Chapter 61

Aaron tried to sneak me some honey tonight. He'd made a small pot from some folded cardboard and Sellotaped it together, as he didn't think it was fair I had nothing to go on my bread. The honey had made the Sellotape come away and it had leaked in his pocket. Of course that was my fault! Grace said I must have threatened Aaron. She tore my bread in half, so that's another night without any supper!

I asked Grace why all our pictures of Jesus show him as a white man, when he was actually a first-century Palestinian Jew. I told her that at RE today Mr Kelly said it was to subliminally engrain white superiority into the minds of people of colour. She called me an unclean spirit and went to bed early with a headache. Noah came into my room later and took my pillows and blankets. He didn't even look at me. I had to wear my school uniform just to stay warm and in the morning I had pins and needles. I won't be asking about white Jesus again!

I finished top in cross-country today. Sometimes I feel I should keep running and never come back! Mrs Jenkins presented me with my certificate in front of the whole class. She said it was a school record and I should be very proud. Alice treated me to a milkshake on the way home. I like Alice. Today was a good day!

I showed Noah my certificate when I got back. He tore it in half and handed it back without saying anything. Why do they hate me!!!??? Later Aaron sneaked some tape into my room so I could fix it. I'll take it to school so Alice can keep it safe for me.

‘Jesus,' Poe muttered.

Aaron wet the bed again last night. Grace said it was my fault for being evil. Typical. It's not Aaron's fault, but tonight I pinched his arm when I went to brush my teeth. I said sorry straight away but he started crying. He didn't tell Grace though, which was cool of him. I must make it up to him tomorrow.

Poe's phone rang. It was Flynn. ‘Boss?' he said.

‘How's it going up there?'

Poe spent ten minutes bringing Flynn up to speed. Told her about the note that had been left under his windscreen wiper at the Children of Job compound, and how that had led them to Eve Bowman and the subsequent ambush by Alice Symonds.

‘You have handed the journal in to Jo Nightingale, Poe?' she said when he was finished. ‘Tell me you're not sitting on what might be key evidence?'

‘I handed it to her personally,' Poe confirmed.

‘Tilly took a digital copy first?'

‘Of course. How's the audit going?'

Flynn paused.

‘What's up, boss?' he said.

‘They're saying the right things. They're looking at the right things . . .'

‘But?'

‘But it's superficial, Poe. I spoke to the director last night and we're in agreement.'

‘About what?'

‘We think this is about you, Poe.'

‘Me? What have I done?'

‘I haven't got a spare six months, but it's the only thing that makes sense. They certainly aren't interested in anything we're doing down here.'

Poe glanced at Linus. He was reading Bethany's journal, the same as he and Bradshaw. If the young spook was spying on him, he was doing a good job of hiding it. But, if Poe were the subject of a secret investigation, they would hardly send someone incompetent. And yes, Poe, with the help of Bugger Rumble, had tricked him into revealing who he really worked for, but that type of thing only ever worked once. The truth was, he had no idea what Linus wanted. He told Flynn as much.

‘Just be careful, Poe,' she said. ‘Do everything by the book and try not to piss him off too much. I'm too old to break in a new sergeant.'

‘When do I not do things by the book?'

‘I'm not dignifying that with a response,' she said, ending the call.

‘Everything OK?' Linus asked.

Poe ignored him and went back to reading Bethany's journal.