The Sound of Whales by Kerr Thomson Page A

Seriously?’
    This was a new side to Ben: angry and incredulous at the same time.
    â€˜I thought I was  . . .  I thought it might  . . . ’
    â€˜Thinking doesn’t seem to be your strong point, Fraze.’ Ben took one of the whiskies he held and downed it in a single gulp.
    â€˜I thought the knife made you look guilty.’
    â€˜Well, of course it does. My knife in the belly of a dead man makes me look guilty. But so does my knife stashed away under your bed. That makes me look doubly guilty.’
    â€˜You’re right. I’m sorry.’
    Ben contemplated the other whisky but decided against it.
    â€˜Does anyone else know about this?’
    â€˜Just the American girl.’
    â€˜Great. Teenage girls are so good at keeping secrets.’
    â€˜She won’t tell.’
    â€˜I hope not. If she does, we’re both in it deep. And I’m not talking about water this time.’
    â€˜Aye.’
    â€˜You’re certain it was my knife?’
    â€˜Aye.’
    â€˜And you found it beside the dead man washed ashore?’
    â€˜Aye.’
    â€˜And now it’s in a shoebox under your bed?’
    Fraser nodded and hung his head, all out of ‘ayes’. He had thought he was doing the right thing, thought Ben would be grateful. Hayley had advised him to leave it alone but he hadn’t listened.
    â€˜Do you think I did it?’ Ben asked.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜That I gutted the man?’
    â€˜Of course not.’
    â€˜And what about your American friend?’
    â€˜She’s not so sure.’
    â€˜Nice.’
    Ben stood for a moment pondering the empty dance floor. He looked at Fraser, gave a sigh and looked away, said, ‘Tomorrow morning, first thing, you take my knife to the police and explain the exact circumstances of how you found it.’
    â€˜But—’
    â€˜No buts.’
    â€˜But—’
    â€˜Fraser.’
    â€˜What will happen to you?’
    â€˜Nothing will happen to me. I’ll be questioned, but clearly someone has climbed on to my boat and lifted my knife. Just because it’s mine doesn’t mean I’m guilty.’
    â€˜The police might not see it that way.’
    â€˜Well, the alternative is the American girl blabbing and the police searching your bedroom and finding my knife. Then we will both have explaining to do.’
    â€˜I’m in trouble either way.’
    â€˜You are. And it serves you right.’
    Ben shook his head scornfully and Fraser knew he had lost his trust. He had likely lost his place on the Moby Dick as well, lost the chance of further adventures, lost his bright future as one of the world’s pre-eminent whale scientists.
    â€˜Leave me alone now, Fraser.’
    This was the moment to rescue the situation, to save his position as ‘seasonal voluntary assistant researcher’, to make Ben see that not all the Dunbar boys were ridiculous. There was one thing that might do it.
    â€˜I saw an orca last night. Several of them, round by the caves.’
    Ben laughed dismissively. ‘I doubt it, Fraser.’
    â€˜I did. Just along from the harbour.’
    â€˜It was probably a basking shark.’
    â€˜It was an orca. I know what an orca looks like.’
    â€˜And I know that you don’t get orcas in this part of the ocean. Further out, perhaps, but not here.’
    â€˜It was orcas. Dunny saw them too.’
    â€˜And he’ll confirm your story?’
    â€˜You know he won’t.’ The plan wasn’t working. Ben was more irritated than before.
    â€˜If you saw something, it was a basking shark. Trust me.’
    â€˜No, it was  . . . ’
    Ben had gone, striding across the dance floor towards Hayley’s mother. Fraser stood for a moment feeling foolish then moved to a dark corner and leant against the wall. The whole town was crammed into the room, he was surrounded by laughter and chatter, but he felt