The Gaps by Leanne Hall (classic literature list .TXT) 📕

they are urged to contact the hotline number below.’

A tear slides down Mum’s cheek. She wipes it away, pretends it wasn’t there in the first place. ‘Albert and Nelson? Those kids will be getting hell at school with those names.’

I give her a rueful smile as my phone vibrates in my pocket.

It’s an unknown number.

‘Hello?’

‘Are you watching it?’

I can’t tell who it is. The person on the other end gets impatient. ‘It’s Natalia. From school. Are you watching the news?’

‘Yeah. Yeah, I am.’ I get up and go to my bedroom. ‘Did you know it was her birthday?’

‘Yes. Yes, I did.’ Silence and uneven breathing.

I flop down on my bed. ‘A hundred thousand is a lot of money.’

More breathing, then, ‘The reward shouldn’t be for her return, it should be for information that puts that sicko away for life.’

‘She could still be alive.’

All of a sudden I’m afraid the reward will work. It’s been more than a month. What if it’s not about Yin’s safe return, but about finding her body? Maybe it’s better not knowing. I look at my neglected picture wall and everything on it seems so old, from a million years ago. Irrelevant.

There’s dead silence for so long I wonder if I’ve messed up.

After way too long, Natalia speaks. ‘So, do you want me to do the photo shoot with you, or not? I don’t do nudes though.’

‘Well that’s a relief.’

She snorts in a humourless way. ‘Okay, so when do you want to do it?’

My brain spins, trying to figure out how soon I can be ready, or even if I want to be ready. I’m still not a hundred per cent sure this isn’t an elaborate plan to make fun of me.

‘How about the first week of holidays?’

That will give me time to plan the lighting and find a location and see what equipment I can borrow from school, and then time to edit the photo and paint on it and anything else I decide to do afterwards. If I’m lucky.

‘Nup, can’t do. We’re at the beach house that week. What about the second week?’

It seems as if everyone at Balmoral is going somewhere for the September holidays. The end of the holidays will be way too late.

‘That doesn’t give me enough time to finish it. How about the first weekend after we go on break? Sunday?’

‘You mean next Sunday?’

She’s right. How did the term get away from me so badly? ‘There’s a lot to organise…’

‘God, Cardell, settle down. You’re a massive geek, I’m sure you can pull this off.’

It’s difficult to know what to say to such a double-edged insult-compliment.

‘I don’t know. I’ve still got two exams left this week to study for. Let’s forget about it.’

‘Please.’ She sounds desperate, although I can’t imagine why. I’m the one that’s going to have a half-arsed Art project, and probably not be able to finish my homework for any other subjects as well.

Natalia sounds calmer though when she speaks again. ‘Don’t overthink it. I’m free on Sunday arvo, so pick a place, get some props or whatever and we’ll do it. I’ll sort out what I’m wearing and what I’ll look like. No stress.’

I’m quiet for a good few seconds. ‘Okay?’ I say, eventually.

‘You can do it,’ she says. ‘At least you’re doing something.’ And then she hangs up.

DAY 35

I wait until the next morning to call Dad.

‘Chloe, everything okay?’ is how he answers my call. He’s out of breath; he always seems to be out of breath when he answers his phone.

‘Yeah, nothing’s wrong. Just called to chat.’

This is not the truth. I’ve been sitting in my room for the last hour, looking at all the tests and due dates scribbled in my school diary.

‘Oh, good, good.’

There’s a pause. My hope is that he can get me out of this Art project mess, because he does actually have some skills in this area, from the olden days when he used to help put on underground raves and events.

‘How’s school?’

‘A bit better now, I guess.’ I haven’t spoken to him since the week Yin disappeared, but I know Mum has probably been giving him updates.

‘Any news on the police front?’

‘Not really. There were rumours today that they’re interviewing teachers again. And some people’s dads as well. And bus drivers, that sort of thing.’

‘I should hope so.’

‘I guess. There’s a reward now, so…’

I don’t even believe the rumours that police are interviewing students’ fathers. People will say anything when they’re feeling desperate.

‘Listen, Chlo, I’ve been thinking. You know how Jarrod is an expert at Dim Mak? It’s a self-defence technique using pressure points. You can temporarily paralyse someone with one finger. Anyway, he’s offered to teach you, if you want.’

I rub my face. I haven’t gone to Dad’s house much in the eighteen months since he’s been back from Western Australia, it’s too far away. And I’m pretty sure I don’t want to voluntarily spend time with Dad’s housemate who wears Thai fisherman pants 24/7. Or experience that much power in one finger, for that matter.

‘Uh, no. I mean, thank you. That’s really nice of him to offer. But we’re doing self-defence in PE.’

‘The offer’s there, Chlo. Or we can look into something else.’

‘Maybe.’ I take a deep breath. He’s taken me way off track. ‘Hey, so I’m calling because I need your help with something. It’s kind of short notice.’

‘Of course, yes! What do you need?’

I try to ignore how eager he sounds, practically panting like Arnold. I tell him about my project, as best I can, without getting into it too deep.

‘So, we need a location,’ he sums up, ‘and you need help picking up the equipment from school and driving it there and back?’

‘Yeah. And we’ll probably need to pick my friend up. Sorry. It’s a lot of work. I can’t ask Mum, with her roster and everything.’

‘It’s no problem, love. I’ve already got a place in mind. I’ll make a few calls and get back to you.’

‘Thanks Dad.’ I feel hypocritical