Taking the Chequered Flag by Pam Harvey Page A

forward.
    ‘Well that’s plain for all to see,’ Mr Theodore said. Mr Proctor burst out laughing.
    ‘But she has something to show,’ Angus said, joining his friends.
    ‘What’s going on?’ E.D. asked. Gabby reached into her bag and pulled out the camera. Jack’s face slowly went white. His father’s quickly went red, then purple.
    ‘You can’t take the evidence of some stupid little camera taken by—’
    ‘Well, well. Let’s have a look,’ Mr Theodore said, beckoning Gabby over to the table where he sat. The two officials next to him leaned in closer to view the small screen. Gabby pressed play. The screen crackled slightly as black and white lines scrolled across it.
    ‘Gabby?’ Hannah said, suddenly noticing Gabby’s frown.
    ‘It’s okay, Han. I can do this.’
    ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake. How long must this farce go on for? This is an absolute joke. Jack, come on. We’re going.’
    ‘Wait!’ Hannah said, surprised that she’d spoken the word.
    ‘Hannah, it’s not working!’ Gabby squealed, pressing the stop button and then the play button again. Hannah stepped forward. Jack had stood up and was walking over to his father. Mr Theodore was frowning, and the other two officials were glaring at Gabby.
    ‘Gab, did you press rewind?’ Hannah asked, quickly.
    ‘Oh!’ Gabby let out a little embarrassed laugh and pressed the rewind button. ‘One more minute,’ called Mr Theodore. Mr Proctor and the two kids paused by the door. The tape had rewound to the beginning. Hannah pressed play, then fast forward, cueing the tape to E.D.’s race.
    ‘Righto, young man. Now where and when did this supposed push occur?’ Mr Theodore asked, leaning in again and looking interested. The other officials followed his gaze.
    ‘Back corner, right out near the golf course. Marshal 13,’ E.D. said. ‘Just after the corner.’
    ‘Furthest part of the course,’ Mr Theodore grumbled. They watched the small screen for a moment. ‘There!’ E.D. exclaimed, pointing. Hannah stole a glance in Mr Proctor’s direction.
    ‘I’ve got an important engagement, Harold,’ he said, the tone of his voice changed from the anger of a few moments ago. ‘We need to go now.’
    ‘Pause it there and rewind,’ Mr Theodore said, taking no notice of Mr Proctor. ‘Can we zoom in? And go a bit slower.’ He removed a pair of glasses from his top pocket and slowly placed them on his nose.
    ‘He’s loving every minute of this,’ Mario whispered to Angus. ‘Until he finds out the closest I’ve come to a motocross committee is standing for an hour in a marshal tower. And that was only because that nice girl Rebecca promised me a date if I could help out.’ Mario smiled to himself.
    Except for the rain beating on the roof like a thousand drumsticks rapping a snare drum, there was no other sound as E.D. and the three officials closely watched the footage.
    ‘Well, I’ll be dammed,’ Mr Theodore said finally, leaning back in his chair. ‘Damian? Sharon?’ He turned to the officials next to him.
    ‘That’s an obvious breach of rules going on there,’ Damian said. Sharon was nodding her head in agreement.
    ‘Right then.’ But as Mr Theodore rose importantly from his chair, a door slammed. Mr Proctor and Jack had suddenly disappeared.
    ‘Teagan?’ Mr Proctor’s voice screamed from outside the clubrooms.
    ‘I…I’m sorry,’ she muttered, then quickly slipped out. Angus blushed. She had been looking directly at him.
    ‘Well, well,’ Mr Theodore muttered, twisting and pulling his moustache. ‘Most unusual.’ Heraised himself up to his full height. Hannah stifled a giggle as the image of a pigeon, preening and proud, jumped into her head. Mr Theodore looked around importantly, cleared his throat and spoke.
    ‘Let it be known that the ruling of this committee is that a breach of the rules of fair play has taken place and that Jack Proctor is hereby disqualified from the race. He will receive zero points and thus be