‘Nevaya’s up to something, Donny. She’s a snake in the grass. I need to be careful, she’s all cloak and dagger that one is.’

Donny nodded in agreement, only half listening. ‘Yep, watch her like a hawk, Tina, never take your eyes off the game when you have beef with someone.’

It was sound advice and Tina knew more than anyone that the fight with her stepdaughter was far from over. Donny coughed and cleared his throat, tried to sound casual.

‘So, tell me more about this new kid and his mam.’

‘The woman seemed edgy. I got the feeling that something wasn’t right with her. She was a bag of nerves and kept asking when you’d be back. The lad, Dan, was nice enough though. A good-looking lad. I can see a few of the girls lining up to get to know him, trust me, he’s every teenage girl’s idea of eye candy.’

Donny was impatient to know more. ‘Did Bethany say anything else, like how she knew me?’

Tina was busy now reading her emails, and didn’t even look up. ‘No, she never said.’

Chapter Fourteen

Nancy walked down the road with her coat zipped up tightly, she was always cold. Her cheeks were bright red and the end of her nose was chapped. Even so, she seemed happy for a change. Her hair looked neater and she’d paid more attention to the way she was dressed. She walked down the path and knocked on Ged’s door. She liked it here, she felt safe, could let her guard down. Nothing. She lifted the letterbox flap and peered inside, then stood back and looked up at the windows. Ged was probably in his bedroom messing around on his phone. After a few seconds she knocked on the door again. Bloody hell, it was cold tonight and if he didn’t hurry up and answer the door she was going to freeze to death. A light came on in the hallway and a shadow approached the front door. Nancy stared at Ged as he stood looking at her; he looked bothered, not himself. She pushed past him into the hallway.

‘Are you deaf or something? I’ve been here ages freezing my tits off.’

Ged shoved his hand down the front of his tracksuit bottoms and scratched his nuts. ‘I was half asleep, I didn’t hear you. I thought I told you to leave it tonight, I’m knackered.’

Nancy headed into the front room. She kicked her shoes off and made herself comfy on the sofa. His comment went over her head.

‘I got some money from my mam so we can order some scran if you want?’

Ged hovered near the door; he had something on his mind, he seemed edgy.

Nancy patted the space next to her. ‘Come on then, sit down, we can find a film to watch.’

Ged sat down next to her but he was still acting strange. Nancy studied him for a few seconds. Maybe she was being paranoid, she wasn’t sure.