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He pursed his lips. ‘Maybe.’

‘Another time,’ she said. ‘But we have to be at the library in an hour, and I have to get Sally and her friends from Reya’s, then take them to Maeve’s.’

Ryan looked at her, his face slack. He shrugged. ‘See you in a bit.’

There’s Always One

Sally and her three best friends – they had been a group for some years, despite what seemed like unending disputes – were at Reya’s house, and planning to go to Maeve’s, or maybe Katie’s, where they would stay the night, unless, as had happened on more than one occasion, Mary got a call from her daughter asking to be picked up because someone had said something to someone else or an unpleasant snap had come to light and a new configuration of friends was on the verge of arranging itself.

Reya lived on the outskirts of Barrow, so Mary had offered to transport them from Reya’s house to Maeve’s, and she was waiting in the driveway as they emerged from the front door, deep in conversation. They waved – all of them except her daughter – before climbing into her Audi A4, a car which Sally found embarrassing.

It’s like you’re trying to be rich, she said. Why can’t you drive a normal car?

What’s a normal car?

I don’t know! Anything.

Like a Prius?

Ugh. That’s just trying to look like you’re saving the environment.

Which is a bad thing? I thought saving the environment was to be welcomed?

That’s not the point. It’s trying too hard.

Well, this is safe, and Otis is learning to drive, so safe matters.

The word ‘safe’ had caused something akin to an allergic reaction in Sally, who shuddered in disgust.

Mary had shrugged. So what car should I get? Something unsafe?

I already said. Something normal.

A Toyota Camry?

A shake of the head. Boring.

A Mercedes? Surely this was safe ground. A truck?

Oh, God, Mom. Puhleeze.

There were limited options remaining. Well, when you decide what’s suitable, let me know. Until then we’re stuck with this.

And now Reya, Maeve and Katie were occupying the offending vehicle.

‘Hi, Mrs Jordan,’ Reya said. ‘Thanks for bringing us to Jasper’s.’

Mary paused. ‘Jasper’s?’ she said. ‘I thought you were going to Maeve’s?’

‘We were,’ Sally said. She took Mary’s phone, unlocked it – so she knew the code, then – and typed in an address. Jasper’s, presumably. ‘But now he’s having people over.’

‘So not Maeve’s?’ Mary said.

Sally sighed. ‘We’re going there afterwards. Why do you have to ask so many questions?’

‘It’s only really one question. Where is my fourteen-year-old daughter going to be?’ Mary said. ‘And it’s not that unreasonable, since Jasper is not someone I’ve met. Or even heard of. So why the change of plan?’

Sally shook her head and made a sound that was half-disbelieving choke and half-disgusted snort.