‘Dad.’ I hug him closely.
He kisses me on the head and wraps his protective arms around me. ‘I’m back. I’m not in any trouble. Everything’s going to be okay.’
I glance up to see Ray still staring down at us. Our neighbour’s curtains twitch again too. I feel like everyone on this lane is always watching us. A prickly itch runs across the back of my neck as my gaze goes back to Ray. He pulls the curtains closed and all I can think is it’s not going to be okay. One of the neighbours is playing a nasty game, and I believe that Ray wrote those letters because he wants us to go back home. We’re not welcome here.
Fourteen
Morgan
Did I say I hate Monday mornings? Well, I do normally. I don’t hate this one as much because I’m starting a new school. At first I was dreading it but now I have a friend, it doesn’t seem so bad. I smile at Harry as his mum drives.
The rest of the weekend went smoothly and I have a bit more info for our evidence wall. Mum and Dad were a bit chirpier yesterday as they made plans to start work on the house today. I’m glad to be out of there. I know one thing, I don’t want to follow in the family footsteps and be a property developer – ever. It sucks. After investigating with Harry, I think I want to be a police detective. I want to be DI Morgan Houghton. It almost rhymes so it’s meant to be.
Quinn pulls up outside my new school and there is a sea of kids walking towards the gates, all with the same bottle green blazers on. My stomach flutters. Harry is already on the pavement so I jump out of the car. ‘Thanks, Quinn.’
‘You’re welcome, sweetheart. Have a lovely first day. I’m sure Harry will look after you, won’t you?’
‘Of course. Hurry up, Morgan. It’s starting to rain.’
‘Love you too, son,’ she calls, and Harry waves a dismissive hand.
The snowfall from last night has turned to slush. I run to join him and splash the bottom of my school trousers as we hurry towards the main entrance. ‘Harry, wait. I have something for the wall.’
He raises his brows underneath the edge of his navy-blue woollen hat. ‘Great, what is it?’
‘I heard my mum talking to Dad about that hamper we received. Apparently there was a note in it but it was more of a welcome note. Whoever sent the hamper hoped we’d fall in love with the lane – I think that’s what it said. It wasn’t a nasty note, not like the others, so I think someone different sent it, though it’s odd. Why wouldn’t the person who gave it to us say who they were, or knock at the door?’ I frown. ‘Or maybe they did knock and we couldn’t hear them from the apartment. Did you see anyone by our house that morning?’
‘When I went to shovel snow off Ray’s drive?’
‘Yes.’
‘Didn’t see a thing.’
A group of boys stand in a huddle. As we pass them, the tallest one separates from the pack and pushes Harry over into a slushy mess. The wetness has already seeped through his knees.
‘Jerk.’ I push the boy back. I don’t care that he’s bigger than me and looks like he could fling me halfway across the playground.
The boy laughs at my feeble attempt at knocking him over. ‘Blinky has to get his new girlfriend to fight for him, don’t you?’
I hold a hand out to help Harry up. He ignores me as he gets up and walks off.
‘Harry, wait.’
He enters the bustling corridors where kids who look a bit older than me open and close their lockers.
‘Harry?’ I run in front of him and see that his usually pale cheeks are burning red.
‘You didn’t have to do that. I can look after myself.’
I want to say It looks like it, but I keep my big gob shut. That wouldn’t be nice and I’m trying to put myself in his shoes. I should’ve let him fight his own battle. ‘Sorry, I didn’t think.’
He opens his locker and sighs. ‘No, I’m sorry for going off on one. You can share my locker until you get one sorted.’ He gives me the code and leads me to the admin office. We knock but there is no answer so Harry waits with me.
‘So, what’s the story between you and that boy?’
‘That’s James. He’s Tessa’s nephew. When he and his mum stay at Tessa’s, which is a lot, he hangs out with his mates and games all day in her basement room. I used to hang out with them but… I don’t think I’m the type of person they want to hang around with.’
‘Their loss is my gain because there’s no way I could be friends with James.’ I smile and take my bobble hat with pink pompom ears off my head. My hair rises from the static so I brush it back down with my fingers.
