‘Nah, she’s down the pub tonight. Matt’s watchin the kids,’ Rhi states oh so casually, like she trusts her doughy younger brother with their siblings all the time. ‘So … if we’re goin fishin, where’s the gear?’

I freeze. God, I am an idiot sometimes. I turn to look at her and she shakes her head at me.

‘I don’t know what I’m more disgusted with, that you’re gettin me into more trouble or how shit you are at lyin. I should take ya straight back ome.’

‘Come on, cuz, I need to get out there tonight,’ I plead. ‘Mum and Uncle Joe are in Dubbs, but we’ve only got …’ I check the car clock, ‘one and a half hours tops, before they get back.’

She turns the car towards the aerodrome road and takes us up to the seating area there. Stopping the car, she turns to look me in the eye.

‘All of it, now.’

I sigh. ‘I found something Laney was hidin so I called the Miller’s place but Sam got pissed and hung up on me. I thought I was screwed. But then he came and found me.’

She fist-pumps. ‘I knew it!’

I look at her strangely. ‘He told me May needs to see me and it’s tonight or never.’

Her jaw drops. ‘Is that it? No secret tryst, no forbidden romance? We’re going out to meet a hot boy out in the middle of nowhere so you can talk to his ancient crone of an aunty?!’

Slumping back, she bangs her head repeatedly against the headrest.

‘Ah, cuz, now I’m even more disappointed in ya.’

I’m starting to get pissed off. ‘Will ya stop it with this me and Sam shit? I need to focus on my sister, you know, the one who’s been missing for almost a week? The one I’m havin nightmares about? The one who needs me and I’m not there?’

It’s my turn to spin away from her. This scene has gotten a little bit more hysterical than I wanted. A tentative hand touches my shoulder.

‘I’m sorry, cuzzie, it’s just … you’ve always been the good girl. It’s been nice seein ya break a few rules and not worryin so much what the mob thinks.’

I snort. ‘I’m not doin this for fun, Rhi.’

Her hand squeezes. ‘I know. I’ll stop, okay?’

I face her again. ‘Rhiannon Thomson givin up. I’ll believe it when I see it.’

She laughs and hugs me. ‘Am I forgiven?’

‘Only if you forgive me for lyin about what we’re doin.’

‘Done!’ She leans back and we do a pinky promise. Rhi might be as mad as a cut snake, but she’s a solid-gold cuzzie.

‘But, Rhi, are you sure? We might actually get disowned for this.’