“And Jackie Binns?” Annie asked.
“About the same,” Wyman answered, glancing at the others for agreement.
“Probably a bit more often,” said Chaplin. “But not much.”
“And what about the victim?” Annie went on. “Donny Moore.”
“Donny wasn’t a bad student,” said Dresler. “He was more of a follower than an instigator. You know, he drifted in with Haskell’s crowd just to belong. He’s harmless enough. The quiet one.”
“Not a scrapper?”
“Not at all,” said Chaplin. “Not like Haskell.”
“So Nicky Haskell likes to fight?” Annie pressed on.
“Well,” said Chaplin, “I wouldn‘t say he picks fights, as such. I mean, he’s not a bully. But people sometimes pick on him because he’s a bit shorter than the rest and they usually get a hell of a surprise.”
“So people underestimate his strength?”
“Yes. He’s good at games, too,” Wyman added. “Strong, fast, quick-witted, good coordination. I’d go as far as to say he could make a damn good football player if he put his mind to it.”
“But he doesn’t?”
“Oh, he’s interested. But it takes more than that. It takes dedica-tion. Haskell’s a bit of a dreamer.”
“Well, he’s young yet,” said Annie.
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“So’s Matthew Briggs,” Wyman answered.
“Right. Anyway, we believe that Haskell might be a witness, but he’s not talking.”
“That figures,” said Chaplin. “I mean, he wouldn’t, would he?
He’d lose face. These kids don’t rat out each other, even their worst enemies.”
“It’s just that he seems scared.”
“Of Binns?” said Chaplin. “I don’t believe it. I’ve seen them tangle on the football field and Haskell has never shown any fear of him.
What would you say, Derek?”
“I agree. He’s tough. And strong. Enjoys boxing and wrestling as well as football. As Barry says, it’s the lack of discipline that drags him down, not ability.”
“So you don’t think he would lie out of fear of what Jackie Binns might do to him if he did?”
“Absolutely not,” said Chaplin. “Binns isn’t that tough. He’s all bluster.”
“Haskell just wouldn’t split on anyone,” said Wyman. “He strikes me as the kind who stays loyal to his mates.”
Annie remembered Nicky Haskell telling her that he wasn’t obey-ing some stupid code about not splitting on his pals, and she wondered how true that was. If he wasn’t telling because he was scared of Binns, which was beginning to sound unlikely, or because he felt he shouldn’t betray Binns, then there had to be some other reason. Something they didn’t know. She would have to make a note to talk to some of the others involved again. Haskell and Binns were the leaders. Both dealt drugs, mostly Ecstasy, weed, crystal meth and LSD. Binns was known to carry a f lick-knife, though he usually only used it to show off and scare people, and Donny Moore hadn’t been stabbed with a f lick-knife.
“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Annie asked.
“I don’t think so,” said Jill Dresler. “I know what you probably think, but they’re not bad kids, really. Not all of them. I mean, okay, so they do break the law and sell drugs, but they’re not big-time dealers, and they don’t really have organized gangs, and you don’t have to shoot anyone to belong or that sort of thing.”
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“I suppose we ought to be thankful for small mercies,” Annie said, getting to her feet.
“I know how it sounds,” Dresler went on, “but Binns isn’t a killer, for crying out loud.”
“Luckily,” said Annie, “nobody’s dead yet.”
“Yes,” said Dresler, running her hand through her lank hair. “Of course. I’m just saying . . . you know . . . they’re not monsters. That’s all.”
“Point taken,” Annie said. “And I appreciate your defense of your kids. I know they’re not monsters. But somebody’s lying, and until we find out the truth we can’t get to the bottom of this. Things are getting a bit tense on the estate, as I’m sure you can imagine. People are scared to go out on the streets alone. What do you want us to do, send in the troops? Occupy the East Side Estate like it was a military zone?
We don’t have any no-go areas in Eastvale, and we don’t want them.
That’s why I’m asking questions.” She reached in her bag. “So if you do think of anything that might help us, here’s my card. Don’t hesitate to phone. Mr. Wyman, a word, please.”
“Of course. I’ll walk to the door with you,” said Wyman.
Once they were out in the noisy corridor, Annie let Winsome get a few feet ahead, remembering Superintendent Gervaise’s warning about not involving anyone else, then turned to Wyman. “Can you tell me what
