We sit at the kitchen table, both freshly showered to get off all the dirt and dust we picked up climbing through everything. The two of us ripped through the house, even outside in the laundry and garage. Laney is the person you ask to hide presents and things, we can’t leave out anything – she’s seriously crafty. Other than a drum of dirt and cobwebs, we found diddly squat. Sitting at the kitchen table afterwards we look completely defeated. Uncle Joe walks in and goes off his head at both of us. It’s the only way he knows how to deal with our sadness. It’s how a lot of our mob are. At least it gets us up and cooking the sausages and cutting up the salad. Once everything is ready we cover up the food to protect it from the unending flies.

‘Get us some tea there, daughter,’ Uncle calls from the back.

Mum gets some of the leftover patty cakes while I finish up the cups and take them out back. I’m a bit shocked they don’t leave straight away – there’d be time before the sun goes down. It’s weird not to have Laney there. Our family is broken and we keep right on moving. Like a car that’s lost one of its tyres, we’re riding the rim and wearing it down. Eventually we won’t be able to do that either.

Only after I sit down do I realise something’s wrong. Uncle and Mum won’t look at me. They’ve come to a decision. It has something to do with me and they want to talk before the mob turn up. They’re expecting a fight. Adults are so stupid. I keep my disapproval in and wait for the shoe to drop, already fuming.

‘Tace, we need ta talk ta you bout somethin.’

Uncle Joe is more impatient than me. If it’d just been Mum she’d take most of the day to get there, probably wait until we’re brushing our teeth.

I gulp down some Ovaltine to stop up my sarcastic mouth.

‘Mmm?’

‘Yeah, I umm, we think we’d like to start lookin for Laney at night. Maybe, you know, after dinner.’

I nod and refuse to help.

‘But we don’t want to leave you home alone.’

I try not to show my excitement as I swallow. It can’t be this easy, surely?

‘Why not? I do it all the time when Mum’s got a late shift.’ More shifting and glancing while I fight not to roll my eyes. ‘Finding Laney is more important than someone staying home to babysit me.’