Featherby didn’t quite know how to point out that none of this was in any way useful to her or other potential victims. She elected not to offer PC Grigson a cup of tea.
The copper gave a final sniff, said a non-committal goodbye, and headed back to his car. Mrs Featherby stood alone in her fractured home, vainly attempting to disregard the whispers and stares of her passing neighbours.
WHEN HE CAME DOWN TO the kitchen, Robert found Bonny sitting at the table, studiously drawing on one of the bamboo place mats.
‘Dad,’ said Bonny, fixing Robert with a serious gaze. ‘Can I do something different with my cereal today?’
‘What did you have in mind?’
‘Well, instead of having just one kind of cereal, can I have cornflakes and coco pops mixed all together?’
‘That is an excellent idea, Bonny. I’m going to do the same. Would you like a banana sliced on top of yours?’
‘Um, not so much. Can I have a banana just on its own?’
Mara walked into the kitchen as they were eating. She had dressed, but not yet done anything with her hair, which stood out from her head in a wild mane of tawny brown. Robert stood and walked over to her. He twisted his hands into the mass of hair and kissed her.
‘Nice of you to wait till you’d showered before doing that, my love,’ she said.
‘Anything for you.’
‘I’m glad you feel that way,’ said Mara, concentrating harder than was strictly necessary on the cup of coffee she was pouring. ‘I’ve been asked to go in to see Bonny’s teacher this afternoon. Can you come?’
‘Do they need both of us?’
‘No, they didn’t say that, it’s just that I’m nervous and I’d rather not go alone. It’s the first time I’ve been called in to see a teacher and I don’t know what they want. I’m worried I won’t act like enough of a grown up.’
‘If it were next week I probably could. I’ve a lot on at the moment. A few people are away at a conference, you know, and we’ve taken on a couple of important new clients. You’ll be fine. They’re used to dealing with children, after all. Or can you move the meeting?’
‘Next week something else will come up and you still won’t be able to go.’
‘You can’t be sure of that.’
‘I am 87 per cent sure of that … 87 and a half. There is always something that needs to be done, and it always needs to be done by you because you’re a big girly swot who can’t delegate.’ She rubbed her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. ‘It’s fine,’ she said. ‘I can go alone. It’s probably no big deal.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yes, I’m sure, whatever; your job can’t be arranged to suit your convenience. Mine can.’
Robert kissed her.
‘Don’t think I don’t envy you that, by the way.’
‘Oh, you’ve no idea,’ said Mara, speaking right into his ear, all low and suggestive. ‘I can work naked if I want.’
‘Bloody hell, Mara,’ Robert muttered back. ‘And with that image I have to leave. To go to my office. The land where nakedness is a crime. Why didn’t I become a website designer? You lot have it so damn sweet.’
‘Please. You couldn’t handle it. And you’ve terrible taste.’
‘Ooh, right in the feelings.’
Mara gave a bloodthirsty chuckle and ruffled Robert’s hair as she walked past him to the cereal.
Robert grabbed his bag from the lounge and headed for the front door.
‘Babe,’ Mara called from behind him. Robert turned to see her standing in the hall holding her shirt open.
‘Mum, can I have a juice?’ Bonny called from the kitchen. Mara poked her tongue out and turned to go back to their daughter.
‘Bloody hell,’ Robert said again as he turned and stepped out into the world.
JAKE TRIED HIS HARDEST NOT to expect waffles when he walked into the kitchen, and it was a good thing he did. His dad was eating cereal standing up, staring into the small, overgrown garden. Jake chewed his lip and crossed to the cupboard to look for bread. There were only two pieces left and one of them was an end. He sighed and immediately regretted it. He hated it when people sighed. His dad never sighed, although you’d think he had plenty of reason to. Jake put the bread in the toaster.
‘Good morning,’ his dad said while Jake was spreading peanut butter on his toast. Jake wondered if it had taken him that long to notice him, or just that long to remember to say hello.
‘Hi,’ Jake replied.
‘Your teacher says you’re doing well at school. I called her last night to ask how things were going, how you were settling in.’
Jake had trouble remembering what it had been like talking to his dad before, but he was pretty sure they’d never had conversations like this. Had they talked about TV? Did they tell each other jokes?
‘I guess so,’ he said. ‘I have a spelling test today.’
‘Good,’ said his dad. ‘That’s good.’
Jake tried to think of something sensible to say. ‘How’s your work?’ he settled on with a tiny grimace.
‘Oh, fine. It’s fine. I should get started for the day, actually.’
Jake watched his dad walk out of the kitchen and head slowly to his office. He wondered if he should have had some kind of funny story from school. He couldn’t remember if anything funny had happened there recently.
He sat at the table and finished his toast. His dad had forgotten what day it was. He’d forgotten there was something to celebrate. Jake decided not to mind. He decided to try his hardest not to mind. He washed his dishes and went to his room to get his school bag.
CASSIE DIDN’T NOTICE AT FIRST when her phone started to ring. She didn’t hear it. At least, she heard it but it felt remote, even though it was in her pocket and vibrating as well as ringing; it wasn’t connected to her. It wasn’t until she saw someone staring at her that she realised she was supposed to do something about it. That it was hers.
She
