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‘I thought you said panties,’ herthe tea down

‘No, I said I saidtanties As in tantrums’

Her mother made a face ‘Why would you say that?’

‘I was just re’

‘Was it from that man? The one with the deep voice’

‘No,’ she lied

Apparently Dare had called the house a couple of ti for her She’d told her parents to act nonchalant and tell hiiven her that worried look she’d told theer and been horrible to her

That had been all it had taken for her father’s spine to stiffen

‘Oh, well’ Her mother sipped her tea ‘He certainly has the looks to back up the voice, but what did you say he was?’

‘An obstinate, hard-headed—’ Carly stopped, eyeballed her mother ‘How do you knohat he looks like? Did you see his picture in the paper or so?’

Her mother cupped her teacup in her hands and looked flustered ‘Not exactly’

‘On the Internet?’

‘He was here’

‘In Liverpool?’ Carly’s heart jumped into her mouth

‘He said he was in the neighbourhood’

‘Liverpool is not his neighbourhood, Mum’

‘I’m sorry, honey I didn’t confirm you were here, if that’s what you’re worried about’

Carly relaxed Slightly

‘If he’s stalking you—if he hurt you—’

Carly shook her head ‘He’s not the stalking kind’

‘Then as he here?’