Geesh. It was a good thing Father Serra was good and dead. I had a feeling that statue would have completely embarrassed him.

The breezeway was empty, as was the courtyard. No one was around. All I could hear was the gentle splash of the water in the fountain and the chirping of crickets hidden in the garden. It was a sort of restful place, actually, which was surprising. I mean, none of my other schools had ever struck me as restful. At least, this one did, until this hard voice behind me went, ‘What are you doing here?’

I spun around, and there she was. Just leaning up against her locker – excuse me, my locker – and glaring at me, her arms folded across her chest. She was wearing a pair of charcoal-coloured slacks – nice ones – and a grey cashmere sweater set. She had an add-a-pearl necklace round her neck, one pearl for every Christmas and birthday she’d been alive, given to her, no doubt, by a set of doting grandparents. On her feet were a pair of shiny black loafers. Her hair, as shiny as her shoes in the yellow light from the floodlamps, looked smooth and golden. She really was a beautiful girl.

Too bad she had blown her head off.

‘Heather,’ I said, pushing the hood of my sweatshirt down. ‘Hi. I’m sorry to bother you—’ It always helps at least to start out polite. ‘—but I really think we need to talk, you and I.’

Heather didn’t move. Well, that’s not true. Her eyes narrowed. They were pale eyes, grey, I think, though it was hard to tell, in spite of the floodlamps. The long eyelashes – dark with mascara – were tastefully ringed in charcoal liner.

‘Talk?’ Heather echoed. ‘Oh, yeah. Like I really want to talk to you. I know about you, Suzie.’

I winced. I couldn’t help it. ‘It’s Suze,’ I said.

‘Whatever. I know what you’re doing here.’

‘Well, good,’ I said. ‘Then I don’t have to explain. You want to go sit down, so we can talk?’

‘Talk? Why would I want to talk to you? What do you think I am, stupid? God, you think you’re so sly. You think you can just move right in, don’t you?’

I blinked at her. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘Into my place.’ She straightened, and stepped away from the locker, and walked towards the courtyard as if she were admiring the fountain. ‘You,’ she said, tossing me a look over her shoulder. ‘The new girl. The new girl who thinks she can just slip right into the place I left behind. You’ve already got my locker. You’re on your way to stealing my best friend. I know Kelly called you and asked you to her stupid party. And now you think you can steal my boyfriend.’

I put my hands on my hips. ‘He’s not your boyfriend, Heather, remember? He broke up with you. That’s why you’re dead. You blew your brains out in front of his mother.’