‘No,’ said Fraser very quietly. The tongs still dangled from his fingers.

‘What?’

‘No.’

Rocky looked around at us all. ‘What have you got on you?’ No one spoke. He pointed his gun at Finn. ‘You. What you got? Cash? Pills?’

‘Um. Nothing. Just what I gave you. I didn’t bring anything, apart from my speakers and my sleeping bag, and some crisps, ’cause I don’t drink that much but I get hungry, and my ma says—’

‘OK, pal, don’t need your life story. You—’

I saw the barrel. The barrel of the gun he was holding. ‘I’ve got – I’ve only got twenty quid on me. You can have it.’

‘Naw, somebody’s been smoking puff in here.’ He pointed the gun towards my bag. ‘What’s in there?’

It wasn’t the time to be disagreeing with him. I knelt down, fished out the mint tin and handed it over. He put his arm around Becca, swapping the gun to his other hand. It hung idly down by her shoulder. He flicked the lid open with his thumb and held it to his nose, then closed it, manoeuvring it into his trouser pocket.

Rocky looked at my knees and my belt and my breasts. ‘Maybe I should just have a sooky off you and all.’ He squeezed Becca in towards him. Her hair completely covered her face. ‘Be better off with the one who didn’t try to bleach me, eh?’ he said to her.

My mouth dried up and I looked carefully at Fraser. His eyes had widened ever so slightly.

No one said anything.

Rocky sighed. ‘Give us your twenty, then.’

He made Finn pass him Becca’s bag so that he could rummage through it and Fraser got his wallet out. Like we were sorting out a bill after dinner.

‘Right.’ Rocky stood up, finally letting go of Becca, and put the gun into his waistband at the base of his back. He eyed us all, shaking his head. ‘You fucking kids, man.’ He came and stood in front of Fraser, chest to chest. ‘What are you gonna do?’

‘Pay Badger tomorrow.’

‘First thing?’

‘Yeah.’

Rocky remained looking at him.

‘First thing tomorrow,’ said Fraser, his eyes somewhere past Rocky’s shoulder.

‘You’d better.’

There was a moment’s pause and then Rocky’s head went back a couple of inches and he lunged forwards, both hands on Fraser’s shoulders as he smashed his forehead into his face. Fraser staggered and fell onto the floor, the tongs clattering away from him.

‘Fucking amateur.’ Rocky picked up his jacket and his torch and drained the last of his tea. He stalked out, leaving the door open.

No one moved. Finn had disappeared into the chair cushions. Fraser sat on the floor with his elbow on his knee, one palm covering most of his cheek, and Becca was standing by the bench giving little involuntary shudders.

After five minutes or so I shut the door, not daring to look outside, and sat down on the bed again. The fire hiccupped.