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something…?” He shook his head. “I don't know. Something more—”
    “Do you want me to dress like an old woman?”
    “Why can’t you just dress your age?”
    “What’s wrong with this?”
    “Forget it!” He’d had this same conversation a thousand times.
    “I have a friend coming over in an hour,” she said.
    “Who?”
    “No one you know.”
    “Who?”
    “Sidney Lane.”
    “Who the fuck is he?”
    “Language. There’s no need for that.”
    “So, who is he?” Brice demanded.
    “I’ve already said—he’s a friend.”
    “And you thought you’d bring him around here and fuck him?”
    “That’s enough. I won’t put up with your foul mouth.”
    “Forget it. I’m going out.”
    Brice picked up his bag, and pushed past her.
    “Don’t come back before eleven,” she called after him.
     
    Brice phoned Jimmy, but the call went to voicemail. Jimmy never checked his messages, so it was pointless leaving one. Brice climbed into his car and drove. He had no idea where he was headed or how he ended up at Toppers.
    “By yourself?” Courtney Jerome said.
    Brice looked up. He’d deliberately picked a quiet alcove in the hope he’d be left alone with his thoughts.
    “Do you mind if I join you?”
    “Help yourself.” He didn’t have the energy to argue.
    “Where’s your friend?” Courtney shuffled her chair closer to his.
    “Jimmy?”
    “No. Not that loser. I meant your girlfriend. What’s her name?”
    “Kerry. I don’t know where she is.”
    “Are you two still an item?”
    “I don’t know.” Brice ran his finger around the coffee cup. “I don’t think so.”
    “I’m sorry. That’s a shame.” Courtney shuffled closer still, and put her hand on Brice’s.

 
    Chapter 36
     
     
     
    “I’m doing homework,” Kerry said when her mum came into the bedroom without knocking. It wasn’t true. Kerry did have work to do, but her mind was too much of a fog to do anything. The euphoria at tracing her biological mother was at odds with the pain she felt from Brice’s betrayal.
    “There’s someone here to see you. A boy.”
    “I don’t want to see him. Tell him to go away.” Hadn’t he caused enough damage?
    “Are you sure?”
    “Positive.”
    Her mum disappeared down the stairs. Moments later, the front door slammed closed. Cautiously, Kerry edged towards the window.
    Jimmy was looking up at her bedroom, and gestured for her to open the window.
    “What are you doing here?” she said.
    “I need to talk to you.”
    “What about?”
    “It won’t take long,” Jimmy insisted.
    “Did Brice send you?”
    He hesitated a moment too long. “No.”
    “I’m not interested, Jimmy. You can go back and tell him that.”
    “I’m not here to try to talk you around. There’s a few things you need to know though.”
    “What?”
    “We can’t talk like this. Let me in—it won’t take more than a few minutes.”
    “Not here. I’ll meet you in front of the shops—just around the corner.”
    Jimmy gave her the thumbs up, and started towards the end of the street.
     
    Jimmy was sitting on a decrepit wooden bench, which was in desperate need of a coat of paint. Kerry sat down beside him.
    “Brice told me what happened,” Jimmy said.
    “So he did send you?”
    “Not really. I said I’d come and see you.”
    “Same difference.” She stood up. “Tell him to leave me alone.”
    “He didn't do anything wrong.”
    “Is that what he told you?” She laughed.
    “He didn’t have to tell me. I know Brice. There’s no way he'd have done what you think he did. Sit down.”
    She didn’t move.
    “Please.”
    “Five minutes,” she said. “That’s all.”
    “Brice told me about the panties.” Jimmy grinned.
    “It isn’t funny.”
    “I know. Look, Brice would never cheat on you—it isn’t in his nature. And, he certainly wouldn’t shag some girl in his car.”
    “How do you explain the panties?”
    “I don’t know.” Jimmy shrugged. “He thinks they were planted,