Page 53 of The Dead Ex

‘Up to what?’

Camilla shook her head again.

‘Can I see Mum again next Saturday?’

‘I’m afraid not. She’s not allowed visits now for a bit.’

That night, Scarlet couldn’t sleep. The bedroomfelt really empty without Dawn. ‘Mum,’ whispered Scarlet into the darkness. ‘Where are you?’

Then, as if by magic, the door opened.

The universe had answered her prayers! Then she smelled sweat.

‘Be a good girl,’ he whispered. ‘Or I’ll tell my wife about those crisps and chocolate that you lot have been hiding under the beds. Think I didn’t know about that? If I blab, you’ll go to prison likeyour mum. And you’ll never ever get out.’

‘What’s up with you?’ demanded Mrs Walters as she put cold toast on the table for breakfast. ‘Cat got your tongue?’

‘Maybe she’s lost her voice,’ said one of the boys, scraping the last bit out of the marge tub. ‘Didn’t say nothing in the toilet queue this morning. Just peed on the carpet while she was waiting.’

Everyone laughed.

‘Disgusting. The sooneryou’re out of my house, the better. Isn’t that right, love?’

She looked up at Mr W. Normally he wasn’t around at breakfast. Right now his black beady eyes were on her. Pinning her down.

‘Put a plate in front of her, someone,’ squealed Mrs W. ‘She’s being sick. All over the floor. Get out. Now. Go to school. Someone can clean you up there.’

When she got back, Camilla was waiting in Mrs W’s kitchen.‘In a few days, we’re going to be moving you to another family, love. You’ll have more restrictions. You won’t be able to go to a shopping centre with the other children. The new place is in the middle of the country. There aren’t many shops there. Just lovely green fields. It will mean another school too.’

What about Mum? Scarlet wanted to ask. But the words wouldn’t come out. They’d stayedstuck inside her mouth ever since the bedroom door had opened last night. At school that day, she’d been given a black mark for ‘refusing to talk’.

‘I’m afraid there’s something else, Scarlet. Your mum did something wrong, you see. It’s to do with drugs. Never take them when you’re older, Scarlet. They wreck people’s lives. I’ve seen it over and over again.’

She stopped. When she began again,there was a funnysound to her voice. ‘You’ll have another social worker at your new home. Hopefully you’ll be able to visit your mum again before too long. But she’s not allowed to see you for a bit because of her making you bring in those drugs. If she asks you to do that again, you must say no. Do you understand?’

Scarlet nodded.

‘She’s sent you this. Said you’d always liked it.’

It wasthe photograph of her mother when she was little in the place called Whales with the two grown-ups and the little dog. The one that she always carried with her in her bag.

‘The prison lets people keep certain things when they go inside. Your mum got special permission to give it to you because she thought it might give you comfort.’

Scarlet held it against her cheek, pretending that Mum wasstill here. Right next to her. That everything was back to normal again.

17

Vicki

I’m sleepy when I come round. Although I’ve never taken drugs, I imagine this is what it feels like to be high.

‘Vicki? Are you all right?’

It’s someone in black. Slowly it dawns that this is the policewoman from earlier. She is kneeling over me.

‘Drink,’ I say. Then, because I’m dimly aware this sounds rude, I add the word ‘please’.

My wrists ache. That’s when I realize I have handcuffson.