‘Oh my God. When did that happen?’ Gretchen ran up with Lachie in tow. The little boy waved at Falk before turning his wide-eyed attention to the car. He reached out a stubby finger to trace the carved letters, and to Falk’s horror began sounding out the first word before Gretchen hastily pulled him away. She sent him to play on the other side of the carpark, and he reluctantly sloped off to poke things down a drain.
‘Who’s done this?’ she said, turning back.
‘I don’t know,’ Falk said.
Whitlam gave a low sympathetic whistle as he walked slowly around the car.
‘Someone really went to town. What did they use? Knife or screwdriver or something?’
‘Yeah, I really don’t know.’
‘Bunch of bastards,’ Whitlam said. ‘This place. It’s worse here than in the city sometimes.’
‘Are you OK?’ Gretchen touched Falk’s elbow.
‘Yeah,’ Falk said. ‘Better than the car at any rate.’ He felt a stab of anger. He’d had that car for more than six years. Nothing flash, but it had never caused him any trouble. It didn’t deserve to be wrecked by some country moron.
WE WILL SKIN YOU.
Falk turned to Whitlam. ‘It’s about something from the past. This girl we were friends with –’
‘It’s OK.’ Whitlam gave a nod. ‘I’ve heard the story.’
Gretchen ran a finger over the marks. ‘Aaron, listen, you need to be careful.’
‘I’ll be fine. It’s annoying, but –’
‘No. It’s worse than that.’
‘Yeah, well. What more are they really going to do? Skin me?’
She paused. ‘I don’t know. Look at the Hadlers.’
‘That’s a bit different.’
‘Are you sure? I mean, you don’t really know.’
Falk looked to Whitlam for support but the principal gave a shrug.
‘It’s a pressure cooker round here, mate. Little things become big things faster than you expect. You’d know that, though. It wouldn’t hurt to be a bit careful. Especially with both things coming on the same day.’
Falk stared at him.
‘Both things?’
Whitlam shot a glance at Gretchen, who shifted uncomfortably.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I thought you’d have seen them by now.’
‘What?’
Whitlam took a square of paper from his back pocket and handed it to him. Falk unfolded it. A hot wind rustled the dead leaves around their feet.
‘Who’s seen this?’
Neither of them answered. Falk looked up.
‘Well?’
