Page 48 of We Chase Shadows

There is a knock on the door. Amy pulls her gun.

‘It’s Tony,’ says Steve, getting up. ‘Don’t shoot. Unless he comes at you. Then you can shoot.’

Trouble nuzzles himself against the muzzle of Amy’s gun. Cats really have no boundaries.

Steve walks back in with Tony Taylor, his best friend. One side of Tony’s face is badly bruised.

‘Tony, this is Vern,’ says Steve.

Vern rises and shakes Tony’s hand. ‘Sorry you got caught up in all this.’

‘Not your fault,’ says Tony. ‘This is what happens when you’re in the murder business.’

‘You’re part of the gang too?’ Vern asks as he sits again.

‘No,’ says Rosie.

‘God, yes,’ says Tony. ‘For my sins. Logistics, that sort of thing.’

‘Human shield,’ says Rosie. ‘That sort of thing.’

‘Sort of Steve’s right-hand man,’ says Tony, perching on the edge of Steve’s armchair, even though there’s a chair free. ‘Sounding board, you know. Steve’s Spider-Man and I’m … Spider-Man’s sidekick. Does Spider-Man have a sidekick?’

‘Tony is very good with directions,’ says Steve. ‘And fixing cars.’

‘Too kind,’ says Tony. ‘So, have we caught this Eriksson yet? Give me five minutes with him if you do.’

‘What will you do?’ asks Rosie. ‘Explain the history of the Bournemouth ring road?’

They played a game of ‘unlikely crush’ on the jet the other day. Amy’s had been Voldemort. Steve hadn’t quite understood the concept of ‘unlikely crush’ and had gone for Jennifer Lopez to the derision of the others. Rosie had chosen Tony Taylor.

‘Joke’s on you, Rosie,’ says Tony, giving Steve a farewell pat on the leg and finally taking his own seat. ‘Bournemouth doesn’t have a ring road.’

‘He’s got you there,’ says Steve, shaking his head at Rosie’s naivety. ‘Absolutely bang to rights.’

‘It relies on a system of interconnected A-roads,’ continues Tony. ‘You’ve got your A35 and your A3049, which perform the job of a ring road, but are they a ring road? They are not.’

As Tony is speaking, Steve sees Rosie, almost imperceptibly, wet her lips. But Amy had explained the concept of ‘kink shaming’ to him the other day, so he chooses not to draw attention to it.

‘I have another question, Vern,’ says Steve. ‘I don’t suppose you quiz?’

‘Hmm?’ says Vern.

‘Do you quiz?’ Steve repeats. ‘It’s the quiz tonight, at The Brass Monkey. We need a fifth if you’re any good on sport or Charlie XCX? Those are our two weak spots.’

Amy looks up from stroking Trouble. ‘Why aren’t you asking me?’

‘You?’ says Steve. Now Amy and Trouble are both looking at him as if he has betrayed them.

‘Your daughter-in-law,’ says Amy. ‘Remember? You don’t think I can quiz?’

‘I know you know about guns,’ says Steve. ‘And what’s that show you like?’

‘Heated Rivalry,’ says Amy.

‘And Heated Rivalry,’ says Steve. ‘But last time I asked you to quiz with us you said you’d rather drown yourself.’

‘Well, I would rather drown myself,’ says Amy. ‘But it would be nice to be asked.’