Down Among the Dead Men by Peter Lovesey Read Free Book Online

were, I’d stay away. No, we’re artists. All we do is let our hair down, so to speak.”
    â€œSmoking pot?”
    â€œNot to my knowledge. Listen, I’m not saying any more and I’m going to ask you, please, to forget everything I said under pain of death. And now I see them returning to the studio.” She turned about and moved off as if she’d disturbed a swarm of bees.
    â€œThat’s something Tom’s been keeping to himself,” Jem said to the others.
    â€œProbably quite innocent,” Mel said. “A poker school or something.”
    â€œStrip poker?” Ella said.
    â€œNot much joy in that when they see models stripping off for them every other week,” Jem said. “You’d better get back to the studio, Mel. They’re definitely going in. Oh, and Mel.”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œSee if you can find out when the next party is.”
    * * *
    Back in the studio, Mel took a tissue and started smearing the charcoal she had so carefully outlined before the break. Jem had been right. At once the picture had a freer look. She rubbed a few of the lines away completely and was pleased to see that they hadn’t been needed. When she stood back, her brain filled in the missing bits.
    â€œWhat’s happening here?” a voice said in her ear.
    Tom.
    â€œI’m trying something different.”
    â€œIt’s good. Go for it, Mel. You can use a rubber to lighten some areas if you want, but add some more charcoal first.”
    He moved on.
    She was pleased to get approval, but she felt disloyal to Miss Gibbon. All those exercises in perspective must have had some purpose. Her own sense of order had rather welcomed the analytical approach. The idea that there was a golden mean, an aesthetically pleasing formula for designing a picture, had given her something to aspire to. Last year hadn’t been a total waste of time, as the others believed.
    If, as now seemed inevitable, she “broke out” and disregarded those principles, she felt a strong urge not to disregard Miss Gibbon herself. The others seemed happy to dismiss her from their minds. They’d never had much respect for her. “Almost human,” Ella had said about the online photo. The knowledge that their former teacher was on the missing persons list didn’t trouble them. Their only concern was whether she’d be traced and get her old job back.
    Mel had decided she, at least, would make an effort to find out more.
    Now was an opportunity.
    Tom was still on her side of the room giving advice to Gail, one of the other A level girls. He’d have to edge past Mel to return to his own easel because Anastasia had built a barricade with two donkey stools to separate herself from Geraint. No one liked to get close when he was wielding the knife.
    â€œTom, mind if I ask something?”
    â€œAsk away.”
    â€œWhen you took over from Miss Gibbon, did you get a chance to talk to her?”
    He shook his head. “She left suddenly during the summer break.”
    â€œI was hoping you might have learned what her plans were, like where she was going next. We didn’t give her a goodbye present or thank her for teaching us or anything.”
    â€œShe’s on your conscience?”
    â€œIn a way.”
    â€œI wouldn’t worry about her. From all I heard, she was rather a private person. She may have decided she needs a break from teaching, a sabbatical. You might laugh at this, but teaching a lively group of students can be really demanding. Doesn’t the school have a forwarding address?”
    â€œI don’t think so. Miss Gibbon is officially a missing person.”
    He raked his fingers through his hair. “Are you sure?”
    â€œI’ve seen her picture on the police website.”
    â€œThat’s really disturbing. I hadn’t heard.” Shaking his head, he moved on.
    Out on the lawn, Jem had completed three good pastel drawings