‘I—I said to her father,’ he stammered. ‘But I guess I got it wrong—I mean—because—sometimes she mentions her grandfather and then sometimes—I’m confused, I guess.’

‘What did she say to you?’

‘Nothing—she didn’t say anything—I’m just—’

‘Tell ’er, Mac!’ said Theo defiantly, still not looking at them. ‘I don’ care! Not like she can do anything ter me!’

He looked at her, then back at June.

‘Tell me,’ said June.

He looked at her, wondering what to say. What was going on? What had he said to set her off, anyway?

‘Not much. Just that she didn’t want to go back and that she lived with—with—’

‘With?’

‘Well, I’m a little confused actually. She said she lived with her father, but that he wasn’t. Her father, I mean.’

‘Did she?’

He saw her fist clench briefly, almost involuntarily. ‘And what else did she say?’

‘That’s it.’

She frowned at him for a moment or two. When she spoke again, though, her tone was light. She lowered the gun again, setting it back down on the table. ‘She’s a child,’ she said easily. ‘Children do ramble on so.’

‘That’s true,’ he agreed, not fooled for a moment, and looked at Theo again; she was still staring towards the front door, a spot of colour burning high up on her cheek.

‘I really wouldn’t pay her stories any attention,’ said June.

‘Perhaps not.’

‘Anyway. Now to get back to your problems, to tell the truth, the people who come to me, or whom I go to, are usually in need of less, shall we say, immediate assistance. So I’m not exactly sure what to do about your … situation.’

She held up a hand even as Theo turned around, stormy eyed, opening her mouth to protest. ‘But maybe he does.’

‘He?’ said Theo suspiciously. ‘Who’s ’e?’

‘Me,’ said a new voice—a loud, hearty voice—filling the room. It came from inside the apartment. Albert turned, as did everyone else, and saw the monster, beaming at him from the bedroom doorway.

8

Albert stared at the creature, realizing as he did that his first impression had been erroneous—it wasn’t a monster exactly, just the most massive man he’d ever seen. Massive was an understatement; he was so tall that his hat brushed the top of the doorway, and so broad—well, to be honest, fat—that his large bulk seemed to span the entire threshold. But, for all his imposing height and girth, it was his face that held attention. It was round and florid, with an impressive mane of once carroty hair falling all around, making the head look like a billiard ball loosely wrapped in old candyfloss. A very happy billiard ball.

‘And talk about what the cat dragged in!’