Read Jellicoe Road for Free Online

boundaries,” he continues. “But it might be important to you.”
    “The tunnel’s a myth.”
    “Are you calling him a liar?”
    The Mullets are angry. Their teeth are showingagain and they almost back us into the door. Ben tries to stand between us but they shove him out of the way.
    “Set up a meeting with the Cadets and maybe we’ll talk again,” I say.
    “That might be hard,” Santangelo says.
    “Make it easy, then.”
    “I don’t think you understand. My father was the cop who dragged you back when you ran away a couple of years ago.”
    I chance a glance at him again. He knows something about me; that I can tell. Being the son of the cop in charge would mean he knows a lot about most people around here.
    “Well, you just make sure you thank him for me and tell him I said hi,” I say with mock sweetness, although I do remember the cop’s face, kind in a stressed-worried-angry way. The Brigadier, though, was a different story. Cold and tense.
    “I don’t think you’re getting my drift. The guy my father and that Brigadier dragged back with you? Remember him? Well, he’s in charge of the Cadets now and rumour has it that none of us want to be dealing with him.”
    I can’t believe what I’m hearing. The Mullet Brothers are smirking. Raffaela and Ben look confused.
    “Griggs?” I ask, feigning indifference.
    Chaz Santangelo nods. “Jonah Griggs.”

Chapter 4
    Jonah Griggs.
    Not just a name but a state of mind I never want to revisit, although I do keep him at the back of my mind for those times I get my hopes raised about something. So then I can slap myself into reality and remind myself of what happens when you let someone into your sacred space. Jonah Griggs is my second reminder to never ever trust another human being. My mother was the first and these days I feel like Hannah might have joined that small and intimate group of traitors.
    Raffaela and Ben haven’t said a word, but I can hear what they’re thinking as they follow me out into the clearing. I want to tell their brains to shut the hell up but I know the only way to do that is to speak and I can’t.
    The lights of the Houses beam through the bush and mark out the path. Finally, after fifteen minutes, silence takes its toll.
    “Did you make contact with the Cadets, Ben?” I say finally.
    “Me?”
    “Me?” is Ben’s standard response to everything.
    “Ben Cassidy, could you please tell the class why crossing the Rubicon was considered the catalyst for the fall of the Roman Republic?”
    “Me?”
    “Ben Cassidy, someone’s on the phone for you.”
    “Me?”
    “Ben Cassidy, I think one of the Darling girls has a crush on you.”
    “Me?”
    “Ben Cassidy, who’s the biggest loser in the Western World?”
    He’d have that “is this a trick question?” look on his face.
    “Me?”
    “Seeing as Raffaela made contact with the Townies, you can make contact with the Cadets,” I tell him now.
    “I think that Cadet might want to talk to you, Taylor.”
    I stop and he walks into me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    Ben shuffles for a moment, looking at his feet, before he dares look at me. “Well, rumour has it he’s not the easiest person to speak to and seeing you guys have a history it might make some sense….”
    “Do you know what a history is? It’s what Raffaela and Chaz Santangelo have. Lots of stories to tell, lots of anger to vent, lots of baggage to check into I-Don’t-Give-a-Shit Airline. The Cadet and me? Nothing to tell. I ran away one day. He was running in the same direction. We ended up on the same train in the same carriage. The train derailed, we walked the same road and hitched a ride with the same postman in Yass. We got caught because the Cadet got scared and rang the powers that be. We came home in Santangelo’s father’s paddy wagon. End of story. No history. No sequel. Nothing.”
    I can’t see their faces because it’s too dark but they know I’m lying. I lie all the time about