“Maybe he just got out of jail and that’s the hat he was wearing when he went in. Do you want some chips?”

“We can’t afford them,” said Ava reluctantly. “Sorry.”

“I can afford them.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been saving my pocket money.”

“You can’t spend your pocket money on food. You should save it for things you want, like trainers and stuff.”

“Why would I want trainers and stuff? Steve and Marie gave me five pounds a week.”

“Then books or something.”

“I wanted to help,” said Finn. “We’ve got nearly three hundred pounds.”

“Three hundred! That’s a fortune.”

“I was aiming for more, but they wouldn’t let me get a paper round.”

“How can it be three hundred pounds?” Ava was doing sums in her head. “That must be literally every penny they ever gave you.”

“I knew we’d need it. We’re a team.”

“Yes we are.”

“So let’s celebrate with chips.”

“I’ll go.”

“You will not. Have you seen the people going in?”

“I’m a grown up. You’re just a kid.”

“That’s why they won’t take any notice of me.”

Finn raced down the stairs, his feet thundering against the wood. A minute later, Ava saw his curly head disappearing into the takeaway. It was ten-thirty, peak business hour for salty greasy food. Ava rested her chin on the windowsill and watched the customers pour in. Three big men with no necks and shaven heads. A minute later, two skinny rat-faced teens. Three girls her own age, tumbling off tall heels. A middle-aged man came out and untied a quivering dog from a lamppost. Two more men went in, loud shirts and loud voices. A couple came out. Then a woman with gigantic boots and dreadlocks. Then Finn, clutching paper-wrapped treasure. His footsteps echoed ahead of him.

“I’ll tell you what,” said Ava, taking the warm package gratefully. “We’ll never have anyone sneak up on that staircase. We don’t have to get plates dirty, do we?”

“Course not.”

They ate their chips and smiled at each other. Halfway through her portion, Ava dropped the bag onto the floor and screamed with joy.

“We did it!” she yelled out of the open window. “We actually bloody did it!”

On the street outside, people stopped and stared. A no-necked muscle-man gave her a friendly wink and yelled back “Bloody good for you, love.”

“We really did,” Finn told them. “Well, she did, anyway.”

“That your girlfriend, mate?” The man with no neck had made up for it with tattoos. Thick sleeves of ink covered both arms from beefy shoulder to tree-trunk wrist. “Bit young for her, ain’t you?”

“My sister,” said Finn.

“Yeah? She got a boyfriend? Hey, darling, you got a boyfriend? Fancy a drink? We can get one in before last orders.”

“Good night,” said Ava firmly, and closed the window.

“You’ve broken his heart,” said Finn.

“I don’t think his heart was very involved there.”

“Maybe he’ll come back tomorrow and bring you roses.”