Page 40 of The Dead Ex

‘Fuck off,’ hissed Dawn. ‘If that man ever comes near one of us again, I’ll cut his balls off. See if I don’t. And yours too, if you don’t behave.’

‘Who’s Kayleigh?’ whispered Scarlet after the boy had gone.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

But Dawn said it in the kind of voice that Mum used when somethingdidmatter.

‘What did he mean whenhe said Mr W had the hots for me?’

‘Come off it. You already told me you know about the game. It’s the same thing. Means he wants to get into your knickers.’

‘I don’t get it.’

‘You’re not kidding me, are you?’ Dawn tiptoed out of her bed and perched on the end of Scarlet’s mattress. It was so narrow that there was only just room. ‘Listen, love.I don’t know what your life was like before youcame here. But I’ll tell you something for free. There are blokes out there who would do anything to you. Sometimes that’s great, cos you can use them. Sometimes it’s bad, cos they use you.’ She made a strange sound in her throat. ‘That Mr W. He’s not a good man.’

‘Did he hurt Kayleigh?’

‘I’m not saying.’

But the pain on her friend’s face in the streetlight streaming through the gap in thecurtains made Scarlet pretty sure that she’d guessed right there.

‘Mr W seemed so kind. He didn’t want me to get any bruises.’

‘Hah!’ Dawn rolled her eyes. ‘That’s cos he doesn’t want any awkward questions asked by the Social. If they spot any marks, they might blame the foster parents. Then Mr and Mrs W will lose their money.’

‘What money?’

‘For Chrissake, Scarlet. You don’t think they takeus in here cos they’re nice, do you? They do it cos they get paid for it.’

‘Really?’

Dawn groaned. ‘I can see I’ve got my work cut out with you. Just as well I’m your friend. Mind you, it’s a bloody nuisance about you seeing your mum on Friday. We was planning to do the next job then. So we’ll do it the day after tomorrow instead.’

‘Do you mean I’ve got to takemoreDVDs?’

‘You’ve got it.’Dawn patted her on the shoulders. ‘Now move over. I’m fucking freezing.’

She slid in beside her, arms around Scarlet’s back. Sheand Mum used to sleep like that. It was comforting. And suddenly it was morning again.

‘Right,’ said ginger Darren on Thursday when the bus dropped them outside school. ‘Remember the plan. We do the register so they think we’re here and then we slip out as soon aswe can. Good thing we’re in different classes today. With any luck, they won’t notice till it’s too late.’

But Scarlet couldn’t concentrate for excitement. Tomorrow, first thing, the social worker was coming to pick her up. They were going to drive to a place called Aitch Em Pee Something to see Mum.

‘Soon as you can, get out,’ carried on Darren, ‘go straight to the shopping centre. You – Scarlet– do what you did before. Wait by the door until we’ve pushed a stand of stuff over. Then run in and grab what you can. Got it?’

‘Not too many, or you’ll drop them again,’ chipped in Dawn.

‘Who’s fucking in charge here?’

Dawn scowled. ‘Don’t get all pissy with me, or I won’t let you in tonight.’

‘Who says I want to?’

‘You lot going to argue all fuckin’ day?’ This was Kieran. ‘Let’s get onwith it, shall we?’

Dawn gave her the thumbs-up after the first lesson had ended. The next one was PE, so it was quite easy to ‘get lost’ in the walk to the playing field.

‘You can do it,’ encouraged her friend as they legged it down the street.