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‘When’s Dad getting here?’ Lloyd asks.

I glance at the clock. The boys arrived at 5 p.m..

It’s now 5.25 p.m. and their father still hasn’t arrived. Probably he’s forgotten. Or can’t be bothered. If a parent doesn’t turn up within fifteen minutes we’re supposed to cancel the appointment, but we’ve learned to give James Neilson more leeway. He does sometimes arrive within half an hour.

Sometimes.

‘Your dad might not make it this time,’ I admit.

Lloyd slams the swing with all his might, hitting Pauly.

‘Lloyd!’ Pauly shouts. ‘Watch it.’

Lloyd pushes the swing again, whacking Pauly in the chest.

Furious, Pauly runs around the swing, trying to grab his brother. He’s smaller than Lloyd, but rage gives him superhuman strength.

Lloyd easily sidesteps Pauly, sneering and holding up two fingers.

‘Boys!’ I shout, causing Joey to flinch again.

‘I’ll tell on you,’ yells Pauly.

‘You wouldn’tdare,’ Lloyd shouts back.

Now it’s Pauly’s turn to run. ‘I will tell. I will!’ He darts around play equipment, shouting, ‘Kate! Kate! Mr Cockface lets Lloyd take drugs from school!’

‘Shut up!’ Lloyd bellows, chasing after him.

Pauly comes to hide behind me. I seat Joey on his own chair, then grab Lloyd to stop him killing anyone.

‘Stop it.Stop it! Sit down!’

‘He’slying,’ Lloyd shouts.

‘Just calm down.’

Lloyd looks furiously at his new Nike trainers, which are almost certainly stolen.

‘What’s Pauly talking about?’ I ask. ‘Drugs? Does he mean medicine?’

I expect Lloyd to issue red-faced denials, but he doesn’t. Instead he sits on a plastic seat and starts crying.

I realise my mouth is hanging open and close it.

‘I’m the honest one,’ Lloyd shouts, tears falling. ‘But no one ever believesme.’

‘Honest about what?’ I ask.

‘I already said,’ Lloyd wails. ‘I alreadytoldyou. About the medicine.’

Joey puts a small hand on Lloyd’s knee. ‘It’s all right, mate.’

I sift through memories. ‘You said Mr Cockface … I mean, Mr Cockrun let you steal medicine from school. And I said that didn’t sound very likely. Is that what you mean?’

‘You see?’ says Lloyd. ‘Evenyoudon’t believe me and you’re one of the nice ones.’

‘So Mr Cockrun lets you steal medicine?’ I ask, not sure where this is going. ‘From the medicine cabinet? Is that what you’re saying?’