Page 195 of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

‘I’m just right in the middle of my EPQ and I want to hit my targets before bed.’

‘Yes, off you pop, pickle,’ her dad smiled, reaching over to scrape Pip’s leftovers on to his own plate.

‘Vic!’ Her mum now turned the scowl on him as Pip stood and tucked in her chair.

‘Oh, darling, some people have to worry about their kids rushing off from dinner to inject heroin into their eyeballs. Be thankful it’s homework.’

‘What’s heroin?’ Josh’s small voice said as Pip left the room.

She took the steps two at a time, leaving her shadow Barney at the foot of the stairs, his head tilting in confusion as he watched her go to that dog-forbidden place.

She’d had the chance to think over all things Nancy Tangotits at dinner, and now she had an idea.

Pip closed her bedroom door, pulled out her phone and dialled.

‘Hello,muchacha,’ Cara chimed down the line.

‘Hey,’ Pip said, ‘are you busy bingeingDowntonor do you have a few minutes to help me be sneaky?’

‘I’m always available for sneakiness. What d’you need?’

‘Is Naomi in?’

‘No, out in London.Why?’ Suspicion crept into Cara’s voice.

‘OK, sworn to secrecy?’

‘Always. What’s up?’

Pip said, ‘I’ve heard rumours about old calamity parties that might give me a lead for my EPQ. But I need to find proof, which is where the sneakiness comes in.’

She hoped she’d played it just right, omitting Max’s name and downplaying it enough that Cara wouldn’t worry about her sister, leaving just enough gaps to intrigue her.

‘Oooh, what rumours?’ she said.

Pip knew her too well.

‘Nothing substantial yet. But I need to look through old calamity photos. That’s what I need your help with.’

‘OK, hit me.’

‘Max Hastings’ Facebook profile is a decoy, you know for employers and universities. His actual one is under a fake name and has really strict privacy settings. I can only see things that Naomi is tagged in as well.’

‘And you want to log in as Naomi so you can look through Max’s old photos?’

‘Bingo,’ Pip said, sitting down on her bed and dragging the laptop over.

‘Can do,’ Cara’s voice trilled. ‘Technically we’re not snooping on Naomi, like that time when I justhadto know whether ginger Benedict Cumberbatch-alike was her new boyfriend. So this doesn’t technically break any rules,Dad. Plus, Nai should learn to change her password sometime; she has the same one for everything.’

‘Can you get on to her laptop?’ Pip said.

‘Just opening it now.’

A pause filled with the tapping of keys and a clicking mousepad. Pip could picture Cara now with that ridiculously oversized topknot she always wore on her head when she was dressed in pyjamas. Which was, in Cara’s case, as often as physically possible.

‘OK, she’s still signed in here. I’m on.’

‘Can you click on to security settings?’ asked Pip.