dead, and you have been present or involved with every death.’ He ticked the names off on his long fingers. ‘Isabelle Davis, you found the body. Layla? – you found her too. And you were involved with both Milo and Marcus.’
‘I was not!’
Tame continued, ignoring her protests. ‘Then there was the unfortunate tragedy with your father, of course. And now we have the situation with two of your teachers and poor Benjamin Osbourne – the situation which brings me here.’ He smiled, but there was no humour in it. ‘So what am I to do? If I expel you, it reflects badly on the institution. Given your father’s connections in Fleet Street, we could well expect headlines like “Elite School Abandons Grieving Child” – and that wouldn’t be helpful, especially at this delicate time. On the other hand, I can’t do nothing. That would look weak – and I’m not a weak man, April. Not at all.’
April looked at him, unsure if she was supposed to respond.
Tame steepled his fingers in front of his face. ‘I’ll get straight to the point – I would like you to be the new Head Girl at Ravenwood. I think the challenge will keep you busy.’
April was so surprised she actually laughed, but the laughter quickly trailed off as she realised he wasn’t joking. ‘Me? You want me to be head girl?’
‘Why not? You’re smart, well liked and – most importantly, it deals with the PR problem rather neatly, don’t you think?’
With a sinking feeling, April could see that he was right. Instead of shunning her and thereby accusing her of being involved with the many “inconvenient” deaths of Ravenwood’s pupils, this way it would appear the school was embracing her, supporting her in her hour of need. It would seem sensitive and forward-looking – and Tame knew that refusing the offer could make April look ungrateful. He gave one of his trademark smug smiles – he knew he had her.
April sat there bewildered. ‘I ... I don’t know if ...’
‘I’ll take that as a yes, then,’ Tame said, standing and thrusting his hand out across the desk toward her. ‘Super to have you on board, April. I know you will be a credit to the school.’
Chapter Six
‘ Clever’ , said Caro, when April told her what had happened in the headmaster’s office. ‘Very, very clever.’
‘You sound as if you respect him,’ said April. It was lunchtime and they had arranged a rendezvous in the little-used ladies’ toilets by the library. Caro was sitting on the sink, her back to the mirrors, painting her nails a vivid shade of green.
‘Oh, it’s not respect respect,’ she said, ‘I still think Charles Tame is the spawn of Satan, but it’s a very smart move, you’ve got to give him that. It’s a classic politician’s trick: spin a positive out of the disaster, turn the focus onto the bright pretty girl rising above the tragedy – don’t dwell on the torture and the mound of bodies.’
‘Caro!’ said April. She had already checked that the cubicles were all empty, but April was still worried someone would overhear and accuse them of making light of the situation. April knew Caro was only joking to keep their spirits up – other people might not understand. Caro rolled her eyes.
‘What? You don’t like me to point out that eight people have died – no, nine if you count Alix Graves. And that’s not including all the times the Suckers have tried to kill you.’
‘Yes, I know,’ said April urgently. ‘But some people at Ravenwood are cousins and friends of the people who died and we don’t need any more enemies than we already have.’
‘Fair enough,’ shrugged Caro, blowing on her nails. ‘Anyway, the bottom line is that you seem to have taken the Big Doc’s offer. Actually, he knew you couldn’t turn it down. Which is all part of his evil genius.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘With the best will in the world, A, you need all the help you can get on your university application forms, don’t
‘I was not!’
Tame continued, ignoring her protests. ‘Then there was the unfortunate tragedy with your father, of course. And now we have the situation with two of your teachers and poor Benjamin Osbourne – the situation which brings me here.’ He smiled, but there was no humour in it. ‘So what am I to do? If I expel you, it reflects badly on the institution. Given your father’s connections in Fleet Street, we could well expect headlines like “Elite School Abandons Grieving Child” – and that wouldn’t be helpful, especially at this delicate time. On the other hand, I can’t do nothing. That would look weak – and I’m not a weak man, April. Not at all.’
April looked at him, unsure if she was supposed to respond.
Tame steepled his fingers in front of his face. ‘I’ll get straight to the point – I would like you to be the new Head Girl at Ravenwood. I think the challenge will keep you busy.’
April was so surprised she actually laughed, but the laughter quickly trailed off as she realised he wasn’t joking. ‘Me? You want me to be head girl?’
‘Why not? You’re smart, well liked and – most importantly, it deals with the PR problem rather neatly, don’t you think?’
With a sinking feeling, April could see that he was right. Instead of shunning her and thereby accusing her of being involved with the many “inconvenient” deaths of Ravenwood’s pupils, this way it would appear the school was embracing her, supporting her in her hour of need. It would seem sensitive and forward-looking – and Tame knew that refusing the offer could make April look ungrateful. He gave one of his trademark smug smiles – he knew he had her.
April sat there bewildered. ‘I ... I don’t know if ...’
‘I’ll take that as a yes, then,’ Tame said, standing and thrusting his hand out across the desk toward her. ‘Super to have you on board, April. I know you will be a credit to the school.’
Chapter Six
‘ Clever’ , said Caro, when April told her what had happened in the headmaster’s office. ‘Very, very clever.’
‘You sound as if you respect him,’ said April. It was lunchtime and they had arranged a rendezvous in the little-used ladies’ toilets by the library. Caro was sitting on the sink, her back to the mirrors, painting her nails a vivid shade of green.
‘Oh, it’s not respect respect,’ she said, ‘I still think Charles Tame is the spawn of Satan, but it’s a very smart move, you’ve got to give him that. It’s a classic politician’s trick: spin a positive out of the disaster, turn the focus onto the bright pretty girl rising above the tragedy – don’t dwell on the torture and the mound of bodies.’
‘Caro!’ said April. She had already checked that the cubicles were all empty, but April was still worried someone would overhear and accuse them of making light of the situation. April knew Caro was only joking to keep their spirits up – other people might not understand. Caro rolled her eyes.
‘What? You don’t like me to point out that eight people have died – no, nine if you count Alix Graves. And that’s not including all the times the Suckers have tried to kill you.’
‘Yes, I know,’ said April urgently. ‘But some people at Ravenwood are cousins and friends of the people who died and we don’t need any more enemies than we already have.’
‘Fair enough,’ shrugged Caro, blowing on her nails. ‘Anyway, the bottom line is that you seem to have taken the Big Doc’s offer. Actually, he knew you couldn’t turn it down. Which is all part of his evil genius.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘With the best will in the world, A, you need all the help you can get on your university application forms, don’t
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