Half Moon Investigations - Eoin Colfer [22]
May came out from behind the table. ‘Don’t worry, Fletcher. Red won’t do anything. He’s nice really, once you get past the mental bit.’
I was not comforted.
Red skidded to a halt before us, kicking up an arc of gravel. He wore faded jeans and his T-shirt was tucked into his back pocket. He was rangy, bony and muscular. His features were sharp enough to cut logs, and his eyes darted like a hawk’s, taking in the situation. In one hand he held a chipped and banded hurl. In the other a mobile phone.
Les Jeunes Étudiantes were suddenly transformed into Southern belles, half flustered, half delighted. Red had a powerful effect on girls; they either loved him or loathed him. Often both on the same day. I don’t know how he did it exactly. A mysterious combination of cockiness and charisma. You couldn’t say that Red was handsome exactly. But whatever he had was better than handsome, because it would last forever.
‘I just got a text, Half Moon,’ panted Red, ignoring the girls completely.
I pulled in my elbows and dropped my gaze. This was the non-aggressive stance wildlife experts recommended adopting when confronted by a gorilla.
‘May says you’re investigating me. Is that right, Half Moon?’
I could safely answer that one. ‘Not exactly. You are one of my suspects. Everyone is a suspect until I can clear them.’
Red shrugged on his T-shirt. The garment was emblazoned with the slogan I Fought the Law. Even his T-shirt was against me.
‘A suspect for what? What am I supposed to have done?’
‘Maybe nothing,’ I admitted. ‘But a lock of hair has been appropriated. Pop-star hair, to be precise.’
Red twirled his hurl expertly. It was a vicious length of oak, reinforced at the oval end by a steel band. Red had embossed his name on to the band using round-headed tacks.
‘Appropriated? Precise? What kind of freak are you?’
Red levelled the hurl at me. ‘Listen, Half Moon. I have a hard enough time with teachers and shopkeepers and the guards without headcases like you starting rumours about me.’
Naturally I wasn’t happy about being called a freak in front of a line of pretty girls. But at least I wasn’t a bleeding freak. Not yet.
‘Breathe deeply, Red,’ I said, raising my palms to show I wasn’t armed. A tip from the Bernstein Manual. ’ By tomorrow you could be off my list for the hair, at least.’
Red moved so fast then that I only saw the first bit and the last bit. In the first bit, I was standing with my palms raised and Red was a metre away. In the last bit I was flat on my back and Red was kneeling on the crooks of both my elbows. There was barely enough time to be scared, but I did manage to squeeze it in.
‘You’re not getting it,’ he said, still reasonably calm. ‘I don’t want to be on or off any list. In fact, I want you to burn the list. Leave me alone, Half Moon, or you’ll be sore and sorry.’
I believed him. Not a doubt in my mind.
May tried to help. She beat Red on the back with an empty cola flagon.
‘Get off him, Red Sharkey. You’re not impressing anyone. I’m sorry now I tried to help.’
Red looked up at May. For a moment something new appeared in his eyes. Something like anguish.
‘It’s hard enough already, May,’ he said. ‘Being a Sharkey is hard enough. With my family the way they are. I’m trying, you know, but what chance do I have with everyone in this town bad-mouthing me? And now Half Moon is jumping on the wagon.’ He tucked the hurl under my chin like a violin. I could feel it against my Adam’s apple. ‘I’d like to see you try to be me for a day, even an hour. Weird little Fletcher Moon, poking around in other people’s business. I bet your biggest problem is which pencil to write with in your stupid play-detective notebook.’
In spite of the situation, I felt anger of my own thumping inside my chest. Don’t get me wrong, most of me was terrified, but there is a steel fist of stubborn pride inside me that punches its way out every now and then, especially when someone belittles my profession.
‘I could live your life,’ I grunted, each word a struggle because of the pressure on my throat. ‘I could swan around bullying