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Back Man at the Window Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. One
  3. Two
  4. Three
  5. Four
  6. Five
  7. Six
  8. Seven
  9. Eight
  10. Nine
  11. Ten
  12. Eleven
  13. Twelve
  14. Thirteen
  15. Fourteen
  16. Fifteen
  17. Sixteen
  18. Seventeen
  19. Eighteen
  20. Nineteen
  21. Twenty
  22. Twenty-One
  23. Twenty-Two
  24. Twenty-Three
  25. Twenty-Four
  26. Twenty-Five
  27. Twenty-Six
  28. Twenty-Seven
  29. Twenty-Eight
  30. Twenty-Nine
  31. Thirty
  32. Thirty-One
  33. Thirty-Two
  34. Thirty-Three
  35. Thirty-Four
  36. Thirty-Five
  37. Thirty-Six
  38. Thirty-Seven
  39. Thirty-Eight
  40. Thirty-Nine
  41. Forty
  42. Forty-One
  43. Forty-Two
  44. Forty-Three
  45. Forty-Four
  46. Forty-Five
  47. Forty-Six
  48. Forty-Seven
  49. Forty-Eight
  50. Forty-Nine
  51. Fifty
  52. Fifty-One
  53. Fifty-Two
  54. Fifty-Three
  55. Fifty-Four
  56. Fifty-Five
  57. Fifty-Six
  58. Fifty-Seven
  59. Fifty-Eight
  60. Acknowledgements
  61. About the author

‘Why did you say you didn’t believe Leggett did it?’ Paul asked.

The car bounced up onto the main road. No other traffic was in sight and they travelled from streetlight to streetlight, the glow of each filling the interior of the car for a flash. Cardilini became conscious of Paul watching him and he worked his lips wanting to say something so as to appear more human than the granite rock he felt himself to be. As a passing street lamp cast a yellow hue across his face he turned to Paul with a question in his eyes.

‘What is it, Dad?’

‘Do you think, as a policeman, I am obliged to follow the law regardless of the consequences?’

‘I think I would, or how would you know when to stop?’

Cardilini concentrated on the road. He didn’t have an answer.

Fifty-Five

FIFTY-FIVE

Mid-morning a few days later.

The boy stood in the alcove opposite Darnley outside the principal’s offices.

‘You got any smokes?’ Darnley asked with a smile.

‘No.’

‘I hear you took the skin off Binder?’

The boy smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

‘Mention my name to Binder, I don’t think he’ll mess with you.’

The boy nodded his gratitude.

‘Talkative little prick, aren’t you?’

The boy shrugged.

‘Okay, in you come,’ the head boy, Burnside, said. The boy and Darnley followed behind. Miss Reynolds rolled her eyes and shook her head at Darnley who smiled in return.

Braun was standing behind his chair. Carmody and the sixth form boy, Platmore, who’d said Darnley hit the boy, were standing to his right. Mr Abbott was standing to the left. Burnside joined Carmody and Platmore and pointed to a spot in front of Braun’s desk. The two younger boys stepped up to it and stood. Darnley had a defiant look on his face, the boy looked to the sixth formers, then to Principal Braun.

‘You’re skating on thin ice, Darnley,’ Braun said.

‘Yes, sir.’

‘You know I was about to start proceedings to have you expelled?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘But it appears we have been too hasty this time.’

Darnley gave a slight shrug.

Braun continued, ‘Mr Abbott said he has already caned you for striking Harper.’

Darnley nodded.

‘Well, you can count that as one towards the things we haven’t caught you for,’ Braun said dismissively.

Darnley shrugged.

‘So, Harper, did Darnley hit you?’ Braun asked.

‘He hadn’t hit me before it all went black.’

‘That’s not much good,’ Braun announced.

‘Platmore, did you see Darnley hit Harper?’

‘I saw him beside Harper who was on the floor. I naturally assumed Darnley hit him.’

‘Quite so. You see the reputation you have created for yourself, Darnley?’ Braun asked.

‘Yes, sir,’ Darnley hid a smile.

‘Think yourself lucky. If Carmody hadn’t put it all together you’d be getting your marching orders,’ Braun said.

‘Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.’