The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 47

47

'Well first, I need you to believe I never took the pendant, secondly I might have a thought as to who did. You see, I know it doesn't compare, but Bill also had some sweets stolen', he was forced to elaborate on that statement, 'he's a diabetic, so he went crazy when he couldn't find them, saying he needed sugar. Luckily, someone else had some'.

I listened intensely as Jack explained that it wasn't just him messing around with Carla outside the changing rooms, Dwayne and Roger were there also, which I already knew. He went on to explain that his football team was short one player on Saturday and that Roger had told him about Dwayne, saying he was a good player. So they asked him to play for them, Dwayne made a condition, that they, Roger and Jack, turn up at his rugby team a few times and consider joining it. Roger and Jack had agreed, but what Jack had noticed was the rope chain Dwayne wore, which carried pendants of famous people in history. Dwayne had told him they were black people of note and he had reeled off a whole load of names, most of which Jack hadn't recognized. But others like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, he had recognized. Anyway, he stressed he knew little about Dwayne and couldn't vouch for whether he would do that sort of thing or not, but he had the opportunity to have stolen the pendant and the sweets, not to mention other things that may not have been noticed.

'Well, we need to rule him out', I said excited by the new avenue and the reassurance of Jack's innocence.

'We?', he said, 'does this mean we're friends?', he asked cagily, exaggerating a look of an innocent child.

'We'll see, maybe friends'. I conceded, at least that way I didn't feel like I should be getting jealous every time Susan kissed him.

'With benefits?', he asked with a smirk in his face.

'Don't push it', I chuckled out.

'We'll see', he whispered and I pretended I didn't hear him.

'So, how are we going to check him out?', I asked quickly changing the direction the conversation was heading.

'Not we. Me. I'll go to his rugby practice tomorrow, it would mean us missing our date'. I froze, I had completely forgotten he wanted us to get together after college on Monday. 'You forgot', he said reading my face.

'It's just that I've arranged to see my dad tomorrow'

He scrutinized my face.

'It's true', I added.

'I believe you, but there something more to it than you're letting on'

Gosh, I really needed to practice my facial expressions in the mirror.

Jack's attention was drawn behind me, I turned to see an apologetic Susan standing next to Janet, with her hands firmly on her hips, looking sternly at Jack.