Mystery At Riddle Gully by Jen Banyard Read Free Book Online Page A

‘Does he follow you around all the time?’
    â€˜Pretty much,’ said Pollo. ‘He was born on my Aunty Giulia’s farm but his sheep-mother went all weird when he was born and rejected him. I raised him from a lamb.’
    Rejected by a parent ... Will thought of his father, who hadn’t bothered to ring him since he’d moved to Riddle Gully. So Shorn Connery and he had something in common. He had a friend in Riddle Gully after all. Angela would be happy.
    Pollo waited, her hands on her hips. ‘And you are?’
    â€˜You seem to know everything about me already,’ Will grumbled.
    â€˜A lot, sure, but not your name.’
    â€˜It’s Will.’
    â€˜Will, eh? Sure that’s your real name? Sure it’s not Liar-Liar-Pants-On-Fire?’
    Will sighed. ‘Will Hopkins. Hopkins is my dad’s surname and I’m sticking with it. I’m never going near my stepfather’s surname, no matter what anyone says.’
    â€˜Well, yeah. I can understand that,’ said Pollo. ‘Hey! Your stepdad doesn’t know anything about the graffiti at the school this morning, does he? Has he got any inside info?’
    â€˜Nuh-uh,’ said Will, shaking his head vigorously. ‘Nothing. And I don’t know anything either. Not a single thing.’
    â€˜Well someone wrote “Sergeant Butt is a pig’s bun” on the wall of the admin building. They did a really good picture of him too.’ Pollo giggled.
    â€˜You liked it?’ Will tried to fend off a pleased grin.
    â€˜Let’s say I admired it. I guess whoever did it meant to write “pig’s bum”.’
    â€˜Of course they did!’ said Will. He added hastily, ‘I’m pretty sure they did, anyway. They must have run out of paint.’
    â€˜I thought you didn’t know anything about it.’
    â€˜Err ... I know a bit about it, I guess. I just don’t know about who did it.’ His head was starting to hurt.
    â€˜Oh ... right,’ said Pollo. ‘How did your stepdad take it?’
    â€˜He wasn’t too worried, as it turns out. My mum’s pretty mad though.’
    â€˜Well, I sure would be if I were her,’ said Pollo. ‘It must be a bit hard for you too, with it happening in your very first week here. Don’t worry though. Everyone likes your stepdad way too much not to hunt down whoever did it.’
    Will closed his eyes and tried pinching himself again ... Still here.
    â€˜It’s a cheap shot, don’t you think?’ Pollo went on. ‘Your stepdad’s always so nice.’
    â€˜Mmm, yeah, I s’pose,’ murmured Will. He looked at the ground. He’d have to sound more convincing or she’d be onto him. What had Angela said at lunchtime? He looked up at Pollo. ‘I hope whoever did it gets shot!’
    â€˜Wow! That’s pretty severe,’ said Pollo. ‘I’ll tell you one thing though. I’m going to get to the bottom of it. Whoever did it is going to be Page Two news in the next Riddle Gully Gazette!’
    Will gulped ... Hang on a sec ... Page Two? He couldn’t help himself. ‘What’s going to be on Page One?’
    â€˜This other scoop I’m chasing.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I’m hoping it will win me the Youth Reporter cadetship with the Coast regional news network—Mayor Bullock can say what he likes to the editor-in-chief. It’s only a part-time job after school but it would set me off on my journalistic career.’
    â€˜You want to be a reporter?’ said Will.
    â€˜An investigative reporter,’ said Pollo. ‘I want to keep the people who run things honest and help the people who can’t help themselves. Like my mum did.’
    â€˜Heck ... well ... good luck then,’ said Will. ‘So your mum’s a reporter too, eh?’ Another person he had to avoid.
    Pollo smiled