“You dropped it!” I say.

She laughs again. “Why would I drop your goggle cloth?”

My mouth opens. Her actions caused Jacinta to break her leg, yet there’s not a shred of remorse. It’s almost as though she’s happy about the result. “You’re unbelievable. You must have . . .” God, I can hardly get words out. And how the hell did she get hold of it?

She glances over her shoulder at her brother on the chair. “It’s my word against yours. If you keep quiet about it, I won’t say anything either. Who do you think he’ll believe?”

I witnessed just now how protective Curtis is of his sister. He might have told me to watch out for her, but if it comes down to choosing a side, he would quite possibly believe her. Blood is thicker and all that. And it’s my goggle cloth after all.

Then I think of the text message I sent him yesterday. I’m so sorry. You could easily construe that as guilt. My friendship with Curtis means so much to me. Even if Saskia described it as though I’d dropped the cloth as a silly prank, I’m not sure he’d ever forgive me for breaking his girlfriend’s leg.

Saskia stuffs it back in her pocket. “I’ll just keep this. Evidence.”

CHAPTER 31

PRESENT DAY

My knee throbs. As fast as I can, I limp down the corridor. Face your fears head-on; that’s what snowboarding taught me. I turn the corner, terrified of what I’ll see.

The corridor is empty. I let out my breath. It was just my imagination.

Or my guilty conscience.

The corridor branches and I turn left. “Heather!” I call.

“Milla?”

Heather’s voice, so faint I can hardly hear it.

“Where are you?” I shout.

“Here . . .” A series of thuds from farther down the corridor.

I follow the sound and push the door two doors down. Heather bursts through the gap and tumbles into my arms.

“The door . . .” She’s shaking so much she can hardly speak.

“Hey,” I say. “You’re okay.”

“It wouldn’t open.”

“It opened fine just now. Maybe it was just stuck.” I push the door wide. “See?”

The room is some sort of staff changing room with cubbyholes for shoes and clothes, and a shower and toilet. I don’t remember seeing it before. Maybe I didn’t switch on the light.

Heather wraps her arms around herself, still shaking. Definitely not acting this time. That’s one scared woman.

“Why did you come in here anyway?” I say.

“I needed the toilet.” Her eyes sweep the corridor. “So I went to our dorm. And on my way back, I saw someone.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know. But there was someone in the corridor with me.”

“Brent or Curtis, you mean?”

“No. It wasn’t one of us.”