The girl’s quiet strength intimidated her. Kelly felt as solid as a house of cards. Lou’s wholeness and youth felt like an open threat.

‘How have your crew recovered?’ Kelly asked.

‘I’m devo. The main thing is to make sure the girls are disappointed too. Maybe not as much as me.’

‘I guess you have to be tough if you want results.’

‘Sure,’ Lou said without conviction and brought Kelly a vastly superior coffee. They stood at the Shitfuckerpoobum. The day wasn’t pleasant, with the nor’-easter belting in, but it was sunny and warm and sometimes you just had to cop the freaking gloriousness. Forcing herself to enjoy this place was the rent Kelly paid for living here.

‘I heard what happened,’ Lou said.

For a flash, Kelly thought Lou was referring to her and Gordon. They had taken precautions, getting dressed and sneaking about afterwards like teenagers, and Gordon had gone back to his own bed before disappearing early this morning. Surely Lou couldn’t know—and if she did, had she told Ben? Kelly was so worked up, she wanted to scream.

‘To?’

‘To Daniel.’

Kelly relaxed, but was also caught off balance. To her inquiring look, Lou went on, ‘There’s an investigation into the surfboat crash. Some footage on Facebook. It’s not conclusive, but the Capri crew are making statements that it wasn’t an accident.’

Lou showed Kelly her phone. The mainstream news coverage of the surfboat crash, which had been themed as a tragic accident wrought by the terrible power of an ocean angered by climate change, had altered to commentary about uncivilised testosterone-charged teenage boys and the sad deficit of male role models.

‘Daniel’s been suspended from school while the clubs look at the footage and decide whether to refer it to the police,’ Lou said. ‘His father’s been packed off from council on a mental health break.’

‘That was a quick response on a weekend.’ And you’ve got good information about the school, Kelly thought.

‘Shows there could be something in it.’

‘I’m sure Jude is on top of it,’ Kelly said teasingly.

Lou did not react.

‘Do you think Daniel started it?’ Kelly asked.

Lou gave her a what-do-you-reckon look.

‘He’s either headed for jail or a bravery medal.’ Lou finished her coffee and turned for the front door. ‘I’m going to finish installing the StairLift, I’m going to see Ben play in his cricket final next weekend, and then I’m off. You probably knew.’

‘I didn’t,’ Kelly said, suddenly wishing she could take back all the negative things she had told Lou, all the bitter sisterly wisdom.

‘You’ll miss me, right?’

Kelly didn’t know if this was a late assay at solidarity, a hug while walking out the door. Would Lou understand what Kelly had done last night, or see it as another crime against Gordon?