‘This and that,’ I shrugged, ‘We had a few drinks.’
Lisa’s eyes got big and scary. ‘Drinks?’
I thought everyone would be impressed but instead they were appalled.
Nic shook her head. ‘Christ, Cat, that’s why he fell. He was pissed out of his brains.’
I was standing there, feeling a lot like I was in court on trial, when in walked Mr McCracken and told us to sit down.
‘But we can’t have a lesson, sir,’ Nic said quickly. ‘Lisa’s cousin had a really bad fall and he might die and Cat’s just told us why!’
‘What? No, I didn’t! I just said I saw him. You’re getting ahead of yourself.’
Nic stroked my arm like she cared, but the tone of her voice was all wrong.
‘It’s OK, Cat. We know you’ve had a hard time, what with your dad and everything, and I know you really liked Michael . . . only you shouldn’t have given him alcohol.’
The whole class seemed to hold their breath and stare at me. Mr McCracken slapped his books down on the desk.
‘What’s this?’
Nic spun around to face him. ‘Well, sir,’ she looked back at me, ‘we don’t know the full story, but Constable Priaulx found his son at the bottom of the Pleinmont Tower early this morning and apparently he’d been drinking heavily and had fallen from the top.’
She then went on to itemise Michael’s injuries, with lots of excellent gesturing. Apparently Michael’s head had swelled up like a Giant Jersey Cabbage40 and he’d nearly lost an eye. He’d also broken both his arms and legs, cracked several ribs and blown a puncture in his lung. There was the suggestion he might be paralysed.
‘And was he alone?’ asked Mr McCracken.
Nic swung back to look at me. ‘Who knows?’
‘What are you trying to say?’ (I must’ve been purple by now.) ‘I wasn’t with him. I don’t know anything. I don’t, sir!’
I felt guilty for no reason at all, and was angry with everyone for staring.
Mr McCracken gave me a curt nod. ‘Right, well, be sure to tell the police if you think you can help, Cathy. As for the rest of you, this isn’t some kind of kangaroo court so I suggest you all sit down and let that be the end of it.’
But it wasn’t. The minute class was over Nic grabbed my arm and hauled me off to the loos.
‘What the fuck!’ She was shaking her head as she steered me over to the basins. She then checked her mascara in the mirror. ‘Shit, Cat. What were you playing at in there? You really lost it!’
‘What was I playing at? What were you playing at?’
Nic smiled at her reflection and dabbed under her eyes.
‘Excuse me, but I wasn’t the last person to see Michael Priaulx in one piece.’ She turned to look at me. ‘And if Mr McCracken thinks you were getting all cosy with Michael what’s the harm? He might get jealous. Don’t you get it? It’s a ploy.’
I laughed nervously. ‘Right. But I wasn’t having any kind of secret thing with Michael and I don’t like you implying that I was. We should get our facts straight, and find out what happened. And on that note,’ I took a breath, ‘where was Pete last night?’
Nic blinked. ‘What? Oh, you’re kidding me. Fuck off! You don’t seriously think Pete was involved. He was with me, of course.’
I’ll admit I was disappointed that Pete had an instant alibi.
Nic laughed. ‘And you were just telling me not to jump to any conclusions.’
‘I can’t help it,’ I replied. ‘Michael said you were bothering him at Donnie’s the other weekend. Maybe Pete got jealous.’
Nic shook her head.
‘You and your imagination.’
It’s true I have a brilliant imagination (which explains my high grades in Creative Writing) and I’m embarrassed to admit I did imagine all sorts vis-à-vis Michael and his death-plunge-drama. Thank God he’s come back. He can explain things for himself. I think I’ve waited long enough – that’s probably why he came round. He’s been away all these months and now he’s ready to set the record straight and tell me everything. And I can tell him everything, too. He’s the only person who’ll understand what I did and why. I hope he won’t judge me. He might even be glad Nic’s dead and thank me for killing her. Maybe he’ll promise to keep my secret