‘No way. She was busted just like us. If he’s sayin that then he musta left her.’ Tyrone sees the look on my face and tries to be nice about it. ‘She was faster than all of us. I’m sure those fat bastards couldn’t ave caught er. We parked a fair way away too, so they’da had ta keep up all that time, no way they did that.’

I nod again in thanks but can’t quite swallow down the waterworks. I might be all ready to go out and get my sister, but I can’t even speak. If I could work out a way to slap some sense into myself I would have there and then.

‘Where’d yas park then?’ Rhi asks.

Tyrone and Clinton share a look. Clinton shakes his head and Tyrone hesitates.

‘Come on Ty, we need to know.’

Clinton shakes his head harder, but the guilt on Tyrone’s face is clear.

‘It could help us find Laney,’ Rhi wheedles.

Tyrone caves.

‘Out near that mountain,’ he mutters.

Everyone in earshot gasps. We all know that place. It’s taboo, the elders don’t mess around about that one.

‘You did what?’ Eddie hisses at them. He’s the boys’ uncle, and his face says they’re in deep shit.

‘It’s a easy road, far enough they won’t see or hear the car, and no one goes out there at night.’

‘Cos we all got more sense!’ Eddie starts swearing a blue streak as Clinton glares at me like Tyrone’s big mouth is my fault.

‘We didn’t go on the mountain! We were just close to it.’

‘That’s bad enough!’

‘Why did yas go out to Potters’ anyway?’ Rhi butts in. I could kiss that woman, she’s so much more than a pretty face, if you pay attention.

‘We got some good stuff last week.’ He shrugs, making it clear they’ve been doing this a lot. I want to smack Laney. ‘We don’t normally go back so soon, but Troy said they had loads of cash ready for the big cattle sales. Can’t believe we fell for that bullshit. Wasn’t nuthin there but a buncha old shit.’ Tyrone rubs his chin, probably trying to show off his tiny stubble to Rhi. ‘Ya know, I swear he was lookin for somethin though. Kept mutterin stuff and goin through papers.’

‘Yeah, what’d we want with all those old papers?’ Clinton’s donkey laugh crunches through the space.

‘Especially when you can’t read, ay, Clinton?’ Rhi says in a kind voice that has him hopping up.