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Authors: Malorie Blackman
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Monday!’
Andrew hung up, throwing his phone down on the bed. Placing his hands behind his head, he smirked up at the ceiling. And in the corner of the room, unseen by Andrew, stood Liam, listening to
every word.
12. Acquaintances
‘Miss Dawn, will you be leaving any time soon?’
‘Miss Eve, I might ask you the same question.’
The two elderly women sat regarding each other, smiles serene, eyes like diamonds, minds like steel traps. They were closer than sisters, but they weren’t friends. They called themselves
‘acquaintances’. To everyone else they were travelling companions and rarely apart. The two women were currently sharing adjacent rooms at the Phoenix Manor Hotel.
‘So who have you got your eye on now?’ asked Miss Eve.
Miss Dawn scrutinized Miss Eve before answering, ‘Mr Jackman – as if you didn’t know. I saw you talking to Nova earlier. What were you doing? Asking about me – or Mr
Jackman?’
‘What makes you think you have anything to do with it?’ Miss Eve huffed. ‘The world doesn’t revolve around you, you know.’
Miss Dawn smiled serenely. Miss Eve glowered at her.
‘So you’re after Mr Jackman, eh?’ asked Miss Eve, trying to show that she wasn’t rankled. ‘Now, he’s definitely edible!’
‘Put him down! Besides, he’s mine!’
‘I do like to see a woman of your advanced years still living in hope,’ taunted Miss Eve.
‘Hope is my middle name,’ Miss Dawn said silkily. ‘You should know that by now.’
Miss Eve considered her companion. ‘So you reckon you’ll get him?’
‘I know I will.’ Miss Dawn’s smile had returned.
‘That’s what you said about the last three, and it didn’t happen, did it? I got them.’
‘It’ll be different this time. I can feel it in my vitals.’
‘That’s what you said the last three times.’
‘I have faith,’ said Miss Dawn.
‘Faith?’ scoffed Miss Eve.
‘Yes, faith.’
‘An extinct commodity.’
‘Dormant perhaps, not extinct.’
‘On the way out,’ argued Miss Eve.
‘Or on the way in. It all depends on your point of view.’
Miss Eve tried and failed to keep the irritation out of her voice. ‘Why d’you always have to argue?’
‘Why do you?’
‘You really are the most aggravating creature,’
‘I know!’ Miss Dawn’s serene smile broadened.
‘I could always move on, you know.’
‘Not without me you couldn’t,’ said Miss Dawn. ‘Where one of us goes, the other follows – remember?’
Miss Eve glared at her companion, then suddenly smiled. ‘I don’t know why I’m worried. Mr Jackman is going to disappoint you.’
‘Why?’
‘Why what?’
‘Why’re you so sure he will?’
‘You expect too much. You always do.’
‘He’ll do the right thing,’ said Miss Dawn. But was that the faintest trace of doubt in her voice?
‘Ah, but his idea of the “right thing” might not be the same as yours,’ Miss Eve said with glee.
‘We’ll see,’ said Miss Dawn. ‘We’ll see.’
13. Liam and Rainbow
‘Hello, Rainbow.’
Raye whirled round, ready to do battle with whoever it was using her full name. Only her words of rebuke withered and died on her lips. Omigod! Another gorgeous guy, with short black hair and
the most beautiful brown eyes she’d ever seen. Attractive guys to the left. Handsome guys to the right. This was much more like it!
‘It’s Raye. I prefer Raye.’
‘Of course. I prefer Raye too. Rainbow is a bit “hippy chick”, isn’t it!’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Not that I don’t like Rainbow too. I do,’ the boy amended hastily. ‘It’s just . . . it’s just time for me to shut up now!’
‘Can I help you with something?’ Raye asked, her tone decidedly cool now.
‘You can help me take my foot out of my mouth!’
Raye smiled reluctantly. ‘So you’re a guest here? Did you arrive this morning?’
‘No. I’ve been here a while. I live . . . round here.’
‘Really? I haven’t seen you before,’ said
Andrew hung up, throwing his phone down on the bed. Placing his hands behind his head, he smirked up at the ceiling. And in the corner of the room, unseen by Andrew, stood Liam, listening to
every word.
12. Acquaintances
‘Miss Dawn, will you be leaving any time soon?’
‘Miss Eve, I might ask you the same question.’
The two elderly women sat regarding each other, smiles serene, eyes like diamonds, minds like steel traps. They were closer than sisters, but they weren’t friends. They called themselves
‘acquaintances’. To everyone else they were travelling companions and rarely apart. The two women were currently sharing adjacent rooms at the Phoenix Manor Hotel.
‘So who have you got your eye on now?’ asked Miss Eve.
Miss Dawn scrutinized Miss Eve before answering, ‘Mr Jackman – as if you didn’t know. I saw you talking to Nova earlier. What were you doing? Asking about me – or Mr
Jackman?’
‘What makes you think you have anything to do with it?’ Miss Eve huffed. ‘The world doesn’t revolve around you, you know.’
Miss Dawn smiled serenely. Miss Eve glowered at her.
‘So you’re after Mr Jackman, eh?’ asked Miss Eve, trying to show that she wasn’t rankled. ‘Now, he’s definitely edible!’
‘Put him down! Besides, he’s mine!’
‘I do like to see a woman of your advanced years still living in hope,’ taunted Miss Eve.
‘Hope is my middle name,’ Miss Dawn said silkily. ‘You should know that by now.’
Miss Eve considered her companion. ‘So you reckon you’ll get him?’
‘I know I will.’ Miss Dawn’s smile had returned.
‘That’s what you said about the last three, and it didn’t happen, did it? I got them.’
‘It’ll be different this time. I can feel it in my vitals.’
‘That’s what you said the last three times.’
‘I have faith,’ said Miss Dawn.
‘Faith?’ scoffed Miss Eve.
‘Yes, faith.’
‘An extinct commodity.’
‘Dormant perhaps, not extinct.’
‘On the way out,’ argued Miss Eve.
‘Or on the way in. It all depends on your point of view.’
Miss Eve tried and failed to keep the irritation out of her voice. ‘Why d’you always have to argue?’
‘Why do you?’
‘You really are the most aggravating creature,’
‘I know!’ Miss Dawn’s serene smile broadened.
‘I could always move on, you know.’
‘Not without me you couldn’t,’ said Miss Dawn. ‘Where one of us goes, the other follows – remember?’
Miss Eve glared at her companion, then suddenly smiled. ‘I don’t know why I’m worried. Mr Jackman is going to disappoint you.’
‘Why?’
‘Why what?’
‘Why’re you so sure he will?’
‘You expect too much. You always do.’
‘He’ll do the right thing,’ said Miss Dawn. But was that the faintest trace of doubt in her voice?
‘Ah, but his idea of the “right thing” might not be the same as yours,’ Miss Eve said with glee.
‘We’ll see,’ said Miss Dawn. ‘We’ll see.’
13. Liam and Rainbow
‘Hello, Rainbow.’
Raye whirled round, ready to do battle with whoever it was using her full name. Only her words of rebuke withered and died on her lips. Omigod! Another gorgeous guy, with short black hair and
the most beautiful brown eyes she’d ever seen. Attractive guys to the left. Handsome guys to the right. This was much more like it!
‘It’s Raye. I prefer Raye.’
‘Of course. I prefer Raye too. Rainbow is a bit “hippy chick”, isn’t it!’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Not that I don’t like Rainbow too. I do,’ the boy amended hastily. ‘It’s just . . . it’s just time for me to shut up now!’
‘Can I help you with something?’ Raye asked, her tone decidedly cool now.
‘You can help me take my foot out of my mouth!’
Raye smiled reluctantly. ‘So you’re a guest here? Did you arrive this morning?’
‘No. I’ve been here a while. I live . . . round here.’
‘Really? I haven’t seen you before,’ said
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