looked up.
‘So she’s upped sticks, has she, Val Vickers?’ Auntie Becca said.
Mum didn’t reply.
‘I heard she wanted children,’ Auntie Becca said. ‘Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he can’t afford it.’
‘I really don’t know, Becca. It’s all I can do to keep these two from sticking their noses in.’
She picked up her coat.
‘It’s time we were off.’
‘Not before Ray and Vince get back,’ Auntie Becca said. ‘Ray wants to see you and he’s giving you a lift.’
‘I’ve got a headache,’ Mum said. ‘We’ll get the bus.’
‘But the girls can stay.’
‘No, they can’t.’
Tess was already on her feet and Edie took one look at Mum before getting up. Usually she would have argued, but she remembered Mum’s tears from the week before.
‘Ray will be disappointed,’ Auntie Becca said.
‘I’m sure he’ll get over it,’ Mum said.
Auntie Becca frowned. Mum grabbed the girls’ arms and pulled them towards the door. Pepe, who had barked loudly when they arrived, now didn’t want them to leave. He crouched in front of them, arched his back and growled.
Mum looked at Auntie Becca.
‘He’s harmless, Gina. Just ignore him.’
Edie hung slightly behind Mum. Pepe wasn’t a large dog but his teeth looked big and sharp. Mum walked forwards. Pepe shuffled in front of her, blocking her path and still growling. Eventually, Auntie Becca got up.
‘Pepe, Peps,’ she called.
The dog ignored her. She walked over, grabbed its collar and pulled him back. Edie inched past him with Mum and Tess.
‘Bye, Becca,’ Mum said.
The dog was still pulling on the collar and growling as they left.
*
Edie didn’t dare complain about the cold wind and standing at the bus stop for twenty minutes. It took an hour and two changes to get home. Mum didn’t say a word during the whole trip.
‘Go to your room,’ Mum said when they got through the front door.
‘We only wanted to know if Valentina is at her sister’s,’ Tess said.
‘I’m disappointed in both of you.’
Edie shot Tess a warning look.
‘We didn’t stick our noses in,’ Tess said. ‘Auntie Becca started talking about her. Did you know she used to have loads of money and Mr Vickers gambled it away?’
‘That’s pure gossip.’
Mum’s face was getting angrier. Why wouldn’t Tess shut up?
‘But what if she’s not at her sister’s? He could have done something to her.’
‘Enough, Tess.’
‘He might have killed her. Her body could be in the freezer or under the floorboards. John Christie used to—’
‘That’s enough!’ Mum rarely shouted and Tess looked up as if from a trance.
‘If I find you’ve been snooping around…’ Mum said.
‘We haven’t,’ Edie said.
‘I’m ashamed of you. After I told you to leave that man alone. He’s going through enough.’
‘Mum. He’s… he’s…’
Mum was glaring at Tess, daring her to say the words. Tess closed her mouth.
‘Mr Vickers is a very unhappy man,’ Mum said. ‘And he can do without two silly little girls tormenting him. And if I find out there’s been any more snooping you’ll be grounded till Christmas.’
This time Tess stayed silent.
‘Now go to your room. I don’t want to see either of you right now.’
Edie and Tess slunk off.
‘You shouldn’t have said all that,’ Edie said when they were upstairs.
‘She has to know,’ Tess said.
‘I think Mum does know.’
‘Knows what?’
‘What happened to Valentina.’
‘Then why won’t she tell us?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘You’re not making any sense, Edie. If she knew where she was she’d tell us and she wouldn’t be so upset.’
It made no sense to Edie, either. But she was sure she was right, that Mum did know something. And despite her promise, she was desperate to find out why.
Edie read her book, the sixth in a series. She’d got bored after the third but wanted to find out the ending. Tess was lying on her bed fidgeting and looking across at her. Edie carried on with her book.
‘Edie?’ Tess said after a long bout of rustling.
‘I’m reading.’
‘But, Edie.’
‘Shut up, Tess.’
‘I’ll find her on my own.’
Edie put her book down.
‘How?’
‘I’ll go to the library. Harlith’s not a common name. There can’t be that many.’
‘She might not even live nearby any more. Auntie Becca said she’d sold her house and if she’s married she won’t be Harlith, anyway.’
‘I didn’t think of that,’ Tess said.
‘I know.’
‘I can still try. If I find which house she used to live in we can get her name from an old phone book.’
‘You won’t be able to do that without asking Auntie Becca, and Mum will find out.’
Usually, Edie was the one to break the rules and she would have gone along with Tess. But Mum’s reaction had upset Edie. It wasn’t like her to be sad or serious.
‘Tess, I think you should
