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‘Listen Come with me after school, tomorrow,’ I say ‘Co about stuff, there’

He grins

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

Jazz looks seriously annoyed

‘Which part of tell no one didn’t you get?’ he says, and scowls

‘Ben is all right’

He shrugs ‘He probably is, but that isn’t the point’

‘I’m sorry’

‘Now I’ Forthings throughhe wants to talk to al co, my poker face still isn’t up to scratch if anyone asks questions, and who knows if Ben even has one?

Amy appears in one direction, Ben in another I’d run full tilt to get here first, and asked Ben to take his time so I’d have a chance to explain

‘Well, you decide,’ I say

Jazz sighs ‘All right He can come Mac can always choose not to talk to you about whatever the hell it is, or not’

I wave at Ben to let hiets there as Amy does

She raises an eyebrow ‘Well, if it isn’t Ben’

He grins, she grins back and I wonder if I see the real reason Jazz didn’t want Ben to co Now that they stand next to each other, I see that Ben is taller, and while Jazz is all right in a big brother kind of way, Ben’s s that is Ben wins hands down Jazz slips an arm around Amy and kisses her cheek

‘All in!’ he says, opens the door and pushes Ben towards the back seat He claet the side with the seat belt

‘Hang on tight,’ I say, as I do it up ‘There’s only the one’

When we get to Mac’s and out of the car, Mac raises an eyebrow at Ben, but once he spots his Levo see there than Jazz was

Jazz introduces thee?

‘Shall we go for a walk, Amy?’ Jazz says, and holds out his hand Looks at Ben, then Mac More unspoken words: the question on his face says do we have to take him with us?

Mac shakes his head ‘Go on you two luvvy-duvs Enjoy the sunshine Won’t be ’

They disappear down the footpath

‘Come on in Drinks?’ Mac says

I shake my head, as does Ben

‘So, to what do I owe the pleasure?’ Mac says

‘I thought you wanted me to come,’ I say, confused

He raises an eyebrow and I realise he ht You won’t tell anyone, will you?’

‘Of course not,’ Ben says ‘We’re both worried about people who’ve gone , and--’

Mac holds up a hand ‘Notabout it’

Ben and I exchange a look

‘How about you tatch TV, or do whatever takes your fancy on the sofa I’ve got a car to work on’ And he goes out the back door; it swings, and sla, about to say so on, when the door to the hall opens behind us

We both spin around In the door stands souy: twenty or so, red hair, freckles; a serious face One I’ve never seen before

‘Hello, Lucy,’ he says, and smiles

He walks towards us

‘I’m Aiden,’ he says, then looks at Ben, one eyebrow raised

‘This is Ben But don’t call me Lucy: I’m Kyla’

‘You are Lucy I’ve seen the photos, and now that I see you in person, Mac is definitely right You are she; she is you’

‘Maybe I was But I’ot to do with you?’

‘Yeah, who the hell are you?’ Ben says