Chasing the Dark (19 page)

I slipped away to get a burger, relishing the sting of mustard on my lips, which proved that this really was my life, not some wacky reality show where the producers threw a pool party for the randomest mix of people they could find. The band started up the intro to another of Mum's songs and I caught myself searching the crowd as if I'd see her heading for the stage.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Norma.

‘What are you thinking?' she said.

‘That Mum should be here.'

‘I know,' she said, quietly.

She wanted me to ease her pain and tell her I forgave her. I felt bad that the best I could come up with was, ‘You gave her to good people who loved her.'

‘That was the
only
thing I ever did for her, Joe. And now
I'll never be able to make it up to her.'

The music stopped. I looked up. Yuri had commandeered the microphone and he was leaning on one crutch, pulling out a piece of paper. Little waves of nudging and shushing rippled across the garden as he coughed loudly and started to read.

‘For last thirty-six years I dream of day when dark past of Elysium will end and bright future of Elysium will begin. And now, because of my brave friend Joe, that day is come. His grandfather was good man and Joe is good boy.' Swapping the paper for a glass of vodka he raised it high. ‘So now we drink toast to Joe and Elysium!'

The cries of ‘Joe! Elysium!' caught me off guard, ripping the familiar stab of misery through my guts. I stood there among the smiles and clinking glasses, feeling Mum's frustration as she'd struggled to gasp out the truth she'd wanted me to know.
Tell Joe, Elysium
. I squeezed my fists, ready for the rush of falling helplessness that always followed the bursts of pain.

It didn't come. I unclenched my fists and felt my fingers reaching for Norma's hand.

There is something else you did for Mum,' I said. ‘Something really important.'

Norma looked at me with a sad smile. ‘Really, Joe? What was that?'

‘You fulfilled her dying wish,' I said. ‘You told me who I am.'

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to Sarah Curtis, Beth Holgate, Kevin Loader, Jamie Buxton and Catherine Saunders for their helpful feedback on an early draft, Ariadne Arendt and Minty Barnor for help with translations, and John Tullett for advice on how to hotwire a car. I would also like to thank my wonderful agent Stephanie Thwaites at Curtis Brown for her support, enthusiasm and clever input, and my editor Rachel Leyshon for her clear eye, firm guidance and brilliant suggestions. And of course a big thank you to my children Charlotte, Murdo and Lily for helping me to get into Joe's head, and to my husband James for everything.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sam Hepburn read modern languages at Cambridge University and worked for many years as a documentary maker for the BBC. She lives in London with her husband and three children.

www.samhepburnbooks.com

www.samosmanbooks.com

From the Chicken House

Don't you just love a really dangerous mystery? One in which there are shady lords, faded film stars, horrible gangsters, and brave kids who take on the impossible to unravel deeply perilous secrets of the past? Well, this funny, fast and furious story by Sam Hepburn is what you and I have been waiting for! I can tell you who . . . urgghh . . . no, too late, urghhh . . . read the book!

Barry Cunningham

Publisher

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Text © Sam Hepburn 2013.
First published in Great Britain by The Chicken House in 2013.

This electronic edition published by Scholastic Australia Pty Limited in 2013.
E-PUB/MOBI eISBN 978 1 921990 99 1

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