Page 52 of The Dead Ex

She nodded. Mum hadn’t even hugged her! She wasall snappy instead. Maybe she didn’t love her any more! Dawn said that might happen.

‘Give us a kiss, then.’

Overcome with relief, Scarlet flung herself into her arms.

Mum sneezed.

‘Bless you,’ said Camilla brightly.

Mum sneezed again but this time she pinched Scarlet’s arm. Hard.

She’d almost forgotten!

Carefully, just like Mum had said, she passed over the folded tissue.

Mum wiped hernose and then put it in her own sleeve.

Nervously, Scarlet glanced at Camilla. But she was looking at the woman at the next table, who was arguing with her visitor. ‘But you promised,’ one of them was saying. ‘You can’t let me down.’

Then Mum stood up. ‘Officer, I’ve got to go to the toilet.’

Two uniforms were marching towards her. ‘Haven’t you heard of TV surveillance, love? We saw you. Trainingyour daughter to be a mule now, are you?’

A mule was a donkey, wasn’t it? What did that have to do with Mum and her?

‘She was just bloody giving me a tissue …’

‘This it?’ One of the uniforms was shaking it out. The package fell to the floor. Camilla gasped.

‘Scarlet?’ Then she turned to Mum. ‘Your daughter is already in enough trouble as it is.’

‘She’s a good girl. Like me. Get off. There’sbeen a mistake.’

‘You can say that again. This way.’

‘I said, get your fucking hands off me.’

‘MUM! I’m sorry. I tried to …’

‘SHUT UP, YOU SILLY LITTLE COW.’

Scarlet burst into tears. Mum never usually talked to her like that.

Camilla had her arms around her. ‘It’s OK, Scarlet. It’s OK.’

But it wasn’t.

The police came to the Walters’ house the next day. Camilla was with them. They hada video recording of the shop and the girl with the shiny shoes. Dawn was taken away. ‘You’ve made a mistake,’ she said, pointing to ginger Darren. ‘It was his idea.’

‘Then he’d better come as well,’ they said.

How nice of Dawn not to blame her too!

‘I don’t want that one either,’ said Mrs W, pointing to her. ‘She might look cute, but she’s trouble.’

‘It could take us time to find somewhereelse,’ Camilla said. Her eyes were sad. ‘And we’ve got to review her case first.’ Then she shook her head. ‘Scarlet, I’m really disappointed in you. Did the others put you up to this?’

Don’t tell. Don’t tell.