‘Says you know something about this kid we’re looking for.’

Fish-Face just gave a little shrug.

Maxie squatted down so that she was more on Fish-Face’s level.

‘If you know anything you should tell us,’ she said. ‘He’s dangerous. Until we’ve found him we’re all on lockdown.’

‘She says she might be wrong,’ said Skinner.

‘What do you mean, “She says”?’ Blue asked, trying not to get angry. Fish-Face hadn’t said anything. Were they playing some kind of game with him?

‘Just that,’ said Skinner. ‘She might be wrong about the boy. She doesn’t want to cause any trouble.’

‘When did she say this?’

‘Just now, you know …’

‘No, I don’t know. It was you brought me over here. I don’t know what this is all about.’

‘I didn’t bring you over,’ Skinner protested. ‘You wanted to come. I told you she’d be shy. And now you’re upsetting her.’

‘Not as much as you’re upsetting me,’ said Blue. ‘Now she either said something to you or she didn’t.’

‘Leave it, Blue,’ said Maxie. ‘You’ll frighten her.’

Blue checked himself. Wandered away. He knew he shouldn’t get wound up, and if the morning hadn’t been so frustrating maybe he’d have gone along with whatever the warehouse kids were up to. He had his back to them now, waiting to calm down, and realized that he was looking at a door that he hadn’t noticed before. It looked almost like part of the wall.

‘We should get going.’ Justin was striding along the middle of the minerals gallery, down the passageway that the kids had left between all the sleeping cubicles they’d built.

‘Where does this door go?’ Blue asked Justin when he arrived. Justin looked at it and frowned.

‘Don’t know. Not sure. Don’t think I’ve ever seen it before, to tell you the truth. Must have done, though. We don’t use it anyway.’

‘It’s a door into where you sleep,’ said Blue. ‘This is supposed to be a secure area, sanctuary, and you’re telling me there’s a door and you don’t know where it goes?’

Justin looked up at the ceiling, went over to peer out of the windows.

‘I think it must lead up into the tower,’ he said.

‘What’s up there?’

‘No idea. As I say, I don’t know anything about this door.’

‘You never been up in the tower?’

‘No.’

‘Maybe we should look.’

Justin checked the door. ‘It’s locked.’

‘Oh fine,’ said Blue sarcastically. ‘That’s OK then. It’s not like Paul has any keys or anything.’

Justin sighed. ‘All right. I’ll open it. I’ll get my keys.’ He went off muttering to himself and Blue banged on the door. It felt solid.

‘You think he might be up there?’ said Maxie, coming over to join him.