall one isn’t called Rob after all, his friend hides shyly behind a long fringe. Ella invites them to sit.

“Hear about the bust?” says not-Rob to Paige. Police came to the college and arrested an Egyptian violinist who’d been posting offensive remarks online. “He said the British troops deserved to die.”

“Then what did he expect?” says Ella.

“Got to have free speech,” the shy one offers, possibly wanting some kind of debate about it, but the conversation lapses. Ella restarts it. “Do you know a teacher at college called Conroy?”

“I had him once as accompanist,” says the tall one.

“Does he have a reputation?” Ella asks him. “You know, with girl students?” Seeing Paige’s reaction she adds, “Just asking.”

“I couldn’t say,” he responds. “Only thing I heard is he had a breakdown in the past, gets moody. One time he got really angry with my mate Harry, swore at him.

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