NIKKI BEGAN HER short walk home, then stopped abruptly. Mickey Smith! What would he think when his hero failed to turn up to visit him? Even worse, what if he got to hear that Joseph had been badly hurt? He should be told the truth, and it better come from her. She could do nothing for her own child, but maybe she could help a boy who no one cared about. With a sigh, she turned around, went back for her car, and drove to the clinic.

The night staff told her that Jonas had been fretting, unable to settle, and seemed unduly frightened, even though the protection officers were with him. As Nikki pushed open his door, she was glad she had made the effort. He had helped them, and no matter how tired she was it was only fair that they do the right thing by him.

She pulled up a chair, and gently explained about Joseph. Although she softened the story, she decided not to lie to him. After a while, the boy cried, and to her astonishment, she cried with him.

‘He’s special,’ said Jonas, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his pyjamas.

‘I know,’ said Nikki, sniffing into a tissue. ‘And now you two have got a lot in common, haven’t you? When he’s better, you’ll be able to compare war wounds.’

The boy nodded. ‘He will get better, won’t he?’

Nikki didn’t want to frighten the lad with the real prognosis, one that was far from reassuring, so she said, ‘I’ve spoken to the doctors, and they are really happy with his progress.’

‘Good. Maybe he could come here when he’s a bit better. We could share a room.’

‘He’d like that,’ said Nikki with a grin. ‘Except he’d nick all your comics.’

‘Who hurt him?’ The boy suddenly asked.

‘Frankie Doyle,’ said Nikki evenly.

‘Then we’ve got even more in common.’ He looked at her warily. ‘But I really don’t want to talk about that, okay?’

I knew it! she thought, then said, ‘Absolutely. No questions tonight, I promise.’

‘And you really have caught her?’ Fear clouded his bruised face.

‘Locked up in a cell.’

‘And her bloke, the dealer?’

‘Not yet, but we will. We got all the others, including Fluke, so you really are safe now.’

‘I don’t feel it. And Doyle’s bloke is still free. Maybe he’ll come after me in the night!’

‘He won’t, I won’t let him.’

‘But you’re not going to be here, are you?’ Tears filled the boys eyes once again, and Nikki’s heart went out to him. Joseph had finally made the lad feel that he had someone in this world, someone who cared about him, and then, bang, no one again.

‘I’ve got an idea.’ said Nikki softly. ‘Give me a minute, and I’ll be back, okay?’