‘You didn’t look in the right places then,’ said Brian, and his smirk was back. It got my back up and I wanted him to know it.

‘That tooth,’ I said. ‘Where’d you get it?’

He didn’t even blink. ‘Just found it, I told ye.’

‘Found it where?’ I asked.

‘Don’t remember?’

‘When?’

‘While ago. Mebbe longer.’

I got frustrated then. Started on at him. ‘Brian, you can’t go around with a tooth in your pocket. It’s worth something. Somebody might be asking questions …’

‘Doubt that,’ said Brian, with a look I didn’t like. He was staring past my shoulder and I suddenly knew there was somebody behind me.

‘Go get a coat on, Brian,’ said Pike. ‘Ye’ll catch your death.’

I turned around. Pike was standing with his feet in a puddle; his welly boots covered up to the ankle. He had on tight jeans and his bomber jacket, open at the waist. He was bare-chested. No hair on him. Not a single one. He had a gold necklace, like twisted rope, at his throat and an ugly patch of skin below his belly-button, like he’d had an operation. He’d got dressed in a hurry. Pulled his jacket and boots on without bothering with owt else. I felt my thoughts catch fire. What had got him so excited? And why was he talking to Brian like they were old pals?

‘Pike,’ I said. I hoped more words would come out of my mouth but nothing happened. He just stood looking at me with those eyes I could never read.

‘What were that about a tooth?’ he asked, angling his head like a bird who has heard a worm. ‘You have something, lad?’

‘Nah, Mam’s off her rocker,’ said Brian, and the lie didn’t even make his voice waver.

‘Mucking about, were you?’ he asked, while I stood there like a lemon, wondering what to say.

‘Aye, that’s it,’ said Brian. ‘You see the wagon in the wall? Mam were almost under it.’

Pike nodded. Pulled at his necklace. I noticed that his neck and the skin on his chest were almost different colours. His face was all grimy and stubbled but the other parts of him were pale, like a young girl.

‘Games,’ he mused, chewing his cheek. He turned to me. ‘Saw you limping past the window. You hurt?’

‘Scrapes,’ I said, shrugging.

‘Bumps and bruises,’ said Brian.

‘Me mam heard the wagon hit the house. Fucking Paddy. Can’t drive.’

‘It were my fault,’ I said.

‘No,’ decided Pike. ‘It were Paddy. You want me to have a word. I saw he were still up there. Not right. Could have hurt you.’

‘Honestly Pike, it’s nothing. I ran out.’ I was gabbling. Wanting it all to be right again. Nice again.

‘This tooth,’ said Pike, rolling his eyes back in Brian’s direction. ‘Were it gold?’