My face must’ve gone white because she reaches to grab my elbow.

‘You right?’

I shake my head to clear it and focus on the important information. ‘Yeah, fine. See ya!’ I yell over my shoulder and bolt for it.

‘Where ya goin?’ Bobbie calls to me. I ignore her.

Home is normally a ten-minute walk but I cut it down to five, even in this heat. Rounding the last corner I push past the burning in my chest and crash through the back door, heart pounding. I have to stop and catch my breath before picking up the phone and dialling the hospital. The woman who answers is one of those stuck-up ones so I do my nice-as-pie thing saying we have a family emergency. I pretend not to hear the other woman dig for information on Laney, just wait till she finally moves her arse to go get Mum.

‘Stacey?’

‘Mum, didja hear? Troy’s back in town but he doesn’t have Laney with him!’

There’s a pause and a muffled sound, then Mum comes back on, all clipped words and harsh sounds. I hate that ultra-professional voice she puts on sometimes. It means she’s burying something.

‘Who told ya this?’

‘Bobbie told me at school, said he got in last night but he won’t say where Laney is.’

‘Right, we’ll see about that one.’ Mum must’ve covered the phone because all I can hear for a bit is the hum of different voices, then she’s back. ‘Call Uncle Joe, get him to come pick me up. We’re gonna sort this right now.’

‘And me too?!’ It’s a question but for some reason I yell it. There’s another pause but this one is shorter.

‘All right, get Uncle to swing past on his way. Tell im it’s about Laney.’

Click.

I dial Uncle Joe’s number and listen to the ring. Uncle Joe is Dad’s older brother and he’s done all he could for us since Dad died. We’d gone to the cemetery for the ten-year anniversary and he’d been right there. He’s our second dad. He answers the phone and Slim Dusty flows down the line. As soon as I say Laney’s name the tunes are shut off and I have his full attention.

‘I’m gettin in the car now, you be waitin at the street when I pull up, niece, got it?’

‘Got it, Unk.’

I hang up and walk to the road, school uniform and all. If I don’t want to get left behind then I’d better be where I’m told. I’ll be here all bloody night if I have to. I spot Bobbie heading down the road towards me and know that girl is coming to have a dorrie. Luckily Uncle pulls up before she gets close.