He’d been timing and cycling after Jonno for six months now. Initially it had been painful, but now he’d really got into it. Jonno was seriously fast, and it was cool to be a part of something. He wasn’t a bad motivator either, and even though he still annoyed the heart and soul out of Jonno, they were closer. Rave had been right. Still, it always felt weird when Rave wasn’t around.

Dave, Mitch, Jonno, Deirdre, Mel and Casey were called out of class almost as soon as it started. They sat outside the principal’s office trying to make sense of why they were there.

‘Someone saw us drinkin’ in the park,’ Jonno said, sounding petrified. ‘Me fuckin’ ma is going to burst me.’

Mitch wasn’t sure. ‘Nah, it’s not that.’

‘Why?’

‘Because they don’t bring in coppers for teenage drinking,’ Dave said.

‘What?’ Casey said. ‘What copper?’

‘The one talking to Principal Young.’ He could see the man through the glass window, even though it was frosted.

‘What makes you think he’s a copper?’ Deirdre whispered.

‘Look at the fuckin’ size of him. He’s a copper, all right.’

‘Oh, Jesus,’ Mel whispered. ‘My da’s on parole.’

Mitch wasn’t impressed. ‘He could be a bleedin’ circus ringmaster, for all this clown knows.’

Principal Young appeared in the doorway and addressed the six pale-faced kids.

‘I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Jeremy Bean and Rave Murphy have been missing since Sunday night, and we’re hoping you might help with the inquiry. I’ve informed your parents that Detective Brennan will be talking to each of you and assured them that, in their absence, I will be there with you.’ She looked at Jonno. ‘Your mother is on her way in.’

He slapped his head. ‘Shite,’ he whispered.

‘Just give us a minute or two and then we’ll be calling the first one in.’ She closed the door and the stunned kids looked at one another.

‘Missing since Sunday?’ Casey said, red in the face.

‘They’re just bunking off,’ Mitch said.

‘Jeremy doesn’t do that,’ Deirdre said quietly.

‘Balls. They’re grand,’ Dave said, ‘and at least it gets us out of class. I say relax and say nothin’.’

‘Well, my ma is going to bleedin’ murder me so I hope wherever they are they’re fuckin’ happy,’ Jonno said.

‘Look, calm down. We were in the park, talking, nothing else. Don’t land us in it and definitely don’t land Rave in it,’ Dave said. He’ll bleedin’ kill us.

‘What if something’s happened to them?’ Mel said.

‘As if! We’re not in South Central LA,’ Dave said, and Mitch nodded.

‘He’s right, say nothing.’

Mitch was the first to go in. He came out fifteen minutes later, shaking his head and whispering, ‘Sorry, lads,’ as he passed by, under the watchful gaze of Principal Young.