Murder at TAC

By Richard Pinkerton

One of Te Arawa College’s most hated teachers has been murdered. But who did it? Three different tales will be told, each with wild contradictions. Can Rex Cassidy wade his way through all the conflicting stories to find out the truth?

Everyone has a theory on who the murderer is, but only Pete Cook is threatened with violence if he dares say anything against one of the suspects.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richard Pinkerton
• Release date: Nov 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370451722

Richard Pinkerton

I am in my early 50s and have been writing now since I was 12. I prefer to write light-hearted drama but have written a little fantasy horror and science fiction too. I have an entire series of high school novels (19 of them so far) set in New Zealand (The Mob from TAC series), which I will gradually publish if there is a demand. I prefer to use a mix of quirky and outrageous characters you would never come across in reality and also your every day Joes. My writings are aimed at teenagers mainly, but also young adults. I have also written a series of detective novelettes, most of which can be found on my website. The majority require work, to be able to be published here, mainly due to copyright issues. Please do leave feedback or contact me if you want to know more about my books.

Book preview

Murder at TAC

(Book 6 in the Mob from TAC series)

Published by Richard Pinkerton at Smashwords

Copyright 2021 Richard Pinkerton

Other books by Richard Pinkerton

Dead End High

Dead End Town

Time Warped

The Mob from TAC series

1 - The Mob from TAC

2 – Mismatched at TAC

3 - Trouble at TAC

4 - Heroes at TAC

5 - Scheming at TAC

7 - New Year at TAC

8 - Challenges at TAC

9 - Boot Camp at TAC

10 - Dark Days at TAC

11 - Jealously at TAC

12 - Choices at TAC

13 - Redemption at TAC

14 - Vendettas at TAC

15 - Aberrations at TAC

16 - Final Year at TAC

17 – Conspiracy at TAC

18 – Godly People at TAC

19 – Sabotage at TAC

20 – Distrust at TAC

21 – Competition at TAC

So Long, TAC

Acknowledgements

Amanda Kim

Dabney Farmer

Fil Reid

Katherine Lato

Marie Malo

Melva Gifford

Tess Louis

Vijay Kumar Kerji

Wuraola Ifeniyi

To Dean

The inspiration for Pete

CHAPTER 1:

Murder Most Foul

‘Oh, God!’

‘Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder!’

‘Murder!’

‘Murder most foul, as in the best it is. But this most foul, strange, and unnatural...’

What a load of mumbo-jumbo.

That’s what Rex Cassidy thought anyway. He thought that about Shakespeare in general. Interesting stories, but still, they were almost impossible for a normal human being to understand.

Rex gave his English teacher, Mr Franklin some credit though. He made good points about why you should study Shakespeare. It was all about expressing yourself in more creative ways and learning more about the English language. He had pointed out that many commonly used phrases and sayings were from Shakespeare: ‘Vanished into thin air,’ ‘tongue-tied,’ ‘laughing stock,’ ‘tower of strength,’ ‘the game is up,’ ‘dead as a doornail’...

Dead as a doornail - How appropriate.

A teacher’s body had been carried away.

Students stood out by the car park in stunned silence. Rex struggled to believe it. Since when were teachers murdered at a New Zealand high school? It didn’t happen.

Could it have really been murder? Foul play - another Shakespearean term?

When their English teacher assigned his class Hamlet to study, he surely had no idea that work of fiction was going to take place at Te Arawa College for real.

What exactly was the story? That was the big question and the detective in Rex itched to find out. Death was trauma to the head. It was obvious, due to the bloodied wound Rex got a glimpse of before they covered the body.

Murder most foul...

The words echoed in his mind. The atmosphere seemed perfect for it too, because the clouds were grey and little light shone through.

‘Whoa, what’s that being carried away by that cop?’ Will Ullman, or Wal as he was better known, stood beside Rex outside the office block. A policeman carried a long cylindrical object towards a police car parked out front. Wal brushed some of his long brown hair out of his eyes, revealing a stern face with thin-set lips.

His hard piercing eyes stared.

‘Looks like a baseball bat,’ said Rex.

It was inside a long plastic bag.

‘Where was the body found?’ Wal asked.

‘Apparently in the sports shed.’

‘Geez,’ Wal ran the back of his hand across his forehead. ‘Knocked over the head by a baseball bat, huh?’

‘Looks that way.’

‘I know who it was!’ An obese figure lurched beside them. ‘I know who killed him.’

‘Get lost!’ Wal snarled. ‘As if you’d know anything. You would have been too busy eating your lunch.’

Rex surveyed the overweight Tucker Pyles. His beady brown eyes remained wide. They still seemed too little for a guy with such a big face and double chin. Tucker wasn’t known for his truthfulness or his smarts, so Rex found it hard to trust anything he said.

Rex replied to Tucker, humouring him. ‘Tell us what you know, Tucker.’

‘It was the new guy, Luke Shirley!’

‘And why do you say that?’

‘He’s an ubbhead!’ Tucker said, using a word only he ever used. An insult, but whatever an ubbhead was, Rex still hadn’t figured out. ‘I tried to be friendly with him this morning before school and all he could do was make fun of me.’

Rex found it hard to believe Tucker had been friendly towards the new guy. Rex had put Tucker in his place many times for the shoddy way he treated others, especially younger students. Nevertheless, he felt sorry for the guy. He’d heard through reliable sources that his mother was abusive, both physically and emotionally. She hit him and she ridiculed him.

Wal snorted. ‘So because he was an ubbhead, that makes him a prime suspect, does it? You’re a moron.’

Rex had recently convinced Cliff Morrison at the local gym to give Tucker a part-time job. Tucker had no idea Rex had a hand in getting him it and Rex wasn’t going to tell him. Tucker would only feel humiliated if he learnt his worst enemy in the entire world had a part to play in getting him employment.

‘It was him!’ Tucker insisted. ‘Anybody who’s that much of a jerk must be a murderer. It stands to reason.’

‘Are you a murderer?’ Wal asked.

‘No.’

‘Well, you’re a big jerk, probably the biggest jerk in the entire school. Therefore, if we go by your reasoning, you must be guilty. Guys! Tucker’s the murderer. Have him arrested now!’

‘It wasn’t me! I tell you it’s Luke Shirley, the new guy.’

‘Ah, crap. You are such a clueless bastard. Go away and leave us alone.’

‘But he said he would kill him.’

‘Bull.’

‘It’s true! Luke threatened him in class. I was there. Pete Cook was there, he’ll tell you.’

Rex raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you serious?’ It seemed so hard to believe but Tucker’s eyes painted a picture of someone who believed what he said. Not that there was reassurance in that because Tucker believed a lot of crazy things. Nevertheless, this would be something Rex could easily verify.

‘In Art class. I’m telling the truth.’

‘Well, why didn’t you tell us that before then?’ Wal snarled. ‘All you could tell us was what a jerk he was.’

‘Tucker,’ Rex grasped his flabby shoulder. ‘Let me buy you a snack. I’d like to hear your story in more detail.’

His eyes lit up. ‘UBBA! A snack?’

Wal groaned. ‘Ah crap, surely you don’t believe his bull? You know he’s always making shit up and exaggerating things. He lives in his own little fantasy world.’

‘I’m not saying anything. I just want to hear more. After all, I’ve got to start somewhere.’

Wal smirked. ‘Are you planning to solve this crime yourself?’

Rex stroked his chin. ‘I’m gonna try. This mystery is too much of a juicy one to let the cops have all the fun. So how about it, Tucker? Up for a feed?’

‘But where?’ Tucker asked. ‘We can’t leave school. We’re in the middle of class.’

‘Chill out. After this, Mr Andrews will close the school for the day. We’ll be going home soon.’

It wasn’t long before teachers did the rounds, letting everyone know school was over for the day. Most students were still in class, knowing nothing about what happened. It wasn’t long before Rex, Wal and Tucker sat on a bench at the side of the road further down from school, outside a dairy with Tucker eating a meat pie and chocolate biscuits.

‘So, Tucker,’ Rex said. ‘Tell me what happened today. From the moment you arrived at school.’

‘Everything?’ he asked before taking in a mouthful of mince and pastry.

‘Everything. Don’t miss any details, no matter how small.’

‘Okay. Well... I had just arrived at school...’

CHAPTER 2:

Tucker’s Story

Destiny Donaldson arrived at the same time I did and I cut her off before she passed in between A and B blocks.

‘Hey, I’m Tucker. You’re Destiny, right?’ I’ve never had much to do with her but found her to be a thousand times nicer than her snobby sister. I’d say just as pretty. Similar blue eyes and a hot bod. I’m not saying I’m into juniors or anything, but hey, she’s only a year younger than us.

She played with her hair a lot as we talked. Twirling a strand of dark hair around her finger. My dad always told me that if a girl is doing that, it means she’s really into you and wants you to… well, you know…buy her lunch.

‘I like your name,’ I said to her. ‘Your parents knew what they were doing when they named you.’

‘Thanks.’

‘I know what they were thinking at the time.’

She looped a strand of hair around her finger. ‘And how would you know something like that?’

‘Well, they thought about that handsome little devil down the road, didn’t they? That kid called Tucker Pyles. They thought… Mmmmm, one day our daughter is gonna hook up with him. It’s destiny. Hey, I know, why don’t we call her Destiny, especially for that boy? What’s his name? Tucker. Yeah him.’

‘Ohhhhh!’ She smiled at me and tugged at her hair something fierce. I almost thought she was going to pull half of it out. ‘You really think so? Do you really believe we are destined to be together?’

I was sure she wanted to kiss me - her smile was dazzling.

I clicked my tongue and pointed at her. ‘I guarantee it. Ask your parents. You and I are destined, baby. Pyles vs Donaldson. How about that? You can write it on your pencil case if you like. And even on desks.’

‘But what if people think it’s you and my sister who are coupled up? I wouldn’t want that. I’d want everyone to know we’re together. Pyles vs Destiny. That’s what we should write.’

‘Hey, you can write that if you like. But anyway, I have business to take care of. We’ll talk later, okay, baby?’

I couldn’t stand around talking to her because if I didn’t go soon, she’d be all over me French kissing me. That wouldn’t have been a good look if a teacher came by.

‘Okay, Tucky! Can’t wait to see you again.’

It feels ubbing good, being admired by cute girls like her. Even if she was a junior.

People came from all directions and I weaved my way along the path. The next person I saw was the new boy, Luke Shirley. Sitting outside of C Block, tapping his foot with a frown. Just looking at the guy I could tell he was an ubbhead with his thick red hair, long skinny face, and dimple on his chin.

‘Who the heck are you?’ I asked.

‘What do you care?’ He sat there and continued to tap his foot on the concrete like a dork.

I wasn’t gonna have him talk to me in that tone. ‘Watch it, ubbhead. You don’t want to get cheeky with me.’

He raised his hands in the air like he was surrendering. ‘Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to be rude. Wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of a big strong guy like you.’

‘I should think not. I have a lot of muscle on this body and I can pulverize anyone who gets in my way.’ I slapped my arms.

‘I can see it.’

‘So, what’s your name?’ I asked.

‘Luke. Luke Shirley.’

Man, I cracked up over that. ‘Shirley? That’s a girl’s name.’

Boy, did his face turn sour and he leapt up at me. ‘Are you making fun of my name?’

As if he was going to intimidate me! I stood my ground and I looked him straight in the eye. ‘And what if I am? What are you going to do about it, ubbhead? You want to take me on? I can guarantee I can clobber you from here to last week.’

He raised his hands in the air again. ‘That’s okay, man. No harm done.’

I needed to let this new boy know a few home truths. ‘Now. I’m the kingpin in this school. Whatever I say goes. Now how about giving me something to eat, huh?’

Then he had another go at me. ‘Get real, you fat moron. As if I’m gonna give you food. Looks like you’ve had more than enough to feed a zoo!’

Now he was pushing it. I really did have to control my Incredible Hulk-like anger. It was bubbling up something fierce. I grabbed him by the shirt and glared at him, putting on my most ferocious expression and you guys know how that scares people. ‘Don’t you ever call me fat! It’s muscle. All of it! Call me fat again and I’ll open up a can of ass gas on ya, got it?’

‘Okay!’ Luke quaked in his boots and his eyes were as wide as dinner plates. He stepped back but his legs hit the bench so he couldn’t backtrack any farther. ‘I’m sorry. I’ll tell you what, I’ll bring morning tea for you every day for the next month, huh?’

Now I’m no bully so I wasn’t prepared to take all his lunch. ‘No need for that. A biscuit today will do. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I was extorting food out of you.’

Luke snapped again. ‘Why don’t you get lost and leave me alone? Quit bugging me, or I’ll whip your ass, you stupid pile of puke!’ He gave me the dirtiest look.

I couldn’t believe how this newbie’s manner could change like that but I’d had enough. ‘Are you getting cheeky to me again? I don’t take any cheek from anyone and just because you’re new doesn’t mean I’m gonna make allowances. Any more crap from you and I’ll open up that can of ass gas on you.’

He backed down yet again, raising his hands. ‘Sorry. Please don’t hurt me. I can see you’d annihilate me in five seconds, a guy of your amazing physique.’

‘You bet I would! But fortunately for you, I’m a merciful guy. I’ll let you off this time.’

Luke smiled. ‘Thanks for the welcome, my main man.’

* * *

‘Give me a bloody break!’ Wal snarled. ‘Do you expect us to believe this pile of crap story of yours?’

‘It’s not crap.’ Tucker glared. ‘It’s the truth.’ He took a munch from his pie, which was nearly gone.

‘Yeah, Nah… you’re making this new guy, Luke sound like a schizoid. One moment he’s all scared and polite and the next moment he’s pissed off.’

‘See?’ Tucker said. ‘He’s mentally unstable. Isn’t that the case with many murderers these days? He’s as guilty as sin.’

‘Just because he’s a nutter, doesn’t make him a murderer. Besides, I doubt that conversation went down the way you described it. I think you’re making shit up.’

‘I didn’t make it up,’ Tucker appealed. ‘It’s all true. That’s what happened.’ He engulfed the rest of his pie.

Wal rolled his eyes. ‘And what about that BS about Destiny Donaldson? She can’t stand you, just like every other girl in school can’t stand you. As if she’d wanna hook up with you. Geez, you’re a moron, Pyles.’

A spot of gravy dribbled down the side of Tucker’s mouth.