Safe With You by R.M. Ward

Author:R.M. Ward [Ward, R.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2022-07-14T17:00:00+00:00

Day Two

Kath

‘I’d better go after her,’ I said.

‘What about your tea?’ said Linda.

‘I’m awash anyway.’

‘At least take a cake. Take one for Sandy too.’

Tony put two iced fancies in a paper bag and gave them to me on the way out. I made my way back across the courtyard. I couldn’t see Sandy, and she hadn’t said she was going home, but I was tired anyway and ready for a sit-down. The group of lads I’d spoken to was splitting up. A couple of them set off on bikes, tipping them up on their back wheels and generally showing off. Part of me really wanted one to tip over backwards and land on his backside. The ugly little dog sniffed round my trolley again. After my cakes, I should think. It looked pretty hungry and was quite persistent. I fended it off with my stick and it gave up eventually and set off after them.

Another pair of lads walked along the front of Nelson House and round the corner. The last one hung back. I hadn’t really noticed him when I was talking to them earlier, but now he left the bench he’d been sitting on and headed for the entrance to my stairwell. I didn’t think much of it until I trundled my trolley in through the door and there he was, lurking at the bottom of the stairs, hood up, hands in pockets.

He peered out from under his hood and stepped forward. Like I said, I’m not scared of the local kids, but I did gasp when I saw him. It was obvious he’d been waiting for me.

‘Hello,’ I said, trying to brazen it out. I think generally people are less likely to do bad things if you talk to them, if they see you as a real person.

‘Can I talk to you?’ He wouldn’t make eye contact, seemed to be talking to his feet.

‘Yes. Of course. If you’ll carry this trolley upstairs for me.’

‘Um, okay. Can we talk here first, though?’ Here was a badly lit space that smelled of cigarette smoke and urine. Not my first choice for a chat. I didn’t want to put him off though, so I agreed.

‘What is it, love? What’s bothering you?’ He was silent for a while, like he was summoning up the courage to speak. I let the silence run, encouraging him to break it.

‘It’s the girl. Mina.’

‘Well, I thought it might be. What about her?’

‘What Danno said, it wasn’t quite right. He – we – knew, know, Mina. It was a sort of game. We didn’t mean anything bad.’

I felt a shiver run up and down my spine. Whatever their ‘game’ had been, he knew damn well they shouldn’t have been doing it.

‘I’m sorry, love, I don’t know what you’re talking about. What was a game? You’ll have to spell it out.’

‘We used to, I dunno, follow her a bit, tease her.’

Follow her a bit. I didn’t like that.

‘Five of you and one of her. Following her in the dark and calling her names.

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