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themselves.’
    ‘Great idea. Boges, you’re a genius.’
    ‘I know.’
    ‘And modest, too.’
    For a second it was like the old days, when I was just another kid mucking round with a mate. But that feeling didn’t last long. At least I had a little hope, and a chance to tell the world of my innocence.

    In the time it took to set up my profile I’d forgotten about tricky Winter, until I looked over at my phone and saw her face looking up at me. I stretched my leg out and carefully kicked it under my bag.
    ‘I can’t stay much longer,’ Boges reminded me, glancing at his watch. ‘I’ve already skipped all my morning classes. Don’t want to start bringing in too many notes from Mum this term.’
    Boges could forge his mother’s signature perfectly.
    I never thought I would envy someone going to school, but I would have done anything to bepacking my bag and heading off with Boges. I’d happily have sat through the ‘Welcome back’ assembly in the hall—all the ‘over-the-holiday updates’ and ‘hopes for the year ahead’ speeches—that would normally have bored me to tears. I’d even have happily sat through one of Mr Lloyd’s biology classes, listening to him drawl on and on about lab safety in his boring, monotone voice, while I helped Boges conduct his own little groundbreaking experiments up the back. Or Mrs Hartley’s English class, and her long-winded soliloquies on Shakespeare and poetry.
    ‘I don’t think anyone wants to hear my side of the story,’ I said. ‘The cops have made up their minds about me already and we both know that Mum and Rafe think I’m some sort of dangerous nut case.’
    ‘They’re worried about you, that’s for sure,’ said Boges.
    ‘And I’m worried about Mum. I can’t help but wish Rafe would keep away from her.’
    ‘I guess she relies on him now that your dad’s gone,’ said Boges. ‘And he is your dad’s brother.’
    ‘Just because he looks exactly the same as Dad,’ I said, ‘doesn’t mean anything. Whenever he’s around, bad things happen. He pinched the drawings and lied about them. Now he’s got mein this mess, Boges. Why does he want me out of the way?’
    ‘Come on, we have no proof of that. I don’t think it’s Rafe that’s got you into this mess; I just think he hasn’t really helped get you out of it. But think about it, he’s had a rough time too. He lost his twin brother. He almost drowned in Treachery Bay. You know, he could have been killed at your place that day. And he has a heart condition, doesn’t he? His niece is in a coma. His nephew’s on the run from the law. His sister-in-law is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and he’s the only one around trying to keep it all together. Nobody else has stepped up. This can’t be easy for him either, Cal. I’ve seen him at your mum’s place, and he looks like a wreck.’
    ‘You may be right. He’s just so cold all the time, I forget that he may just have a heart in there.’
    ‘I don’t blame you. Anyway,’ said Boges, picking up his mobile and steering me towards the bathroom where the light was a little brighter, ‘let’s take a quick profile shot. This dump won’t give your whereabouts away, but you’d better turn your face a little,’ said Boges, ‘so that most of you is in shadow.’

    Like my life is now. In the shadows.
    Boges pointed the phone at me and took a photo.
    ‘That’ll do. I’ll upload it all now.’
    ‘I hope Mum sees this,’ I said.
    ‘I’ll make sure she does,’ said Boges.
    ‘Maybe she’ll change her mind about me.’
    Boges nodded, but I could tell he was just being nice.
    ‘The cops will see it, eventually,’ he said, ‘but it won’t help them. We’ll just need to be really careful about where and when we post messages.’
    Boges started to pack up his gear. ‘I’ll come round again on the weekend,’ he said. ‘Oh, and I almost forgot, I bought this for you to keep the drawings in.’
    He handed me a strong, rigid plastic