I get out of the car and pull on my jacket, which makes me feel less vulnerable even though it’s too hot. Locking the car, I check the street one final time, walk until I hit the path to the house. Somewhere in the neighbourhood a baby is crying. Maybe it’s the same baby Harris has told me about.
Standing at the door I get another attack of nerves. What if no one’s home? What if Snowie answers the door? But Harris said he drives a silver car, and Ando has a Land Cruiser. None of those vehicles are around… I dig my keys out of my jacket pocket and hold them tight in my fist. I’m a copper’s daughter, I know how to defend myself. I knock, and pray I won’t need to.
The door is yanked wide. It’s Reggie, making a face like he thinks I’m selling encyclopedias.
‘What?’ His cheeks have more pink in them than last time I saw him. He looks at me properly, blinks. ‘Shit. You.’
I make a little wave. ‘Um, hi. Yep, it’s me, Amie.’
He pushes into the doorway, towards me. His eyes have gone huge. ‘Jesus, what are youdoinghere?’
I baulk. ‘What do you mean, what am I doing here? I’m looking for Harris.’
‘Get out, get out –’ He steps forward out of the house, ushering with his hands. ‘Are you fucking nuts? You can’tbehere.’
‘Well, I’m here now.’ I stand my ground. ‘Where’s Harris?’
‘That’s what I’m tryin’ to tell you.’ He pulls the door half-shut. His eyes are darting. ‘Fuck, I can’t believe you came here…’
I get a bad feeling in my stomach, which I try to beat down with a firm manner. ‘Reggie, let’s ignore the factI’mhere for a second. What I want to know is,isHarrishere?’
‘Shit, this is my fault… He’s gone. That’s what I been sayin’ –’
‘What do you mean he’s gone?’
‘They fuckingtookhim, okay?’
‘What?’ Cold slices into me, through my jacket.
Reggie looks distraught. ‘Ando and Snowie came and they gave me the fucking third degree about being in the hospital, and I told ’em about you, but it was a totalaccident, yeah?’
‘Reggie,what did you tell them? What happened?’
He pulls at his stubbled head. ‘Ah, shit. I told ’em there was a girl here when I come to, a desi chick –’
The cold is burrowing into my bones.
‘ – and then Snowie asked if you had a name, and I tried to buy some time, but I had to tell him, I had to –’
‘You told Snowie my name?’ My lungs are shorting out. I take quick high breaths.
‘ – and then Ando and Snowie, they – ah, Jesus – they waited for ages, and then Harris got home, and when he got in the door, they –’
‘Where are they now?’ My voice is hoarse. My hands are clenched hard around my keys but I don’t even feel it. ‘Where’s Harris, Reggie?’
‘He was here, all last night,’ he sobs out. ‘They had him in Barry’s room. They… I think they messed him up real bad. And then this morning they took him. I dunno where, I swear I dunno. But you can’t be here. Ando said he’s coming back, and I dunno when he’s coming but if they find you…’
I can’t think about Ando finding me right now. My head is clamouring, brimful of all those horrible bleeding images of Harris from the other day. Only now I know they’re real, and it’s making all my limbs weak.
But I can’t feel like that. We don’t have time. Harris’s time might be even shorter.
I grab Reggie by the arms. ‘Is Steph here?’
He screws up his eyes. ‘Whaddya wanna –’
‘Just answer the question. Is Steph here?’
‘No. She hasn’t been back since Wednesday. I dunno where she is, probably on some driving job.’
