The Mum Mystery Page 9

  ‘Matthew painted a car?’

  ‘Yeah.’ I quickly filled her in on that part too, and about how much trouble my brother was in because of it.

  ‘Poor Matty,’ Holly said with feeling.

  I was about to tell her not to feel too sorry for him, since in my opinion he’d brought most of this on himself, but I decided to keep quiet. Holly can get very defensive about Matty – which just goes to show that love is blind. (And in Holly’s case, deaf too, since my brother only ever speaks to her when he’s telling her to get lost.)

  ‘Holly, I told Nevada she can walk to school with me tomorrow. You don’t mind, do you? She doesn’t know anyone here, except me.’

  ‘OK – just as long as she doesn’t want to hang out with us all the time in school too,’ Holly answered grumpily.

  I didn’t say anything because I was pretty sure that Nevada would want to hang out with us for most of the time in school tomorrow. If only I could tell Holly about that message in my mother’s jewellery box and how if it wasn’t for Nevada I’d never have found it. Then I was sure Holly would like her a bit more. But Nevada had made me promise not to tell Holly anything, and I was too scared to disobey her. After all, she was the expert on the spirit world, not me, and if she said the spirits didn’t want Holly to know about it, then who was I to disagree?

  When Nevada called in for me the next morning, I could tell at once that she’d been crying.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.

  ‘My mum and dad want Carys and me to go and join them in Saudi Arabia. They were supposed to only be going there for a few months, but now Dad thinks his job is really good and Mum says they want to stay. She says she can home-tutor me if I want, or I can go to an English-speaking school there.’

  ‘When would you have to go?’ I asked.

  ‘Soon. But Carys says there’s no way she’s moving to Saudi, and my aunt says we can both stay here with her and Uncle Frank if we want to. I don’t know what to do. If I stay here I won’t be living with Mum and Dad any more, but if I go there I won’t know anybody again, and Carys won’t even be there this time. Dad will probably get a different job after a year or two anyway and we’ll have to move on again. I wish we could all just stay put for a while so I can live with Mum and Dad and make some friends.’

  ‘Well, you’ve already made one friend here,’ I said, trying my best to cheer her up.

  She sniffed. ‘Really?’

  ‘Of course!’

  ‘But Holly’s still your best friend, right?’

  ‘Well . . .’ I felt sorry for her but I also knew that I couldn’t lie about this. ‘Holly’s been my friend for a really long time – I mean I’ve known her for nearly my whole life. But I think you and I are really good friends considering we’ve only just met, don’t you?’

  She sniffed again. ‘I suppose.’ She pulled out a tissue to wipe her nose. ‘Well, you’re my best friend in any case.’

  I didn’t know what to say to that, so we walked along in silence for a bit and she seemed to have cheered up by the time we met Holly at the school gate.

  At lunchtime we were all standing in the canteen queue together when Holly suddenly asked me if I wanted to go round to hers after school. I was just about to agree when Nevada announced that she wanted me to go back to her house today instead.

  ‘Well, she can’t,’ Holly said abruptly.

  ‘Esmie, you need to,’ Nevada said, giving me a meaningful look.

  I managed to get Nevada on her own at the sandwich counter while Holly was waiting for her baked potato. ‘Look, Holly did ask me first,’ I told her.

  ‘I know, but I think I’ve worked out what your mum is trying to tell you,’ she whispered. ‘Though I need to see that message again before I can be sure. Look, if you’re not interested that’s fine, but—’

  ‘No, I am interested,’ I interrupted her. ‘Just let me figure out a way to tell Holly without upsetting her, OK?’

  I didn’t know what to do until Miss Dumont came to find me in Registration that afternoon and inadvertently took the whole thing out of my hands. She looked quite grave-faced as she walked into our classroom and announced that she wanted a private word with me, and I had a momentary panic that something had happened to Dad. (I’m always imagining he’s been killed in a high-speed car chase, or shot by one of his murderers, even though he keeps telling me he hardly ever chases any dangerous criminals in his day-to-day work.)

  As soon as Miss Dumont got me out into the corridor she said crisply, ‘Your brother is starting a week of detentions today, Esmie. That means there’ll be no one at home after school, so your father has arranged with Holly’s mum for you to go home with Holly.’

  When I went back into the classroom and told Holly (who sits next to me), she was so overjoyed that you’d think I hadn’t been round to her house after school in ten years or something.

  I had to wait until the bell rang to let Nevada know. ‘I’ll try and come round to yours after Dad picks me up from Holly’s tonight,’ I told her apologetically.

  ‘Yeah, well just make sure it isn’t too late,’ she replied, scowling.

  ‘Nevada, do you really think you know what my mum’s message means?’ I asked, hoping she might give me some sort of sneak preview.

  She nodded. ‘I had another dream.’

  And then Holly joined us and she completely clammed up.

  Holly and I have been friends for so long that her bedroom seems almost as familiar to me as my own. I really love Holly’s pink wallpaper and the gold stars she and her mum stencilled on to it, and the fluffy bright pink rug that lies in the middle of her floor. I was really worried she was going to change it last year when she started complaining that pink wasn’t a cool colour any more, but fortunately she reverted back to liking it again after I showed her a picture of a famous celebrity’s ultra-pink bedroom in Hello! magazine.

  Right now Holly was lying on her back on the floor and I was lolling on the bed, flicking through a bridal magazine that Holly had bought for me. ‘I thought we could choose what dress Lizzie would look best in, and then we could choose you a bridesmaid’s dress to match,’ she said.

  I was touched. Holly knows how desperate I am for Dad and Lizzie to get married, and she also knows how much I’ve always dreamed of being a bridesmaid.

  ‘But would Lizzie still be able to wear a proper bride’s dress if they get married in a registry office?’ I asked doubtfully.

  ‘Of course she would! Anyway, just because it’s not a church wedding, it doesn’t mean it has to be a registry office. They could get married in a posh hotel or stately home – or in a castle in Scotland like celebrities do.’

  As we flicked through the pages of the wedding magazine together, stopping to comment on each dress in turn, I thought about how Dad and Lizzie hadn’t actually said that they wanted to get married.

  ‘I hope they don’t decide just to live together,’ I said. ‘I mean, Dad’s already been married once. He might not want to do it again.’

  ‘Yes, but Lizzie hasn’t been married before, has she? You should take this magazine home with you and leave it where she can see it. I bet she won’t be able to resist the idea of getting married when she sees some of these dresses.’

  ‘Yes, but I think if Dad sees the cost of some of these dresses it might put him off.’

  ‘I don’t see why. Lizzie can buy her own dress – or her parents can buy it for her. It’s traditional for the bride’s parents to pay for the wedding.’

  ‘Lizzie’s dad is dead and I don’t think Lizzie’s mum would buy her a dress,’ I said. (I’ve never actually met Lizzie’s mother, but according to Lizzie she’s quite a difficult person, which is why Lizzie lives at the opposite end of the country from her.)

  ‘I’ve just had an idea!’ Holly exclaimed. ‘You know how you told me your mum’s old wedding dress is still in a box up in your loft? Well, why doesn’t Lizzie wear that? Then it wouldn’t cost anything.’

  I looked at
her.

  ‘OK, maybe not,’ she said swiftly. ‘Let’s look for some cheaper ones in here, shall we? Look, this one’s only three thousand pounds . . .’

  I was having such a great time with Holly that the next hour flew by, and we were laughing so much when her mum came and knocked on her bedroom door that we didn’t hear her at first.

  ‘Your dad just phoned, Esmie. He’s going to be later than he expected, so he’s asked if you can stay for tea.’

  ‘But Matty’ll be home by now,’ I said, checking my watch. ‘I can have tea with him.’

  ‘Apparently your dad just phoned your house and Matty didn’t pick up. He’s not answering his mobile either.’

  ‘But Matty’s detention finished ages ago –’ I began.

  ‘– and he was meant to go straight home afterwards,’ Holly’s mum finished for me. ‘That’s what your dad just told me too. He didn’t sound very happy.’

  ‘Uh-oh!’ I exclaimed. ‘Matty’s going to be in even more trouble now. Where can he have gone?’

  ‘Your dad says he’ll come and pick you up on his way back, which should be in an hour or so. I’ve just put a lasagne in the oven, so you can eat that with us.’

  ‘Did I tell you that Lizzie makes really good lasagne?’ I told them. ‘And chilli con carne.’

  ‘Yes, you did,’ Holly said, yawning loudly. ‘About a million times.’

  Holly’s mum smiled at me. ‘Lizzie sounds like a much better cook than me, Esmie. Our lasagne is straight from the supermarket, I’m afraid!’

  ‘Yes, but Lizzie still only knows how to cook three things,’ I pointed out (because I was counting the shepherd’s pie now as well).

  ‘Maybe she should go on a cookery course before she marries your dad,’ Holly said.

  ‘Holly, don’t be so sexist!’ her mum exclaimed.

  ‘Yes – and it’s not like they’ve actually decided to get married,’ I added quickly, just in case Holly’s mum got the wrong idea and started congratulating Dad on his engagement when he turned up to collect me tonight.

  Dad wasn’t in a very good mood when he eventually arrived to pick me up, which I guessed was because of my brother.

  ‘Holly’s mum said Matty wasn’t in when you rang home,’ I said as I climbed into the car.

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘Have you tried him again since? He might’ve just been in the bathroom or something.’

  ‘I tried him several times. The first time he picked up was half an hour ago.’

  ‘Where did he say he’d been?’

  ‘He didn’t.’

  We fell silent after that and I decided it was best not to question Dad any more. Matthew was in big trouble, but then he was stupid if he thought he could stay out late when he was meant to be grounded, and get away with it. Besides, I had my own problem to solve. I had told Nevada I wouldn’t be late home but now I was, and I didn’t know how she’d react if I called in on her. I had to see her though, because I really wanted to know whatever it was she had to tell me about my mother.

  As we drove into our street I noticed there were several people standing in our neighbour’s driveway three houses along. Dad pulled into our drive and, as we both climbed out of the car, we saw that Mr Stevens was standing in the group. He waved to Dad to get his attention and when Dad didn’t respond he started to walk towards us.

  ‘Have you seen what your son has done now?’ he called out.

  Dad turned to look at him. ‘Pardon?’ Something in his voice made me think that he was starting not to like Mr Stevens very much.

  ‘Come and see this!’

  Dad and I followed him to where our other neighbours were gathered. The couple whose drive they were standing in didn’t seem to be in the group, but everyone was staring at their van, which they use for their organic fruit and vegetable business.

  It was dark, but Mr Stevens had a torch and as Dad approached he pointed it at the side of the van, saying, ‘I thought I saw someone out here on the drive, and since Robert and Anne are away I came out to take a look.’

  Dad and I stared at the van, which usually says Robert’s Organic Fruit & Veg on the side in big red letters. But now the word Robert had been altered so that the round bit of the letter ‘b’ had been painted out along with the ‘t’ and the ‘s’, and what was left of it had been added to with red paint, so the whole thing now read Rotten Organic Fruit & Veg.

  I started to giggle. I couldn’t help it.

  ‘Esmie, go home now,’ Dad said sharply.

  I didn’t argue with him. I could tell he was putting two and two together – the fact that Matthew had been out when he’d phoned, and now this.

  I hurried back to our own house and let myself in with my key. To my surprise, Lizzie was there. ‘I thought you were going out tonight,’ I said.

  ‘I got back twenty minutes ago. Where’s your dad?’

  ‘He’s just coming. Where’s Matty?’

  ‘Upstairs.’

  I ran up the stairs and burst into my brother’s room without even knocking. ‘Matty, Dad knows what you did! You are in so much trouble!’

  My brother was lying on his front on the bed with a geography textbook open in front of him. ‘How can he know already?’ he asked in dismay.

  ‘Mr Stevens just showed him the van. Half the street’s out there looking at it!’

  ‘What van?’

  ‘The van you just painted of course! Did Jake help you?’

  ‘We haven’t painted any van! Esmie, what are you talking about?’

  ‘Don’t be stupid, Matty. It’s obvious it was you, and anyway, Dad phoned you loads of times after school and you were out.’

  ‘I was round at Jennifer’s!’

  ‘Jennifer’s?’

  ‘Yes. I thought that’s what you were talking about. I know I’m meant to be grounded and that Dad thinks I cancelled my date with her . . . but I have to keep seeing her, or Ian’s going to move in on her again.’

  ‘But Matty . . .’ I was really confused now. ‘What about the van?’

  ‘What van?’ he asked again, sounding really impatient this time.

  Just then we heard the front door slamming and Dad’s voice yelling up the stairs. ‘MATTHEW! WHERE ARE YOU?’

  I looked at my brother. ‘The fruit-and-veg van. Do you really not know about it?’

  Matthew shook his head, starting to look pale. ‘Look, whatever happens, don’t tell him I was with Jennifer.’

  ‘But, Matty—’

  ‘Just promise me you won’t interfere this time, Esmie. Please.’

  I sighed. ‘All right then – but it’s your funeral.’

  I knew I had no chance of asking Dad if I could go round to see Nevada after that, because it was as if our house had suddenly become a major war zone. And since everyone knows that innocent people get killed in wars, I picked up Hercule (who was sitting very unwisely at the top of the stairs) and went to take cover in my bedroom – keeping the door open so I could still hear everything.

  As soon as Dad flung open Matthew’s door, the yelling started.

  ‘I didn’t do it, Dad!’ my brother kept saying.

  ‘Don’t give me that, Matthew! It’s exactly the same thing that you and Jake did before! Was Jake involved with this as well?’

  ‘No! It wasn’t us!’

  ‘So where were you when I phoned? You were meant to come straight home after detention.’

  ‘I know. I’m sorry.’ My brother sounded like he was close to tears – he acts all tough half the time, but he isn’t really – not underneath.

  ‘You will be sorry. This isn’t funny, Matthew. It’s vandalism, and if you think you’re going to get away with it then you’re wrong.’

  There was a load more shouting and then Dad started to empty Matty’s room of his Game Boy, his computer, his music system and his television set, all of which he carried out on to the landing. ‘These are all going into the garage, and you can stay in your room until I decide what else to do
with you!’

  He slammed Matty’s door when he was finished, and swore as he stubbed his toe on the edge of the TV set on his way to the stairs.

  I waited until he’d gone, then I quietly opened Matthew’s door and went inside. My brother was standing at the window and his eyes were wet with tears, which he rubbed away roughly when he saw me.

  ‘What do you want?’ he hissed.

  ‘To help you.’ I looked round his room, which, without all the gadgets Dad had confiscated, looked very empty all of a sudden.

  ‘Dad hates me!’ Matty burst out.

  ‘No he doesn’t!’ I went over and sat down on the bed. ‘I think he probably wants to make your room look like the sort of room you’d have in prison, to show you what it would be like there. Because you might end up in prison, if you keep spray-painting all our neighbours’ cars.’

  ‘I only painted one car. I told Dad I wouldn’t do it again and I haven’t. I honestly haven’t, Esmie.’

  ‘Well if you didn’t do it, who did?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Matty sniffed. ‘But it wasn’t me!’

  I really wanted to believe him. The trouble was, considering what had happened previously, there was no doubt that my brother and Jake had to be the prime suspects. Unless . . . ‘Do you think Ian might have done it?’ I asked. ‘To get you into more trouble, I mean?’

  Matthew started to shake his head, then stopped. ‘Ian rang Jennifer while I was there today. She wanted to get rid of him, so she told him I was with her. Do you think that could’ve made him even more jealous?’

  I scrambled to my feet. ‘We’ve got to tell Dad.’

  ‘No!’ Matty looked alarmed. ‘We can’t tell him where I was.’

  ‘But Matty, Jennifer’s your only alibi.’

  ‘If Dad finds out, he’ll phone up Jennifer’s dad and he might stop her from seeing me again.’