‘So what’s the story?’ Sasha asked him. Kev had gone back to the house to assess the damage. He gave a tight little shake of the head. We’ll talk about it later.

‘You’re going to tell me sooner or later, so you may as well say it now,’ said Angel.

‘It’s a mess.’

Stuff had been broken and vandalized. There were cigarette burns on the floor and all over the sofa – it was a wonder the furniture hadn’t caught fire – and crushed lager cans had been stuffed down the back. Empty bottles were everywhere, and beer stains. Broken glass gouged the floorboards in the living room, the rugs were sopping. There was vomit on the stairs, and discarded nitrous oxide canisters. The upstairs toilet was blocked. A door had been pulled off a cupboard in the kitchen. Kev found a spliff in the bathroom and someone had used a marker pen to tag a couple of the walls upstairs. He told Sasha later that he’d found a bra in their bed. Items had disappeared, including knick-knacks from the living room, Angel’s iPad and Denny’s laptop. Kev didn’t even have time to go through all the cabinets and drawers to find out if other stuff was missing. The damage alone would come to thousands of pounds.

Angel lifted her head from the pillow. ‘I want you both to know, I’ll pay you back. Every penny.’

‘We’ll talk about it later.’ Kev placed a hand gently on Angel’s forehead.

‘How are you going to pay us back, Angel?’ snapped Sasha, and Kev flashed her a look. Be nice.

‘I’ll get a part-time job, or I’ll leave school and work full-time.’

‘You’re fifteen, you can’t leave school. Right now, you couldn’t pay for a torn cushion.’

‘Let’s talk about it another time,’ Kev told them both, just as Sasha’s phone rang.

Angel pointed to a sign on the wall prohibiting the use of mobiles. Sasha ignored her and answered the call, climbing out of the chair and walking through the curtain. ‘Blimey, Ajay, you’re in early.’

‘Things to do,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt your idyllic sojourn.’

Sasha stood in the busy ED, with its collection of casualties from the night before, the men and women injured in fights or while drunk, or who suffered alcohol poisoning like her own teenage daughter. She stepped out of the way as a girl in a glittery dress and a leg in plaster was pushed past in a wheelchair. She wasn’t in the mood to explain the sudden change in her situation.

‘Look, we got word that Sarah Tovey has turned up.’

It was early – Sasha was shattered, she had a lot on her mind – and she struggled to recognize the name.